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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When Eyewitness Testimony Alone Can Lead to a Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when eyewitness testimony suffices for conviction, and how buy-bust operations establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Lease Termination in the Philippines: Rights and Remedies from a Supreme Court Ruling
Learn when a lease can be terminated in the Philippines, including rent defaults and breach of contract terms, based on a 1997 Supreme Court ruling.
Consequences of Negligence: How Ignoring Your Case Can Lead to Default Judgment
A party who abandons their case and loses contact with counsel cannot later claim denial of due process. Learn the rules.
Public Trust and Accountability: Consequences for Dishonest Public Servants
When a court employee steals evidence, the Supreme Court shows that dishonesty ends public service.
Foreclosure Rights Understanding Redemption Periods AND Legal Recourse IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on writs of possession in extrajudicial foreclosure when tenants occupy the property.
Judicial Misconduct When Delay AND Falsification Lead TO Dismissal IN THE Philippines
When do a judge's delay and falsification of court records warrant dismissal? This article explains the standards of judicial misconduct.
Overlapping Land Titles in the Philippines: Resolving Ownership Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts resolve ownership disputes involving overlapping land titles, foreclosure, and tenant rights under agrarian reform laws.
Buy-Bust Operations in the Philippines: Entrapment vs. Instigation Explained
Understand the legal line between entrapment and instigation in Philippine buy-bust operations, and what the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. De Vera means for drug cases.
Judicial Impropriety: Avoiding the Appearance of Corruption in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts demand not just actual integrity but the appearance of it. This article explains the standard of judicial impropriety.
Admissibility of Confessions and Eyewitness Testimony in Philippine Murder Cases
Learn how Philippine courts weigh eyewitness testimony, extrajudicial confessions, and circumstantial evidence in murder convictions.
Private vs Common Carriers: Exemption Clauses in Philippine Shipping Law
When can a shipowner validly disclaim liability for lost cargo? The Supreme Court explains the difference between private and common carriers.
Self Defense in the Philippines: Understanding Unlawful Aggression and Reasonable Means
Learn how Philippine courts test self defense claims through unlawful aggression, reasonable means, and provocation, as shown in People v. Artiaga.
Attorney Ethics When Does Zealous Advocacy Cross THE Line
Extrajudicial Settlement and Heirs' Rights: When a Co-Owner Is Not Bound
A Supreme Court ruling on extrajudicial settlements, resulting trusts, and why a minor heir who did not participate in partition retains rights to property.
Extrajudicial Settlements and the Protection of Minor Heirs' Rights in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts protect minor heirs in extrajudicial settlements, and why a minor's share cannot be lost through prescription or laches.
Rape Conviction Based on Credible Testimony of Mentally Weak Victim: People v. Zaballero
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on credible testimony of a mentally weak victim, explaining credibility rules and evidence sufficiency.
Positive Identification Trumps Alibi: Lessons from People v. Balad
In People v. Balad, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that positive identification by credible witnesses prevails over the defense of alibi in Philippine criminal law.
Understanding Implied Trusts and Prescription Periods in Philippine Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on implied trusts, prescription periods, and extrajudicial settlements in property partition disputes.
Bail After Conviction When Guilt Imports Denial in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction, credibility of mentally weak victim, denial defense, and bail implications after conviction.
Mortgage Foreclosure in the Philippines: Protecting Your Rights Against Unilateral Interest Rate Hikes
Learn how the Supreme Court protects borrowers from unilateral interest rate hikes and what notice is required in Philippine mortgage foreclosures.
Forcible Entry and the Rule on Summary Procedure: Why Deadlines Are Strict
Philippine forcible entry cases run on strict deadlines. A late answer under the Rule on Summary Procedure can mean automatic loss, as this case shows.
Understanding Acceleration Clauses in Philippine Promissory Notes
Learn how Philippine courts interpret acceleration clauses in promissory notes, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Mendoza v. Court of Appeals.
Conditions vs. Warranties in Philippine Sales Contracts: The Power Commercial Case
Learn how Philippine law distinguishes contract conditions from warranties, and when a seller's failure to deliver possession justifies rescission.
Pre-Proclamation Controversies: Valid Objections vs Election Protests in the Philippines
Learn when ballot objections belong in pre-proclamation cases or election protests, based on Patoray v. COMELEC.