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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Navigating Philippine Bank Secrecy Laws When Foreign Currency Deposits Can Be Disclosed
The Supreme Court clarifies when foreign currency deposits may be examined under Philippine law, and the limits of bank secrecy.
Navigating Inconsistencies in Rape Testimony: Philippine Supreme Court Jurisprudence
The Supreme Court clarifies when inconsistencies in a rape victim's testimony matter and when they do not, acquitting on three counts but convicting on one.
Zoning Prevails: How Local Ordinances Can Override Agrarian Reform Coverage
The Supreme Court ruled that land reclassified as residential or commercial by a valid local zoning ordinance before 1988 falls outside the coverage of agrarian reform.
Final Judgments in Philippine Courts: Supervening Events and the Doctrine of Immutability
Learn how the Supreme Court defines supervening events and why final judgments in the Philippines are generally immutable and unalterable.
Ampatuan v. Puno: The President's Calling-Out Power and State of Emergency
The Supreme Court upheld the President's declaration of a state of emergency in Maguindanao and the delegation of ARMM supervision to the DILG.
Is Your Organization Subject to Government Audit? Understanding COA Jurisdiction in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when Philippine government agencies may be audited by the Commission on Audit, and what this means for private organizations.
Honesty in Judicial Applications: Why Full Disclosure Matters
The Supreme Court reminds lawyers that candor and honesty in judicial applications are ethical duties, not optional courtesies.
Conspiracy and Corruption: How Private Contractors Can Be Held Liable Under the Anti-Graft Law in the Philippi
The Supreme Court clarifies how public officers and private individuals can be held liable for graft under RA 3019, using the landmark Respicio case as a guide.
Why Impleading All Parties Is Crucial in Reconveyance Cases
Learn why failing to implead all indispensable parties in a reconveyance case can derail your property claim.
Labor Disputes: The Secretary of Labor's Power and When Courts Can Review Facts in Certiorari
Learn when the Secretary of Labor can impose arbitral awards in labor disputes and when courts may review factual findings in certiorari cases.
Corporate Liquidation and Minority Rights in Distressed Corporations
A Supreme Court ruling on how rehabilitation proceedings protect minority stockholders from majority abuse in distressed corporations.
Navigating Legal Representation After Death Ensuring DUE Process IN Philippine Courts
When a party dies during a case, substitution rules protect due process. The Supreme Court explains the proper procedure.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: How Improper Handling Leads to Acquittal
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect because police failed to properly mark, inventory, and document seized shabu, underscoring the importance of chain of custody.
Psychological Incapacity Under Philippine Law: What Qualifies and What Does Not
The Supreme Court clarifies what does not qualify as psychological incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code in Republic v. Galang.
Final Judgments Are Immutable: Limits of Legal Review in Labor Cases
A final judgment cannot be reopened. Learn how the Supreme Court applied the immutability doctrine in a labor dispute.
Breach of Public Trust When Falsification and Deportation Orders Lead to Anti-Graft Convictions
A BID commissioner's conviction for graft and falsification shows how knowingly allowing accused aliens to self-deport breaches public trust.
Solidary Liability of Sureties: Understanding Your Obligations in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that sureties solidarity liable with a debtor cannot use corporate rehabilitation stay orders to delay or avoid payment obligations.
Rape and Acts of Lasciviousness: Understanding the Nuances and Penalties
A father's conviction clarifies the line between rape by sexual assault and acts of lasciviousness under Philippine law, and the penalties each crime carries.
Finality of Judgment in Philippine Courts: Why a Second Motion for Reconsideration Is a Losing Move
A Supreme Court ruling explains why second motions for reconsideration are prohibited pleadings and cannot delay finality of judgment.
When Silence Is Not Golden: Understanding Conspiracy in Philippine Murder Cases
The Supreme Court explains conspiracy in murder cases, when intoxication and evident premeditation apply, and why silence after a crime matters.
Double Jeopardy in Philippine Courts: When a Case Dismissal Is Not Final
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling in Cerezo v. People on double jeopardy, valid case dismissals, and when courts may reopen criminal cases.
Due Diligence in Land Transactions: Why a Faulty Agreement Can Cost You Your Property in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court's ruling on attempted estafa underscores the critical need for due diligence in Philippine land transactions.
Filing for Muslim Divorce in the Philippines: The Clerk of Court's Ministerial Duty
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the clerk of court's ministerial duty in registering Muslim divorces under the Code of Muslim Personal Laws.
Credibility of Victim Testimony in Rape Cases: Philippine Jurisprudence Analysis
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on victim testimony credibility in rape cases, examining evidentiary standards and witness assessment principles.