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.
Upholding Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal AND THE Limits OF Corporate Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Supreme Court affirms illegal dismissal ruling against Purefoods for union busting, clarifies corporate procedural rules in labor disputes.
Guarantor's Defense of Excussion: What the Supreme Court Requires
Explaining the benefit of excussion for guarantors under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Bitanga v. Pyramid Construction.
Upholding Corporate Stability When Courts Defer to Internal Disputes
How the Supreme Court resolved a family corporate dispute by deferring to amended pleadings, docket fee rules, and the limits of injunctions.
BP 22 Cases Not Suspended by Corporate Rehabilitation: Tiong Rosario v. Co
Corporate rehabilitation suspends claims against a company, but not criminal prosecution of officers for bouncing checks under BP 22.
Venue Rules in Personal Actions: Why the Principal Plaintiff's Residence Matters
Supreme Court clarifies venue rules for personal actions, emphasizing the principal plaintiff's residence determines proper venue, not nominal co-plaintiffs.
Exterior vs Interior Contract Interpretation and Obligations in Philippine Law
Supreme Court rules on contract interpretation: plain meaning controls unless ambiguity exists, and obscurity cannot favor the drafting party.
Subrogation Rights of Insurers: Recourse Against Negligent Carriers for Damaged Goods
When can an insurer sue a negligent carrier after paying a claim? The Supreme Court clarifies subrogation rights and carrier liability.
Compulsory Retirement at 60: When Company Policy Violates Security of Tenure
A company policy forcing retirement at 60 can be illegal dismissal. The Supreme Court explains the difference between voluntary and compulsory retirement.
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.
Shared Maritime Tragedy Determining Liability In Collision At Sea
The MV Doña Paz and MT Vector collision case clarifies liability rules for common carriers and vessel owners in Philippine maritime law.
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.
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.
Extrajudicial Termination Clauses in Lease Agreements: What the Supreme Court Says
The Supreme Court clarifies when a lessor may validly terminate a lease and repossess property without court action under Philippine law.
Failure to Present Logbook and Follow Due Process Makes Seafarer Dismissal Illegal
Supreme Court rules a seafarer's dismissal was illegal where the employer relied only on fax messages and failed to observe the two-notice rule.
When Mootness Ends a Case: The ZTE-NBN Project Dispute Before the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court dismissed the consolidated petitions against the ZTE-NBN project as moot after the government abandoned the deal, explaining key limits on judicial power.
Breach of Contract: When Incomplete Construction Doesn't Warrant Full Payment
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when a contractor's incomplete work bars recovery of the full contract price in construction disputes.
Voluntary Appearance Cures Defective Summons: Dole Philippines v. Quilala
When does a defective summons stop mattering? The Supreme Court explains the rule on voluntary appearance in Dole Philippines v. Quilala.
Habitual Tardiness and Falsification of Time Records: Ethical Standards in the Judiciary
The Supreme Court dismisses a court utility worker for habitual tardiness and falsifying time cards, underscoring strict ethical standards for judiciary employees.
Crediting Government Service for Retirement: Defining the Scope of the Civil Service and Compensation
The Supreme Court clarifies which government services count for retirement benefits, distinguishing full-time civil service from part-time and non-chartered positions.
Arrastre Contractor Liability: When the P3,500-Per-Package Limit Does Not Apply
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when arrastre contractors cannot invoke the P3,500 per-package liability limit under PPA Administrative Order No. 10-81.
Forum Shopping and Litis Pendentia: Preserving Judicial Efficiency in Boundary Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when filing a second suit over the same boundary dispute constitutes forum shopping and litis pendentia.
Who Pays When Cargo Vanishes: Defining Responsibility in Shipping Losses
When a shipment disappears in a terminal, who bears the loss? The Supreme Court clarifies arrastre liability and insurance subrogation.
Innocent Purchaser For Value: When Prior Attachment Defects Don't Erase Property Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on attachment registration, innocent purchaser doctrine, and property rights under PD 1529.
Quo Warranto and Forum Shopping: Lessons from Feliciano v. Villasin
The Supreme Court clarifies quo warranto rules, de facto officers, and the consequences of forum shopping in Feliciano v. Villasin.