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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Tax Residency Rules for Foreign Executives in the Philippines
Tax residency rules for a foreign executive in the Philippines: how resident and nonresident aliens are taxed, the 15% preferential rate, and treaty relief.
Employing Philippine Staff: What a Foreign Company Must Get Right
Hiring Philippine staff as a foreign company means securing an employment permit for nonresident aliens and complying with the Labor Code.
Constitutional Limits on Alien Land Ownership: Reversion of Property Acquired in Violation of the Constitution
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on reversion of land acquired by aliens in violation of the constitutional ban on foreign land ownership.
Breach of Duty: Immigration Officer Liable for Releasing Aliens Who Used Fraudulent Documents
An immigration officer who releases aliens caught using fake passports without initiating deportation proceedings commits grave misconduct.
Deportation and Due Process: Ensuring Fair Proceedings for Resident Aliens
The Supreme Court clarifies deportation procedures, appeal remedies, and due process rights for resident aliens facing removal from the Philippines.
Breach of Public Trust When Falsification and Deportation Orders Lead to Anti-Graft Convictions
A BID commissioner's conviction for graft and falsification shows how knowingly allowing accused aliens to self-deport breaches public trust.
Passport Validity and Deportation: Re-Entry Requirements for Deported Aliens in the Philippines
A deported alien who re-enters without a valid passport and prior consent may face deportation. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Constitutional Limits on Land Ownership: Aliens Cannot Indirectly Control Philippine Land Through Filipino Spo
Philippine Supreme Court ruling that alien spouses cannot claim rights over land titled to Filipino wives, citing constitutional prohibitions.
Attorney Disbarred for Defrauding Foreign Client Upholding Trust and Integrity in the Legal Profession
Lawyer disbarred for deceiving a Danish client into buying land aliens cannot own, then absconding with millions.
Attorney Suspended for Drafting Illegal Lease Agreements: Ethics in Legal Practice
A lawyer's six-month suspension for drafting lease contracts exceeding legal limits for aliens—a lesson in professional responsibility.
When Lawyers Draft Illegal Lease Contracts: The Hontanosas Case on Foreign Land Leases
A lawyer who drafts and notarizes lease contracts exceeding legal limits for aliens faces suspension, as the Supreme Court ruled in Kupers v. Hontanosas.
Filipino Land Ownership Validating Land Transfers TO Citizens Despite Initial Alienation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how land transferred to aliens can be cured when it later passes to Filipino citizens.
Aliens Cannot Recover Funds for Land Bought in a Filipino's Name
Supreme Court rules an alien who bought Philippine land in a Filipino spouse's name cannot claim reimbursement, upholding the constitutional ban on foreign land ownership.
Alien Land Ownership Prohibition: Constitutional Limits and Equity Claims
Philippine constitutional law bars aliens from owning land, even through trust or reimbursement claims. Learn from Muller v. Muller.
Situs of Service Determines Income Tax Liability for Nonresident Aliens in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court rules that for nonresident aliens, income tax depends on where services are actually rendered, not where the payor resides.
Serving Time Before Deportation: Criminal and Immigration Law Intersect
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that convicted aliens must serve their prison sentence before deportation under the Immigration Act of 1940.
Habeas Corpus and Deportation: What Tung Chin Hui v. Rodriguez Means for Aliens in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when habeas corpus is available to aliens facing deportation orders from the Bureau of Immigration.
Deportation and Habeas Corpus: The Limits of Judicial Intervention in Immigration Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may issue the writ of habeas corpus in deportation cases involving undocumented aliens.
Adoption in the Philippines: Alien Restrictions and Joint Adoption Requirements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when aliens may adopt Filipino children and why joint adoption by spouses is mandatory under the Family Code.