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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When Can a Bank Apply Your Payment to Another Debt? Supreme Court Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when banks may apply loan payments to other debts, protecting borrowers from unfair payment application.
Deficiency Claims After Mortgage Foreclosure: The Prieto v. BPI Ruling
Learn how the Supreme Court's Prieto v. BPI ruling protects borrowers from unproven deficiency claims after mortgage foreclosure in the Philippines.
Equitable Mortgage vs Pacto de Retro: Protecting Borrowers From Unfair Loan Agreements
When is a "sale with right to repurchase" really a loan? The Supreme Court explains equitable mortgage and pactum commissorium.
Foreclosure Rights Understanding Redemption Periods AND Legal Remedies IN Mortgage Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when Act No. 3135 applies in mortgage foreclosures and why borrowers must act within the redemption period.
Loan Agreements and Dacion en Pago: Key Insights from a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when a loan settlement agreement becomes a dacion en pago and what it means for borrowers and banks.
Navigating Unconscionable Interest Rates in Loan Agreements: A Guide for Borrowers
The Supreme Court affirms that courts may reduce unconscionable interest rates that violate the mutuality of contracts principle.
Writs of Possession in Extrajudicial Foreclosures: What Borrowers Should Know
Learn when courts must issue writs of possession after extrajudicial foreclosure, the limited exceptions, and the proper remedies for borrowers.
Estoppel in Mortgage Foreclosures: Protecting Borrowers From Unfair Actions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on co-owner rights in recovery of possession, clarifying when partition is not required before filing ejectment actions.
Blanket Mortgage Clauses: When Courts Protect Borrowers in Philippine Real Estate
A Supreme Court ruling shows when blanket mortgage clauses fail to cover new loans and why courts protect borrowers.
Mortgagee in Good Faith: Protecting Banks and Borrowers in Property Transactions
Supreme Court ruling on mortgagee in good faith doctrine and banks' duty of diligence in property loans.
Unconscionable Interest Rates: When 5% Monthly Loan Interest Is Void in the Philippines
Philippine courts void unconscionable loan interest rates even if borrowers agreed to them. Learn the rules, the legal interest substitute, and foreclosure effects.
Compromise Agreements and Foreclosure: Reasserting a Bank's Right to Possess
When borrowers default on a compromise agreement after foreclosure, a bank can secure a writ of possession as a matter of right.
Notice Requirements for SPV Asset Transfers: Protecting Borrowers' Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies notice requirements for SPV asset transfers under RA 9182, balancing borrower protection with valid assignments.
Exclusive Venue Stipulations in Real Estate Mortgages: When They Bind the Parties
The Supreme Court clarifies when exclusive venue clauses in real estate mortgages are binding, even if borrowers challenge loan terms.
Mortgage Foreclosure Upholding Contractual Notice AND Loan Coverage Requirements
Supreme Court ruling on forged SPA in mortgage foreclosure, requiring lenders to verify authority and giving borrowers protection.
Credit Card Debt: Unconscionable Interest Rates and the Duty to Respond
The Supreme Court clarifies when credit card interest rates are unconscionable and why borrowers must answer lawsuits on time.
Unconscionable Interest: The Limits of Contractual Freedom in Philippine Loans
Philippine courts can strike down unconscionable interest rates in loan agreements. Learn the rules on excessive interest and how borrowers are protected.
Waiver of Demand in Promissory Notes: Upholding Contractual Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on waiver of demand clauses in promissory notes and their binding effect on borrowers.
Pactum Commissorium: When Mortgage Agreements Unfairly Benefit Lenders
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mortgage validity, unconscionable interest rates, and when borrowers cannot escape contractual obligations.
Mortgage Validity: Restrictions on Property Rights vs Contractual Obligations
Supreme Court rules on whether NHA restrictions on a titled property invalidate a mortgage, and when borrowers can escape contractual obligations.
Unconscionable Interest Rates When Courts Intervene To Protect Borrowers
The Supreme Court reduced 60% annual charges in a lease dispute to 12% interest plus 6% penalty, citing Article 1229.
Usurious Interest and Foreclosure: When Unconscionable Loan Terms Void a Foreclosure Sale
A Supreme Court ruling on how excessive interest rates can invalidate a foreclosure sale, and what borrowers and lenders must know.
Burden of Proof in Loan Obligations: Notice of Loss in Chattel Mortgage Agreements
When a mortgaged vehicle is stolen, borrowers must prove they notified the bank. Learn the burden of proof rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Mortgage Agreements Upholding Contractual Obligations AND Protecting Borrowers Rights
This article examines the Supreme Court's ruling in Go v. Looyuko on unlawful detainer, Torrens title, and the limits of ownership claims in ejectment cases.