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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Rescission of Contract: Balancing Forfeiture Clauses With the Duty to Reimburse
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how rescission under Article 1191 requires mutual restitution, even when forfeiture clauses exist.
THE Immutable Nature OF Final Judgments Comelecs Attempt TO Revive A Voided Contract
Conditional Sales of Land: Upholding Contractual Obligations in Real Estate Transactions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on foreclosure, redemption rights, and the consequences of failing to prosecute a case for injunction.
Burden of Proof in Loan Obligations: Debtor Must Prove Payment Despite Creditor's Claim of Non-Payment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who bears the burden of proving payment in loan and mortgage obligations, and when contract rescission is proper.
Notice of Lis Pendens: When a Contract to Sell Justifies Annotation on Title
Learn when a notice of lis pendens may be annotated on a property title, even in a contract to sell dispute, based on Romero v. Court of Appeals.
Termination vs Rescission: Lease Contract Disputes and Penalties in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the legal difference between terminating and rescinding a lease contract, and when penalties apply.
Clear Contract Terms Prevail Over Subjective Intent in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on sugar quedans clarifies written agreements, damages proof, and interest rules in contract disputes.
When a Land Sale Contract Is Voidable: Illiteracy, Fraud, and Equitable Mortgage in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a deed of absolute sale is actually an equitable mortgage, protecting illiterate landowners from fraud.
Handwriting Analysis and Contract Validity: Proving Genuineness Under Philippine Law
How Philippine courts weigh handwriting evidence in contract disputes, and why expert reports alone do not decide the validity of a deed.
CBA Separation Pay for Voluntary Resignation: When Contractual Stipulations Prevail
Philippine Supreme Court rules that a CBA can grant separation pay to voluntarily resigning employees, even if the Labor Code does not require it.
Mandamus Unveiled: Enforcing Rights vs Contractual Obligations in Property Disputes
Learn when courts versus DARAB resolve property disputes involving CLOAs and agrarian reform lands, based on a 2005 Supreme Court ruling.
Seafarer Status Contractual Employment AND Security OF TENURE IN Philippine Maritime LAW
The Supreme Court rules that seafarers are contractual employees, not regular employees, even after decades of continuous rehiring.
Contractual Obligations Mutuality AND Modification IN Commission Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court applied the mutuality of contracts principle in a commission dispute, protecting a manager's right to earned franchise fees.
Voiding Contracts With Indigenous Peoples Prior Approval IS Mandatory
Supreme Court clarifies that contracts with indigenous peoples require prior government approval or they are void, protecting ancestral lands.
Mining Disputes vs Judicial Questions: Jurisdiction of the Panel of Arbitrators
The Supreme Court clarifies when the Panel of Arbitrators has jurisdiction over mining disputes and when regular courts should hear cases involving contract validity.
Carrier Liability for Passenger Safety: Extraordinary Diligence in Public Transportation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies common carrier liability, extraordinary diligence, and delivery standards in breach of contract cases.
Letters of Credit and Construction Contracts: Defining Liability in Tripartite Agreements
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a bank is liable under a tripartite letter of credit agreement in construction financing.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Officers Face Personal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers may be held personally liable for contractual obligations, explaining the limits of piercing the corporate veil.
Contract Validity: Illness and Consent in Property Sales Under Philippine Law
Supreme Court ruling on when illness affects consent in property sales, and the burden of proving lack of capacity to contract.
Breach of Contract to Sell in the Philippines: When Can a Buyer Claim Damages?
Full payment of a lot does not automatically entitle a buyer to moral damages. The Supreme Court explains what must be proven, and what can be recovered.
Contractual Intent Prevails Interpreting Interest Rates in Loan Agreements Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court rules on how courts interpret interest rates in loan agreements, emphasizing that clear contractual terms prevail over alleged intent.
Credit Card Suspension and Moral Damages: When Breach of Contract Lacks Bad Faith
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when credit card suspension without notice does not entitle cardholder to moral damages absent bad faith.
Victory Liner Liability: Breach of Contract of Carriage and Passenger Safety
Supreme Court ruling on common carrier liability for passenger death, negligence of counsel, and damages in breach of contract of carriage.
When an Expired Lease Becomes Month-to-Month: The TISA v. Tagbilaran Women's Club Ruling
Understand when an expired lease becomes an implied month-to-month contract, and how a notice to vacate ends it, under Philippine law.