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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Fintech Regulation in the Philippines: BSP Rules and Licensing
Fintech regulation in the Philippines is shaped by BSP rules, the E-Commerce Act, and the Data Privacy Act. Learn the key legal requirements here.
Night Shift Differential in the Philippines: Who Gets It and How Much
Learn how night shift differential pay is computed in the Philippines, who qualifies, and the exact percentage required by law.
Percentage Tax vs. VAT in the Philippines: Which Applies to Your Business?
Learn the difference between percentage tax and VAT in the Philippines, which businesses pay which, and how to comply.
The E-Commerce Act (R.A. 8792) in the Philippines, Explained
Understand R.A. 8792, the Philippine E-Commerce Act: legal recognition of electronic documents, signatures, and contracts under Philippine law.
Cybersecurity Law in the Philippines: Compliance and Incident Response
Learn Philippine cybersecurity law compliance under the Cybercrime Prevention Act and Data Privacy Act, including penalties and incident response duties.
Data Subject Rights in the Philippines: Access, Correction, and Erasure
Know your data subject rights in the Philippines under the Data Privacy Act: access, correction, erasure, and how to exercise them.
Digital Signatures and E-Signatures in the Philippines: Legal Validity
Understand the legal validity of digital and electronic signatures in the Philippines under the E-Commerce Act (RA 8792), including requirements and evidentiary rules.
Attorney-Client Loans Under the CPRA: When Borrowing From a Client Is Allowed
The Supreme Court clarifies when lawyers may borrow from clients under the CPRA, balancing ethical duties with legitimate commercial dealings.
Reasonable Doubt in Illegal Gambling: Supreme Court Acquits Accused in Cara y Cruz Case
Supreme Court acquits two men of illegal gambling under PD 1602, ruling that vague police testimony cannot overcome the presumption of innocence.
When a Surety Can Escape Liability: Overcoming the Presumption of Regularity
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when sureties can overcome the presumption of regularity attached to notarized continuing suretyship agreements.
Bill Deposits and Consumer Rights: What the Supreme Court Said in Colmenares v. ERC
The Supreme Court upheld bill deposits as valid but dismissed the challenge on procedural grounds. Here's what consumers should know.
Conjugal Property Presumptions: Protecting Separate Assets from a Spouse's Debts
Learn how the Supreme Court protects separate property from a spouse's debts and what evidence overcomes the conjugal presumption.
Competency of Witnesses With Intellectual Disabilities: Safeguarding Justice in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms that intellectual disability alone does not disqualify a witness, provided they can perceive and communicate their perceptions.
Protecting Employee Rights: How Forced Resignation Leads to Constructive Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies when forced resignation amounts to constructive dismissal, protecting employees from hostile work environments and coercive employer conduct.
Protecting Children: Understanding Qualified Trafficking in Persons in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when child trafficking is qualified, why force or coercion need not be proven, and what this means for prosecutions.
When a Facebook Post Becomes a Crime: VAWC, Social Media, and Higher Penalties
The Supreme Court rules that using Facebook to commit psychological abuse under VAWC warrants a higher penalty under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Cyber-Enabled Robbery in the Philippines: How RA 10175 Raises Penalties for Digital Extortion
Learn how the Supreme Court applies the Cybercrime Prevention Act to robbery committed through digital means, and why penalties are one degree higher.
Robbery and Cybercrime: Protecting Yourself From Digital Extortion in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies how online threats to expose intimate photos can constitute robbery, and why the Cybercrime Prevention Act raises the penalty.
Insurance Claims and Excluded Risks: Understanding Insurrection and Rebellion
When do violent attacks fall under excluded insurance risks like insurrection or rebellion? The Supreme Court clarifies in Platinum Group Metals Corp. v. Mercantile Insurance.
Combating Human Trafficking: The State's Burden to Prove Trafficking for Prostitution
The Supreme Court clarifies the elements of qualified human trafficking for prostitution, emphasizing that actual sexual intercourse is not required for conviction.
Cyber Libel Retroactivity: When Online Posts Before RA 10175 Are Not Punishable
The Supreme Court clarifies that Facebook posts made before the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 cannot be prosecuted as cyber libel.
Concurrent Authority Investigating Energy Market Breaches in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that PEMC and ERC share concurrent power to investigate WESM rule breaches, resolving a jurisdictional dispute.
Concurrent Jurisdiction: PEMC Authority to Investigate WESM Rule Breaches
Supreme Court affirms PEMC's concurrent power with ERC to investigate and sanction WESM rule breaches by market participants.
Reviving Justice: How Refiling a Quasi-Delict Complaint Overcomes Prescription
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies summons service, real party in interest, and prescription in refiled quasi-delict cases.