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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Solicitation by Public Officials: When Accepting Gifts Leads to Graft Charges
A DARAB adjudicator's conviction for soliciting P120,000 and a tuna fish clarifies graft law and double prosecution rules.
DARAB Jurisdiction Over Agrarian Land Disputes and Beneficiary Rights
Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over agrarian disputes and farmer-beneficiary rights even after title issuance.
Agrarian Dispute vs Ejectment: Who Has Jurisdiction Over Land Disputes in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when forcible entry cases over agricultural lands belong to the courts or the DARAB.
Lost Land Title Replacement: RTC, Not DARAB, Has Jurisdiction Over CLOA Titles
Supreme Court clarifies that the RTC, not the DARAB, has jurisdiction over petitions to replace lost owner's duplicate certificates of title, even if the title originated from a CLOA.
Quiet Title Actions and Jurisdiction: When Courts, Not DARAB, Decide Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when regular courts, not DARAB, have jurisdiction over quiet title actions involving alleged tenants.
Understanding the Limits of Quasi-Judicial Powers: The DARAB's Jurisdictional Boundaries
The Supreme Court clarifies that the DARAB, as a quasi-judicial body, cannot exercise certiorari powers—a key ruling on jurisdictional limits.
Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform: Lessons from a Landmark Philippine Case
A Philippine lawyer's suspension highlights the rules on just compensation, finality of judgments, and the limits of DARAB authority.
Navigating the Jurisdictional Maze: The DAR Secretary's Role in Cancellation of Land Ownership Awards
Learn when the DAR Secretary—not the DARAB—has jurisdiction over CLOA cancellation cases, based on a 2020 Supreme Court ruling.
Tenancy Rights: Establishing a Bona Fide Tenant Under Agrarian Law
The Supreme Court clarifies how courts determine DARAB jurisdiction and what allegations establish a bona fide tenant in agrarian disputes.
Agrarian Reform OR Industrial Activity Determining Jurisdiction Over Fishpond Disputes After R A 7881
The Supreme Court clarifies when fishpond disputes fall under DARAB jurisdiction or regular courts after R.A. 7881.
DARAB Overreach: Examining the Limits of Administrative Authority in Agrarian Disputes
The Supreme Court rules that DARAB cannot issue writs of certiorari, as administrative agencies lack judicial power.
Upholding Agrarian Reform Security of Tenure Prevails Despite Land Reclassification
Supreme Court rules tenants' rights survive land reclassification, affirming DARAB jurisdiction over agrarian disputes despite zoning changes.
Agrarian Reform Adjudication: When DARAB Has No Jurisdiction Over CLOA Cancellation
The Supreme Court clarifies that DARAB has no jurisdiction over CLOA cancellation cases when no tenancy relationship exists between the parties.
Agrarian Reform and Jurisdictional Boundaries: Understanding DARAB's Role in CLOA Cancellation
The Supreme Court clarifies when DARAB can cancel CLOAs and when the DAR Secretary holds jurisdiction, in Union Bank v. DAR officers.
Agrarian Dispute Definition and Jurisdiction Over CLOA Transfers and Beneficiary Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when a dispute over CLOA transfers is an agrarian dispute under DARAB jurisdiction.
Res Judicata in Agrarian Disputes: Identity of Parties and Causes of Action
When does a DARAB ruling bar a court case? The Supreme Court clarifies the requisites of res judicata, especially identity of parties and causes of action.
DARAB Jurisdiction Over Annulment of Land Sales Without DAR Clearance
The Supreme Court clarifies when the DARAB, not regular courts, has jurisdiction over annulment of land sales and title cancellation in agrarian reform cases.
DARAB Jurisdiction Over Annulment of Land Sales Under CARP Coverage
Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over annulment of deeds of sale for agricultural lands covered by CARP, even without notice of coverage.
Filing the Right Case: Why Agrarian Dispute Jurisdiction Matters
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies why cancellation of CLOAs involving non-tenants belongs to the DAR Secretary, not the DARAB.
Who Hears CLOA Cancellation Cases? The DAR Secretary, Not DARAB, Rules
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that DARAB lacks jurisdiction over CLOA cancellation cases without tenurial disputes; the DAR Secretary decides.
Tenancy vs Ownership: Who Hears Agrarian Disputes?
The Supreme Court clarifies when a case is an agrarian dispute for DARAB and when it belongs in regular courts, using a Bulacan land case.
Agrarian Dispute Jurisdiction Over CLOA Cancellation Hinges on Tenancy Relationship
Supreme Court clarifies DARAB jurisdiction over CLOA cancellation requires an agrarian dispute or tenancy relationship between parties.
Tenants Rights VS Theft Resolving Land Disputes AND Criminal Charges
When a DARAB ruling declares someone a tenant, can they still be convicted of theft for harvesting crops? The Supreme Court clarifies.
When Agrarian Reform and Townsite Reservations Collide: Navigating Land Use Conflicts
The Supreme Court clarifies when lands in townsite reservations fall outside CARP coverage and the DARAB's jurisdiction.