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.
Expropriation and Capital Gains Tax: Who Pays When Government Takes Property?
Supreme Court rules property owners, not the government, pay capital gains tax in expropriation cases. Learn the tax implications.
Right of First Refusal Protects Lessees Over Third-Party Buyers
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how a lessee's right of first refusal can override a sale to a third party, even a government entity.
Ombudsman's Power to Investigate COA Findings Not a Prerequisite: PAL Officers Case
Supreme Court rules Ombudsman lacks jurisdiction over officers of GOCCs without original charters, like PAL. Learn the limits of Ombudsman power.
Ombudsman Jurisdiction Over GOCCs: The Original Charter Requirement
The Supreme Court limits Ombudsman jurisdiction over GOCCs to those with original charters, not corporations merely acquired by government.
Unlawful Detainer: A Tenant's Admissions and the Inevitable Ejectment
In Mendoza v. Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court ruled that a tenant's own admissions in pleadings can seal an ejectment case.
The Perils of Verbal Land Deals: Why Written Authority Is Non-Negotiable in Philippine Real Estate
Learn how the Supreme Court protects small property owners from expropriation and why written authority is crucial in Philippine land deals.
Writ of Possession in Eminent Domain: Why Immediate Government Possession Is Key
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled that courts must issue writs of possession promptly in expropriation cases under, even if the government already occupies the property.