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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Employer Liability for Employee Negligence: Proving Due Diligence in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer liability for employee negligence and the burden of proving due diligence in labor cases.
Pre-CARL Land Reclassification Shielding Property From Agrarian Reform
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when municipal reclassification of land before the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law exempts property from coverage.
When Quitclaims and Waivers Over Agrarian Land Are Void: Lessons from Lebrudo v. Loyola
Philippine Supreme Court explains when waivers over agrarian reform land are void, protecting farmer-beneficiaries from losing their awarded property.
Senate Disciplinary Powers and Due Process: The Need for Published Rules
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Senate disciplinary powers, emphasizing due process through published rules of procedure.
Credibility in Rape Cases: Minor Inconsistencies Do Not Undermine Conviction
Philippine Supreme Court explains why minor inconsistencies in a rape victim's testimony do not destroy credibility or overturn a conviction.
Homicide vs Murder: When Spontaneous Fights Rule Out Treachery in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when treachery does not apply in spontaneous altercations, reducing murder to homicide.
Facilities vs Supplements in Wage Disputes: Key Distinctions Under Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the legal distinction between facilities and supplements in computing wages, and when employers may deduct their value.
Redemption Rights and Capital Gains Tax in Foreclosure Sales: Key Lessons from Supreme Transliner v. BPI Famil
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies redemption price in bank foreclosure sales, including when capital gains tax applies and what charges are valid.
Rape Conviction and Deadly Weapon: Credibility of Witness Testimony in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies circumstantial evidence and witness credibility in rape with homicide conviction, affirming guilty verdict.
Breach of Contract and Bank Negligence: Protecting Clients' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on bank liability for negligence in terminating credit lines and dishonoring checks without proper notice.
Rape Conviction Based on Victim's Testimony: Philippine Law on Crimes Against Children
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape with homicide convictions based on circumstantial evidence and victim testimony in crimes against children.
Substantial Compliance vs Strict Interpretation: Upholding Appeals in Liquidation Proceedings
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on substantial compliance in appeals, using a bank liquidation case to clarify procedural rules.
When a Rape Conviction Can Rest on the Victim's Sole Testimony
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a rape conviction can rest solely on the victim's credible testimony, and why alibi rarely prevails.
Unwavering Witness: How Philippine Courts Value Eyewitness Testimony in Murder Cases
Philippine Supreme Court affirms murder conviction based on credible eyewitness testimony, explaining how courts weigh witness credibility against alibi defenses.
Treachery and Conspiracy: When Presence Makes You an Accomplice, Not a Principal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a bystander at a murder scene becomes an accomplice rather than a conspirator, and how treachery is proven.
When Words Are Not Libel: Understanding Defamation in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that insulting or offensive words are not automatically libel; defamation requires imputation of a crime, vice, or defect.
Double Sale of Property: Understanding Legal Ownership and Good Faith in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies double sale rules under Article 1544, emphasizing possession in good faith determines ownership when no registration occurs.
Contractual Obligations and Attorneys Fees: Liability in Lease Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when attorneys fees are recoverable in lease disputes and how courts determine contractual liability.
Proving Actual Damages: The Standard for Compensation in Philippine Contract Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the strict standard for proving actual damages in contract disputes, requiring clear and convincing documentary evidence.
When Public Use Fails: Reclaiming Expropriated Land in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when former owners can reclaim expropriated property after the public purpose is abandoned.
Lease Rescission Rights and Structural Defects: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a lessee may rescind a lease for structural defects and when damages may be awarded.
Client Responsibility Prevails: The Binding Effect of Counsel's Negligence in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a client is bound by counsel's negligence, and the duty to monitor one's case.
Conviction for a Different Crime: When Courts Can Convict You of an Uncharged Offense
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a conviction for an offense not charged in the Information is valid under the Rules of Court.
Lateral and Subjacent Support: Excavation Limits for Adjacent Landowners in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the legal easement of lateral and subjacent support between adjacent landowners and its effect on property titles.