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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Illegal Drug Sales in the Philippines: When Is the Transaction Complete?
The Supreme Court clarifies what completes an illegal drug sale under RA 9165, a key ruling for buy-bust operations and criminal defense.
Reasonable Doubt and Illegal Drug Sales: Safeguarding the Constitutional Presumption of Innocence
A look at how the Supreme Court acquitted a drug suspect when police buy-bust procedures and evidence integrity raised reasonable doubt.
Double Sales and Defective Notarization: Clarifying Property Rights in the Philippines
Explains when double sale rules apply, the effect of defective notarization on deeds, and limits on attacking Torrens titles.
Writ of Possession After Foreclosure: Third-Party Claims in Philippine Mortgage Sales
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on writ of possession in mortgage foreclosures, explaining when third-party adverse claims can block eviction.
Conditional Sales and Default: When Unpaid Balances Void Property Claims
A buyer who fails to pay the balance in a contract to sell loses rights to the property, as the Supreme Court affirmed in Mandin-Trotin v. Bongo.
Land Rights and Oral Sales: Understanding Property Disputes in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when oral sales of land are valid, and why the five-year free patent ban on alienation matters.
Seafarer Disability Claims: When the Company Doctor's Assessment Prevails
A look at Centennial Transmarine v. Sales on disability grading, the 120-day rule, and CBA vs POEA-SEC benefits.
Protecting Good Faith Purchasers: Due Diligence in Philippine Land Sales
The Supreme Court clarifies when buyers of registered land may rely on the Torrens title and be protected as innocent purchasers for value.
Equitable Mortgage vs Sale With Right to Repurchase: Redemption Rights and Prescription
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when redemption periods apply in equitable mortgages versus sales with pacto de retro.
Lump Sum Sales Boundaries Prevail Over Area In Real Estate Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in lump sum real estate sales, boundaries control over stated area under Article 1542.
When Land Boundaries Prevail Over Stated Area in Lump-Sum Sales
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in lump-sum land sales, boundaries control over stated area, preventing relitigation of ownership disputes.
Overlapping Land Claims Resolving Boundary Disputes IN Property Registration
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies remedies for unpaid sellers in land sales, distinguishing dacion en pago from absolute sale.
Unpaid Property Resolving Sales When Buyers Fail TO PAY
When buyers fail to pay, sellers may rescind the sale. This article explains the legal rules on unpaid property sales in the Philippines.
Co-Ownership Disputes: How Inheritance and Sales Affect Land Rights in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when administrative orders on land disputes become final and how co-ownership, inheritance, and sales affect property rights.
VAT Exemption for Agricultural Cooperatives: Protecting Farmers' Collective Interests
The Supreme Court affirms VAT exemption for agricultural cooperatives, protecting farmers' collective interests in sugar production and sales.
Prior Sale Beats Inheritance: Supreme Court on Land Ownership Disputes
When a valid sale predates an inheritance claim, the buyer owns the land. The Supreme Court explains why Article 1544 on double sales does not apply.
Contractual Integrity vs. Eminent Domain: The Limits of Interest Claims in Negotiated Land Sales
When the government buys land through a negotiated sale, the deed governs—interest claims not in the contract are barred.
Voluntary Sale vs. Eminent Domain: When Interest on Just Compensation Is Not Due
Supreme Court clarifies that in negotiated sales, landowners cannot claim legal interest absent a stipulation, unlike in expropriation.
VAT Refund Claims Navigating THE Timelines FOR Zero Rated Sales Under Philippine LAW
Good Faith IN Property Sales Protecting Buyers Without Notice OF Claims
Buyer in Good Faith and Foreclosure Sales: When a Defective Auction Still Stands
The Supreme Court explains when a buyer in good faith can keep property even if the foreclosure sale had procedural defects.
Safeguarding Property Rights Strict Compliance IN TAX Delinquency Sales
When a Car Purchase Goes Wrong: Establishing Liability in Sales Transactions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a person who receives payment and issues a receipt in a car sale can be held liable as a seller.
Oral Sales Agreements Transfer Property and the Limits of Rescission
When does an oral deal to sell land transfer ownership? The Supreme Court clarifies the line between a sale and a contract to sell, and when rescission is allowed.