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.
Extradition in the Philippines: Balancing Due Process and International Cooperation
Philippine courts can provisionally rule on a plaintiff's death in ejectment cases, balancing due process with the need for swift resolution.
Del Mar v. PAGCOR: The Scope of PAGCOR's Franchise and Jai-Alai Operations
The Supreme Court ruled PAGCOR's franchise under P.D. 1869 does not include operating jai-alai, a gambling activity requiring express legislative grant.
Court Funds in Personal Accounts: A Lesson in Public Fiduciary Duty
Court employee fined for depositing court-entrusted funds in personal account. A lesson on public trust and ethics.
Buyer Beware: Understanding Delivery Delays and Liabilities in Philippine Sales Contracts
Learn how Philippine courts treat conditional sales, court approval requirements, and seller liability when property sales face delays.
Shareholder Rights vs Corporate Discretion: Mandamus and Stock Transfer Recording
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a corporate secretary must record stock transfers, SEC jurisdiction, and shareholder rights.
Cutting Utility Lines Without a Permit: Unjust Vexation Under Philippine Law
Learn how the Supreme Court's ruling in Ong Chiu Kwan v. Court of Appeals treats unauthorized cutting of utility lines as unjust vexation.
Navigating Illegal Recruitment in the Philippines: Understanding Large-Scale Fraud and Estafa
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish illegal recruitment in large scale from estafa, the penalties involved, and what this means for overseas job seekers.
Defective Verification and Forum Shopping Certification: Why Cases Get Dismissed in Philippine Courts
Learn how defective verification or certification against forum shopping can get a case dismissed in Philippine courts, based on Loquias v. Ombudsman.
Ombudsmans Discretion When Courts Defer to Anti-Graft Investigations
Philippine courts defer to Ombudsman findings in anti-graft cases absent grave abuse of discretion. Learn from Morong Water District.
Union Dues and Attorney's Fees: Protecting Employee Rights in Collective Bargaining
The Supreme Court clarifies when attorney's fees can be charged to union members and the strict rules on check-off deductions.
Written Authority Required for Real Estate Agents: The City-Lite Realty Rule
Under Article 1874 of the Civil Code, an agent selling land must have written authority; otherwise, the sale is void. Learn the rules.
Notarial Duty and Due Diligence: Attorneys Cannot Notarize Documents They Sign for Others
A lawyer who signs a verification for clients and then notarizes it violates the Notarial Law. The Supreme Court explains the limits of a notary's duties.
Accountability in Overseas Job Promises: Illegal Recruitment and Estafa Defined
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies illegal recruitment in large scale and estafa liability for fake overseas job offers.
Falsification of Public Documents: When Good Faith Fails as a Defense
Good faith may defend falsification charges, but it must be proven. Resoso v. Sandiganbayan shows why authorization and documentation matter.
Customs Forfeiture in the Philippines: Illegal Removal of Goods and the Buyer Beware Rule
When goods are illegally removed from customs custody, forfeiture can reach any buyer, even one claiming good faith. Learn the rules.
Deficiency Tax Collection: When BIR Warrants Are Premature Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when BIR collection of deficiency taxes is premature, and why the OSG must represent the CIR.
Union Dues and Employee Rights: Ensuring Legal Check-Offs in the Philippines
Philippine law on union dues check-off explained: what employees must know about authorized deductions, consent, and their rights under labor rules.
Corporate Authority in Property Sales: Why Board Approval Matters in the Philippines
A corporate officer cannot sell company land without board approval. Learn the due diligence steps to protect your property transaction.
Falsification of Public Documents: Upholding Integrity in Philippine Public Service
A Supreme Court ruling on a court interpreter's dismissal for forging a judge's signature, underscoring integrity in public service.
Public Land vs Private Ownership in the Philippines: Land Classification and Acquisition
Understand how Philippine law distinguishes public land from private property, and the rules on classification and acquisition.
Docket Fees and Jurisdiction: Re-Filing a Case After Dismissal for Improper Venue
When a case is dismissed for improper venue, must new docket fees be paid upon re-filing? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule.
Corporate Liability vs Personal Guarantee: Surety Agreements in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a continuing surety agreement covers corporate debts and when it does not bind the surety.
Accretion vs. Foreshore Land in the Philippines: Who Owns Newly Formed Land?
Philippine law distinguishes accretion from foreshore land. Learn who owns newly formed land along rivers and seas under the Civil Code and the Spanish Law of Waters.
Contract Validity and Enforceability: Lessons from Roblett v. Court of Appeals
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling on contract validity, authority to sign, and estoppel in Philippine obligations law.