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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Surety Bonds and Customs Liabilities in the Philippines: Understanding Importer Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on surety bonds, customs duties, and importer liability when re-export obligations are breached.
Conspiracy and Mastermind Liability in Philippine Murder Cases: The Sanchez Doctrine
How Philippine courts hold crime masterminds liable for murder through conspiracy, even when they never appear at the crime scene.
Accomplice or Conspirator? Decoding Criminal Liability in Philippine Murder Cases
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a lookout is an accomplice, not a conspirator, in murder cases.
Unmasking Insurance Fraud: How Conspiracy and Falsification Lead to Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on insurance fraud, conspiracy, and falsification of documents, and what it means for criminal liability.
When Silence Isn't Golden: Why Denying the Crime Doesn't Guarantee Innocence in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts don't presume innocence from denial alone. Learn how procedural rules and evidence shape criminal liability in this legal analysis.
Deadfreight and Demurrage in Charter Parties: NFA v. Hongfil Shipping
Supreme Court clarifies when charterers owe deadfreight but not demurrage, and when corporate officers escape personal liability.
Understanding Syndicate Illegal Recruitment in the Philippines: Liability and Due Diligence
Learn how Philippine courts treat large-scale illegal recruitment, what makes it a syndicate offense, and how to avoid liability.
When Silence Implicates: Understanding Conspiracy in Philippine Murder Cases
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how mere presence and inaction during a crime can establish conspiracy and criminal liability.
Single Credible Witness: Why Philippine Courts Can Convict on One Eyewitness Account
Can one eyewitness testimony convict someone of murder in the Philippines? Yes, if credible. Learn the rules courts use to assess witness reliability.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Parent Companies Face Liability for Subsidiary Labor Claims
Philippine Supreme Court explains when courts may disregard corporate fiction and hold related companies liable for labor violations.
Conspiracy in Philippine Criminal Law: How Group Actions Lead to Collective Liability for Carnapping and Murde
The Supreme Court explains how conspiracy makes each member of a group equally liable for crimes committed during a joint criminal enterprise.
When Presence Becomes Participation: Understanding Conspiracy in Philippine Criminal Law
Explore how the Supreme Court in People v. Sanchez defined conspiracy, distinguishing mere presence from concerted action in criminal liability.
Void Contracts and Official Overreach: Due Process in Philippine Law
When can public officials take over a leased public market? The Supreme Court clarifies void contracts, due process, and criminal liability under the Anti-Graft Law.
Navigating Liability in Ship Repair: Negligence and Limited Liability Clauses
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on shipyard negligence, res ipsa loquitur, and limits of contractual liability limitation clauses.
Burden of Proof in Seafarer Death Claims: Employer Must Prove Suicide to Avoid Liability
In Lapid v. NLRC, the Supreme Court ruled that employers must prove suicide to avoid death benefits under the POEA contract.
Rear-End Collision Liability in the Philippines: Negligence and Proximate Cause
Philippine courts presume the rear driver at fault in rear-end collisions. Learn the rules on negligence and proximate cause from Raynera v. Hiceta.
Irresistible Force: When You Are Not Criminally Liable Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when acting under irresistible force or duress exempts a person from criminal liability, acquitting a tricycle driver of robbery with homicide.
Bouncing Checks as Guarantees in the Philippines: BP 22 and Criminal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that checks issued as guarantees or deposits still fall under BP 22 criminal liability when dishonored.
Novation Is Not a Get-Out-of-Jail Free Card: Understanding Estafa and Criminal Liability in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when novation can extinguish criminal liability in estafa cases, and when it cannot.
Job Abandonment vs Illegal Dismissal: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish voluntary resignation from illegal dismissal, and what employers must prove to avoid liability for back wages.
Cashier Negligence and Liability: Safeguarding Public Funds in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on cashier negligence and accountability for lost public funds, with rules on safekeeping and COA relief.
The Client Is Bound by Counsel's Negligence: Vicarious Liability in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a client is bound by counsel's actions, including negligent mistakes, and the limits of that rule.
Civil vs Criminal Liability: Independent Actions in Philippine Law
Explaining how civil and criminal liability operate independently in Philippine law, using a disbarment case as an example.
Employer Liability in Philippine Vehicular Accidents: Due Diligence and Negligence Explained
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer liability for driver negligence in vehicular accidents, covering due diligence and contributory negligence defenses.