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.
Estate Tax in the Philippines: A Practical Guide for Heirs and Beneficiaries
Learn the Philippine estate tax rules: the 6% rate, deductions, filing deadlines, exemptions, and penalties under the TRAIN Law.
Foreclosure Suit as Sufficient Demand: Goldland Tower Ruling Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when filing a foreclosure lawsuit itself serves as the legal demand required to put a debtor in default under Philippine law.
Civil Liability After Criminal Acquittal: What the Llonillo Case Means
Philippine law allows civil liability to survive a criminal acquittal. Learn the rules and the Supreme Court's ruling in Llonillo.
Foreclosure Judgments Must State Amount and Payment Period: Lontoc v. Tiglao
A foreclosure judgment must specify the exact amount due and the payment period under Rule 68, Section 2, or it cannot be executed.
When a Sale Among Heirs Can Be Voided: PD 27 and Simulated Land Transfers
Learn when a sale of agrarian reform land among heirs is void under PD 27, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Dela Cruz v. Dumasig.
Extrajudicial Foreclosure in the Philippines: Why a Special Power of Attorney Is Required
The Supreme Court ruled that a general foreclosure clause is not enough—mortgagees need express authority to sell property extrajudicially.
Mutuality of Contracts and Foreclosure Rights in Philippine Loans
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that void interest stipulations do not invalidate foreclosure when the principal debt remains unpaid.
Loan Agreements and Interest Rates: Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when banks may impose penalty charges and compound interest under loan restructuring agreements.
Understanding the Prohibition Against Splitting a Cause of Action in Loan and Mortgage Cases
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a bank cannot file both foreclosure and collection suits for the same loan obligation.
Understanding Lawyer Misconduct and Ethical Duties in Property Transactions
A Supreme Court ruling on a clerk of court's misconduct highlights the ethical boundaries court personnel must observe in property disputes.
Limits of Clerks of Court Misconduct and Judicial Integrity
A clerk of court dismissed for simple misconduct after overstepping duties during writ implementation. Learn the boundaries of court personnel authority.
Writ of Possession in Philippine Foreclosures: Finality and the Lessons from HH & Co. v. Perlas
Learn when a writ of possession becomes final and executory in Philippine foreclosures, and why courts rarely recall it, based on HH & Co. v. Perlas.
Authority to File Suit: When a Missing SPA Defeats Court Jurisdiction
A complaint filed by an attorney-in-fact without a Special Power of Authority is invalid, depriving the court of jurisdiction over the case.
Unregistered Real Estate Mortgages: Valid Between Parties Despite Formal Defects
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that defective notarization or registration of a real estate mortgage does not invalidate it between the parties.
Upholding Ethical Conduct: Disciplinary Action for Abuse of Court Processes
The Supreme Court suspends a lawyer for two years for dilatory tactics that delayed execution of a final judgment, violating the Lawyer's Oath and Code of Professional Responsibility.
Mortgage in Good Faith: Protecting Lenders in Philippine Real Estate Transactions
The Supreme Court explains how the mortgagee-in-good-faith doctrine shields lenders who rely on a clean Torrens title, even if fraud taints the chain.
Caveat Emptor in Philippine Real Estate: Why Buyers Must Verify Title Before Purchase
The Supreme Court's Ranara ruling shows why buyers must verify property titles—failure to do so can mean losing both the purchase price and improvements.
Voluntary vs. Involuntary Dealings: How to Register Property Agreements in the Philippines
Learn the difference between voluntary and involuntary dealings under Philippine property law, and why registering a conditional sale as an adverse claim can be a costly mistake.
Conjugal Property Sales When A Void Contract Still Speaks Volumes
When a deed of absolute sale is void for lack of spousal consent, can it still be used to prove a valid dacion en pago? The Supreme Court weighs in.
Dacion en Pago vs. Equitable Mortgage: Lessons from Villarta v. Talavera
The Supreme Court clarifies when a property transfer is a valid dacion en pago, not an equitable mortgage, in Villarta v. Talavera.
Can a University Be Bound by Unauthorized Mortgages? Corporate Authority Explained
When can a corporation be bound by an officer's unauthorized acts? The Supreme Court explains in University of Mindanao v. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Priority of Registered Adverse Claims Over Subsequent Mortgages: Protecting Land Rights in the Philippines
Learn how a registered adverse claim protects land rights against subsequent mortgages, and why prior registration prevails under Philippine property law.
Mortgage Foreclosure Absence of Special Power to Sell Invalidates Extrajudicial Proceedings
Philippine Supreme Court rules that extrajudicial foreclosure requires a special power to sell inserted in or attached to the mortgage deed, otherwise the proceedings are void.
Decoding Loan Payments: How Courts Apply Payments to Interest vs Principal in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how loan payments are applied to interest before principal, and when chattel mortgages cover future loans.