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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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.
Upholding Judicial Integrity When Court Employees Abuse Authority
When trial courts blindly follow prosecutors, they abdicate judicial duty. The Supreme Court explains why double jeopardy did not attach.
Res Judicata in Social Security Cases When Prior Labor Rulings Prevail
Explore how the Supreme Court applied res judicata to bar an SSS contribution claim after a final NLRC ruling on employer-employee relationship.
When Courts Refuse to Second-Guess Executive Road Projects: The Torrecampo Case
The Supreme Court explains why courts will not substitute their judgment for the Executive's on where to build roads—and when injunctions fail.
Courts Cannot Second-Guess Executive Road Project Choices: Torrecampo vs MWSS
Supreme Court clarifies courts cannot enjoin government infrastructure projects based on policy disagreements, only on grave abuse of discretion.
Philippine Mining Rights: Securing Priority Through Timely Filing of Applications
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mining rights priority: timely filing of applications determines preferential rights, not later registration.
Prosecutors Discretion Prevails Understanding The Limits OF Bureau OF Customs Authority IN Smuggling Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Bureau of Customs cannot control criminal prosecutions—that power belongs to public prosecutors.
Due Process for Casual Employees: Security of Tenure in Philippine Civil Service
The Supreme Court clarifies that casual government employees enjoy security of tenure and cannot be dismissed without cause and due process.
Broken Chains, Broken Cases: Why Chain of Custody Is King in Philippine Drug Offenses
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect over a broken chain of custody, underscoring the prosecution's burden to prove the drug's identity beyond doubt.
Bigamy in the Philippines: When a Second Marriage Is Void From the Start
Philippine law voids any second marriage contracted while a prior civil marriage subsists. Learn the rules, limits of Muslim divorce, and who may sue.
Moral Conduct in Public Service: Upholding Ethical Standards in the Judiciary
Supreme Court affirms dismissal of libel complaint against prosecutor who questioned a judge's moral fitness in official pleadings.
Can a Bank Foreclose the Entire Loan on a Partial Mortgage? Philippine Supreme Court Rules
Philippine Supreme Court rules on whether a bank may foreclose a real estate mortgage for the full loan amount when only part of it was secured by the property.
Exclusive Franchises and Public Utilities: Constitutional Limits in the Philippines
The Supreme Court struck down Section 47 of PD 198 as unconstitutional, reaffirming that exclusive franchises for public utilities are prohibited by the Constitution.
Upholding Drug Sale Conviction: Integrity of Evidence and Due Process
Supreme Court affirms drug sale conviction, ruling that minor lapses in Section 21 procedures do not automatically render seized drugs inadmissible.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Integrity of Evidence Under RA 9165
Explaining People v. Presas on the chain of custody rule in drug cases—when lapses in procedure do not automatically break the prosecution's case.
Security of Tenure Prevails: Illegal Dismissal and the Employer's Burden of Proof
When an employer claims abandonment or habitual absenteeism, it bears the burden of proof. This case explains why.
Security of Tenure, Constructive Dismissal, and Floating Status in Security Agencies
When a security guard's floating status exceeds six months, the law treats it as constructive dismissal. Learn the rules from this Supreme Court case.
SALN Disclosure: Ombudsman’s Authority Not Limited by Internal Office Procedures
Supreme Court ruling on SALN review, Ombudsman independence, and the limits of Section 10 RA 6713.
SALN Review by Head of Office Cannot Bar Ombudsman From Filing Charges
Supreme Court clarifies that a head of office's failure to review a subordinate's SALN does not stop the Ombudsman from prosecuting falsification cases.
When Archiving Criminal Cases Becomes Gross Ignorance of the Law: Ricablanca v. Barillo
A judge's duty to transmit preliminary investigation records to prosecutors, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in Ricablanca v. Barillo.
Judicial Accountability When Archiving Cases Constitutes Gross Ignorance of the Law
A judge who archived criminal cases instead of forwarding them to the prosecutor was fined P30,000 for gross ignorance of the law.
When Courts Overturn Convictions: Lessons on Evidence and Reasonable Doubt
The Supreme Court acquits a rape convict, explaining when appellate courts may disregard trial court credibility findings and why prosecution evidence must stand on its own.
Judicial Ethics: Why Judges Must Avoid Even the Appearance of Impropriety
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge soliciting donations from lawyers and prosecutors, and the duty to avoid impropriety.
Upholding Drug Convictions: Integrity of Evidence Over Procedural Lapses
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction, ruling that minor procedural lapses in Section 21 compliance do not automatically invalidate seized evidence.