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.
Illegal Dismissal, Retirement Age, and Employee Benefits: Key Lessons from Ondevilla v. Colegio de San Juan de
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on constructive dismissal, optional retirement, and CBA benefits for managerial employees in this Philippine labor case.
Liberty vs Military Authority: Balancing Rights in the Philippine Armed Forces
Supreme Court ruling on a general's preventive suspension and arrest, clarifying due process and injunctive relief in military discipline cases.
Rape of a Mentally Retarded Person: Court Upholds Conviction and Justice
The Supreme Court affirms the rape conviction of a man who sexually assaulted a mentally retarded woman, clarifying the rules on consent, evidence, and penalties.
Deed of Sale Presumed Valid Absent Clear Proof of Fraud
Supreme Court clarifies that notarized deeds of sale enjoy presumption of authenticity; challengers must present clear and convincing evidence of fraud.
Easement of Right of Way: Actual Knowledge Binds Even Without Registration
A registered owner cannot ignore an existing right of way he knows about, even if the easement is not annotated on the title.
Protecting the Innocent: The Vital Role of Testimony and Medical Evidence in Statutory Rape Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a qualified rape conviction, explaining how a child victim's credible testimony and medical findings secure justice.
Prescription in Reconveyance: Clarifying the Four-Year Rule for Actions Based on Threat and Intimidation
The Supreme Court clarifies when the four-year prescriptive period runs in reconveyance actions based on threat and intimidation, not fraud.
Protecting Marital Property: The Necessity of Spousal Consent in Property Sales
Learn how the Supreme Court protects conjugal property from unauthorized sales by one spouse, and why buyers must verify spousal consent.
Residency Requirements for Philippine Elections: Establishing Domicile for Candidacy
Philippine election law equates residency with domicile. Learn the three rules and what it takes to change domicile for candidacy.
Credibility of Eyewitness Testimony in Murder Convictions: People v. Dela Cruz
The Supreme Court affirms a murder conviction based on eyewitness testimony, explaining rules on credibility, alibi, treachery, and damages.
Minor Defects in Election Returns Do Not Justify Exclusion from Canvass
The Supreme Court rules that minor defects in election returns are not grounds for exclusion in a pre-proclamation controversy.
Certiorari Not a Substitute for Lost Appeal: Lessons from Republic v. Yang Chi Hao
The Supreme Court reminds litigants that certiorari cannot replace a lost appeal, even in naturalization cases where the government seeks to question a trial court's ruling.
Procedural Due Process and Employee Dismissal: When a Security Agency Contract Ends
When a security agency contract ends but guards remain on post, who is the employer? The Supreme Court clarifies control, due process, and liability.
Compromised Evidence Acquittal in Drug Cases Due to Procedural Lapses in Chain of Custody
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect after police failed to follow the chain of custody rule under RA 9165.
Reasonable Doubt and Rape Allegations: Lessons from People v. Bacus on Circumstantial Evidence
When can physical impossibility and medical findings overcome a rape accusation? The Supreme Court's acquittal in People v. Bacus explains.
Documentary Stamp Tax: When Special Savings Deposits Are Certificates of Deposit Drawing Interest
The Supreme Court rules that special savings deposits with fixed-term features are "certificates of deposit drawing interest" subject to documentary stamp tax.
Mitigating Circumstances and Indeterminate Sentences: Balancing Justice and Individual Factors in Robbery Case
A Supreme Court ruling on how analogous mitigating circumstances and the Indeterminate Sentence Law shape penalties in robbery convictions.
Possession vs. Sale: Proving the Distinction in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies why illegal sale and illegal possession of drugs are separate crimes requiring distinct proof, acquitting on one charge.
Employer Control Determines Employment Status: The PLDT Security Guard Case
When a security agency's contract ends but guards remain at their posts under the principal's direction, an employer-employee relationship may arise.
Jurisdiction in Swindling Cases: How Penalties Determine the Proper Court
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how penalties and fines determine which court hears swindling cases under the Revised Penal Code.
Annulment of Judgment in Criminal Cases: Llamas v. Court of Appeals
When can a criminal conviction be annulled? The Supreme Court clarifies Rule 47 applies only to civil cases, not criminal ones.
Compromise Agreements Enforceability Hinges on Fulfilled Conditions
When a court-approved compromise agreement's conditions remain unfulfilled, the original obligation revives and execution may proceed.
Lost Claim: Failure to Prove Open Possession Prevents Land Title Registration
Supreme Court denies land registration where applicant failed to prove open, continuous, exclusive possession since June 12, 1945.
Finality of Judgment in Disbarment Cases: Lessons from Bihag v. Era
A disbarred lawyer's belated bid to reopen his case fails; the Court enforces finality, cites contempt, and orders execution.