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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Upholding Ethical Standards When Personal Conduct Impacts A Lawyers Professional Standing
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lawyer discipline for conduct unbecoming, even without proof of sexual immorality.
SLAPP Defense Not Available in Domestic Violence Cases: Protecting Due Process and Preventing Abuse of Remedie
Supreme Court rules SLAPP defense applies only to environmental cases, not domestic violence cases under RA 9262.
Retirement Benefits Determine Employee Status in Constructive Dismissal Cases
A bus driver who stopped reporting for work was not constructively dismissed but still entitled to retirement pay.
Seafarers' Disability Benefits: Pre-Existing Conditions and Timely Assessments
Understand when a seafarer's disability is permanent and total, and why the company doctor's timely assessment prevails.
Overcoming Concealment Claims Seafarers Right TO Disability Benefits Despite Prior Condition
Reasonable Doubt When Police Testimony Fails in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect when police conduct an invalid warrantless arrest and break chain of custody rules.
Seafarers Disability: The 240-Day Rule and the Right to Full Benefits
The Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer's disability is deemed permanent and total under the 240-day rule, and why a timely company-doctor assessment matters.
Safeguarding Rights: The Importance of Procedural Compliance in Drug Cases
Learn how procedural compliance protects rights in Philippine drug cases, as illustrated by a recent Supreme Court decision.
Breach of Trust, Competing Business Interests, and Employee Dismissal: Key Lessons from Malcaba v. ProHealth P
When can an employer validly dismiss for loss of trust? When is dismissal illegal? The Supreme Court clarifies in Malcaba v. ProHealth Pharma.
Trademark Ownership Rests on Prior Use, But Related Goods Still Matter
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies trademark ownership via prior use and the test for related goods in SAKURA dispute.
Jurisdictional Thresholds in Property Partition: Assessed Value as Key Determinant
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that partition actions require alleging the property's assessed value to determine which court has jurisdiction.
Philippine Ports Authority v. City of Davao: Jurisdiction and Forum Shopping in Real Property Tax Cases
Explains why the CTA, not the CA, has exclusive jurisdiction over real property tax appeals and why splitting remedies constitutes forum shopping.
Safeguarding Rights: The Supreme Court's Stance on Drug Evidence Integrity
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect after police failed to follow Section 21 of RA 9165, stressing that strict compliance with the chain of custody rule is mandatory, not optional.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Protecting Rights Through Strict Procedure
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect over police lapses in Section 21 procedure, reaffirming that strict compliance protects the innocent.
Neglect of Duty: Court Personnel Accountability in Safekeeping Evidence
A clerk of court was fined P20,000 for losing a firearm exhibit under his custody. The Supreme Court clarifies accountability for court personnel.
Chains Unbroken Safeguarding Rights In Drug Cases Through Evidence Integrity
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect over broken chain of custody and missing Section 21 witnesses, reaffirming strict compliance.
Unlawful Arrest Invalidates Drug Possession Charges Protecting Constitutional Rights
Supreme Court acquits drug suspects over Section 21 violations, emphasizing the three-witness rule and chain of custody requirements.
Res Gestae vs Dying Declaration: Homicide Without Treachery in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies res gestae vs dying declaration, and why treachery must be proven to convict for murder.
Chain of Custody Breaches Lead to Acquittal in Drug Sale Case
Supreme Court acquits drug suspects after police fail to justify missing DOJ and media witnesses during inventory under Section 21.
Priority in Public Land Sales: Prior Application vs Length of Occupancy
In public land sales, the date of application generally prevails over length of occupancy. Galindez v. Firmalan explains why.
Gopio v. Bautista: Security of Tenure for OFWs and the Limits of Contractual Termination Clauses
The Supreme Court voided a contract clause allowing an employer to dismiss an overseas worker on any ground with one month's pay, reaffirming security of tenure for OFWs.
Heirs Inheritance Rights Partitioning Property Despite Unsettled Estates
Partition suits need the property's assessed value in the complaint; otherwise, courts lack jurisdiction and the case is dismissed.
Upholding Integrity Clerk OF Court Held Accountable FOR Lost Evidence IN Custody
When a Bus Driver's Sabbatical Becomes a Retirement Claim: The Macuray Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when a driver's break from work is abandonment, sabbatical, or retirement—and what benefits are due.