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.
Night Shift Differential in the Philippines: Who Gets It and How Much
Learn how night shift differential pay is computed in the Philippines, who qualifies, and the exact percentage required by law.
Collection of Sum of Money Philippines: Legal Options Explained
Learn the legal options for collection of sum of money in the Philippines, including demand letters, court actions, and enforcement under the Civil Code.
Cybersecurity Law in the Philippines: Compliance and Incident Response
Learn Philippine cybersecurity law compliance under the Cybercrime Prevention Act and Data Privacy Act, including penalties and incident response duties.
Co-Owner Redemption: When Written Notice Can Be Dispensed With
The Supreme Court clarifies when a co-owner's right of legal redemption is barred despite absence of written notice under Article 1623.
Unlawful Detainer vs Forcible Entry: Key Distinction in Property Possession Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies the crucial difference between unlawful detainer and forcible entry, and why tolerance must exist from the start of possession.
Upholding Agrarian Reform When Can a Final Judgment Be Overturned
The Supreme Court explains when a final judgment can be overturned, applying exceptions to immutability in an agrarian reform case.
Judicial Immunity: Administrative Complaints Cannot Substitute Judicial Remedies
Administrative complaints cannot substitute judicial remedies against judges. Learn from a recent Supreme Court ruling on judicial immunity.
Disbarment for Bouncing Checks: What Lawyers Must Know About Gross Misconduct
A lawyer was disbarred for issuing worthless checks. Learn the ethical rules, CPRA penalties, and practical lessons for attorneys.
Protecting Employee Rights: How Forced Resignation Leads to Constructive Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies when forced resignation amounts to constructive dismissal, protecting employees from hostile work environments and coercive employer conduct.
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.
One-Year Ban on Appointments for Losing Candidates: Understanding the Restrictions
The Supreme Court clarifies the one-year constitutional ban on appointing losing candidates to government posts, including contractual engagements.
Extortion Under the Color of Authority: Understanding Simple Robbery in the Philippines
When court employees demand money to perform official duties, they commit simple robbery. The Supreme Court explains why in Peralta v. People.
When Tax Assessments Are Not Required: Civil Liability in Philippine Tax Evasion Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a formal BIR tax assessment is not required to hold taxpayers civilly liable in criminal tax evasion cases.
Cyber-Enabled Robbery in the Philippines: How RA 10175 Raises Penalties for Digital Extortion
Learn how the Supreme Court applies the Cybercrime Prevention Act to robbery committed through digital means, and why penalties are one degree higher.
Property Dispute Jurisdiction: Assessed Value of the Contested Area, Not the Whole Lot
Philippine courts decide property dispute jurisdiction by the assessed value of the specific area in question, not the entire property. Learn the rule.
Forged Signatures and Municipal Liability: Just Compensation for Illegally Constructed Roads
When a municipality builds a road on private land based on a forged deed, the owner may be entitled to just compensation rather than removal of the road.
Agrarian Reform Land Transfer Ban: What Beneficiaries and Buyers Must Know
Supreme Court clarifies the 10-year ban on selling agrarian reform lands, the void sale rule, and the buyer's right to recover payment.
Possession Rights Balancing Property Sales AND Building Occupation
Supreme Court ruling on when a buyer of land can keep occupying a building pending title issuance, and when attorney's fees are unwarranted.
Prejudicial Question in the Philippines: Suspension, Not Dismissal, of Criminal Cases
A prejudicial question suspends, not dismisses, a criminal case. Learn the rule from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
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.
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.
Freeze Orders in the Philippines: Probable Cause and Asset Protection Under AMLA
Learn how Philippine courts protect assets from unjustified freeze orders, and why probable cause is essential under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Notarial Duties Are Personal: Attorney's Lapses in Recording SPA Lead to Suspension
A lawyer cannot delegate notarial record-keeping to staff. Learn the rules and consequences from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Understanding Fraudulent Property Inclusion Insights From A Landmark Supreme Court Decision
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when ejectment suits fail and why repeated demands don't reset the one-year filing period.