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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Reconveyance After Expropriation: Balancing Public Purpose and Private Rights
When government abandons an expropriated lot's public purpose, former owners may recover it—but must return just compensation.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: When Is Land "Taken"?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when property is and "adjustment factor" to account for the time elapsed since the taking.
Eminent Domain and Abandonment: Reversion of Expropriated Land for Lack of Public Use
When the government abandons expropriated land and fails to pay just compensation, courts may order reconveyance to the original owners.
Eminent Domain Abandonment of Expropriated Property and the Right to Reconveyance
When the government abandons expropriated land and fails to pay just compensation, owners may reclaim the property. Learn the rules.
Just Compensation for Power Line Easements: Full Market Value, Not 10% Cap
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that power line easements may require full market value compensation, not the statutory 10% cap.
Water District Directors' Per Diems Are Their Only Compensation
The Supreme Court ruled that water district directors may receive only per diems under PD 198, but those who acted in good faith need not refund disallowed benefits.
Fair Valuation in Agrarian Reform: Just Compensation Under R.A. 6657
The Supreme Court clarifies that just compensation for lands acquired under P.D. 27 must follow R.A. 6657 and DAR regulations, not outdated formulas.
Cause of Action Ruling Protects Employee Benefit Claims Despite Procedural Labeling
Supreme Court rules employee benefit claims stand on complaint allegations, not procedural labels, protecting workers' rights to statutory compensation.
Security of Tenure and Just Compensation in Agrarian Disputes: Heirs of Tabuena v. Land Bank
The Supreme Court clarifies when landowners are estopped from questioning agrarian land valuation after accepting payment and executing assignment deeds.
Upholding Contractual Obligations in Agrarian Reform: The Binding Effect of Deeds of Assignment
A deed of assignment signed by a landowner in agrarian reform can bar a later claim for higher just compensation, as the Supreme Court ruled.
Full Market Value, Not a 10% Cap, Is Just Compensation for Power-Line Easements
In NPC v. Purefoods, the Court held that a transmission-line easement that cripples normal use must be paid at full market value, not 10%.
Harbor Pilot Nighttime and Overtime Pay Entitlement Clarified
Supreme Court affirms harbor pilots' right to nighttime and overtime pay under PPA Administrative Order No. 03-85, rejecting PPA resolutions that disallowed such compensation.
Finality of Land Valuation: The 15-Day Rule in Agrarian Reform Cases
Learn the 15-day rule for challenging agrarian land valuation decisions and why timing is critical in just compensation cases.
Tenant or Laborer: Resolving Land Disputes and Compensation Rights in Agrarian Reform
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when farm workers are tenants, not laborers, and how compensation agreements affect agrarian reform disputes.
Just Compensation for Land Taken Without Expropriation: The Nepomuceno Rule
When government takes private land without expropriation, compensation is valued at the time of taking, not at payment.
Dual Roles, Divided Loyalties: Graft Law and the Limits of Hypothetical Guilt
The Supreme Court clarifies when a public officer can be charged with graft for holding incompatible positions and collecting dual compensation.
Finality of Judgments: Landowners Entitled to Timely Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform
A look at the Supreme Court ruling on finality of judgments and the right of landowners to prompt just compensation under agrarian reform.
Lost Titles and Land Rights: Reissuing Owner's Duplicate Certificates for Agrarian Reform Compensation
Learn when courts can order reissuance of lost owner's duplicate titles under P.D. 1529, and how this affects agrarian reform compensation claims.
Crediting Government Service for Retirement: Defining the Scope of the Civil Service and Compensation
The Supreme Court clarifies which government services count for retirement benefits, distinguishing full-time civil service from part-time and non-chartered positions.
Prompt Payment Prevails: Execution Pending Appeal in Agrarian Reform Cases
When can a landowner get execution pending appeal in agrarian reform cases? The Supreme Court explains the of just compensation, and whether the reasons cited constituted "good reasons" under the Rule
Work-Related Illness: Reassessing Disability Compensation for Congenital Heart Disease
The Supreme Court ruled that congenital heart disease can be compensable under PD 626 when work strain triggers symptoms, reshaping disability claims.
Finality of Just Compensation: When Second Chances in Land Reform Are Overruled
The Supreme Court denies a second motion for reconsideration on land reform compensation, underscoring the finality of judgments and the limits of procedural remedies.
Seafarers Death Benefits: Work Relatedness and Contractual Coverage for Compensation Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when seafarers' death benefits apply—death must occur during the contract term and illness must be work-related.
Overseas Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal and Fair Compensation in Maritime Employment
Understand the Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal of overseas Filipino workers and how compensation is computed under RA 8042.