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.
When "Independent Contractor" Labels Fail: The Four-Fold Test in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine courts look beyond contract labels to determine employer-employee relationships. Learn the four-fold test from Insular Life v. NLRC.
Justice Delayed Rights Denied Understanding Judicial Delay AND Injunction Bonds IN Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies venue rules in labor cases, prioritizing worker convenience and substantial justice over technicalities.
Admissibility of Extrajudicial Confessions in Philippine Criminal Law
Explore when extrajudicial confessions are admissible in Philippine courts, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Jerez.
Eminent Domain in the Philippines: Balancing Public Use and Private Property Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when local governments may expropriate private land for socialized housing, and the due process limits on eminent domain.
Election Protests Ensuring Fair Canvassing AND Valid Proclamations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on election protests, canvassing irregularities, and the validity of proclamations in electoral disputes.
Lis Pendens in the Philippines: When a Defendant Can Protect Property Rights
Learn when a defendant can register a notice of lis pendens in the Philippines, even without a registered title, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
SEC vs Stock Exchange: Who Decides Which Stocks Get Listed in the Philippines
Supreme Court ruling clarifies the SEC's power to review stock exchange listing decisions and the limits of that authority.
Upholding Judicial Competence: The Cost of Ignoring Basic Procedural Rules
A judge's severe reprimand for gross ignorance of appeal rules underscores the high standard of competence expected of Philippine courts.
Project vs Regular Employee: What Brahm Industries Teaches About Valid Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies the difference between project and regular employees, and the due process required for lawful dismissal in the Philippines.
Illegal Dismissal: Proving Regular Employment and Due Process in Termination
Learn how the Supreme Court protects employees from illegal dismissal when employers fail to prove just cause and observe due process.
Overriding Commissions After Retirement: Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether employees can claim commissions earned before retirement but paid after. Learn the rules.
Graft and Corruption: Understanding Undue Injury Under Philippine Law
Explaining undue injury in Anti-Graft law through Amper v. Sandiganbayan, where a city engineer used a government backhoe for treasure hunting.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: What Philippine Law Requires
Philippine law requires both just cause and due process for valid dismissal. Learn the rules from Aquinas School v. Magnaye.
Illegal Dismissal of Ship Captain: When Refusing an Unsafe Order Is Not Incompetence
The Supreme Court ruled that a ship captain's refusal to tow a barge with worn-out ropes was not incompetence but sound professional judgment, making his dismissal illegal.
Enrolled Bill Doctrine: Why Courts Respect Congress’s Certification of Laws
Explaining the enrolled bill doctrine through Arroyo v. De Venecia, which affirmed that courts respect Congress’s certification of duly enacted laws.
Motion for Reconsideration Deadlines in Labor Cases: The CEU Lesson
Learn how a missed Motion for Reconsideration deadline made a labor decision final and executory in Centro Escolar University v. NLRC.
Retrenchment in the Philippines: Proving Business Losses for Valid Employee Termination
Learn when retrenchment is valid in the Philippines, what business losses employers must prove, and how courts protect workers from illegal dismissal.
Acquisitive Prescription: How Long Does It Take to Claim Land Ownership in the Philippines
Learn how long you must possess land to claim ownership through acquisitive prescription in the Philippines, explained through a Supreme Court ruling.
Condominium Development Approvals, Titles, and Parking Rights Under PD 957
Philippine Supreme Court explains developer duties on plan changes, title delivery, and parking under PD 957.
Land Registration in the Philippines: Why Newspaper Publication Is Mandatory
Why newspaper publication is a mandatory requirement in Philippine land registration, and how failing to comply can invalidate your application.
When Can a Seaman Be Dismissed: Understanding Seafarer Rights and Obligations
Learn the legal grounds for dismissing a seaman in the Philippines, plus the rights and obligations of seafarers under Philippine maritime law.
Employee Dismissal: Proving Just Cause and Observing Due Process in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee dismissal: employers must prove just cause with substantial evidence and observe due process.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Employee Rights and Employer Responsibilities in the Philippines
Learn the legal rules on workplace sexual harassment in the Philippines, including employer duties, due process, and employee remedies.
Due Process and the Day in Court: When a Party Is Denied Their Right to Be Heard
Explains when failure to attend trial or substitute counsel amounts to denial of due process, using Bernardo v. Court of Appeals.