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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Protecting Loan Security: How Mortgagees Can Secure Insurance Claims in the Philippines
Learn how mortgagees can secure insurance proceeds under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. v. Goyu & Sons.
When Can an Employer Refuse a Work Order? Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine law protects employees from unjust dismissal. Learn when a work order can be refused and what employers must prove to terminate a worker.
Implied Trusts in Philippine Property Law: When a Titleholder Is Not the True Owner
Learn how implied trusts work under Philippine law, the gift presumption for children under Article 1448, and key lessons from Morales v. Court of Appeals.
Double Jeopardy in Philippine Law: Can You Be Tried Twice for Illegal Firearm Possession and Subversion?
The Supreme Court clarifies when double jeopardy applies, distinguishing illegal firearm possession from subversion in People v. Pimentel.
Protecting Your Property Rights: Why Forged Deeds Can't Stand in Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts treat forged deeds and protect property owners. A guide to reconveyance actions, prescription, and buyer's good faith.
When Cases Become Pointless: Mootness and a Lawyer's Duty to the Court in Philippine Law
Explore the Supreme Court's ruling on procedural rules and the burden of proof in the Pacific Banking Corporation liquidation case.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: When Is Termination Valid in the Philippines
Philippine law requires both valid cause and procedural due process for lawful dismissal. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: What Philippine Law Requires to Avoid Illegal Termination
Philippine law requires employers to observe two-notice rule and just cause in dismissals. Learn from a Supreme Court case on illegal termination.
Tuition Fee Hikes and Wage Increases: Employee Rights in Philippine Schools
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on how tuition fee increases relate to mandatory wage hikes for school employees under Philippine law.
Shipping Delays: When the 1-Year COGSA Limit Does Not Apply in the Philippines
Philippine law distinguishes physical cargo damage from pure economic loss due to delay. Learn when the 10-year Civil Code prescriptive period applies instead of COGSA's 1-year rule.
Unexpected Attack: Understanding Treachery in Philippine Murder Cases
How a sudden, unexpected attack qualifies a killing as murder through treachery under Philippine law, explained through People v. Reyes.
Estate Settlement and Guardianship: Why Venue and Proper Petition Matter in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies venue rules, proper petitions, and standing in Philippine estate settlement and guardianship proceedings.
Valid Contracts for Future Property in the Philippines: Insights from Mananzala v. Court of Appeals
Learn when a contract to sell future property is valid under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Mananzala v. Court of Appeals.
Caveat Emptor in Philippine Law: The Fule Case on Buyer Beware in Property and Jewelry Deals
Philippine law applies caveat emptor—buyers must inspect goods before purchase. The Fule case shows how failure to verify authenticity can defeat fraud claims.
Presidential Power vs Cooperative Autonomy: When Can the President Intervene
The Supreme Court limits presidential intervention in electric cooperatives, protecting cooperative autonomy and democratic governance under Philippine law.
Defense of a Relative in the Philippines: Proving Unlawful Aggression
Philippine law allows defense of a relative, but only if unlawful aggression is clearly proven. A Supreme Court case shows why.
Acquisitive Prescription of Land in the Philippines: When Possession Can Ripen Into Ownership
Philippine law on when long possession of land can ripen into ownership, and why forest lands can never be acquired by prescription.
Rape and the Limits of Relationship in Philippine Law: When Kinship Aggravates the Crime
The Supreme Court clarifies when a relationship between offender and victim can aggravate rape, and when it cannot.
Understanding Amnesty vs Pardon in the Philippines: Key Differences and Implications
Learn the crucial differences between amnesty and pardon in Philippine law, their legal effects, and why the distinction matters for criminal cases.
When a Creditor's Actions Cross the Line: Abuse of Rights in Philippine Contract Law
Learn when a creditor's enforcement actions become unlawful abuse of rights under Philippine law, with practical guidance.
Illegal Recruitment, Economic Sabotage, and Estafa: Philippine Legal Guide
Understand illegal recruitment, economic sabotage, and estafa under Philippine law, plus key Supreme Court rulings and practical legal takeaways.
Treachery in Philippine Law: Understanding Intent and Its Impact on Criminal Liability
Explore how Philippine courts weigh intent, treachery, and confessions in robbery with homicide cases, as shown in People v. Jerez.
Incestuous Rape: Parental Authority as Intimidation in Philippine Law
How the Supreme Court ruled that a father's moral ascendancy over his daughter can substitute for force or intimidation in incestuous rape.
Attorney Negligence Consequences of Missing Deadlines in Philippine Law
Learn how missed legal deadlines and attorney negligence affect cases in the Philippines, with insights from Supreme Court rulings on procedural rules.