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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Power Supply Contracts: Liability for Fluctuations and Damages
A look at Meralco v. AAA Cryogenics on liability for power fluctuations, proof of damages, and temperate damages in supply contracts.
Balancing Public Health and Infrastructure: Environmental Rights in the Meralco Transmission Line Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when the writ of kalikasan covers health concerns, using the NAIA III transmission line dispute as a guide.
Indirect Contempt Requires Willful Disobedience: Lessons from Land Bank v. MERALCO
When is failure to comply with a court order contempt? The Supreme Court clarifies in Land Bank v. MERALCO that good faith and impossibility matter.
Meralco Billing Differential and the Rule 45 Factual Question Limit
Supreme Court clarifies when customers must pay Meralco's differential billing and why factual findings bind the Court in Rule 45 appeals.
When Rate Challenges Come Too Late: Finality and Collateral Attacks in Utility Regulation
A Supreme Court ruling on Meralco's rates explains why regulatory decisions become final and cannot be attacked sideways.
MERALCO Rate Case: Supreme Court Upholds ERC’s Shift to Performance-Based Regulation
Supreme Court affirms ERC’s shift to PBR for setting MERALCO rates, barring collateral attacks on administrative regulations.
ERC v. Meralco: Only the Supreme Court Can Enjoin EPIRA Implementation
The Supreme Court rules that only it can enjoin EPIRA implementation, clarifying limits on RTC injunctive power over energy regulations.
Tax Refund Claims: Two-Year Prescriptive Period and Foreign Government Exemptions
MERALCO's tax refund claim partly denied for prescription; foreign government-owned lender's interest income exempt under NIRC.
When an Employee's Unauthorized Acts Justify Dismissal: Meralco v. Dejan
The Supreme Court clarifies when an employee's unauthorized release of company property constitutes serious misconduct and loss of trust, justifying termination.
Habeas Data vs. Employment Disputes: The MERALCO Transfer Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when the writ of habeas data protects privacy—and when labor disputes belong instead to the NLRC.
Meralco's Disconnection Rights: Balancing Power Supply and Due Process
A look at the Supreme Court's ruling on when a power utility's right to disconnect for pilferage must yield to a consumer's right to due process.
Judicial Independence vs Ethical Boundaries: The Meralco-GSIS Case
The Supreme Court's ruling on CA justices in the Meralco-GSIS case clarifies the ethical limits of judicial independence and propriety.
Judicial Ethics and the Price of Impropriety: Lessons from the Court of Appeals Controversy
The Supreme Court's ruling on the CA justices' conduct in the Meralco-GSIS case underscores the strict standards of judicial ethics and propriety.
Protecting Consumers: Illegal Disconnection and Utility Company Liability
Supreme Court ruling on Meralco's liability for illegal disconnection without notice, and the limits of differential billing claims.
Unjustified Meralco Bills: Know Your Rights and Fight Back
A Supreme Court ruling protects consumers from unjust differential billing. Learn the limits on electric companies' collection powers.
COA Audit Not Mandatory for Utility Rate Changes: Meralco Case Analysis
Supreme Court clarifies that COA audit is not a prerequisite to ERC rate approvals, settling a key administrative law question.
Power Rates and Public Notice: Why Transparency Matters in Philippine Electricity Regulations
A Supreme Court ruling on Meralco's generation charge increase clarifies when public notice and publication are required for rate adjustments under EPIRA.
Illegal Dismissal Case: Employer's Burden of Proof in Misappropriation Claims
MERALCO v. NLRC clarifies that employers bear the burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases, even for misappropriation charges.
When a Defective Electric Meter Shifts Liability: The Vibram v. Meralco Ruling
The Supreme Court affirms that Meralco's negligence in maintaining defective meters shifts liability, but consumers must pay for average consumption.
Meralco Billing Dispute: Tax Credit Assignments and Tampered Meter Claims
Supreme Court ruling on Meralco's interest charges on tax credit assignments and differential billing for alleged meter tampering.
Electricity Disconnection and Due Process: Meralco's Duty to Reconnect
When can a power company disconnect service, and what remedies exist? The Igot case explains due process, injunction bonds, and contempt jurisdiction.
When Tax Assessments Become Final: Lessons from MERALCO's Garnishment Case
MERALCO's failed challenge to Muntinlupa's deficiency real property tax assessments shows why taxpayers must act promptly on tax notices.
Meralco Rate Hikes: Balancing Consumer Protection and Utility Viability
The Supreme Court affirms the ERC's power to grant provisional rate increases, balancing consumer protection with utility financial viability.
Meralco's Tax Dispute: Defining Assessment and Collection in Real Property Tax Law
A landmark ruling clarifies the distinction between assessment and collection in real property tax, shaping how local governments enforce tax liabilities.