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.
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Contracts Under Martial Law: When Government Regulations Don't Mean Void Ab Initio
Supreme Court clarifies that regulated goods under martial law orders remain valid contract objects, distinguishing prohibition from regulation.
Quantum Meruit in Government Contracts: What Contractors Must Know
The Supreme Court clarifies when contractors can recover payment from the government and the limits of the quantum meruit principle.
MWSS Acquires Land Title Through Acquisitive Prescription: Key Lessons
Land registration dispute clarifies how government agencies can acquire private land through long, open, and continuous possession.
Public Sector Strikes: Balancing Employee Rights and Government Service
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on public school teachers' mass actions, explaining why government employees cannot strike and the limits of constitutional rights.
Indispensable Parties in Philippine Appeals: When the Government Need Not Be Impleaded
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when the Office of the President is not an indispensable party in appeals from its decisions.
Malversation of Public Funds: Accountability and Due Diligence for Government Cashiers
Understand the Estrella v. Sandiganbayan ruling on malversation, cash shortages, and the duty of public officers to account for funds.
When Can You Compel Government Agencies to Issue Regulations? A Mandamus Guide
Learn when Philippine courts will issue mandamus to compel agencies to act, and when they will not, based on the Pacheco v. SRA ruling.
Recall Elections: Defining the Process and Protecting Local Governance Stability
The Supreme Court clarifies when recall elections may be held under the Local Government Code, balancing accountability with stability.
Defining Government Control When Does A Corporations Funding Subject IT TO Anti Graft Laws
Representation in Legal Disputes: Clarifying Counsel Rights for Local Government Officials
Learn when local government officials may hire private counsel and how service of notices affects appeals, based on a 2000 Supreme Court ruling.
Motion for Reconsideration: A Necessary Step Before Certiorari
Acebedo Optical v. CA clarifies that a motion for reconsideration is required before filing certiorari, and explains limits on local government police power over business permits.
Illegal Dismissal Liability: Government Entity vs Individual Officials
Supreme Court clarifies when government, not individual officials, must pay back wages of illegally dismissed employees.
Guarantee OF Refund Prevents Graft Conviction Protecting Government Interests IN Procurement
Premature Injunctions Protecting Government Authority IN Foreshore Lease Disputes
Election Law Violation: Transferring Employees Without Comelec Approval
Supreme Court clarifies that transferring or reassigning government employees during election period without COMELEC approval violates election law.
Philippine Red Cross Ruling: Ombudsman Jurisdiction Over Government Controlled Corporations
Supreme Court clarifies that the Philippine Red Cross is a government-owned corporation, placing its employees under Ombudsman jurisdiction.
When Official Duty Shields a Lawyer from Personal Liability for Conflict Claims
Explaining when government lawyers cannot be held personally liable for alleged conflicts of interest under the Anti-Graft law.
Eminent Domain: Necessity, Procedure, and the Writ of Possession in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when the government may expropriate private land, the necessity requirement, and the rule on writs of possession.
Caloocan City Budget Battle Defining Misconduct AND Local Government Authority
Preventive Suspension of Public Officials: Graft Law Applies to Election Offenses
Unauthorized use of government property is fraud, so preventive suspension under the Anti-Graft Law applies even in election offense cases.
Due Process in Dismissal: Protecting Government Employees From Unlawful Termination
The Supreme Court clarifies when dropping a government employee from the rolls for AWOL violates due process, and what evidence is required.
Invalid Government Appointments: How Unpublished Decrees Affect Public Servants' Rights
Supreme Court ruling on how unpublished presidential decrees create no valid offices, and why automatic absorption of employees is unconstitutional.
SEC Jurisdiction Over Government-Owned Corporations: The PNCC Case
The Supreme Court clarifies SEC jurisdiction over GOCCs organized under the Corporation Code, using the PNCC dispute as a landmark example.
Philippine Retirement Law: Understanding Discretionary Service Extensions for Government Employees
Learn how the Supreme Court clarifies discretionary service extensions for government employees and the legal limits of such authority.