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.
CBA Scholarship Benefits Resolving Ambiguities IN Favor OF Labor
Security agency loses bid to exempt receivables from garnishment; Court applies labor-friendly rule on execution exemptions.
Reinstatement vs. Separation Pay: Upholding the Rights of Illegally Dismissed Employees
Illegal dismissal entitles workers to reinstatement and full back wages. Separation pay is only an alternative when strained relations are proven.
Reckless Imprudence and Damages in Vehicular Homicide: Key Rules from Nueva España
The Supreme Court clarifies reckless imprudence liability, proof of damages, and employer subsidiary liability in vehicular homicide cases.
Dishonesty and Absenteeism in the Judiciary: Upholding Public Trust Through Accountability
Court personnel who collect funds without authority and abandon their posts betray public trust. The Supreme Court rules on the consequences.
Court Dismisses Clerk of Court for Misusing Judicial Office to Harass Private Individuals
Supreme Court dismisses court clerk who used court letterhead to summon persons with no pending cases, ruling the acts constitute gross misconduct.
Breach of Trust and Employee Dismissal: When Is It Justified in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employee dismissal for breach of trust is justified, and why procedural rules yield to substantial justice in labor cases.
Quitclaims and Continued Employment: Can Post-Termination Actions Revoke Redundancy?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when quitclaims are valid and whether post-termination tasks revoke a redundancy dismissal.
When Redundancy Becomes Illegal Dismissal: Lessons from Lopez Sugar Corporation
The Supreme Court clarifies when a redundancy program is a valid management prerogative and when it becomes an illegal dismissal.
Court Clerk Dismissed for Misappropriating Judiciary Funds: Lessons on Fiduciary Duty
Supreme Court dismisses court clerk for misappropriating P171,450 in judiciary funds, underscoring strict accountability for court personnel.
Regular vs Seasonal Employment: Rights of Sugar Plantation Workers
Supreme Court clarifies when seasonal sugar workers become regular employees entitled to security of tenure and full labor rights.
Verbal Promises vs Corporate Authority: Enforceability of Employment Benefits in the Philippines
When can a verbal promise by a corporate officer bind the company? The Supreme Court explains the limits of corporate authority over employment benefits.
Due Process Prevails: Substantial Amendment to Information Requires New Preliminary Investigation
Supreme Court rules substantial amendments to criminal informations require new preliminary investigation to protect accused's due process rights.
Dismissal for Dishonesty: Upholding Integrity in the Philippine Judiciary
A Court of Appeals employee who solicited P1 million for a favorable decision was dismissed. The Supreme Court reaffirms strict standards for court personnel.
Retrenchment Rigor: Proving Losses to Justify Employee Dismissal in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on F.F. Marine v. NLRC clarifies the strict evidentiary burden employers face when retrenching workers due to business losses.
CBA Separation Pay for Voluntary Resignation: When Contractual Stipulations Prevail
Philippine Supreme Court rules that a CBA can grant separation pay to voluntarily resigning employees, even if the Labor Code does not require it.
Due Process in Retrenchment: Balancing Employer Prerogative and Employee Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between just and authorized causes in dismissal, and the penalties for violating notice requirements.
Project Employees vs Regular Employees: Security of Tenure Under the Labor Code
When is a construction worker a project employee rather than a regular one? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on tenure and illegal dismissal.
Finality of Judgment: When Labor Decisions Become Unchangeable
Learn when labor case decisions become final and unchangeable, and why courts require clear factual findings before ruling on employer liability.
Employer-Employee Relationship: The Foundation of Illegal Dismissal Liability
Why labor tribunals must establish employer-employee relationship before ruling on illegal dismissal, and the consequences of failing to do so.
Suspension for Unauthorized Absences: Accountability in the Judiciary
Supreme Court suspends employee for six months and one day for unauthorized absences, underscoring strict accountability standards in the judiciary.
Seafarer Status Contractual Employment AND Security OF TENURE IN Philippine Maritime LAW
The Supreme Court rules that seafarers are contractual employees, not regular employees, even after decades of continuous rehiring.
Deputy Ombudsman Impeachment Limits Clarified by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court clarifies that Deputy Ombudsmen are not impeachable officers, settling a long-standing constitutional question.
Hotel Waivers for Lost Guest Items Are Void: The McLoughlin Rule
Philippine law voids hotel waivers for lost guest belongings. Learn the McLoughlin case and what hotels must do.
Sandiganbayan Jurisdiction Over GOCC Subsidiaries: The Alas Doctrine
Explaining People v. Alas: why officers of government-owned corporations incorporated under the Corporation Code fall under Sandiganbayan jurisdiction.