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.
Conditional Sale Buyers' Rights and Sellers' Obligations After Partial Payment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies buyer and seller rights in contracts to sell, including when a buyer can demand a deed of absolute sale.
Simulated Sales: When Continued Possession Trumps a Deed of Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on simulated sales: continued possession and tax payments can nullify a deed of absolute sale.
Buy-Bust Operations and Instigation: When Police Tactics Are Valid in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies the line between valid entrapment and prohibited instigation in drug buy-bust operations under RA 9165.
Contractual Obligations Upholding Interest AND Penalties IN Land Purchase Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court rules buyers must pay stipulated interest and penalty charges in land purchase agreements, even if onerous.
Breach of Trust Estafa Conviction for Misappropriated Purchase Orders
Supreme Court affirms estafa conviction when a seller used purchase order cards for personal benefit instead of remitting proceeds to the owner.
When Courts Won't Second-Guess the Ombudsman's Dismissal of Graft Complaints
The Supreme Court affirms the Ombudsman's wide discretion in dismissing graft complaints, limiting judicial review to grave abuse of discretion.
Fraudulent Land Acquisition Titles Obtained Through Deceit Lack Indefeasibility
Land titles obtained through fraud are void and do not gain indefeasibility. Philippine law protects true owners from deceitful schemes.
Perfected Sale vs Contract to Sell: Distinguishing Ownership Transfer in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the difference between a contract of sale and a contract to sell, and when ownership actually transfers to the buyer.
Search Warrants for LPG Cylinder Misuse: Probable Cause Standards Under R.A. 623
Supreme Court ruling clarifies probable cause for search warrants involving unauthorized LPG cylinder use under R.A. 623, as amended.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: Intent and Prescription in Property Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies when a sale is an equitable mortgage and why fraud claims can prescribe. Learn the rules.
Double Sale of Immovable Property: Good Faith as the Decisive Factor in Land Ownership Disputes
Learn how good faith determines ownership in double sale cases under Philippine law, and what buyers must do to protect their property rights.
Valid Buy-Bust Operation Upholds Conviction Despite Chain of Custody Concerns in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction, ruling that minor lapses in chain of custody do not automatically warrant acquittal when the evidence's integrity is preserved.
Partitioning Property Understanding Co-Ownership and Heirs' Rights in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine law resolves double sales of inherited property, the role of registration, and heirs' rights in co-ownership disputes.
Double Sale Doctrine, Good Faith Registration, and Forged Deeds in Philippine Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when the double sale rule applies and why good faith registration cannot cure a forged deed in land disputes.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Unbroken Evidence Integrity Matters
Philippine Supreme Court acquits drug suspect over broken chain of custody, stressing the need to prove the seized drugs' identity beyond reasonable doubt.
Finality of Judgment and the Limits of Appellate Review in Philippine Courts
When can courts revisit decided cases? The Supreme Court explains finality of judgment, appellate jurisdiction, and contract to sell rules.
Waiver of Contractual Conditions in the Philippines: Lessons from Gonzales v. Lim
Learn when a party waives a contractual condition under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Gonzales v. Lim.
Lease or Disguised Sale: Recto Law Protects Lessees in Equipment Financing Agreements
When is a lease really a sale? The Supreme Court explains how the Recto Law shields lessees in disguised financing deals.
From Public Land to Private Right: Establishing Land Ownership Through Acquisitive Prescription
How long possession of alienable public land can ripen into private ownership, explained through a 2007 Supreme Court ruling.
Joint vs Solidary Obligations: What the Supreme Court Says About Liability in Contracts
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when multiple debtors are only jointly liable, not solidarily liable, under Philippine contract law.
Consignation Denied: Strict Compliance With Court Orders in Property Disputes
Supreme Court rules that consignation must be made within judicially prescribed periods; mere tender of payment is insufficient.
When Can Foreign Corporations Sue in the Philippines? A Guide
Learn when unlicensed foreign corporations can sue in Philippine courts under the Corporation Code and Foreign Investments Act.
Good Faith in Property Transactions: Protecting Innocent Purchasers Under the Torrens System
When a notarized special power of attorney turns out forged, who keeps the land? The Supreme Court explains good faith under the Torrens system.
Bare Denials Cannot Overcome Positive Testimony in Buy-Bust Drug Convictions
Explore how the Supreme Court affirmed drug convictions despite denials, emphasizing the weight of positive police testimony in buy-bust operations.