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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Government Employment and Separation Benefits: The TransCo Ruling on Contractual Employees
The Supreme Court clarifies when contractual government employees qualify for separation benefits and when good faith excuses refund of disallowed amounts.
Foreign Ownership in Public Utilities: The High Court Defines "Capital"
The Supreme Court clarifies that Under the Constitution
When Can Arbitration Statements Be Withheld? The Confidentiality Rule Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when arbitration testimony and witness statements are confidential and protected from disclosure in other proceedings.
Piercing the Corporate Veil to Protect Workers' Right to Collective Bargaining
The Supreme Court pierces the corporate veil when sister companies use separate personalities to defeat workers' right to collective bargaining.
Theft by Deceit, Overseas Job Scams, and Illegal Recruitment Law in the Philippines
A close look at how Philippine law treats illegal recruitment and large-scale estafa, and why the Supreme Court demands solid proof before property is seized.
Probable Cause Required Before Customs Seizure: Commissioner of Customs v. Singson
Philippine Supreme Court rules customs forfeiture requires probable cause first, not mere suspicion or certification.
Confidentiality in Arbitration: Supreme Court Shields Arbitration Statements From Slander Claims
The Supreme Court rules that witness statements and testimony in arbitration are confidential and cannot be used to support slander complaints.
Stroke Compensation Claims: When Work Stress Meets Employee Welfare
Supreme Court clarifies when stroke and hypertension are compensable under PD 626, emphasizing probability over certainty in employee claims.
Treachery and Witness Credibility in Philippine Murder Convictions
Supreme Court affirms murder conviction, explaining treachery, witness credibility, and damages in Philippine criminal law.
Dismissal Based on Weak Evidence: The Employer's Burden in Illegal Dismissal Cases
In Oasis Park Hotel v. Navaluna, the Supreme Court reminds employers that the burden of proving a valid dismissal rests on them — and weak evidence favors the worker.
Probable Cause in Customs Forfeiture: Commissioner of Customs v. Singson
The Supreme Court clarifies that customs forfeiture requires probable cause first, not mere suspicion or unverified certifications.
Work-Related Stroke: Supreme Court Upholds Employees' Compensation Claims
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled that a worker's stroke can be compensable under Philippine law, using substantial evidence and probability.
Probable Cause and Customs Seizure: Protecting Due Process in Forfeiture Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies that probable cause must precede customs seizure and forfeiture, protecting claimants from arbitrary government action.
Upholding Conviction Despite Procedural Lapses: Chain of Custody Preserves Drug Evidence
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction despite Section 21 lapses, ruling that an unbroken chain of custody preserves the integrity of seized evidence.
Chain of Custody Breaks Lead to Acquittal in Drug Cases: People v. Prudencio
The Supreme Court acquits a drug accused due to broken chain of custody, stressing strict compliance with RA 9165 procedures.
Upholding Drug Conviction: Chain of Custody and Witness Credibility in Buy-Bust Operations
Supreme Court affirms drug sale and possession conviction, explaining when lapses in Section 21 chain of custody rules are not fatal.
Intent to Kill: Distinguishing Frustrated Homicide From Physical Injuries in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains how intent to kill separates frustrated homicide from physical injuries, and why a gunshot wound proves it.
Eminent Domain and Just Compensation: Government Delay Forfeits Expropriation Rights
The Supreme Court rules that the government's failure to pay just compensation for over 30 years bars its claim to expropriated property.
Electricity Pilferage, Consumer Rights, and Meralco: The Miano Ruling
Spouses Miano questioned a P422,185.20 billing differential after Meralco found jumpers on their meters. The Supreme Court upheld the charge.
Expropriation Without Payment: When the Government Sleeps on Its Rights
Supreme Court rules that failure to pay just compensation for over 30 years bars the government from claiming expropriated property.
Rule 45 Petitions: When the Supreme Court Will Not Review Factual Findings
The Supreme Court explains why factual findings of lower courts bind it, limiting Rule 45 review to questions of law.
When Courts Err on Indigent Status: The Pangcatan Ruling on Filing Fees
The Supreme Court clarifies when a trial court's mistake on indigent litigant status affects jurisdiction over a case.
Perfecting Appeals in Election Protests: Timely Payment of Appeal Fees
The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on appeal fees in election protests, emphasizing timely payment and the limits on damages.
Perfecting Appeals in Election Protests: Payment Deadlines and Damage Awards
Supreme Court clarifies COMELEC appeal fee deadlines under Resolution 8486 and limits damages in election protests to actual or compensatory damages.