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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Upholding Contractual Obligations: Lease Agreements and Grounds for Ejectment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lease contract validity, ejectment grounds, and the duty to pay rent despite disputes.
Certification Election Findings on Employment Not Binding in Dismissal Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a certification election finding on employer-employee relationship cannot bar a later illegal dismissal case.
Bank Foreclosure Redemption: When the One-Year Period Runs and What Law Applies
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the one-year redemption period for bank foreclosures and the correct redemption price under the General Banking Act.
Notice to Counsel Counts for Appeal Deadlines in NLRC Cases
Supreme Court rules that receipt of NLRC resolution by counsel, not the party, starts the 60-day period for filing certiorari with the Court of Appeals.
Traffic Altercation Turns Deadly: When a Single Gunshot Is Homicide, Not Murder
A road-rage shooting kills a pregnant woman. The Supreme Court explains why the killing was homicide, not murder, absent treachery.
Judicial Misconduct: Upholding Honesty and Efficiency in the Philippine Judiciary
A judge's delay in deciding cases and dishonesty in JBC forms led to suspension and fine, reinforcing judicial accountability.
Upholding Land Ownership: The Significance of Continuous Possession and Tax Declarations in Property Disputes
Explore how continuous possession and tax declarations resolved a property ownership dispute in Tabuso v. Court of Appeals (G.R. No. 108558).
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Alibi Fails Against Positive Identification
Learn how the Supreme Court rejected alibi and upheld a rape conviction, explaining key rules on credibility, medical evidence, and damages.
Upholding Employee Rights Illegal Dismissal AND THE Importance OF DUE Process
Protecting the Vulnerable: The Supreme Court's Stance on Rape of a Child with Epilepsy
The Supreme Court affirms the conviction of a man for four counts of statutory rape against a 10-year-old girl with epilepsy, clarifying rules on delay in reporting, alibi, and damages.
Dismissal for AWOL: Upholding Accountability in Public Service
Supreme Court affirms dismissal of court stenographer for habitual absenteeism and AWOL, reinforcing strict standards of public accountability.
Verbal Lease with Definite Period: When Courts Cannot Extend the Term
The Supreme Court clarifies that Article 1687 of the Civil Code does not allow courts to extend a verbal month-to-month lease, which has a definite period.
How the Prosecution Proves Intent to Gain in Robbery With Homicide
The Supreme Court explains how intent to gain is proven in robbery with homicide cases, using People v. Del Rosario as a guide.
Judicial Accountability: The Price of Delayed Justice in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling reminds judges that personal hardships cannot excuse a five-year delay in deciding a case.
Eminent Domain vs Urban Development: Balancing Public Need and Property Rights in Manila
The Supreme Court clarifies when local governments may expropriate private land for socialized housing under R.A. 7279.
Expropriation and Urban Development: When Can a City Take Private Land for Socialized Housing?
The Supreme Court clarifies the two-stage process of expropriation and when compliance with RA 7279's acquisition priorities must be shown.
When Courts Can Extend a Lease: Limits of Article 1687 in Ejectment Cases
Supreme Court clarifies that courts cannot extend a month-to-month lease under Article 1687 when a definite period exists.
When a Child's Testimony Alone Can Convict: Lessons from People v. Degala
In People v. Degala, the Supreme Court convicted a father of raping his minor daughter based largely on her lone testimony, clarifying rules on credibility and damages.
Public Officials and Due Diligence in Government Land Transactions
A Supreme Court ruling shows why possession of public land does not equal ownership, and why only the State can sue to recover public land wrongly titled.
Breach of Trust: The Supreme Court's Stance on Incestuous Rape and Parental Authority
A stepfather's rape conviction upheld, but death penalty reduced to reclusion perpetua for failure to prove minority and relationship.
Time Is of the Essence: Prescription in Breach of Warranty Claims Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on the six-month prescriptive period for breach of warranty claims and when courts may dismiss time-barred actions.
Reasonable Doubt and Witness Credibility: Protecting the Accused's Rights in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a conviction stands, how self-defense is proven, and why treachery must be established beyond reasonable doubt.
Court Stenographer Dismissed for Habitual Absenteeism and AWOL: A Lesson in Public Accountability
Explore the Supreme Court's dismissal of a court stenographer for habitual absenteeism and AWOL, and the standards of conduct expected of court personnel.
Rape and Relationship: When “Stepfather” Is Not Enough for the Death Penalty
The Supreme Court clarifies that a common-law spouse is not a “stepfather” for death penalty purposes, reducing rape sentences to reclusion perpetua.