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.
Three-Term Limit for Local Officials: When an Election Loss Resets the Clock
Election loss interrupts an official's service and resets the three-term limit, as clarified by the Supreme Court in Adormeo v. COMELEC.
Loan Agreements: The Bank's Obligation to Release Funds and Consequences of Non-Compliance
When can a bank withhold loan proceeds? Philippine National Bank v. RBL Enterprises clarifies the rules on loan release, conditions precedent, and damages.
Retroactivity of Procedural Rules When Amended Laws Affect Pending Cases
When procedural rules change mid-case, retroactivity applies. Learn how the Supreme Court resolved this in Siena Realty.
Correcting Penalties in Drug Cases: Fair Application of Republic Act No. 7659
When a drug conviction carries an impossible penalty, the Supreme Court can correct it even after finality—here's how.
When Contractors Overstate Work: COA's Audit Power and Quantum Meruit in Government Projects
The Supreme Court affirms COA's power to determine actual work accomplished and recover overpayments from government contractors under quantum meruit.
Prescription of Penalties: Why Actual Imprisonment Matters in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when prescription of penalties begins—only after a convict actually escapes from imprisonment.
Execution of Judgment: Liability Limited to the Dispositive Portion of the Court Decision
A writ of execution must conform to the dispositive portion of a final judgment. Learn from Solidbank v. Court of Appeals.
Invalidation of BOI Manual of Operations Incentives for Registered Enterprises
Supreme Court voids BOI's unpublished manual that reduced tax credit incentives for registered export producers.
Priority in Litigation: Determining Which Case Prevails in Overlapping Contract Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts resolve overlapping contract disputes and which case prevails when judgments appear to conflict.
Partnership vs Employment: Sharing Profits in Lending Ventures Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when profit-sharing in a lending business creates a partnership, not an employment relationship, and how profits are computed.
Acting Secretary's One-Day Salary Counts for Terminal Leave Pay Computation
Supreme Court rules a designated Acting Secretary's higher salary, even for one day, determines terminal leave pay basis.
Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi in Murder Conviction
Philippine Supreme Court affirms murder conviction, ruling that credible eyewitness identification outweighs the inherently weak defense of alibi.
Unconscionable Penalties in Real Estate Contracts: Balancing Equity and Contractual Obligations
When a 3% monthly penalty on unpaid installments becomes unconscionable, Philippine courts may reduce it under Civil Code Articles 1229 and 2227.
Ignorance of the Law Excuses No One: Erroneous Application of Mitigating Circumstances
A judge's error in appreciating mitigating circumstances leads to a fine for gross ignorance of the law, explaining the rules on plea of guilty and voluntary surrender.
Serving Multiple Prison Terms in the Philippines: The Rule on Successive Sentences
Philippine law requires imprisonment terms for multiple offenses to be served successively, not simultaneously. Learn the rule under the Revised Penal Code.
Timeliness of Appeals When Weekends Extend Deadlines in Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts compute appeal deadlines when weekends intervene, and why timing can decide a case's fate.
Upholding Timeliness and Proper Verification in Labor Disputes: The Pfizer Case
The Supreme Court clarifies the 60-day rule for certiorari petitions and the standards for verification in labor cases.
Docket Fees and Intervention: Y Realty's Quest for Justice in Marcos Wealth Case
A look at how the Supreme Court resolved docket fee issues in intervention cases involving recovered Marcos assets.
Probate Court Approval of Estate Property Sales: Heirs of Sandejas v. Lina
When a deceased person contracted to sell property before death, the probate court can authorize its conveyance—here's what the Sandejas ruling means for heirs and buyers.
Buyer Beware: Understanding Delivery Delays and Liabilities in Philippine Sales Contracts
Learn how Philippine courts treat conditional sales, court approval requirements, and seller liability when property sales face delays.
Retroactive Application of Procedural Rules: Timely Filing of Certiorari Petitions in Labor Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court applied A.M. No. 00-2-03-SC retroactively, allowing a late certiorari petition in a labor case to proceed.
Revoking a Donation for Ingratitude in the Philippines: The Noceda Case
Philippine law allows donors to revoke gifts when donees show ingratitude, such as usurping the donor's property. Learn the rules and limits.
Decoding Marginal Deposits: How Contract Clarity Prevents Banking Disputes in the Philippines
Learn from Security Bank v. Transworld how ambiguous trust receipt terms on marginal deposits led to a decade-long dispute.
Sheriffs Duty in Judgment Execution: Avoiding Excessive Levy and Misconduct
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on sheriffs' duty to avoid excessive levy in judgment execution and the consequences of misconduct.