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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Seafarer Disability Claims: Timelines, Medical Assessments, and the Risk of Abandoning Treatment
When a seafarer abandons medical treatment before the 120-day assessment period ends, disability claims may fail. Understand the rules.
Understanding Refund Obligations for Illegally Disbursed Government Benefits in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when government employees must refund disallowed benefits, applying the Madera rules on return.
Navigating Trademark Infringement: How Similar Marks Are Treated in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when similar marks cause confusion and damage, rejecting blanket application of prior rulings in trademark disputes.
Budget Augmentation Rules: When Government Funds Cannot Be Realigned
The Supreme Court clarifies when agencies may augment budgets from savings, and when officers must refund disallowed amounts.
Unlawful Detainer and Property Rights: Possession vs Ownership in Philippine Law
Understand the key difference between possession and ownership in unlawful detainer cases, explained through a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Intellectual Disability in Rape Cases: What the Supreme Court Requires
The Supreme Court clarifies when intellectual disability must be proven by clinical evidence in rape prosecutions, and why it matters.
Understanding Liability for Just Compensation in Philippine Expropriation Cases: Insights from a Landmark Ruli
When government corporations take over assets, who pays just compensation? The Supreme Court clarifies liability rules in expropriation cases.
Navigating Public Office Integrity: Misconduct and Government Contracts
The Supreme Court clarifies when a public official's dealings with interested parties in government contracts amount to grave misconduct, not just simple misconduct.
Contract Termination and Reimbursement Rights in Joint Ventures: Insights from a Philippine Supreme Court Case
A Philippine Supreme Court case clarifies when possession can be recovered in unlawful detainer, and the limits of reimbursement claims in void contracts.
Cable TV Franchise Tax: What the New Vision Ruling Means for Operators
The Supreme Court ruled that NTC-issued certificates of authority are administrative franchises subject to local franchise tax under the Local Government Code.
Company Practice and Holiday Pay: Lessons from Nippon Paint Philippines v. NIPPEA
When does a two-year payroll grant become a company practice employers cannot withdraw? The Supreme Court explains in Nippon Paint.
Actual Malice in Libel Cases Against Public Figures: Daquer v. People Explained
When can a public official sue for libel? The Supreme Court clarifies the actual malice rule in Daquer v. People.
Land Reclassification and Zoning Ordinances Prevail Over CARP Coverage
When a local government reclassifies land as non-agricultural before June 15, 1988, and the HLURB ratifies it, the property may be exempt from agrarian reform coverage.
Estoppel in Mortgage Foreclosures: Protecting Borrowers From Unfair Actions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on co-owner rights in recovery of possession, clarifying when partition is not required before filing ejectment actions.
Understanding Theft and Possession: Key Insights From a Landmark Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court acquits a maintenance head of qualified theft, clarifying that possession must be proven before a theft conviction can stand.
Understanding Corporate Veil Piercing Protecting Employee Rights IN THE Philippines
When can a company be held liable for acts of its retirement fund? The Supreme Court explains corporate veil piercing in employee loan disputes.
Clear Contract Terms and Enforcement in Business Agreements: IP E-Game Ventures v. Tan
The Supreme Court affirms that clear contract terms bind parties, and unsubstantiated claims of modification cannot defeat written agreements.
Psychological Incapacity Under Philippine Law: Insights From Puyat v. Puyat
The Supreme Court clarifies psychological incapacity, collusion, and child support in nullity cases under Article 36 of the Family Code.
Understanding Intent and Chain of Custody in Drug Possession Cases Lessons From a Landmark Philippine Ruling
The Supreme Court acquits a maintenance head of qualified theft, clarifying how intent to gain and possession must be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Navigating Disability Benefits for Seafarers: Material Concealment and Work-Related Illnesses
The Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer's non-disclosure of a medical condition bars disability claims, and when a heart ailment is compensable under the POEA-SEC.
Easements vs. Taking: Just Compensation for Transmission Line Expropriation
When does an easement of right of way become a taking requiring full just compensation? The Supreme Court clarifies in this landmark case.
When Foreclosure Is Valid Despite Pending Labor Case: HSBC v. Galang
The Supreme Court clarifies when a lender may foreclose despite a pending illegal dismissal case, applying debtor-creditor rules.
Understanding Employee Dismissal for Serious Misconduct in the Philippines: Key Legal Insights
Learn how Philippine courts decide illegal dismissal cases involving serious misconduct, corporate liability, and piercing the corporate veil.