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 Your Property Rights: Understanding Indispensable Parties in Philippine Law
When co-owners are not impleaded in a case, the judgment may be void. Learn the rules on indispensable parties and annulment of judgment.
Voluntary Resignation and Bonus Entitlement: What Philippine Employees Should Know
Learn when resigned employees lose their right to CBA bonuses under Philippine law, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Bottle Ownership and Trademark Rights: Navigating Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who owns liquor bottles after sale and the limits of trademark protection under R.A. 623.
Employers Bad Faith Actions Employee Rights AND Remedies IN THE Philippines
Learn how Philippine law protects employees and passengers from employer bad faith, with remedies and damages explained in plain language.
Rape Conviction: The Power of Victim Testimony and Circumstantial Evidence in Philippine Law
How Philippine courts weigh victim testimony and circumstantial evidence in rape cases, explained through People v. Gomez.
When Can Employees Demand Bonuses: Vested Rights in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine law on bonuses: when they are demandable, vested rights, and what employers must know.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: Fair Notice and Valid Cause Under Philippine Law
Philippine Airlines v. NLRC clarifies that minor variances in naming an offense do not violate due process in employee dismissal.
Mortgage Contracts and Future Advances: Understanding the Scope of Security in Philippine Law
When does a real estate mortgage cover future loans beyond the stated amount? The Supreme Court explains in Quintanilla v. RCBC.
Graft and Corruption: Understanding Undue Injury Under Philippine Law
Explaining undue injury in Anti-Graft law through Amper v. Sandiganbayan, where a city engineer used a government backhoe for treasure hunting.
Robbery With Homicide and Conspiracy: What the Supreme Court Says
Explaining the special complex crime of robbery with homicide, conspiracy liability, and the rules on identification and confessions under Philippine law.
Homicide vs Murder: Key Differences Under Philippine Law
Understand the legal distinction between homicide and murder in the Philippines, explained through a Supreme Court ruling on treachery and evident premeditation.
Navigating Illegal Recruitment: Understanding Philippine Law and Your Rights
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish simple illegal recruitment from large-scale, and what evidence is required for conviction.
Perfecting a Sale With an Assumed Mortgage: Key Considerations in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a deed of absolute sale with assumption of mortgage is perfected, and the consequences of failing to comply with mortgagee conditions.
Unraveling Property Rights in Void Marriages: A Philippine Legal Guide
Understand how Philippine law treats property relations in void marriages, including rights of spouses and heirs, and practical implications.
Grave Oral Defamation When Does Filing A Complaint Stop The Clock
Learn when filing a complaint stops the prescriptive period for grave oral defamation under Philippine law.
Illegal Dismissal and Retirement Age: What Philippine Law Requires of Employers
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies illegal dismissal, retirement age, and CBA benefits for managerial employees in the Philippines.
Defining Piracy Under Philippine Law: Protecting Vessels and Ensuring Maritime Security
The Supreme Court clarifies what constitutes piracy under PD 532, ruling that seizing a fishing boat by force is piracy, not mere grave coercion.
Subrogation in Philippine Law: Recovering Debt After Paying Another's Mortgage
Explaining subrogation under Philippine law through a Supreme Court ruling on a partner who paid a co-debtor's mortgage.
Double Sale of Property in the Philippines: Protecting Your Rights
Learn how Philippine law resolves double sales of property, who gets ownership, and how to protect your rights as a buyer.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: What Philippine Law Requires
Philippine law requires both just cause and due process for valid dismissal. Learn the rules from Aquinas School v. Magnaye.
Novation in Philippine Law: When Does a Contract Truly Change
Understand when a contract is truly novated under Philippine law, and how courts distinguish mere modifications from genuine substitutions of obligation.
Kidnapping vs. Illegal Detention: The Role of Intent Under Philippine Law
Philippine law distinguishes kidnapping from illegal detention by the offender's intent. The Supreme Court explains the difference in People v. Dadles.
When a Drinking Session Turns Into Murder: Conspiracy and Treachery Under Philippine Law
A look at how the Supreme Court applied conspiracy and treachery to convict five men for clubbing a drinking companion to death.
Rape of a Person Deprived of Reason: Consent and Mental Capacity in Philippine Law
Philippine law treats carnal knowledge of a woman deprived of reason as rape, regardless of apparent consent. This case explains why.