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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Dual Citizenship and Election in the Philippines: Clarifying Qualifications for Public Office
The Supreme Court clarifies when dual citizenship disqualifies a candidate and how filing a certificate of candidacy can cure it.
Defining Kidnapping When Taking A Child Becomes A Crime IN THE Philippines
When does taking a child become kidnapping? The Supreme Court explains the elements of serious illegal detention under the Revised Penal Code.
Upholding Legal Ethics When Lawyer Neglect Leads to Suspension in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling shows how a lawyer's failure to file a brief and obey court orders led to suspension for violating legal ethics.
Proving Residency and Citizenship for Candidacy: Lessons from Valles v. COMELEC
How the Supreme Court clarified citizenship, dual allegiance, and disqualification rules for elective office in the Philippines.
Workplace Sexual Harassment in the Philippines: Substantial Evidence and Employee Rights
Understand how the Supreme Court protects employees in sexual harassment cases, applying substantial evidence in administrative proceedings.
Positive Identification in Philippine Courts: Why Eyewitness Testimony Matters in Criminal Convictions
The Supreme Court explains why positive identification by a credible witness outweighs alibi and denial in Philippine criminal cases.
National vs Local Amusement Tax: Who Taxes PBA Games in the Philippines
Supreme Court ruling clarifies that amusement tax on PBA games is a national tax, not a local one. Learn the legal basis.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: When Facebook Posts Lead to Higher Penalties
The Supreme Court clarifies how social media posts can prove psychological abuse under RA 9262 and why using Facebook raises the penalty.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: What Philippine Workers Should Know
The Supreme Court clarifies what procedural due process really means in employee dismissals, using a Philippine Airlines case as a guide.
Contracts Under Martial Law: When Government Regulations Don't Mean Void Ab Initio
Supreme Court clarifies that regulated goods under martial law orders remain valid contract objects, distinguishing prohibition from regulation.
Independent Judgment Prevails: Why Acquittal of Co-Accused Doesn't Guarantee Your Freedom
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: a judge's acquittal of one co-accused does not bind another judge in separate trials. Learn the rule.
Execution of Judgment in Ejectment Cases: Why the Court of Origin Matters
In ejectment cases, execution of an affirmed judgment generally belongs to the trial court of origin, not the appellate court. A Supreme Court ruling clarifies why.
Assurance Fund Claims in Philippine Property Law: Protecting Against Land Title Fraud
When can victims of land title fraud recover from the Assurance Fund? The Supreme Court explains the limits.
Public Officials Beware: Good Faith Reliance on Subordinates Is No Shield Against Graft Charges
The Supreme Court clarifies that public officials cannot evade graft liability by claiming reliance on subordinates, especially when approving large transactions.
Justice Delayed IS Justice Denied Understanding Judicial Efficiency IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on a judge fined for failing to decide a case within the 90-day constitutional period.
Upholding Judicial Impartiality: Why Private Judge-Litigant Communication Is Unacceptable in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court admonishes a judge for private calls to a litigant, reaffirming that judges must not only be impartial but also appear impartial.
Pakikisama vs Public Duty: When Court Employees Cross the Line
Supreme Court censures court employees who left posts for a birthday party, ruling pakikisama cannot excuse neglect of public duty.
Ensuring Impartiality: Why Proper Case Raffling Is Crucial in Philippine Courts
A look at how the Supreme Court treats compromise agreements and why proper case raffling remains vital to judicial impartiality.
Bigamy in the Philippines: Why a Court Declaration Is Needed Even for Void Marriages
The Supreme Court explains why a judicial declaration of nullity is required before remarriage, even if the first marriage is void.
Unconscious Victim Rape Conviction and Witness Credibility in Philippine Law
Explaining People v. Villanos, where the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction based on an unconscious victim's testimony and credibility findings.
Contract of Sale vs. Contract to Sell: Key Differences in Philippine Real Estate Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the crucial distinction between a contract of sale and a contract to sell, and why it matters in property disputes.
When Presence at the Scene of an Illegal Act Becomes Misconduct: A Philippine Legal Guide
Explore how Philippine law treats presence at an illegal act as misconduct, using the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Casingal as a guide.
Beyond Eyewitnesses: Circumstantial Evidence in Philippine Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction based on circumstantial evidence, explaining what this means for criminal prosecutions in the Philippines.