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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Philippine Election Districting: Ensuring Fair Representation in Local Governance
How the Supreme Court upheld COMELEC's power to divide provinces into Sangguniang Panlalawigan districts, and what "equitable apportionment" really means.
Rank-and-File vs Managerial Employees: Key Evidence for Union Certification in the Philippines
Learn what evidence proves managerial or supervisory status in Philippine union certification elections, based on the A.D. Gothong case.
Union Officer Elections Must Follow Union Constitution and Bylaws: USTFU Case
Supreme Court rules union officer elections must follow the union's constitution and bylaws, not general faculty assemblies.
Residency Disputes in Philippine Elections: Respecting the Electorate's Choice and Navigating Jurisdiction
Explaining Perez v. COMELEC on residency requirements, election disqualification jurisdiction, and the rule that the electorate's choice should prevail.
Navigating Philippine Election Disputes Understanding Comelec AND Hret Jurisdiction
A clear guide to the division of authority between the Commission on Elections and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal in election contests.
Lost Your Election Case? Don't Miss the Appeal Deadline: The 5-Day Rule in Barangay Disputes
In barangay election protests, the appeal period to COMELEC is five days, not ten. Learn the rule from Antonio v. COMELEC.
Reelection as Condonation: When Past Misconduct Is Forgiven Under Philippine Law
Philippine law on reelection as condonation of past misconduct, explained through the 1999 Supreme Court ruling in Garcia v. Mojica.
Election Disqualification: Why Strong Evidence Is Crucial to Unseat a Winner
A dismissed disqualification case shows why clear, credible evidence is vital when challenging an election winner under Philippine law.
Exhausting Administrative Remedies: A Key Principle in Philippine Labor Disputes
Why skipping the appeal to the Labor Secretary doomed a union's election protest before the Supreme Court.
SK Election Disputes: Court Jurisdiction After Proclamation Explained
Learn when courts, not election officers, handle SK election disputes after proclamation, based on a 1999 Supreme Court ruling.
When Figures and Words Disagree: Election Recounts in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when election recounts are required after discrepancies between written words and figures on election returns.
Senate Electoral Tribunal Your Sole Remedy After Senatorial Proclamation
After a senatorial proclamation, election contests belong exclusively to the Senate Electoral Tribunal, not the Comelec or courts.
Surname Use in Philippine Elections: When It Is Not a Material Misrepresentation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when using a surname in a certificate of candidacy is not a material misrepresentation under election law.
Supervisory Unions in the Philippines: Affiliation Rules and Managerial Employee Exclusions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on supervisory union federation affiliation, managerial employee exclusions, and certification election rules under Article 245.
Second Place Is Not Enough: Why Disqualification of a Winning Candidate Does Not Automatically Elevate the Run
Philippine election law: a disqualified winner's votes are not automatically void, so the second placer does not become the winner.
Substitution Rules in Philippine Elections: When a Substitute Candidate Can Validly Replace an Original
Philippine election law on substitution: a disqualified candidate may be replaced only if he had a valid certificate of candidacy. Learn the rule.
Residency Requirement for Philippine Candidates: The Domino Doctrine on Domicile
Philippine election law equates residency with domicile. The Domino case shows why voter registration and genuine intent matter for candidates.
Objections to Election Returns Must Be in Writing: Lessons from Cordero v. Comelec
The Supreme Court explains why written objections and evidence are mandatory in pre-proclamation controversies under RA 7166.
Ensuring Valid Candidacy: Why Proper Nomination Is Crucial in Philippine Elections
Learn why a defective party nomination invalidates a certificate of candidacy, based on the Supreme Court ruling in Recabo vs. COMELEC.
Dual Citizenship and Election Eligibility in the Philippines: How Declaring Filipino Citizenship in Your Candi
The Supreme Court clarifies that dual citizens can run for local office by electing Philippine citizenship in their certificate of candidacy.
Retroactive Registration: How Late Filings Can Validate Labor Union Petitions in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when late union registration can retroactively validate a certification election petition under labor law.
Safeguarding Suffrage When CAN Philippine Elections GO Manual
When can Philippine elections shift from automated to manual counting? The Supreme Court explains in Loong v. COMELEC.
Lost Your Election Protest? Understanding Pre-Proclamation Controversies in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when election protests must be filed, and why pre-proclamation cases end after proclamation.
Limits of Judicial Power: When Courts Cannot Enjoin the Comelec
Philippine jurisprudence explains why lower courts cannot issue injunctions against the COMELEC, and the limits of judicial power over election matters.