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.
Lis Pendens in the Philippines: Preventing Multiple Lawsuits and Wasted Resources
Learn how lis pendens works in the Philippines to prevent multiple lawsuits, protect property rights, and avoid wasted judicial resources.
Psychological Incapacity as Grounds for Annulment in the Philippines
Explore how Philippine courts apply psychological incapacity in annulment cases, using the landmark Chi Ming Tsoi ruling.
Possession of Illegal Timber: Navigating Philippine Forestry Laws
The Supreme Court clarifies that mere possession of timber without legal documents is a crime under the Revised Forestry Code, even if the timber came from a legal source.
Eminent Domain in the Philippines: Just Compensation and Due Process
Learn how Philippine law protects property owners in eminent domain cases, focusing on just compensation and due process requirements.
Mortgaging Property With Pending Land Patent Applications: Risks and Requisites
Learn the legal risks of mortgaging property with pending land patent applications and the requisites for valid real estate mortgages in the Philippines.
When Can a Company Terminate an Employee Due to Illness? Philippine Law Guide
Philippine law sets strict rules for terminating employees due to illness. Learn the requirements, including the six-month cure rule and medical certification.
Sheriffs Authority: Understanding the Limits of Property Attachment in the Philippines
Learn the limits of a sheriff's authority in property attachment in the Philippines, based on a landmark Supreme Court administrative case.
Conspiracy and Circumstantial Evidence: When Is It Enough for Conviction
The Supreme Court clarifies when circumstantial evidence and conspiracy can—and cannot—support a criminal conviction beyond reasonable doubt.
Employee Transfers: Understanding Employer Rights and Limits in the Philippines
Learn the rules on employee transfers in the Philippines—when employers can validly transfer workers and what limits the law imposes.
Mining Rights vs Land Ownership: What the Supreme Court Decided
A 1996 Supreme Court ruling clarifies that mining claims under the Philippine Bill of 1902 grant possessory rights, not absolute ownership over land.
Retrenchment in the Philippines: Navigating Layoffs Legally
Understand the legal requirements for valid retrenchment in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Guerrero v. NLRC.
Understanding the Limits of General Powers of Attorney in Real Estate Sales
Learn how Philippine courts treat general powers of attorney in real estate transactions and why specificity matters.
Appeal Bonds in Philippine Labor Cases: When Can They Be Reduced
Learn when Philippine courts may reduce appeal bonds in labor cases, the rules on perfecting appeals, and practical tips for compliance.
Police Power vs Individual Rights: Regulating OFW Deployment
The Supreme Court upholds the Artist Record Book requirement for performing artists bound abroad as a valid exercise of police power.
When Circumstantial Evidence Suffices: Rape with Homicide and the Limits of Alibi
The Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence can convict, why alibi rarely works, and the difference between reclusion perpetua and life imprisonment.
When Can a Bank Seize Funds? Understanding Set-Off Rights in the Philippines
Learn when Philippine banks can legally seize deposits through set-off, and the limits on this right under Philippine law.
Judge's Authority in Marriage Solemnization: Jurisdiction and Validity Rules
Learn the jurisdictional limits of judges solemnizing marriages in the Philippines and the mandatory presumptive death proceeding under the Family Code.
PCGG Sequestration Orders: Due Process and Valid Authority Requirements
The Supreme Court rules that PCGG sequestration orders require at least two Commissioners and a prima facie showing, protecting due process rights.
Union Disaffiliation in the Philippines: Know Your Rights Under the CBA Freedom Period
Understand when a local union can validly disaffiliate from its mother federation under Philippine labor law, based on the ANGLO vs. SAMANA BAY ruling.
Replevin Actions and Chattel Mortgagees: When the Mortgagor Must Be Impleaded
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a chattel mortgagee must implead the mortgagor in a replevin action to foreclose on a vehicle.
Perfecting an Appeal: Understanding the Importance of Procedural Compliance in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on strict procedural compliance in appeals and the limits of administrative interpretation of law.
Illegal Dismissal: When Can an Employer Terminate an Employee in the Philippines
Philippine law requires just cause and due process for valid termination. This case explains serious misconduct and loss of confidence rules.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: Unlawful Aggression and the Cabiles Case
Philippine self-defense law requires unlawful aggression, reasonable force, and no provocation. The Cabiles case shows how courts test these elements.
Establishing Employer-Employee Relationship Is Key to Illegal Dismissal Claims in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why proving employer-employee relationship is essential before an illegal dismissal case can prosper.