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.
Judicial Accountability: Granting Bail Without Due Process Is Gross Ignorance of the Law
A judge's dismissal for granting bail without due process illustrates the high standard of judicial competence and accountability in the Philippines.
Heirship Disputes: Why Summary Judgments Fail When Inheritance Rights Are Unclear
Supreme Court explains why summary judgment cannot resolve contested heirship and inheritance rights in estate administration cases.
Eminent Domain and Prior Rights: Resolving Land Disputes in Infrastructure Projects
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on contract rights, port operations, and jurisdictional issues in infrastructure disputes.
GSIS Loan Penalties: When Are They Unconscionable?
The Supreme Court ruled that compounded GSIS loan penalties can be unconscionable and subject to reduction. Learn the rules.
Tolerance vs Title: Resolving Possession Disputes in Unlawful Detainer Cases
When does tolerated possession become unlawful detainer? The Supreme Court clarifies that a notice of adverse claim does not defeat a prior possessor's right to eject occupants.
Conjugal Property vs Separate Insurance: When a Spouse's Death Does Not Pay Off the Mortgage
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a mortgage redemption insurance payout applies after a spouse's death, and how conjugal property is determined.
Seafarer Wins Attorney's Fees After Being Compelled to Litigate Disability Claim
Supreme Court reinstates attorney's fees for seafarer with Meniere's Disease, ruling he was compelled to litigate to recover disability benefits.
Seafarer Disability Claims: When Can a Seaman Recover Attorney's Fees
The Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer can recover attorney's fees in disability claims, even without employer bad faith.
VAT Refund Claims: Complete Documents and Zero-Rated Sales Requirements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies VAT refund rules on complete documents, zero-rated sales proof, and input tax computation for taxpayers.
Forged Signatures and Conjugal Property: Protecting Your Rights in Real Estate Mortgages
A foreclosure case dismissed for lack of jurisdiction teaches homeowners how to challenge defective mortgages and protect conjugal property.
Foreclosure Jurisdiction: Assessed Value of Property Determines the Proper Court
In foreclosure suits, the property's assessed value—not the loan amount—determines which court has jurisdiction. Learn from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
PhilHealth Claims: Supreme Court Protects Healthcare Providers’ Due Process Rights
The Supreme Court ruled PhilHealth violated due process in claims against Quezon City Eye Center, reinforcing procedural fairness in administrative cases.
Citizen Suits and Native Title: What the Maliones Case Means for Philippine Environmental Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that citizen suits protect the environment but cannot resolve native title claims, which belong to the NCIP.
Renewable Energy Incentives Registration IS KEY TO VAT Zero Rating
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that renewable energy producers must register with the DOE to enjoy VAT zero-rating on power sales.
Minimum Wage Compliance: Employers Bear the Burden of Proof in Labor Disputes
Employers must prove wage payments in labor disputes. Learn how the Supreme Court applied this rule in a delivery helper's underpayment case.
Libel in the Philippines: When Posting a Complaint Becomes a Crime
The Supreme Court clarifies the elements of libel, including publication and malice, in a case involving posted criminal complaints.
Heirship in Property Disputes: Can Ordinary Civil Actions Decide Inheritance?
The Supreme Court clarifies when heirship can be resolved in an ordinary civil action, not just special proceedings, for property disputes.
Ancestral Land Rights: Proving Fraud and Due Process in Land Title Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when ancestral land titles can be cancelled for fraud and what claimants must prove to assert vested rights over ancestral lands.
Writ of Possession: Ministerial Duty vs Third-Party Adverse Claims in Foreclosure Sales
The Supreme Court clarifies when a writ of possession is ministerial and when third-party adverse claims can stop it.
Search Warrant Validity: Compelling Reasons Needed for Out-of-Jurisdiction Applications
Supreme Court clarifies that "compelling reasons" for out-of-jurisdiction search warrant applications require substantial evidence, not bare claims of information leakage.
Establishing Filiation: Why Paternity Proof Is Critical in Inheritance Claims
The Supreme Court clarifies that a birth certificate alone cannot prove paternity for inheritance claims unless the alleged father participated in its preparation.
Unlawful Possession of Firearms: What You Need to Know Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on illegal possession of firearms under RA 10591, including penalties and the effect of acquittal in related drug cases.
Sula v. COMELEC: Supreme Court Upholds Cotabato City’s Inclusion in BARMM
Supreme Court affirms COMELEC’s conduct of the Bangsamoro plebiscite, upholding Cotabato City’s inclusion in BARMM as the people’s will.
Constructive Delivery in Property Sales: What the Tamayao Case Teaches Buyers
A notarized deed can transfer ownership, but registration is key. The Tamayao case shows why due diligence matters in Philippine property sales.