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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Regionalizing the Bar Exams: Expanding Access to Legal Practice in the Philippines
The Supreme Court approves Cebu City as a regional Bar exam site, easing access for Visayas and Mindanao candidates.
Optional Retirement Pay Must Meet Labor Code Minimum, SC Rules in University of Cebu Case
Supreme Court rules company retirement plans cannot give less than the Labor Code's 22.5 days per year of service minimum.
Environmental Protection Prevails: Citizens' Right to a Balanced Ecology Upheld
The Supreme Court affirms the writ of kalikasan, ordering the closure of Cebu's Inayawan landfill to protect residents' constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology.
Entrapment vs Instigation: How Philippine Courts Treat Buy-Bust Operations
A Supreme Court ruling in a Cebu buy-bust case explains why presenting the police informant is not required and how chain of custody is weighed in drug cases.
Local Autonomy vs Centralized Control: Who Appoints Metro Cebu Water District Directors
Supreme Court ruling on whether the Cebu City Mayor or the Provincial Governor appoints MCWD board members under P.D. 198.
Upholding Government Discretion in Public Bidding: The Mactan Cebu Airport Case
The Supreme Court affirms that courts cannot override the government's discretion in public bidding, absent grave abuse of discretion.
Justice Delayed: Holding Judges Accountable for Delayed Case Resolutions in the Philippines
The Supreme Court fined a Cebu judge P75,000 for gross inefficiency after failing to decide 99 cases and resolve 91 incidents within the mandatory 90-day period.
Passenger Duty of Diligence in Verifying Flight Details: Manay v. Cebu Air
The Supreme Court ruled that passengers must exercise ordinary diligence in checking flight details on tickets, even as airlines owe extraordinary diligence.
Golf Courses and Amusement Tax: When Local Tax Power Exceeds Its Boundaries
The Supreme Court nullifies Cebu City's amusement tax on golf courses, ruling it exceeds the Local Government Code's grant of taxing authority.
Upholding Local Autonomy: The Constitutionality of Vehicle Immobilization Ordinances
The Supreme Court upheld Cebu City's vehicle immobilization ordinance as a valid exercise of police power, clarifying due process requirements for traffic enforcement.
Forum Shopping and Government Funds: Rallos v. City of Cebu on Execution of Judgments
The Supreme Court dismisses a contempt petition for forum shopping and clarifies rules on executing money judgments against local governments.
When Congress Validates Land Titles After a Final Court Ruling: Alonso v. Cebu Country Club
Explaining Alonso v. Cebu Country Club: how Republic Act No. 9443 validated land titles and what it means for property owners and litigants.
When Can the Government Back Out of an Expropriation? The Ortega v. City of Cebu Case
Explaining when the government can no longer withdraw from an expropriation case, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Spouses Ortega v. City of Cebu.
Forced Resignation Is Illegal Dismissal: Casa Cebuana v. Leuterio
Forcing an employee to resign without due process is illegal dismissal. Learn the two-notice rule from Casa Cebuana v. Leuterio.
When Club Membership Turns Costly: Limits of Discretion and the Price of Bad Faith
A club's right to reject membership applications is not absolute. Learn how bad faith and abuse of rights led to damages in Cebu Country Club v. Elizagaque.
PEZA VAT Refund: Zero-Rated Export Sales and Input Tax Credit Rights
Explaining CIR v. Cebu Toyo Corporation on PEZA enterprises' VAT refund rights for zero-rated export sales and unutilized input taxes.
Eminent Domain and Due Process: Protecting Property Rights in Expropriation Cases
The Supreme Court nullified Cebu City's expropriation ordinance, reaffirming that due process and strict legal compliance limit local governments' power of eminent domain.
Judge Reprimanded for Discourtesy: Upholding Judicial Ethics in Philippine Courts
Supreme Court reprimands a Cebu RTC judge for berating a lawyer in open court, reaffirming strict standards of judicial conduct and courtesy.
Friar Lands Ownership and Due Process in Land Disputes: Alonso v. Cebu Country Club
The Supreme Court rules on friar lands ownership, due process, and reconstituted titles in a decades-long dispute over Cebu property.
When a Sale-Leaseback Is Really a Loan: Cebu Contractors Consortium v. Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court ruled that a sale-leaseback arrangement was actually an equitable mortgage, not a true financing lease, and ordered the contract reformed.