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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Regular Employee Status from Intermittent Work: Security of Tenure Under the Labor Code
Intermittent reliever nurse deemed regular employee after one year of service; dismissal without just cause and due process ruled illegal.
Agrarian Reform: When Courts Can Interfere With DAR's Discretion
Explains when courts may review DAR decisions in agrarian reform cases, using a 2008 Supreme Court ruling on CARP exemptions.
Ensuring DUE Process Notice Requirements IN Land Title Reconstitution
Valid Substituted Service and Child Support Rights in Philippine Family Law
Supreme Court ruling on valid substituted service of summons for OFW parents and the right of illegitimate children to support.
Buy-Bust Operations and Instigation: When Police Tactics Are Valid in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies the line between valid entrapment and prohibited instigation in drug buy-bust operations under RA 9165.
When Possession Is Nine Tenths of the Law: Certiorari, Amparo, and Habeas Data in Property Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies that forcible entry cases belong to first-level courts, and that amparo and habeas data cannot substitute for ordinary remedies in property disputes.
SEC Jurisdiction Over Stock and Transfer Book Disputes in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that the SEC, not the regular courts, has jurisdiction to recall and cancel a stock and transfer book it erroneously registered.
SEC Jurisdiction Over Stock and Transfer Book Disputes: A Lesson in Regulatory Power
Supreme Court clarifies SEC's regulatory jurisdiction to recall and cancel erroneously registered stock and transfer books, resolving intra-corporate disputes.
Entrapment vs Instigation in Drug Cases: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between valid entrapment and prohibited instigation in buy-bust operations, and the burden of proof in drug cases.
Seafarer Death Benefits: The Primacy of the Employment Contract's Term
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a seafarer's death during the contract term entitles heirs to death benefits under the POEA Standard Employment Contract.
Credibility of Rape Victim's Testimony Can Stand Alone for Conviction
The Supreme Court affirms that a rape victim's credible, straightforward testimony is sufficient for conviction, even without corroborating evidence.
Rehabilitation Proceedings and Contractual Obligations: Balancing Creditor Rights and Corporate Recovery
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on suspension of collection suits during corporate rehabilitation proceedings under PD 902-A.
Reliever Nurse Deemed Regular Employee: Security of Tenure Prevails
Supreme Court rules a reliever nurse who served over a year is a regular employee, entitled to security of tenure and damages for illegal dismissal.
Intact Hymen Rape Conviction Protecting Victims Despite Medical Findings
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction despite intact hymen, explaining medical findings do not negate a credible victim's testimony.
SEC Authority Validating Stock and Transfer Books Over Intra-Corporate Disputes
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling that the SEC has regulatory jurisdiction to validate and cancel stock and transfer books.
VAT Refund for Tourists Upheld: Equal Protection and Tax Classification Explained
The Supreme Court upheld the VAT refund law for foreign tourists, ruling it does not violate equal protection or tax uniformity.
Reconstitution of Lost Titles: Protecting Property Rights Despite Missing Records
Philippine Supreme Court explains how lost or destroyed land titles can be reconstituted under R.A. 26, protecting property owners' rights.
Breach of Trust When Confidentiality Justifies Dismissal of a Managerial Employee
When can an employer dismiss a managerial employee for breach of confidentiality? The Supreme Court explains the rule on loss of trust and confidence.
Good Faith and the Exercise of Legal Rights: When Demands for Rent Don't Amount to Abuse of Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that sending demand letters to assert property rights, done in good faith, is not an abuse of rights under Article 19 of the Civil Code.
Misdirected Appeals: Why Filing in the Wrong Court Can Cost You Your Case
Learn how filing an appeal in the wrong court can doom your case, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax credits.
Cutting Trees on Private Land: When Is a Permit Required in the Philippines?
Philippine law requires a DENR permit even for cutting trees on private land. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Grave Misconduct and Breach of Public Trust: When a Process Server Is Dismissed
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling shows how a process server's unexplained delay and unauthorized acceptance of travel money led to dismissal for grave misconduct.
Reconstitution of Lost Torrens Titles: Strict Evidentiary Requirements Under RA 26
The Supreme Court in Republic v. Lagramada reminds courts and litigants that reconstitution of lost or destroyed Torrens titles demands strict, official proof of ownership.
Judicial Conduct When Procedural Missteps Dont Equal Gross Ignorance of the Law
When do a judge's procedural errors amount to gross ignorance of the law? The Supreme Court clarifies the standard in Sibulo v. Toledo-Mupas.