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.
Liability of Public Officials, Good Faith, and the Limits of Supervisory Responsibility in Philippine Law
Philippine jurisprudence on public official liability, good faith defenses, and the boundaries of supervisory responsibility explained for lay readers.
When Association Isnt Conspiracy Philippine Supreme Court Clarifies The Need For Concrete Proof In Criminal Co
The Supreme Court explains when mere presence becomes criminal conspiracy, requiring proof of a common design to commit a crime.
Deceptive Recruitment Establishing Guilt In Large Scale Illegal Recruitment Cases
Learn how deceptive recruitment schemes establish guilt in large-scale illegal recruitment cases under Philippine law.
Arbitration Clauses and Third Parties: When Courts Refuse to Stay Proceedings
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when arbitration clauses bind only signatories and why courts may deny suspension of proceedings for non-parties.
Upholding Property Rights: Reconveyance and Damages for Unlawful Possession
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void reconstitution of title, laches, and property recovery explained in plain language.
Circumstantial Evidence and Treachery in Murder Convictions Without Direct Witnesses
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conviction for murder based on eyewitness identification, treachery, and the weakness of alibi defense.
Company-Designated Physician and Seafarer Disability Claims: Key Lessons from German Marine Agencies v. NLRC
Supreme Court ruling clarifies that a company-designated physician need not be POEA-accredited for a seafarer's disability claim to prosper.
The Perils of Verbal Land Deals: Why Written Authority Is Non-Negotiable in Philippine Real Estate
Learn how the Supreme Court protects small property owners from expropriation and why written authority is crucial in Philippine land deals.
Management Prerogative in Reorganization: Upholding Business Needs in Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when demotions during corporate reorganization are valid and when they constitute illegal dismissal under Philippine labor law.
Shareholder Rights vs Corporate Discretion: Mandamus and Stock Transfer Recording
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a corporate secretary must record stock transfers, SEC jurisdiction, and shareholder rights.
Employee vs Independent Contractor: SSS Coverage for Farmworkers in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a "pakyaw (piece-rate) basis considered an employee entitled to compulsory Social Security System (SSS) coverage? The ruling is a reminder that the label used b
Navigating Inheritance for Distant Relatives in the Philippines: Understanding the Rule of Proximity
Learn how Philippine intestate succession works for distant relatives, including the rule of proximity and who inherits when no immediate family exists.
Third-Party Claims in Philippine Execution Sales: Protecting Your Property
Learn how spouses and third parties can protect their property from wrongful execution sales in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Naguit v. Court of Appeals.
Rape Conviction: Consent, Intimidation, and Victim Testimony in Philippine Law
How the Supreme Court weighed intimidation, delayed reporting, and victim credibility in affirming a rape conviction.
Reviving Expired Judgments in the Philippines: The Terry Case and Contempt Limits
Learn when Philippine judgments expire, how to revive them, and why contempt cannot enforce stale court orders under the Terry ruling.
Prescription for Falsification of Public Documents: When the Clock Starts
Learn when the prescription period begins for falsification of public documents under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court ruling in Recebido v. People.
Decoding Marginal Deposits: How Contract Clarity Prevents Banking Disputes in the Philippines
Learn from Security Bank v. Transworld how ambiguous trust receipt terms on marginal deposits led to a decade-long dispute.
Right to Speedy Disposition of Cases: When Delay Justifies Dismissal in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains when delay in preliminary investigation violates the constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases.
Bouncing Checks Under B.P. 22: When a Check Used as Loan Security Still Leads to Criminal Liability
The Supreme Court clarifies that issuing a bouncing check is a crime under B.P. 22, even if the check was only security for a loan.
Contradictory Testimony and Witness Credibility in Philippine Criminal Cases
How inconsistent witness testimony can create reasonable doubt and lead to acquittal in Philippine criminal cases, as shown in People vs. Hernani.
When Self-Defense Claims Fall Short: Credibility in Philippine Homicide Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains why self-defense claims fail without credible evidence, and when murder is reduced to homicide.
Cutting Utility Lines Without a Permit: Unjust Vexation Under Philippine Law
Learn how the Supreme Court's ruling in Ong Chiu Kwan v. Court of Appeals treats unauthorized cutting of utility lines as unjust vexation.
Loss of Trust and Confidence as a Valid Ground for Dismissal: The Vitarich Case
Philippine law requires more than an employer's mere assertion of lost trust to justify dismissal. Learn the rules from Vitarich v. NLRC.
Conspiracy in Philippine Criminal Law: When Words Lead to a Homicide Conviction
A Supreme Court ruling shows how conspiracy in Philippine law makes all robbers liable for homicide, even without pulling the trigger.