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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Retrenchment in the Philippines: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations
A Supreme Court ruling shows what employers must prove before retrenching staff, and why a signed quitclaim does not always bar an illegal dismissal case.
Self-Defense and Treachery: Key Distinctions in Philippine Criminal Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense fails and treachery qualifies killing as murder under Philippine law.
Buy-Bust Operations: Ensuring Integrity of Drug Evidence in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on buy-bust operations underscores why the chain of custody of drug evidence is crucial to secure a conviction.
Extrajudicial Confessions and Buy-Bust Operations: Safeguarding Rights in Drug Cases
A 2011 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when warrantless arrests and drug evidence remain valid despite procedural lapses in buy-bust operations.
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.
Entrapment and Chain of Custody: Protecting Rights in Philippine Drug Cases
A 2011 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when buy-bust operations are valid and how drug evidence must be preserved.
Understanding Temperate Damages When Courts Estimate Losses in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts award temperate damages when actual losses can't be proven, based on a 2011 Supreme Court ruling.
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.
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.
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.
Navigating Libel Law: Probable Cause and Privileged Communication in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that probable cause for libel is a prosecutor's call, and privileged communication is a trial defense.
Unconscionable Interest Rates in the Philippines: When Courts Can Intervene
When can courts strike down excessive interest rates? Learn from Toledo v. Hyden, a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on unconscionable interest.
Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A look at what makes illegal recruitment a crime of economic sabotage, who can be held liable, and the penalties involved.
Party-List Nominee Qualifications and HRET Jurisdiction After Proclamation
Explains the Supreme Court ruling on party-list nominee qualifications, COMELEC jurisdiction, and HRET's sole authority after proclamation.
Writ of Execution in the Philippines: A Sheriff's Duty and Liability for Neglect
Explaining a sheriff's ministerial duty in executing writs, and the administrative liability for neglect, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Contractual Obligations Prevail: Upholding the Christmas Bonus in Collective Bargaining Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that employers cannot bypass a valid CBA by negotiating with a splinter union.
Overcoming Inheritance Disputes: Proving Ownership in Philippine Land Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on burden of proof in inheritance disputes over titled land, and the indefeasibility of Torrens titles.
HRET Jurisdiction Over Party List Nominees Ensuring Constitutional Qualifications for House Membership
Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC jurisdiction over party-list nominee qualifications and the continuing residency requirement for elective office.
Reconstitution of Lost Titles: Proving Ownership Through Deeds and Documents
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a lost land title may be reconstituted from a deed of transfer, and what evidence suffices.
Preserving Property Rights When Land Use Reclassification Prevents Agrarian Reform
A Supreme Court ruling on how land use reclassification and zoning approvals affect exemption from agrarian reform coverage.
Loafing in the Workplace: Philippine Law, Penalties, and the Fortaleza Case
Learn what constitutes loafing under Philippine law, its penalties for government employees, and key lessons from a Supreme Court ruling.
Right of First Refusal in Lease Agreements and Property Sales in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lessee's right of first refusal when leased property is sold, explained in plain language.