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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Constructive Delivery in Property Sales: What the Tamayao Case Teaches Buyers
A notarized deed can transfer ownership, but registration is key. The Tamayao case shows why due diligence matters in Philippine property sales.
Expropriation Due Process: What Property Owners Must Prove
A Supreme Court ruling on Olongapo expropriation clarifies the requisites for valid taking, the need for genuine negotiation, and the right to a full hearing on defenses.
Accion Publiciana in the Philippines: Recovering Possession of Real Property
Learn how accion publiciana works in the Philippines, when to file it, and what the Ontiveros case means for property owners seeking to recover possession.
Expropriation Voided: Olongapo's Failure to Make a Valid Offer and Grant Due Process
Supreme Court voids Olongapo's expropriation of Jose Co Lee's property for lack of a valid offer and due process, reaffirming safeguards for property owners.
Land Ownership, Citizenship, and Caretaker Claims: Lessons from Morales v. De Guia
A caretaker's long possession of property does not ripen into ownership, and losing Filipino citizenship does not forfeit vested land rights.
Citizenship and Property Rights: Retaining Ownership After Naturalization in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that naturalized citizens retain ownership of property acquired before losing Filipino citizenship, protecting vested property rights.
Void Deeds: How Forgery Affects Property Titles in the Philippines
A forged deed is void and conveys no title. Learn how the Supreme Court protects family homes from fraudulent sales.
Oral Partition of Inheritance: Proving Verbal Agreements in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when an oral partition of inherited property can override a written extrajudicial settlement, and what evidence is needed.
When Government Takes Property Without Expropriation: Just Compensation Over Possession
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that when government occupies private land without expropriation, owners may receive just compensation instead of physical return.
Balancing Technical Rules and Substantial Justice in Property Dispute Appeals
Supreme Court clarifies appellate review standards in property disputes, emphasizing substantial justice over technical procedural rules.
Accretion and Forcible Entry: Why Prior Physical Possession Beats Title
In forcible entry cases over accreted land, the Supreme Court rules that prior physical possession, not mere ownership of adjacent titled property, is decisive.
Just Compensation and Land Titles: Resolving Conflicting Claims in Expropriation Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when property owners can claim just compensation and when the government can seek reversion of titled land.
Equitable Mortgage vs Sale: Protecting Possessory Rights in Philippine Property Law
When is a deed of sale actually an equitable mortgage? The Supreme Court explains how Article 1602 protects possessory rights.
When a Bank's Auction Purchase Benefits the Mortgagor: PNB v. Tad-y
A bank that buys mortgaged property at a tax auction may hold it in trust for the mortgagor under the mortgage's agency clause.
Unmarried Cohabitation Establishing Property Rights In Long Term Illicit Relationships
The Supreme Court ruled that long-term illicit cohabitation can establish co-ownership rights under Article 148 of the Family Code.
Tax Declarations and Property Ownership: When a Summary Judgment Oversteps
The Supreme Court clarifies when a partial summary judgment ordering a tax declaration constitutes grave abuse of discretion, and the proper remedy to challenge it.
Protecting Land Rights: Innocent Purchaser Status and Due Diligence in Property Sales
The Supreme Court clarifies when summary judgment is improper in property disputes involving claims of innocent purchaser status and good faith.
Co-Ownership Rights and Provisional Ownership in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that co-owners cannot eject each other from inherited property before partition, even with a Torrens title.
Oral Partition and Mortgage Validity: Protecting Heirs' Rights in Property Disputes
The Supreme Court ruled that an oral partition ("toka") can be valid and that a mortgage over a non-owner's share is void, protecting heirs' property rights.
Understanding Fraudulent Property Inclusion Insights From A Landmark Supreme Court Decision
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when ejectment suits fail and why repeated demands don't reset the one-year filing period.
Conjugal Property Transfers After the Family Code: When a Spouse's Consent Is Required
The Supreme Court clarifies when a spouse's sale of conjugal property without consent is void or voidable, and the prescriptive period for challenging it.
Protecting Marital Property How Spousal Consent Impacts Real Estate Deals IN THE Philippines
Learn how Philippine law treats property sales without spousal consent, and why timing determines whether a deal is void or voidable.
Lis Pendens and Due Process: Registered Owners Must Be Impleaded in Property Litigation
The Supreme Court rules that registered owners must be impleaded before a notice of lis pendens may be annotated on their title.
Co-Ownership and Ejectment: When a Co-Owner Can Be Evicted for Forcible Entry
A co-owner who forcibly takes exclusive possession of common property can be ejected. Learn the rules on co-ownership and forcible entry from a 2022 Supreme Court ruling.