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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Union Misrepresentation Can Void Certification Elections: The DHL-URFA Case
When union officers lie about their affiliation before a certification election, workers may get a new vote. The Supreme Court explains why.
Succession and Disqualification: Determining the Lawful Mayor in Philippine Elections
When a winning mayoral candidate is disqualified after the election, the vice mayor succeeds—not the second placer. Here's why.
Local Autonomy vs National Mandate: Limits of City Ordinances in Liga ng mga Barangay Elections
Supreme Court clarifies that city ordinances cannot override the Liga ng mga Barangay's own election rules, and explains proper remedies.
Valid Elections Require Informed Voters: Notice and Special Senate Seats
The Supreme Court explains when a special election for a vacant Senate seat is valid despite COMELEC's failure to give separate notice.
Elections Under Scrutiny Supreme Court Safeguards Integrity In Automated System Procurement
The Supreme Court voids Comelec's award of the 2004 automated election system contract to an ineligible bidder, upholding electoral integrity.
IBP Elections SC Clarifies Scope OF Supervision AND Membership Rights
Failure of Elections vs Election Protests: Defining COMELEC's Jurisdiction After Proclamation
The Supreme Court clarifies when a failure of election petition is proper and when the remedy should be an election protest after proclamation.
Annulment of Elections vs Election Protests: What Macabago v. COMELEC Teaches Us
The Supreme Court clarifies when election fraud claims belong in an election protest, not an annulment case.
Term Limits and Recall Elections: When a Break in Service Allows a Fourth Term
Philippine Supreme Court explains how an involuntary break, like a recall election, resets the three-term limit for local officials.
Remand and Redistricting: The Supreme Court's Ruling on BAA 77 and BARMM Elections
The Supreme Court struck down BAA 77 as unconstitutional, halting the October 13, 2025 BARMM parliamentary elections. Learn the key rules.
Union Registration and Legal Personality in Certification Election Cases
A union must strictly comply with registration requirements to gain legal personality for certification elections. The Supreme Court explains the rules.
Electoral Justice Imperiled When Judges Overstep In Voter Inclusion Cases
When a judge grants voter inclusion petitions without hearing, the integrity of elections and judiciary suffers. A Supreme Court ruling explains why.
Youth Elections and the Shifting Sands of Legal Standing: Montesclaros vs. Comelec
The Supreme Court explains why youth who aged out of the SK had no standing to challenge election postponement and age requirement changes.
Safeguarding Free Speech: The Unconstitutionality of Election Survey Publication Bans in the Philippines
Why the Supreme Court struck down the ban on publishing election surveys before elections as an unconstitutional prior restraint on free speech.
Safeguarding Elections When Fraud AND Intimidation Lead TO Failure OF Elections
When fraud and intimidation taint voting and canvassing, the COMELEC may declare a failure of election and call for a special election.
Beyond the Ballot: The Limits of Pre-Proclamation Authority in Philippine Elections
Pre-proclamation controversies have strict limits under Philippine election law. This article explains when COMELEC can act and when courts take over.
Protecting Election Integrity: The 120-Day Voter Registration Ban Under RA 8189
Supreme Court upholds COMELEC's denial of special voter registration within 120 days before elections, affirming the mandatory registration deadline under RA 8189.
Midnight Appointments by Local Executives: What the Supreme Court Said
The Supreme Court rules on whether local executives can make midnight appointments before presidential elections, explaining the limits of the constitutional ban.
Philippine Party List Elections: Proportional Representation and the 2% Threshold
The Supreme Court explains the rules for party-list seats: the 2% threshold, three-seat limit, and proportional representation formula.
Marked Ballots in Philippine Elections: When Stray Marks Invalidate a Vote
Philippine election law invalidates ballots with deliberate identifying marks, but accidental or third-party markings may still be valid. Learn the rules.
Right to Photocopy Ballots in Philippine Election Protests: Due Process and Fair Elections
A look at the Supreme Court's ruling on a COMELEC order declaring a ghost precinct, and the due process rights of voters in election protests.
Recall Elections: Defining the Process and Protecting Local Governance Stability
The Supreme Court clarifies when recall elections may be held under the Local Government Code, balancing accountability with stability.
Ballot Interpretation Upholding Voter Intent in Philippine Elections
How the Supreme Court applied the neighborhood, idem sonans, and intent rules to uphold voter intent in a barangay election protest.
Disqualification for Terrorism, Direct Participation, and Spousal Liability in Elections
A wife-candidate can be disqualified for election terrorism committed by her husband when evidence shows her direct participation or acquiescence.