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.
Decoding Tax Exemptions: Why Philippine Courts Demand Explicit Language
Philippine courts construe tax exemptions strictly against the grantee. Learn from Davao Gulf Lumber Corp. v. CIR why explicit statutory language is essential.
Stock Dividends and Documentary Stamp Tax: Par Value vs Actual Value in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether documentary stamp tax on stock dividends is based on par value or book value.
Ordinance vs Resolution: Why LGUs Need an Ordinance for Expropriation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: local governments cannot expropriate private property through a mere resolution—an ordinance is legally required under RA 7160.
Due Process in NLRC Appeals: Why Employers Must Be Heard
Philippine Supreme Court rules on due process in labor appeals, explaining why the NLRC cannot decide cases without giving both parties a chance to be heard.
Loss of Trust and Confidence in Employee Dismissal: What Philippine Law Requires
Philippine jurisprudence on loss of trust and confidence as a valid ground for employee dismissal, explained through the Brent Hospital case.
Motion to Quash Denied: Navigating Criminal Procedure and Your Rights in the Philippines
Learn when a motion to quash can be denied, the limits of certiorari, and your rights in Philippine criminal procedure.
Navigating PD 1818: When Philippine Courts Cannot Halt Infrastructure Projects
The Supreme Court clarifies the scope of PD 1818, which bars courts from enjoining government infrastructure projects, in Garcia v. Burgos.
Corporate Mergers and Contract Enforcement: Successor Liability in the Philippines
When a Philippine corporation merges, the surviving company assumes all rights and liabilities—even for contracts signed after the merger agreement.
Valid Dismissal for Insubordination: Employee Rights and Company Discipline in the Philippines
Understand when a strike is legal and dismissal valid under Philippine labor law, based on a Supreme Court ruling on employee rights.
Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Understanding Your Rights to Back Wages and Reinstatement
Learn how Philippine law protects workers from illegal dismissal, including rights to back wages, reinstatement, and separation pay.
Seasonal Workers as Regular Employees: Rights Under Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when seasonal workers become regular employees entitled to CBA benefits and labor arbiter jurisdiction.
Regular Employee Status, Security of Tenure, and CBA Benefits in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when seasonal workers become regular employees entitled to CBA benefits and security of tenure.
Home Lot Rights in Philippine Tenancy: Only the Tenant is Entitled
The Supreme Court clarifies that only the tenant, not family members, may claim a home lot under RA 1199, Section 22(3).
Absolute vs Conditional Sale Understanding Philippine Real Estate Contracts
Learn the key differences between absolute and conditional sales in Philippine real estate, and what the Supreme Court says about buyer and seller rights.
Buyer Beware Inheriting Obligations IN Philippine Property Foreclosures
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on property foreclosures: buyers may inherit seller's obligations to installment buyers, even without written contracts.
Res Judicata in Philippine Courts: Why Final Judgments Bind Property Disputes
Final judgments bar relitigation of the same property dispute. Learn how res judicata works in Philippine courts.
Failure to File Corporate By-Laws: Not Automatic Dissolution in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that failing to file corporate by-laws on time does not automatically dissolve a corporation.
Surety vs. Guaranty in Philippine Law: Key Differences and Liability
Learn the difference between surety and guaranty under Philippine law, and why contract wording—not titles—determines your liability.
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.
Counterclaims After Complaint Dismissal: Philippine Rules Explained
Learn when counterclaims survive dismissal of the main complaint under Philippine civil procedure, based on the Fletcher Challenge case.
Exceeding Authority or Political Vendetta: Ombudsman Dismissal of Local Officials in the Philippines
When can the Ombudsman's dismissal of a local official be overturned? The Supreme Court explains in Constantino v. Desierto.
Surety vs Guarantor: Co-Maker Liability in Philippine Loans Explained
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the difference between a surety and a guarantor in co-maker loan agreements, and when a creditor may sue one alone.
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.
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.