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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Entrapment vs Instigation: The Fine Line in Philippine Drug Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the difference between valid entrapment and unlawful instigation in drug buy-bust operations under RA 9165.
Double Sale in the Philippines: How Good Faith and Prior Knowledge Decide Property Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on double sale: a second buyer who registers first but knows of the first sale acts in bad faith and loses.
Laches Is Not a Shield for Fraud: Protecting Your Land Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: laches cannot defeat claims over void or forged land deeds. Know your rights.
Administrative Power in the Philippines: Data Protection for Public Interest
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on FPA's proprietary data protection under P.D. 1144, upholding administrative power for public interest.
When an Accused Is Arraigned: DOJ Review of Prosecutor’s Ruling Barred
Philippine Supreme Court rules on DOJ Circular No. 70: arraignment bars the Secretary of Justice from reviewing a prosecutor’s resolution.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When a Parent Company Can Be Liable for Its Subsidiary's Debts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a parent company and its subsidiary can be treated as one employer for labor liability.
Reconveyance of Land Titles: Protecting Homesteaders From Fraudulent Land Grabs
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on reconveyance of land titles obtained through fraud, protecting homesteaders' rights against deceptive schemes.
Fixed-Term Employment in the Philippines: When Contracts Don't Guarantee Fixed Terms
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when fixed-term employment contracts are invalid for circumventing security of tenure.
Invalid Summons in Foreclosure: Protecting Due Process Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court rules on invalid summons in foreclosure, due process, and why quasi in rem actions still require proper service.
Zoning Regulations vs Contractual Obligations: Balancing Public Welfare and Private Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on zoning ordinances, police power, and the non-impairment of contracts clause.
Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Employee Rights Under the Boundary System
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on jeepney drivers under the boundary system, illegal dismissal, and employee rights to reinstatement and backwages.
Who Can Question a Bigamous Marriage? Lessons from Amor-Catalan v. Catalan
A Philippine Supreme Court case clarifies who has legal personality to question a bigamous marriage and the need to prove foreign divorce decrees.
Divorce and Remarriage in the Philippines: Validity and Legal Capacity Explained
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when a Filipino divorced by a foreign spouse may remarry, and how courts determine legal capacity and estate venue.
Donation Inter Vivos in the Philippines: Proving Forgery and Document Authenticity
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how to prove forgery of a deed of donation, including the weight of expert testimony and circumstantial evidence.
Petition for Relief in the Court of Appeals: When Can You Revive a Dismissed Appeal
Philippine Supreme Court explains why the RTC cannot annul a DARAB decision and when the CA can take jurisdiction over a dismissed appeal.
Affidavits of Desistance: When Can Employees Reclaim Their Rights?
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when affidavits of desistance or quitclaims in labor cases are invalid and employees can pursue their claims.
Estate Settlement Venue and Remarriage After Foreign Divorce: Key Philippine Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies estate settlement venue means actual residence, and a Filipino divorced by a foreign spouse may remarry.
Divorce Abroad and Remarriage in the Philippines: Legal Standing in Bigamy Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies who may challenge a bigamous marriage when a foreign divorce is involved, and what evidence is required.
Moonlighting and Misconduct: When a Second Job Leads to Legal Trouble in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on loss of trust and confidence as just cause for dismissing managerial employees who engage in misconduct.
Failure to Pay Appeal Docket Fees: When Courts May Reinstate an Appeal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that failure to pay appeal docket fees does not automatically dismiss an appeal; courts have discretion to reinstate.
Foreclosure vs Corporate Rehabilitation: Why Timing Is Key in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how prior foreclosure affects corporate rehabilitation petitions and the proper remedy for dismissal orders.
Proving Employee Abandonment: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies what employers must prove to establish employee abandonment—and why mere absence is not enough.
Eminent Domain and Just Compensation: Why Timing Matters in Philippine Property Expropriation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that just compensation in expropriation is valued at the time of filing or taking, whichever comes first.
Burden of Proof in Labor Cases: Supreme Court Upholds Employee Rights in Wage Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that employers bear the burden of proof in labor standards cases, protecting workers' claims for unpaid wages.