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.
Freedom to Contract vs Equity: No Perfected Contract, No Forced Sale of Government Property
Supreme Court rules equity cannot compel the National Housing Authority to sell land without a perfected contract of sale.
Freedom to Contract vs Equity: When Government Sales Require Perfected Agreements
Supreme Court rules equity cannot compel a government sale without a perfected contract, applying Civil Code principles.
From Murder to Homicide: The Crucial Role of Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court explains when a killing is murder or homicide, focusing on the essential elements of treachery.
Agrarian Reform vs Civil Lease: Jurisdiction Over Fishponds Explained
When does a fishpond dispute fall under agrarian reform, not civil courts? The Supreme Court clarifies jurisdiction rules.
Ballots as Primary Evidence in Election Protests: Limits on Testimonial Evidence
The Supreme Court affirms COMELEC's discretion to limit witnesses in election protests, holding that ballots are the best evidence of election results.
Due Process in Death Penalty Cases: Waiver of Right to Present Evidence
When can a court deem an accused to have waived the right to present evidence? The Supreme Court explains the due process limits.
Party Authority vs Electorate Protection: Resolving Leadership Disputes in Political Parties
The Supreme Court rules on who may sign party nominations, protecting parties and voters from factional confusion.
Illegal Strikes: Balancing Worker Rights and Employer Interests in Termination Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when union officers and members may be dismissed for illegal strikes, and what due process requires.
Probate Court Limitations Property Title Disputes Require Separate Action
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies probate courts cannot nullify property titles; such disputes need a separate ordinary civil action.
Consignation and the Debtor's Right to Withdraw: Pabugais v. Sahijwani
When can a debtor deposit payment in court, and when can they withdraw it? The Supreme Court explains consignation rules.
Circumstantial Evidence and Reckless Imprudence: When a Vehicular Homicide Is Not Murder
The Supreme Court explains when a fatal jeepney accident is reckless imprudence, not murder, and how circumstantial evidence is weighed.
Guilty Plea Grave Error Safeguarding Justice In Qualified Rape Cases
The Supreme Court ruled that a guilty plea in qualified rape cases must be meticulously examined to prevent grave miscarriages of justice.
Reckless Imprudence vs Murder: Distinguishing Intent From Negligence in Vehicular Homicide
When a jeepney driver hits a pedestrian, is it murder or reckless imprudence? The Supreme Court clarifies the crucial distinction.
Estate Sales Require Court Approval Protecting Heirs Rights In Property Transfers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why estate property sales need court approval to protect heirs' rights.
When a Surety’s Guaranty Does Not Bind the Conjugal Partnership: The Ching Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when a spouse's suretyship binds the conjugal partnership, and the rights of a wife to challenge an attachment.
Dismissal of Administrative Appeals for Late Memoranda: The Ombudsman and Court Discretion
The Supreme Court reinstates NPC's appeal, ruling that the Court of Appeals abused its discretion in dismissing the case for a late memorandum, and clarifies administrative jurisdiction principles.
Accountability Unbarred: Can Lawyers Face Discipline for Past Actions?
Supreme Court rules lawyers may face discipline for misconduct committed long ago, even after becoming judges or retiring.
Breach of Trust Accountability for Mismanaged Court Funds in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the proper remedy for questioning Ombudsman dismissals in administrative and criminal complaints involving public funds.
Buy-Bust Operations and the Presumption of Regularity: Credibility in Drug Cases
How the Supreme Court weighed police testimony against frame-up claims in a buy-bust drug case, and why credibility matters.
When a Killing During a Carnapping Is Only Homicide: The Limits of Criminal Intent
The Supreme Court explains when a killing during an alleged carnapping may be punished only as homicide, not the special complex crime.
Wage Distortion vs Management Prerogative: Salary Adjustments in the Philippines
When can employees claim wage distortion? The Supreme Court explains the limits of the Labor Code and management's right to set salaries.
Mortgaged Chattels: Valid Seizure and Foreclosure Compliance in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies rules on chattel mortgage seizure, foreclosure, and the limits of appellate review in Samala v. Court of Appeals.
Drug Sales and Entrapment: Court Upholds Buy-Bust Conviction in Shabu Case
Supreme Court affirms conviction in buy-bust drug operation, clarifying rules on entrapment, buy-bust money, and frame-up defenses in Philippine drug cases.
Forum Shopping Litigants Cannot Simultaneously Pursue Identical Claims In Multiple Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the rule against forum shopping and the duty to implead indispensable parties in appeals.