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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Habitual Tardiness and Loafing at Work: Legal Consequences for Philippine Employees
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on habitual tardiness and loafing: employee responsibilities, penalties, and lessons from Orfila v. Quiroz.
Retroactive Application of Retirement Laws: Employee Rights Under RA 7641
When do retirement laws apply retroactively? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of RA 7641's retroactive application in Cabcaban v. NLRC.
Land Ownership Disputes: How Procedural Errors Can Cost the Government a Case
A Supreme Court ruling shows how the government's failure to formally present evidence in land disputes can lead to adverse rulings and costly remands.
Judicial Delay, Negligence, and Falsified Certificates: Lessons from a Philippine Judge's Administrative Case
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge fined for gross negligence and falsified certificates of service—key lessons for judicial accountability and integrity.
Wrongful Termination: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the two requirements for valid dismissal: just cause and due process. Learn the rules.
Navigating Barangay Governance: The Powers and Limits of Local Leagues
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Liga ng mga Barangay may create additional officer positions beyond those listed in the Local Government Code.
Defining Confidential Employees: Union Membership and Collective Bargaining Rights in the Philippines
Supreme Court clarifies who qualifies as a confidential employee barred from union membership, and how bargaining units are determined.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Intent and Defenseless Victims
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when treachery qualifies a killing as murder, and why suddenness or superior numbers alone are not enough.
Who May Challenge an Execution Sale: The Real Party in Interest Rule
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who may question an execution sale and the real party in interest doctrine in civil procedure.
Navigating Land Title Reconstitution: Due Diligence and Jurisdictional Requirements in the Philippines
A guide to the strict jurisdictional rules for land title reconstitution in the Philippines, drawn from the Supreme Court's ruling in Ortigas & Co. v. Velasco.
Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale: What the Supreme Court Says About Your Rights
Learn how the Supreme Court defines illegal recruitment in large scale, what victims must prove, and the penalties recruiters face.
Treachery and the Aswang Defense: Understanding Murder Convictions in the Philippines
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling explains how treachery qualifies killings as murder, even when superstition—the (folkloric evil creatures).
Dying Declarations and Homicide: When a Victim's Last Words Can Convict
The Supreme Court explains when a dying declaration suffices to convict and why the accused was held for homicide, not murder.
Intent Matters Distinguishing Robbery With Homicide From Separate Crimes
A look at how Philippine courts determine intent in robbery with homicide cases, using a 1997 Supreme Court ruling as guide.
Challenging Buy-Bust Operations: Protecting Against False Drug Charges in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court acquits in buy-bust drug cases when police testimony is inconsistent, protecting the accused from false charges.
Gross Ignorance of the Law: When Judges Overstep Their Authority
A Supreme Court ruling on when a judge's sentencing errors become gross ignorance of the law warranting administrative sanctions.
Confessions and Constitutional Rights: Navigating Custodial Investigations in the Philippines
Philippine law on confessions and custodial investigation rights explained through People v. Fabro, a 1997 Supreme Court ruling.
Robbery With Homicide: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt in Philippine Law
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling explains how Philippine courts establish guilt for robbery with homicide and why alibi fails against positive identification.
Interpreting Retrenchment Programs Doubts Favor THE Worker
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how retrenchment program separation benefits should be interpreted in favor of workers.
Pre-Proclamation Controversies: Limits of COMELEC Jurisdiction After Proclamation
The Supreme Court explains when a pre-proclamation controversy before COMELEC remains viable after a candidate has been proclaimed and assumed office.
Due Process in Philippine Administrative Investigations: The Casuela Case and the Five-Day Bar Rule
The Supreme Court affirms that administrative investigations must respect the five-day bar rule before hearing, ensuring due process for respondents.
Substantial Compliance in Appeals: When Courts Overlook Procedural Errors
The Supreme Court ruling in Nerves v. Civil Service Commission on substantial compliance with appeal rules and why a mislabeled petition survived.
Incestuous Rape: The Supreme Court's Stance on Parental Abuse and a Daughter's Testimony
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction, holding that a daughter's testimony deserves great weight and that rape can occur even in a crowded room.
Attempted Murder vs Murder: Proving Intent and Causation in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies how intent to kill and causation distinguish attempted murder from murder, with practical guidance.