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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Foreign Land Ownership Ban Upheld: Supreme Court Voids Dummy Arrangements
The Supreme Court voids a German citizen's dummy land purchase, reaffirming the constitutional ban on foreign land ownership in the Philippines.
Disputed Inheritance: Proving Ownership in Land Claims After a Family Fallout
A Supreme Court ruling on proving land ownership in family disputes, where a photocopied title and bare claims failed against a registered certificate of title.
Native Title vs. Statutory Rights: Land Ownership in Baguio City After the IPRA Exemption Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies that Baguio City is exempt from the IPRA, except for native title claims based on time immemorial possession.
When Lawyers Serve Two Masters: Ethical Violations in Land Deals and Public Office
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer-mayor for helping circumvent land ownership rules and practicing law while in public office.
Land Ownership, Citizenship, and Caretaker Claims: Lessons from Morales v. De Guia
A caretaker's long possession of property does not ripen into ownership, and losing Filipino citizenship does not forfeit vested land rights.
Homestead Patent vs Implied Trust: Protecting Land Ownership in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a homestead patent bars claims of implied trust over agricultural land in the Philippines.
Homestead Patent vs Implied Trust: When Land Ownership Claims Collide
A Supreme Court ruling shows why a homestead patent can defeat claims of implied trust over registered land in the Philippines.
When Delay Defeats Title: Laches and Registered Land in Lorenzo v. Eustaquio
The Supreme Court ruled that laches can defeat registered land ownership, even when the original transfer was flawed. Learn the key rules.
Reclaimed Lands and Constitutional Limits: The Central Bay Case on Corporate Land Ownership
The Supreme Court voids a compromise agreement transferring reclaimed land to a private corporation's assignee, upholding constitutional bans on corporate land ownership.
Extinctive Prescription and Land Ownership When Delay Bars Recovery
When does delay bar recovery of land? The Supreme Court clarifies extinctive prescription and the rules on land ownership and registration.
Equitable Interest: How Liquidating Dividends Impact Foreign Land Ownership in the Philippines
SC ruling on whether a foreign stockholder's liquidating dividends in Philippine land may be levied to satisfy judgment debts.
Proving Land Ownership Since 1945: What Philippine Courts Require
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies what evidence proves open, continuous possession since June 12, 1945 for land registration under PD 1529.
Proving Land Ownership: The Crucial Role of Property Identification in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why identifying the exact land is essential in recovery actions under Article 434 of the Civil Code.
Understanding Property Disputes: The Impact of Bad Faith Construction on Land Ownership Rights
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on bad faith claims in property disputes, mortgage validity, and foreclosure rights under Philippine law.
Understanding Property Rights: Land Ownership Extent and Ejectment in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine law defines land ownership extent—surface, subsurface, and airspace—and when ejectment cases apply to structures like firewalls.
Navigating Property Disputes: The Importance of Clear Evidence in Philippine Land Ownership Cases
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies how proof of sale, not registration alone, determines ownership in Philippine land disputes.
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.
Understanding Good Faith Purchasers and Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court protects innocent purchasers for value in property disputes and what this means for your land ownership rights.
Unlocking Land Ownership: Navigating the Complexities of Land Registration in the Philippines
Learn the strict requirements for land registration in the Philippines, including the crucial proof needed to establish alienable and disposable land.
Tenant Rights and Land Ownership: When Invalid Tenancy Agreements Fail in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when tenancy agreements with non-owners fail, and why security of tenure requires a valid landowner-tenant relationship.
How the Agricultural Free Patent Reform Act Changed Land Ownership Rules in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how RA 11231 removed restrictions on agricultural free patents, affecting reversion suits and property rights.
Forged Deeds and the Innocent Purchaser: Protecting Land Ownership in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a forged deed can transfer title and how owners can protect their land from fraud.
Foreign Nationals and Land Ownership: Constitutional Limits on Succession Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that foreign nationals cannot own land or transmit rights through succession, affecting heirs' claims.
Quieting Title: Resolving Land Ownership Disputes From Erroneous Deeds of Sale
A Supreme Court ruling shows how an action to quiet title resolves overlapping land claims caused by erroneous deeds of sale and protects registered owners.