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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Sandiganbayan Jurisdiction Over Ill-Gotten Wealth and Lease Contract Validity
Supreme Court rules Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over lease contract nullity involving alleged ill-gotten wealth, affirming state ownership of Paoay properties.
PCGG Sequestration Powers: High Court Safeguards Property Owners Against Abuse in Ill-Gotten Wealth Recovery
The Supreme Court ruled that PCGG sequestration requires proper authority and cannot cover property acquired before Marcos's presidency.
Confiscation of Property: Balancing Government Authority and Due Process Rights
Explore how the Supreme Court balances state power to recover ill-gotten wealth against constitutional due process and prescription rights.
Insufficient Evidence Upholding Demurrer in Ill-Gotten Wealth Case
Supreme Court affirms Sandiganbayan ruling that hearsay and speculative testimony cannot sustain ill-gotten wealth claims.
Insufficient Evidence in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases: The Republic Must Prove Complicity
The Supreme Court ruled that the Republic must present solid evidence to prove complicity in ill-gotten wealth cases, not mere speculation.
Lis Pendens and Ill-Gotten Wealth: Protecting Public Interest Through Property Notices
The Supreme Court reinstates a notice of lis pendens on Marcos property, clarifying how procedural rules serve, not defeat, the recovery of ill-gotten wealth.
Forfeiture vs Foreclosure: Due Process in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases
The Supreme Court rules that the State, as subrogee-creditor of forfeited assets, cannot sell mortgaged shares without foreclosure proceedings.
Overcoming Technicalities: Republic's Right to Recover Ill-Gotten Wealth
Supreme Court rules procedural lapses should not defeat the state's recovery of ill-gotten wealth, reversing Sandiganbayan dismissal.
Upholding Forfeiture Jurisdiction Over Ill-Gotten Wealth Hidden Abroad
Philippine courts retain jurisdiction over forfeiture cases involving ill-gotten wealth even when assets are hidden in foreign jurisdictions.
Ill-Gotten Wealth, Close Association with Marcoses, and Asset Recovery: A Legal Primer
Learn how Philippine courts define "ill-gotten wealth," prove close association with the Marcoses, and recover assets under sequestration laws.
Sandiganbayan Jurisdiction Over Private Individuals in Marcos Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases
The Supreme Court rules the Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over private individuals in cases involving recovery of Marcos ill-gotten wealth.
Forfeiture in Plunder Cases: Tracing Ill-Gotten Wealth and Protecting State Interests
Explaining how the Supreme Court upheld the forfeiture of assets traceable to plunder, including shares held by third parties, under RA 7080.
Sequestration Orders and Property Rights: The PCGG Two-Commissioner Rule
When is a sequestration order void? The Supreme Court explains the PCGG's non-delegable power to sequester alleged ill-gotten wealth.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Is a Corporation Liable for Ill-Gotten Wealth?
A look at when corporations can be held liable for ill-gotten wealth, and why the Supreme Court dismissed cases against corporate fronts in Republic v. Sandiganbayan.
Dividends Follow the Shares in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases, SC Rules
In ill-gotten wealth cases, dividends and fruits follow ownership of the shares, the Supreme Court ruled in Cojuangco v. Sandiganbayan.
Dividends Follow the Shares in Ill-Gotten Wealth Recovery
Supreme Court rules dividends and interests follow ownership of recovered ill-gotten shares, even if not expressly stated in the dispositive portion.
Protecting State Assets: Sandiganbayan Jurisdiction Over PCGG Sequestration of Ill-Gotten Wealth
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Sandiganbayan, not the SEC, has jurisdiction over cases involving sequestered ill-gotten wealth.
Unmasking Behest Loans: Government's Right to Recover Ill-Gotten Wealth Supersedes Prescriptive Timelines
The Supreme Court clarifies that behest loan offenses prescribe only upon discovery, reinforcing the government's power to recover Marcos-era ill-gotten wealth.
When Contract Claims Must Yield to the Sandiganbayan: Jurisdiction Over Sequestered Assets
A contract dispute over sequestered shares belongs to the Sandiganbayan, not the regular courts, when the assets are subject of ill-gotten wealth cases.
Unraveling Favored Contracts: The Imperative of Specificity in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases
The Supreme Court reminds litigants that bare allegations and conclusions of law cannot substitute for specific facts in ill-gotten wealth cases.
Corporate Veil and Jurisdiction in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases: UBC v. Sandiganbayan
When a company is merely the res of an ill-gotten wealth case, it need not be impleaded, and the Sandiganbayan retains jurisdiction over it.
Attorney-Client Privilege vs Disclosure Mandates in Marcos-Era Asset Recovery
Supreme Court clarifies when attorney-client privilege yields to disclosure mandates in recovering Marcos-era ill-gotten wealth.
Preponderance of Evidence Key to Ill-Gotten Wealth Recovery in the Philippines
How the Supreme Court ruled that preponderance of evidence, not proof beyond reasonable doubt, governs ill-gotten wealth cases.
Compromise Agreements in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases: PCGG Authority and Finality
The Supreme Court affirms PCGG's power to settle ill-gotten wealth cases through compromise agreements, which become final once court-approved.