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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Surety Agreements: Solidary Liability and Waiver of Rights in Loan Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on surety liability, accommodation mortgagors, and waiver clauses in loan deficiency claims.
Unilateral Interest Rate Setting in Loan Agreements: Mutuality of Contracts Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on unilateral interest rate setting in PNB loan agreements and the mutuality of contracts principle.
Loan Transfers and Corporate Rehabilitation: Clarifying Creditor Rights in Philippine Law
Supreme Court ruling on whether loan sale proceeds deposited with a creditor are covered by a loan transfer during corporate rehabilitation.
Loan Payments and Proof: When a Certification Can Tip the Scales in Debt Disputes
A car loan dispute shows how a certification of payment can shift the burden of proof in Philippine debt cases.
Solidary Liability in Suretyship: Partners' Obligations in Loan Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on solidary liability of partners and sureties in loan agreements, explained in plain language.
Loan Restructuring Qualified Acceptance and the Absence of a Binding Agreement
When a borrower's "acceptance" of a bank's restructuring offer is qualified, it becomes a counter-offer, not a binding contract.
Breach of Contract: Upholding Banks' Right to Set Off Loans Against Deposits
Supreme Court rules banks may set off deposits against unpaid loans when valid hold-out agreements exist, reversing lower court rulings.
Revocation and Renewal: Understanding Surety Obligations in Philippine Banking
When a continuing surety expires or is revoked, a bank cannot hold the surety liable for loans made after that point.
Default Admissions in Philippine Civil Cases: The Go Tong Ruling on Loan Documents
A general denial does not defeat a loan claim. Learn how Rule 8 admissions shape collection suits in the Philippines.
Foreclosure Deficiencies: The Bank's Burden of Proof in Loan Recovery
In Metrobank v. CPR Promotions, the Supreme Court ruled that a bank must prove the exact deficiency amount after foreclosure, or lose its claim.
Mortgage Foreclosure: Default Admissions Justify Summary Judgment
When a debtor admits default on a secured loan, Philippine courts may grant summary judgment in mortgage foreclosure without full trial.
Indispensable Parties in Loan Disputes: The Land Bank v. Cacayuran Rule
Why failing to implead an indispensable party voids court rulings in loan agreement disputes, explained through Land Bank v. Cacayuran.
Government Contracts and Procurement: Why Funding Rules and Indispensable Parties Matter
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on local government loans, procurement funding requirements, and the need to implead indispensable parties in taxpayer suits.
Decoding Loan Payments: How Courts Apply Payments to Interest vs Principal in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how loan payments are applied to interest before principal, and when chattel mortgages cover future loans.
COA Auditors Barred From Agency Benefits: Nacion v. COA
Supreme Court affirms COA's discipline of auditor who received bonuses, housing, and car loans from audited agency MWSS.
Prescription in Anti-Graft Cases: When Does the Clock Start Ticking?
The Supreme Court clarifies when the prescriptive period for Anti-Graft Act violations begins, using a behest loan case as the backdrop.
Breach OF Trust Dismissal FOR Dishonesty AND Misconduct IN Loan Agreement Violation
Court Employee Dismissed for Breach of Public Trust in Extorting Litigants
Supreme Court dismisses court employee for blocking ATM card to evade loan payments, ruling it dishonesty and grave misconduct.
Housing Loan Foreclosure: Employee Rights and Lender Obligations Under Philippine Law
When can a bank foreclose on an employee housing loan? The Supreme Court explains the limits of RA 6552 and lender rights.
Loan vs Donation: Proving Intent in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when payments for another's property are loans, not donations, and the formal requirements for valid donations.
When a Bank's Failure to Release Full Loan Invalidates a Mortgage: PNB v. Tajonera
A bank that fails to release the full approved loan breaches its reciprocal obligation, making the mortgage securing that loan unenforceable.
Written Stipulation Is Key: Enforceability of Loan Interest Agreements in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when 12% interest applies versus 6% in construction disputes, emphasizing written stipulations.
Attorneys Fees and Ethical Boundaries: When Interest Stipulations Fail in Philippine Loan Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on written interest stipulations, unconscionable rates, and borrower protections under Civil Code Article 1956.
Usurious Interest and Foreclosure: When Unconscionable Loan Terms Void a Foreclosure Sale
A Supreme Court ruling on how excessive interest rates can invalidate a foreclosure sale, and what borrowers and lenders must know.