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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Compromise Agreements Upholding Obligations AND Preventing Evasion
Establishing Filiation: The Complexities of Inheritance Rights for Illegitimate Children in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies how illegitimate children prove filiation and inherit, and why unprobated wills fail in estate claims.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Victim Testimony Prevails Over Minor Inconsistencies
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, ruling that minor inconsistencies in victim testimony do not impair credibility when the essential facts are clearly established.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Directors Face Personal Liability for Corporate Debts
The Supreme Court clarifies when corporate directors may be held personally liable for corporate debts, requiring clear and convincing evidence of bad faith or fraud.
Foreclosure Purchaser's Right to Possession Prevails Over Pending Mortgage Disputes
Supreme Court rules foreclosure sale purchaser may take possession despite pending mortgage annulment case, clarifying Philippine real estate law.
Can Acquisitive Prescription Defeat a Torrens Title? The Dy v. Yu Ruling
The Supreme Court explains when long-term adverse possession can defeat a Torrens title, despite the system's guarantee of indefeasibility.
Upholding Client Trust: Lawyer Suspended for Mismanaging Settlement Funds and Unauthorized Agreements
A lawyer who settled a client's case without consent and kept the P100,000 proceeds was suspended for two years and ordered to return the money.
Corporate Control Belongs to the Board, Not External Agreements
Supreme Court rules the board of directors holds corporate control, voiding external agreements that bypass it.
Ancestral Domain vs Resettlement: Calauit Island Land Rights Resolved
Supreme Court rules CADT issuance renders Calauit settlers' eviction case moot, recognizing Tagbanua ancestral domain rights.
Rejection of the Sweetheart Defense in Rape Cases: Consent Beyond Affection
The Supreme Court clarifies that a "sweetheart defense" in rape cases requires proof of both a romantic relationship and genuine consent to the sexual act.
PAL Tax Exemption: Special Franchise Law Prevails Over General Tax Code
Supreme Court affirms PAL's tax exemption on commissary imports, ruling special franchise law P.D. 1590 prevails over general tax code R.A. 9334.
Strict Compliance Required for Serving Summons on Domestic Corporations
The Supreme Court clarifies that service of summons on domestic corporations must strictly follow Rule 14, Section 11, or the court lacks jurisdiction.
Protecting Childhood: Statutory Rape and the Rule on Parole Ineligibility
The Supreme Court affirms a statutory rape conviction and clarifies that offenders face reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole.
Breach of Trust as Ground for Dismissal: Manager's Dishonest Dealings Upheld
Supreme Court affirms dismissal of a manager who failed to account for funds and licenses, ruling that loss of trust and confidence was justified.
Surety Bond Liability and Due Process in Wrongful Attachment Cases
Learn when surety bonds can be enforced after wrongful attachment, and the due process rules that protect sureties in Philippine courts.
Accountability in Recruitment: Penalizing Illegal Recruiters for Economic Sabotage and Estafa
Learn how Philippine courts penalize illegal recruitment as economic sabotage and estafa, and what this means for overseas job seekers.
Theft Charges and Double Jeopardy: Why the Right Charge Matters
A conviction for consummated theft was reduced to attempted theft because the information only charged frustrated theft. Learn why proper charges matter.
Clerk of Court Authority: The Fine Line Between Administration and Judicial Overreach
A clerk of court added a phrase to a writ beyond the judge's order. The Supreme Court explains why that was judicial overreach.
Insurance Claim Denied for Drunk Driver: Proving Intoxication in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when insurers may deny claims due to driver intoxication and the evidence required.
Trust or Time: Prescription in Disputes Over Inherited Shares
Supreme Court clarifies when prescription and laches may bar claims over shares held in implied trust, remanding Dy Sun-Ong v. Dy Sun for trial.
Local Tax Refund Claims: Timeliness and Jurisdiction Under Section 195 LGC
Strict deadlines and the right court matter in local tax refund claims. China Banking Corp. v. City Treasurer of Manila explains why.
Land Registration and Laches: Strict Proof Required in Vega-Era Property Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling shows that registered landowners who sleep on their rights for decades can lose their claim through laches and extinctive prescription.
Corporate Governance Upholding By-Laws in Director Removal Disputes
Supreme Court rules on invalid director removal, by-law compliance, and ratification limits in corporate governance disputes.
Intoxication and Insurance Claims: Proving Driver Intoxication to Avoid Liability
The Supreme Court held that an insurer cannot deny an insurance claim by merely alleging driver intoxication without clear, credible, and convincing evidence.