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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Breach of Trust in Employment: When Is Dismissal Justified?
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling clarifies that loss of trust and confidence must rest on a clear, willful breach — not on an honest misunderstanding over allowances.
Perfecting Contracts Understanding Offer Acceptance AND Reconveyance IN Philippine LAW
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on what makes a binding contract, and why reconveyance is not a substitute for rescission.
Rape and Consent: How Philippine Law Treats Force, Intimidation, and a Victim's Testimony
In People v. Rabosa, the Supreme Court affirmed a father's rape conviction and explained why physical resistance, healed lacerations, and calm behavior do not defeat a victim's testimony.
Estate Tax Collection: BIR Authority vs. Probate Court Jurisdiction
Supreme Court ruling on whether the BIR can levy estate properties without probate court approval, and the finality of tax assessments.
Solidary Liability of Corporate Officers: When Are They Liable for Illegal Dismissal
Corporate officers can be held personally liable for illegal dismissal when they act in bad faith, as shown in this Supreme Court ruling.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Rape of Persons Deprived of Reason in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms that rape of a mentally incapacitated person can be proven through circumstantial evidence, securing justice for voiceless victims.
Succession and Labor Claims: Can Employee Claims Survive the Death of an Employer
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether employee money claims survive an employer's death and who bears liability.
Establishing Paternity in the Philippines: Navigating Recognition and Support
Learn how Philippine courts establish paternity for illegitimate children and their right to support, based on a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Family Disputes and Property Rights: Extrajudicial Settlements and Reconveyance
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when family members must attempt compromise before suing and how reconveyance works for wrongfully registered property.
Lease Abandonment and Tenant Rights: The Paterno v. Court of Appeals Case
The Supreme Court's ruling in Paterno v. Court of Appeals clarifies when a tenant's departure amounts to lease abandonment and what it means for landlords and occupants.
Illegal Recruitment in Large Scale: What the Ferrer Case Teaches Workers and Job Seekers
The Supreme Court's Ferrer ruling explains what makes illegal recruitment "large scale" and how workers can protect themselves from fake recruiters.
Dismissal of Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases: The Importance of Specific Allegations
Learn how the Supreme Court protected defendants' right to due process in ill-gotten wealth cases by requiring specific allegations in pleadings and bills of particulars.
Regular vs. Project Employees: What the Supreme Court Requires for Valid Project Employment
Understand the difference between regular and project employees in the Philippines, and what employers must prove to avoid illegal dismissal claims.
Principals Liability FOR Contractors Wage Violations KEY Protections FOR Workers IN THE Philippines
When can a principal be held liable for a security agency's failure to pay minimum wage? The Supreme Court explains joint and solidary liability under Philippine law.
Lawyer’s Disbarment Upheld, PHP 155,000 Fine Imposed for Disrespect to Courts
Supreme Court fines a disbarred lawyer PHP 155,000 for disrespecting courts and disobeying IBP orders, clarifying penalties after disbarment.
Behest Loans and Criminal Liability: When a Bank Officer's Recommendation Is Not a Crime
Supreme Court clarifies that a PNB officer's flawed loan recommendation is not automatically a crime under the Anti-Graft law absent authority to bind the bank.
Management Prerogative in the Philippines: Abolishing Positions Legally
When can a Philippine employer abolish a position without facing illegal dismissal claims? The Supreme Court explains the limits of management prerogative.
Common Carriers and Cargo Loss: Understanding Liability and Due Diligence in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies common carrier liability for cargo loss, extraordinary diligence, and contributory negligence in shipping disputes.
When Notarizing a Deed of Quitclaim Becomes Grounds for Disbarment
The Supreme Court disbarred a notary public for certifying a Deed of Quitclaim signed by a person who had already died. Learn the rules.
Void Contracts: When Lack of Consent Invalidates a Sale
A sale by an unauthorized board is void. Learn the consent requirement in Philippine contract law from this Supreme Court ruling.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails: Acquittal in Rape Case Due to Inconsistent Testimony and Prior Relationship
Philippine Supreme Court acquits rape accused on reasonable doubt, citing inconsistent testimony and prior intimate relationship between complainant and accused.
Rape Conviction Upheld: When Penetration Is Proven Beyond the Finger
Philippine Supreme Court explains why digital penetration plus penile entry constitutes rape, not just acts of lasciviousness.
Rape Conviction Proving Penetration Beyond A Reasonable Doubt
How the Supreme Court ruled that finger insertion alone isn't rape, but penis penetration can be proven by medical evidence and credible victim testimony.
Rescission of Real Estate Sales: When Can a Deal Be Undone
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a deed of sale can be rescinded for unpaid consideration and why corporate separateness blocks compensation claims.