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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Circumstantial Evidence and Conviction: The Nover Bryan Salvador Case
When can circumstantial evidence alone convict an accused? The Supreme Court explains in this landmark Philippine homicide case.
Unlawful Appointments: Does Temporary Disqualification Mean Lack of Legal Qualification?
Supreme Court clarifies that temporary disqualification of losing candidates constitutes lack of legal qualification under Article 244, RPC.
False Promises and Financial Ruin: Establishing Estafa Through Deceit in Investment Schemes
The Supreme Court affirms that luring investors with false profit promises constitutes estafa, even when the accused claims ignorance of the scheme.
Dual Roles, Divided Loyalties: Graft Law and the Limits of Hypothetical Guilt
The Supreme Court clarifies when a public officer can be charged with graft for holding incompatible positions and collecting dual compensation.
Philippine Airlines Retrenchment: Proving Financial Distress and Fair Implementation
The Supreme Court ruled PAL's 1998 mass retrenchment illegal for failure to prove losses and use fair criteria. Here's what employers must show.
Judicial Accountability: Fines for Negligence and Delay in Legal Proceedings
A Supreme Court ruling holds court officers accountable for gross negligence and delay, affirming that retirement does not erase administrative liability.
When Can Power Generators Be Exempted from Power Delivery Charges
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when independent power producers may be exempt from Power Delivery Service charges for ancillary services.
Dismissal of Appeal When Technical Rules Trump Substantial Justice
When do procedural lapses justify dismissing an appeal? This article explains the rule and its limits, using Philippine Supreme Court jurisprudence.
Dual Citizens Must Personally Renounce Foreign Citizenship to Run for Office
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on R.A. 9225: dual citizens must execute a personal and sworn renunciation of foreign citizenship to run for elective office.
No Back Salaries for Government Employees Dismissed in Good Faith: Protecting Public Funds
Supreme Court rules government employees dismissed in good faith are not entitled to back salaries upon reinstatement, upholding Octot v. Ybañez.
Illegal Dismissal: Employer's Burden to Prove Just Cause and the Finality of Judgments
A look at Pasiona v. CA, where the Supreme Court ruled on illegal dismissal, just cause, and the binding effect of counsel's negligence.
Contractual Retirement Plans Prevail Defining Salary in Employee Benefit Agreements
Supreme Court rules that company retirement plans define salary base for benefits, and R.A. 7641 only applies when no plan exists or benefits fall below legal minimums.
Conditional Sale Buyers' Rights and Sellers' Obligations After Partial Payment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies buyer and seller rights in contracts to sell, including when a buyer can demand a deed of absolute sale.
Heirship and Filiation: Proving Inheritance Rights in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on proving filiation through baptismal certificates and the rights of heirs in property disputes.
Leasehold vs Share Tenancy: Failure to Pay Rent Is Not Estafa Under Agrarian Reform
Supreme Court clarifies that agricultural leasehold tenants who fail to pay rent cannot be prosecuted for estafa, unlike share tenants.
Finality of Judgment: When a Lawyer's Negligence Does Not Deny Due Process
A dismissed employee's late appeal fails as the Supreme Court upholds finality of judgment despite counsel's negligence.
Moonlighting and Employee Dismissal: Defining the Boundaries of Trust and Confidence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when moonlighting justifies dismissal and how loss of trust and confidence must be proven.
When a Lawyer's Mistake Costs Your Case: Finality of Judgments Explained
A Supreme Court ruling shows how a lawyer's late filing can make a judgment final and executory, ending the case permanently.
Independent Contractor vs Employee: The Four-Fold Test in Philippine Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the four-fold test distinguishing independent contractors from employers in labor disputes involving job contracting arrangements.
Finality of Judgments: Landowners Entitled to Timely Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform
A look at the Supreme Court ruling on finality of judgments and the right of landowners to prompt just compensation under agrarian reform.
Holder in Due Course Protection Against Fraud in Negotiable Instruments
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a holder in due course of a negotiable instrument is protected from fraud defenses, and when corporate veil piercing applies.
Filipino Land Ownership Validating Land Transfers TO Citizens Despite Initial Alienation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how land transferred to aliens can be cured when it later passes to Filipino citizens.
When Silence Means Consent: Guaranty, Estoppel, and the Written Word in Philippine Law
A guarantor's silence and nod can mean consent. The Supreme Court explains estoppel and why written words prevail over printed ones.
Citizenship and Land Ownership: When a Void Sale to an Alien Is Cured
A sale of land to an alien is void, but the defect is cured when the land later passes to Filipino citizens. The Supreme Court explains why reversion fails.