Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
Overpricing and Accountability: The COA's Role in Ensuring Prudent Government Spending
How the Commission on Audit ensures prudent government spending, and what the Supreme Court says about overpricing and public accountability.
Lateral and Subjacent Support: Excavation Limits for Adjacent Landowners in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the legal easement of lateral and subjacent support between adjacent landowners and its effect on property titles.
Missed Filing Deadlines in Philippine Courts: Lessons from Barangay Dasmariñas vs. Creative Play Corner School
Learn how strict Philippine court filing deadlines are, and why a missed extension cost Barangay Dasmariñas its case before the Court of Appeals.
Philippine Red Cross Charter: Understanding Its Unique Legal Status
The Supreme Court explains why the Philippine Red Cross is neither a private corporation nor a government entity, and why its charter remains valid.
Coalition Registration Deadlines Are Mandatory in Philippine Election Law
Supreme Court rules COMELEC deadlines for coalition registration are mandatory, not merely directory, in Liberal Party v. COMELEC.
Tortious Interference Protecting Distributorship Rights in Philippine Commerce
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tortious interference with exclusive distributorship contracts and the liability of third parties who induce breach.
Establishing Filiation: The Evidentiary Standard for Illegitimate Children's Support Claims
A support promise without an admission of paternity does not establish filiation. Nepomuceno v. Lopez clarifies the rule.
Warrantless Arrest and Victim Identification in Robbery with Rape Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when a warrantless arrest is deemed waived and how victim identification is weighed in robbery with rape convictions.
Party Expulsions and Due Process: When Can a Political Party Remove Members
The Supreme Court clarifies that political party expulsions are internal matters, not subject to constitutional due process requirements.
Loss of Redemption Rights: Inheriting Property After Mortgage Foreclosure in the Philippines
When a mortgaged property is foreclosed and not redeemed, heirs lose inheritance rights. The Supreme Court explains why.
VFA Constitutionality Upheld: Balancing Sovereignty and International Agreements
The Supreme Court upheld the Visiting Forces Agreement as constitutional while striking down detention agreements that violated its terms.
Upholding Judicial Efficiency Consequences FOR Undue Delay IN Case Resolution
The Supreme Court annuls a COMELEC ruling that nullified execution pending appeal in an election protest, clarifying the standards for the remedy.
When Lawyers Issue Bouncing Checks: Administrative Liability Under Philippine Law
A lawyer who issues worthless checks faces suspension even after full payment. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court administrative case.
Upholding Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal AND THE Limits OF Corporate Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Supreme Court affirms illegal dismissal ruling against Purefoods for union busting, clarifies corporate procedural rules in labor disputes.
Venue Rules in Personal Actions: Why the Principal Plaintiff's Residence Matters
Supreme Court clarifies venue rules for personal actions, emphasizing the principal plaintiff's residence determines proper venue, not nominal co-plaintiffs.
Voice Recognition as Valid Identification in Robbery with Homicide Cases
How Philippine courts accept voice identification and physical familiarity as proof of identity in robbery with homicide cases.
Protecting Land Titles: Limits of Agrarian Reform Jurisdiction and Ancestral Land Claims
Supreme Court ruling on DARAB jurisdiction, Torrens title protection, and ancestral land claims under RA 8371.
Treachery and Accountability: Examining Guilt in the Santa Elena Murders
A look at how the Supreme Court affirmed murder and frustrated murder convictions, applying treachery rules in the Santa Elena killings.
Forum Non Conveniens in the Philippines: When Courts Keep Jurisdiction Despite Foreign Elements
Philippine courts can hear cases with foreign elements; a choice-of-law clause does not automatically strip them of jurisdiction.
Surety Bound When Invoking Jurisdiction Estops Later Challenges In Construction Disputes
When a surety invokes CIAC jurisdiction to dismiss a court case, it cannot later challenge that jurisdiction. Learn the rule from this Supreme Court ruling.
Establishing Filiation: How Informal Writings Can Prove Paternity in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how handwritten letters can establish paternity and filiation of illegitimate children under the Family Code.
Control Test and Regular Employment: When a Retainer Is Not an Employer-Employee Relationship
The Supreme Court explains when a company doctor under a retainer agreement is not a regular employee under the control test.
Squatters Rights in Ejectment Cases: Possession Disputes Between Informal Settlers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on squatters rights in ejectment cases—prior physical possession matters even between informal settlers on public land.
Divorce Abroad and Remarrying in the Philippines After a Spouse's Foreign Naturalization
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies rules on divorce abroad, foreign naturalization, and remarriage in the Philippines under the Family Code.