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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Surety's Continuing Liability: Upholding Obligations Despite Credit Card Upgrades
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains why a surety stays liable for a credit cardholder's debts even after the card is upgraded to a higher credit limit.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When a Parent Company Can Be Held Liable for Subsidiary Debts
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may disregard corporate separateness and hold a parent liable for its subsidiary's obligations.
Upholding Insurance Claims Substantial Compliance AND Timely Payment Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on substantial compliance with insurance policy conditions and the insurer's duty to pay claims within prescribed periods.
Upholding Contractual Obligations: Lease Agreements and Grounds for Ejectment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lease contract validity, ejectment grounds, and the duty to pay rent despite disputes.
When Contractual Disputes Dont Constitute Estafa Reconciling Civil Obligations AND Criminal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when breach of contract becomes estafa, distinguishing civil liability from criminal fraud.
Floating Interest Rates and Trust Receipts: Solidbank Ruling on Bank Obligations and Corporate Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on invalid floating interest rates, trust receipt transactions, and corporate officer liability in banking.
Government Accountability Unauthorized Asset Sales and Recovery of Funds
The Supreme Court rules on the validity of unauthorized sales of sequestered assets and the government's obligation to return proceeds.
When Can a Corporate Officer Be Personally Liable for Corporate Debt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when corporate officers may be held personally liable for corporate obligations and the limits of the corporate veil.
Specific Performance and the Obligation to Transfer Clear Title: Palon v. Brillante
In Palon v. Brillante, the Supreme Court held that a seller who receives full payment must not only deliver the land but also cause the issuance of the buyer's separate title.
Confirmed Flight Bookings vs Timely Check-In: Balancing Airline Obligations and Passenger Responsibilities
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a confirmed airline booking does not guarantee boarding if a passenger checks in late.
Equitable Reduction of Excessive Interests: Balancing Contractual Obligations and Fairness in Loan Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on reducing excessive interest rates in loan agreements, balancing contractual freedom with equity and fairness.
Reinstatement or Separation Pay: Employer Obligations After Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines
Philippine labor law on illegal dismissal: when reinstatement is ordered, when separation pay applies, and the employer's obligations.
Modal Institutions in Philippine Wills: Heirs' Obligations and the Rabadilla Ruling
Learn how modal institutions in Philippine wills impose enforceable obligations on heirs, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Rabadilla v. Court of Appeals.
Corporate Officer Liability When Can a Company Executive Be Held Personally Responsible
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when corporate officers can be held personally liable for company obligations and acts.
Heirs Bound by Contractual Duties in Property Leases: DKC Holdings v. Bartolome
When a lessor dies, are heirs bound by the lease contract? The Supreme Court explains transmissible obligations under Article 1311.
Rescission Rights Understanding Contractual Obligations in Property Sales
Learn how Philippine courts treat right of first refusal clauses, rescission remedies, and contractual obligations in property sales from a 2000 Supreme Court ruling.
Wage Order Obligations: Contractor and Principal Liability in Security Service Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when security agencies can recover wage order increases from principals under solidary liability rules.
When "May" Means Optional: Advance Payments in Property Sales
Supreme Court ruling on whether a buyer's advance payment obligation in a property sale is mandatory or discretionary, and its effect on contract rescission.
Extradition and Due Process: Balancing Treaty Obligations and Individual Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that a prospective extraditee enjoys basic due process rights—notice and hearing—even during the executive evaluation stage of extradition proceedings.
Privity of Contract in the Philippines: Why Third Parties Are Not Bound by Your Agreement
Learn how privity of contract protects banks and third parties from obligations they never agreed to, explained through the Villalon case.
Breach of Contract in the Philippines: Rescission and the Risks of Buying Property with a Notice of Lis Penden
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rescission, reciprocal obligations, and why a notice of lis pendens binds any buyer of disputed property.
When Does Withholding Tax Obligation Arise? Filipinas Synthetic Fiber Corp. v. CA
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when the duty to withhold tax on payments to foreign corporations arises—at accrual or payment.
Condition Precedent in Philippine Contracts: Ensuring Clear Title Before Purchase
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a buyer's obligation to purchase depends on the seller's prior compliance with a condition precedent.
Surety Bonds and Customs Liabilities in the Philippines: Understanding Importer Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on surety bonds, customs duties, and importer liability when re-export obligations are breached.