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.
Bidding Integrity Strict Compliance Prevails Over Agency Discretion In Government Procurement
Supreme Court nullifies a government contract award where the winning bid failed technical specifications, reaffirming strict compliance in public bidding.
Newspaper Circulation and Foreclosure: Ensuring Public Notice in Property Sales
Supreme Court nullifies foreclosure sale because notice was published in a newspaper not circulated in the city where the property was located.
Judicial Misconduct and Substantial Evidence in Administrative Cases
A judge was suspended for soliciting P100,000 to fix cases. The Supreme Court explains the substantial evidence standard in administrative cases.
Res Judicata and Forum Shopping: When Repeated Lawsuits Over the Same Land Dispute Are Barred
Philippine Supreme Court explains forum shopping rules and when dismissal for failure to prosecute is too severe a sanction.
Labor-Only Contracting: When a Principal Becomes the True Employer
Supreme Court ruling on labor-only contracting and when a principal becomes the true employer of contractual workers.
Importation vs Transshipment: When Seized Goods Cannot Be Released Under Bond
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when transshipment claims fail and seized goods cannot be released under bond due to fraud.
Horse Racing Regulation: Philracom's Power to Ensure Fair and Safe Races
The Supreme Court upholds Philracom's authority to issue rules and directives for the horse racing industry, including measures to eradicate Equine Infectious Anemia.
The 24-Hour Rule in Cargo Claims: Carrier Liability Under Philippine Shipping Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the 24-hour claim rule under the Code of Commerce for damaged cargo and its effect on carrier liability.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: Balancing Notice and Opportunity to Be Heard
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the twin notice requirement in employee dismissal—opportunity to be heard, not actual hearing, is the essence of due process.
Default Judgments and Due Process: The Imperative of Procedural Compliance in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on finality of judgments, procedural compliance, and the limits of post-judgment remedies in civil cases.
Due Process and Arrest Warrants: Notice Requirements in Summary Procedure Cases
When can a court issue an arrest warrant in summary procedure cases? The Supreme Court clarifies the notice requirement and due process rules.
Rehabilitation Petitions Technical Insolvency AND Creditors Rights IN Corporate Recovery
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a technically insolvent corporation may file for rehabilitation and how creditor rights are affected.
Reinstatement Pending Appeal: Employer Obligations and the Corporate Rehabilitation Exception
When can a company under rehabilitation skip payroll reinstatement? The Supreme Court explains the two-fold test for wage claims pending appeal.
Illegal Strikes and Unfair Labor Practices: When Employee Remedies Survive
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employees who joined an illegal strike may still claim backwages and separation pay for unfair labor practices.
Buy-Bust Operations: Ensuring Legality and Upholding Rights in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction, clarifying the rules on buy-bust operations, warrantless arrests, and the chain of custody of seized drugs.
When Landlords Can Cut Utilities: Lessons from Barbasa v. Tuquero
Learn when a lessor may lawfully disconnect utilities under a lease's penalty clause without committing grave coercion.
When a Sheriff's Delay Undermines Justice: Lessons from Zamudio v. Auro
A deputy sheriff's repeated extensions to a judgment debtor and failure to file reports led to a finding of simple neglect of duty, with a fine imposed by the Supreme Court.
Conditional Sales and Inheritance Rights: Resolving Land Ownership Disputes in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts resolve land disputes involving conditional sales, inheritance, and registration requirements under the Public Land Act.
Independent Contractor or Employee: The Four-Fold Test in Philippine Labor Law
When is an insurance agent an employee, not an independent contractor? The Supreme Court explains the four-fold test and the crucial "control test" in Tongko v. Manulife.
Upholding Ethical Conduct: Dismissal and Forfeiture of Benefits for Grave Misconduct in the Judiciary
Explore the Supreme Court's ruling on judicial misconduct, emphasizing accountability, ethical standards, and the consequences of grave offenses in the judiciary.
Certification Against Forum Shopping: The High Cost of Non-Disclosure
Failure to disclose a related case in a certification against forum shopping can lead to indirect contempt. Learn from this Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Procedural Compliance and Corporate Rehabilitation: Ensuring Fair Adjudication of Appeals
The Supreme Court reminds appellate courts that procedural rules serve justice, not frustrate it, in corporate rehabilitation appeals.
Entrapment vs Frame-Up: Proving Illegal Drug Sale Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The Supreme Court explains the difference between valid buy-bust entrapment and a mere frame-up in drug cases, and what evidence convicts.
Donation Mortis Causa vs Inter Vivos: Understanding Estate Transfers in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a donation is mortis causa, not inter vivos, and why formalities of a will matter.