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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Criminal Charges vs Corporate Rehabilitation: Supreme Court Clarifies Scope of Stay Orders
Philippine Supreme Court rules that stay orders in corporate rehabilitation do not suspend criminal cases against corporate officers.
When Is Employee Negligence Just Cause for Termination? A Philippine Guide
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employee negligence justifies dismissal versus suspension, balancing employer rights and worker protection.
When Delaying Tactics Backfire: The Right to Present Defense Evidence in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when courts must allow accused persons to present defense evidence, even after prosecution rests.
Regular Employment vs Apprenticeship: Protecting Workers' Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when apprenticeship agreements cannot defeat regular employment status and workers' rights.
Immediate Execution of Ombudsman Decisions: A Guide for Philippine Public Officials
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that Ombudsman suspension orders are immediately executory even pending appeal before the Court of Appeals.
Just Compensation in Eminent Domain: Valuing Property at the Time of Taking
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how just compensation in expropriation is determined by the property's value and character at the time of taking.
Donation vs Devise: How Philippine Courts Distinguish Property Transfers
Philippine Supreme Court explains how to tell a donation inter vivos from a devise, and why the distinction decides who owns the property.
Philippine Foreclosure Law: Why Publication Is Non-Negotiable for Banks
Philippine Supreme Court rules banks must prove newspaper publication in foreclosure sales; failure voids the entire proceeding.
Limits of Executive Judge Authority: Avoiding Gross Ignorance of the Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judges who acted on cases outside their jurisdiction, and the limits of executive judge authority.
Breach of Trust: Dismissal for Dishonesty and Grave Misconduct in Philippine Courts
A clerk of court's falsified receipts and unreported collections led to dismissal for dishonesty and grave misconduct in this Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
VAT Refund Claims: Authority to Print and Zero-Rated Invoice Requirements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when failure to print "zero-rated" or present Authority to Print defeats VAT refund claims.
Union Registration in the Philippines: Balancing Compliance and Workers' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when failure to submit union reports warrants cancellation of registration, and the DOLE Secretary's review power.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Parent Companies Face Liability for Labor Violations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when parent companies can be held liable for subsidiaries' labor violations, explained for employees and businesses.
Service of Judgment to Deceased Lawyer: Ejectment and Annulment in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court rules on validity of judgment service to deceased counsel, finality of ejectment decisions, and limits of preliminary injunction.
Supplemental Complaint Filing Fees and Damages: Key Jurisdictional Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when unpaid filing fees on supplemental complaints affect jurisdiction and damage awards.
Irrevocable Choice: Understanding Tax Credit Carry-Over in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains why choosing tax credit carry-over over refund is irrevocable under the 1997 National Internal Revenue Code.
Estoppel by Silence in Philippine Insurance Law: When a Bank's Silence Speaks Volumes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on estoppel by silence, bank liability for unpaid insurance premiums, and corporate veil in insurance claims.
Liability for Lost Goods: Common Carriers, Negligence, and Insurance Subrogation in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on common carriers' solidary liability for lost goods and insurer's subrogation rights under Article 2207.
Rape Conviction on Credible Testimony: Proving Qualifying Circumstances in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction based on credible testimony, proving qualifying circumstances, and the effect of R.A. 9346 on the death penalty.
When an Airline Ignores You: Moral Damages for Lost Baggage in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when an airline's lost baggage and indifference justify moral and exemplary damages, and how courts set the amounts.
Chain of Custody and Drug Cases: Ensuring Integrity of Evidence in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why the chain of custody rule is essential in drug cases, and what prosecutors and police must prove.
Reconveyance Actions in the Philippines: Understanding Prescription and Laches
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when reconveyance actions prescribe and how laches bars claims, even without fraud allegations.
Distinguishing Financial Leases From Loans Secured by Chattel Mortgage in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sale-and-leaseback arrangement is actually a loan secured by chattel mortgage, not a true financial lease.
Tenant Rights vs Landowner Claims: Agrarian Reform Protections Explained
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when tenant farmers can invoke agrarian reform coverage and how landowner retention limits affect tenant rights under PD 27 and RA 6657.