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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Void Sales and Repurchase Agreements: Property Rights in the Philippines
When a seller has no title, the sale is void—and so is any right to repurchase. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
Sheriff’s Sales in the Philippines: Notice Rules and What Torres v. Cabling Teaches
Learn the notice and payment rules for sheriff’s sales in the Philippines, explained through the landmark case of Torres v. Cabling.
Equitable Mortgage vs. Pacto de Retro Sale: When a "Sale" Is Really a Loan
Philippine law presumes certain "sales with right to repurchase" are equitable mortgages, protecting borrowers from unfair lending arrangements.
Right of Repurchase in Philippine Real Estate: Pacto de Retro Rules Explained
Learn the rules on pacto de retro sales and the right of repurchase in Philippine real estate, including annotation duties and judicial requirements.
Conditions vs. Warranties in Philippine Sales Contracts: The Power Commercial Case
Learn how Philippine law distinguishes contract conditions from warranties, and when a seller's failure to deliver possession justifies rescission.
Real Property Tax Sales: Why Proper Notice and Jurisdiction Matter
The Supreme Court nullifies a tax delinquency sale for lack of notice to the owner and absence of local government jurisdiction.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish equitable mortgages from absolute sales to protect property owners from hidden credit arrangements.
Rescission of Real Estate Sales: When Can a Deal Be Undone
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a deed of sale can be rescinded for unpaid consideration and why corporate separateness blocks compensation claims.
Foreclosure Sales Ensuring Validity AND Protecting Property Rights IN THE Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts validate foreclosure sales and protect property rights through strict procedural compliance and equitable remedies.
Right OF First Refusal Understanding Contractual Obligations IN Property Sales
Mortgage Foreclosure Surplus: Mortgagor Rights to Excess Bid Proceeds in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mortgagor rights to surplus proceeds from extrajudicial foreclosure sales and writ of possession.
Doing Business in the Philippines: When Selling to a Filipino Buyer Requires a License
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a foreign corporation's sales to a local buyer constitute
Earnest Money and Conditional Obligations: Navigating Real Estate Sales in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on earnest money, conditional obligations, and what happens when a seller fails to deliver in Philippine real estate sales.
Conditional Sales and Agrarian Reform: Protecting Contractual Obligations
DBP v. Carpio clarifies that agrarian reform laws cannot impair prior contractual obligations under conditional sales.
Understanding the Limits of General Powers of Attorney in Real Estate Sales
Learn how Philippine courts treat general powers of attorney in real estate transactions and why specificity matters.
Understanding Legal Redemption: Protecting Co-Owners' Rights in Property Sales
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies co-owners' legal redemption rights, written notice requirements, and timely exercise under Civil Code Articles 1619-1623.
Validity OF Foreclosure Sales Notice Requirements AND DUE Process IN THE Philippines
Eyewitness Testimony and Self-Defense: Lessons from People v. Rosales
The Supreme Court explains when eyewitness testimony prevails over self-defense claims and how courts assess treachery in Philippine criminal cases.