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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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.
Double Jeopardy and Parental Rape: What the Supreme Court Clarified in G.R. No. 262846
The Supreme Court clarifies double jeopardy in criminal appeals and affirms a father's rape conviction in G.R. No. 262846.
When a Parent Pays for Property in a Child's Name: Implied Trusts vs. Presumed Donations
Philippine law presumes a donation when a parent pays for property titled in a child's name. Learn how to overturn this presumption.
When Banks Can't Apply Loan Payments Across Different Debtors: Corporate Veil Rules
Supreme Court clarifies when a bank may apply a borrower's payment to another's debt, and why corporate separateness limits payment application.
Using an Alias in the Philippines: When It Becomes a Crime and the Pequero Case
Using a name different from your registered birth name can be a crime. Learn the rules, penalties, and lessons from a recent Supreme Court ruling.
When Notarizing Two Deeds for the Same Property Becomes a Lawyer’s Undoing
A lawyer who notarized two deeds of sale for the same property with different amounts was suspended and lost his notarial commission. Here’s why.
Concurrent Jurisdiction: PEMC Authority to Investigate WESM Rule Breaches
Supreme Court affirms PEMC's concurrent power with ERC to investigate and sanction WESM rule breaches by market participants.
Concurrent Authority Investigating Energy Market Breaches in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that PEMC and ERC share concurrent power to investigate WESM rule breaches, resolving a jurisdictional dispute.
Gender Equality in Employment: Differential Retirement Age Ruled Unlawful
The Supreme Court voids a CBA provision retiring female flight attendants at 55, ruling it discriminatory against women.
Equal Pay for Equal Work: When Seniority and Performance Justify Salary Differences
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that seniority, performance, and merit can justify different salaries for employees holding the same position.
Ascendancy and Abuse: Examining Parental Authority in Rape Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction, explaining how parental authority can substitute for force and intimidation.
When Holding Two Positions Is Not Grave Misconduct: Espinas v. Ombudsman
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling that holding concurrent public and private bank positions, without corrupt intent, is not automatically grave misconduct.
Fraudulent Land Patents Void Derivative Titles Even for Good-Faith Buyers
Supreme Court ruling: titles derived from fraudulently obtained land patents are void, even if current owners bought in good faith.
Unlocking Overtime and Night Shift Pay: A Landmark Ruling for Philippine Workers
The Supreme Court clarifies when security guards and other workers can claim overtime and night shift differential pay, and what evidence suffices.
Ownership and Rental Liability: Lessons from the NAPOCOR-BOHECO Transformer Case
A look at a Supreme Court ruling on ownership, possession, and who pays rentals when property is borrowed and never returned.
Understanding Apparent Authority: How Corporate Actions Bind Agreements in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when a corporation is bound by an officer's acts under the doctrine of apparent authority.
Understanding Qualified Rape When Parental Authority Turns Criminal
Qualified rape under Philippine law occurs when a parent commits rape against a child. Learn the legal rules, penalties, and practical implications.
Understanding Just Compensation in Philippine Agrarian Reform: A Landmark Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies how just compensation is computed when agrarian reform payment is delayed for decades, applying current market value.
Apparent Authority and Employer Liability: When Companies Are Bound by Employees' Acts
When are companies liable for unauthorized employee acts? The Supreme Court explains apparent authority, estoppel, and employer responsibility in Eternal Gardens v. Perlas.
Apparent Authority: When Employers Are Liable for Employees' Acts
The Supreme Court explains when a company cannot deny liability for its employees' unauthorized acts under the doctrine of apparent authority.
Forum Shopping in Land Expropriation: When Separate Claims for Just Compensation Are Allowed
The Supreme Court clarifies when filing separate cases for just compensation over different lots taken by the government does not constitute forum shopping.
When Sellers May Keep Partial Payments in a Failed Property Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a seller may keep partial payments as rentals after a failed contract to sell.
Demurrage and Detention Fees: Supreme Court Clarifies Tax Treatment for International Shipping
The Supreme Court ruled demurrage and detention fees are subject to regular corporate income tax, not the preferential Gross Philippine Billings rate.
Understanding Contracts TO Sell: Key Insights From a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a contract is an assignment, not a guaranty, and the limits of apparent authority.