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.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: When Police Lapses Lead to Acquittal
A drug conviction requires an unbroken chain of custody. Learn what gaps in evidence handling can lead to acquittal.
Project Employment vs Regular Employment: Security of Tenure in Construction
The Supreme Court clarifies when construction workers are project employees, not regular employees, and their rights to wages and benefits.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Strict Compliance Is Required for Valid Convictions
The Supreme Court explains why strict adherence to Section 21 chain of custody rules is essential for valid drug convictions.
Contempt of Court for Ignoring Immediate Suspension Orders in the Legal Profession
The Supreme Court clarifies that lawyers must comply with suspension orders marked "effective immediately" upon receipt, or face contempt.
Contractor Relationships and the Test for Employer Liability in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the control test for employer liability in contractor relationships, and the duties of lawyers and notaries.
Breach of Public Trust: Accountability for Mismanagement of Judiciary Funds
Supreme Court rules on accountability of judges and court personnel for tampered receipts and overwithdrawals from judiciary funds.
Rent Suspension and Earnest Money: Balancing Rights in Lease and Sale Agreements
The Supreme Court clarifies when lessees may suspend rent and when earnest money in a contract to sell may be forfeited.
Earnest Money in a Contract to Sell: When Buyers Lose Their Deposit
The Supreme Court explains when earnest money in a contract to sell may be forfeited and when lessees may suspend rent under Article 1658.
Wage Increases and Management Prerogative: Balancing CBA Terms and Business Discretion
When can an employer set hiring rates above CBA wage increases without causing wage distortion? The Supreme Court explains.
Upholding Buy-Bust Operations When Minor Deviations Don't Nullify Drug Convictions
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that minor deviations in buy-bust operations, like delayed marking, do not automatically invalidate drug convictions.
Defiance and Dismissal: Loss of Retirement Benefits for Striking Employees
When a pilot defied a return-to-work order, he lost his employment status and, ultimately, his retirement benefits. Here's why.
Mining Rights Due Process Prevails Over Automatic Abandonment in Philippine Mining Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that mining claims cannot be automatically abandoned for failure to file work obligation reports; due process must first be observed.
Finality of Labor Decisions: When a Seafarer's Dismissal Case Cannot Be Reopened
A seafarer's illegal dismissal case was reinstated because the employer failed to timely appeal. Learn why final judgments stick.
Navigating Seafarer Disability Claims: The Mandatory Third Doctor Rule
When a seafarer's doctor and the company physician disagree on disability, the POEA-SEC's third-doctor rule is mandatory. Hernandez v. Magsaysay explains why.
Bank's Failure to Release Loan Funds Nullifies Foreclosure of Mortgage
Philippine Supreme Court rules a bank's breach of a credit agreement bars foreclosure, explaining borrower's reciprocal obligation to pay only arises after full release of loan proceeds.
Lawyer Suspended for Misappropriating Client Funds: Fiduciary Duty Breach
When a lawyer fails to return client money upon demand, the Supreme Court presumes misappropriation—a breach of fiduciary duty warranting suspension.
Late Evidence and the Judicial Affidavit Rule: Lara's Gift v. PNB General Insurers
The Supreme Court clarifies when trial courts may admit late evidence and supplemental judicial affidavits under the Judicial Affidavit Rule.
Sales Commissions Are Wages: Supreme Court Ruling on Unpaid Commissions and Unauthorized Deductions
Sales commissions are wages under Philippine law. Learn what the Supreme Court ruled on unpaid commissions and unauthorized car plan deductions.
Sheriff’s Duty to Follow Execution Procedures and the Consequences of Neglect
A sheriff’s failure to follow execution rules—from expense estimates to auction notices—can mean dismissal. The Supreme Court explains why.
Seafarer Disability Claims: The 120-240 Day Rule for Medical Assessments
Understand the 120-240 day rule for company-designated physician assessments in seafarer disability claims, explained through a 2018 Supreme Court ruling.
Private Roads and Public Use: When a Local Ordinance Cannot Convert Private Property
A local ordinance cannot convert a private road into public property without donation, purchase, or expropriation. The Supreme Court explains.
Chain of Custody Safeguarding Drug Evidence and Protecting Rights in Illegal Sale Cases
The Supreme Court acquits two accused in a shabu sale case, stressing that gaps in the chain of custody create reasonable doubt.
Perfected Construction Contract Award Trumps Suspension
A bidder's acceptance of a notice to proceed perfects a construction contract; a later suspension does not undo it. The Supreme Court explains.
Administrative Due Process and Bank Secrecy: The Sibayan v. Alda Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies how administrative due process and bank secrecy limits discovery in BSP proceedings, as shown in Sibayan v. Alda.