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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Election Law Defining Transfer and Safeguarding Management Prerogatives During Election Periods
The Supreme Court clarifies what counts as a prohibited transfer during election periods, balancing COMELEC rules with management prerogatives.
Employer Liability: Proving Due Diligence in Employee Negligence Cases
Employers face liability for employee negligence unless they prove due diligence in selection and supervision. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
Substitution in Elections: Comelec's Discretion and Due Process Rights
A look at the Supreme Court's ruling on candidate substitution, the Comelec's ministerial duty, and the due process requirements in election cases.
Employer Liability for Employee Negligence: Proving Diligence in Selection and Supervision
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employers can escape liability for employee negligence under Article 2180 of the Civil Code.
COMELEC's Budgetary Discretion and the Limits of Recall Election Funding
The Supreme Court ruled that COMELEC's 2014 budget covered recall elections, rejecting the agency's refusal to proceed for lack of funds.
Election Controversies Determining Jurisdiction In Proxy Validation Disputes
When a proxy dispute affects director elections, regular courts—not the SEC—have jurisdiction. Learn the rule from this case.
Corporate Elections: Regular Courts, Not SEC, Decide Proxy Validity Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that disputes over proxy validation in corporate elections belong to regular courts, not the SEC.
Preserving Ballot Integrity Ensuring Accurate Reflection OF Voters Intent IN Philippine Elections
Ballot integrity in Philippine elections depends on accurate voter intent. Learn how courts protect the sanctity of the vote.
Challenging Election Results AND Preserving Voter Intent
Challenging election results is a legal process governed by strict rules. This article explains the requirements for election protests and how courts balance ballot integrity with voter intent.
Residency Redefined: Upholding Election Results Despite Challenges to Candidate's Domicile
The Supreme Court clarifies residency rules for local candidates, upholding John Henry Osmeña's win as Toledo City mayor despite domicile challenges.
Electoral Law: Defining Prohibited Personnel Actions During Election Periods
Supreme Court clarifies that not every personnel movement during election period is a prohibited transfer or detail under election law.
Freedom of Speech vs Fair Elections: Balancing Airtime Limits in Political Ads
Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC's aggregate airtime limits for political ads, balancing free speech and fair elections.
Comelec Divisions, Jurisdiction, and Preliminary Injunctions in Election Protests
The Supreme Court clarifies when a Comelec division's interlocutory order may be assailed via certiorari and the validity of Special Divisions.
Bystander No More: Employers' Role in Certification Elections Under Scrutiny
The Supreme Court clarifies that employers are mere bystanders in certification elections, unable to block them based on pending union cancellation cases.
Untimely Appeal: Why the Secretary of Labor Could Not Challenge a Reversal in Certification Election Cases
The Supreme Court denies the Secretary of Labor's appeal in certification election cases, ruling that quasi-judicial officers cannot question appellate reversals.
Can a Certificate of Candidacy Be Cancelled After Election Day? Residency Rules for Local Elections
The Supreme Court explains when a certificate of candidacy may be cancelled after election day, focusing on false residency declarations.
Nicknames and Election Law: What Counts as Material Misrepresentation in Certificates of Candidacy
A candidate's nickname in a certificate of candidacy is not material misrepresentation unless it affects eligibility or qualification for office.
Safeguarding Suffrage: Counting Votes for Disqualified Party Lists in Philippine Elections
The Supreme Court rules that votes for party-list groups disqualified after the elections must be included in the divisor for seat allocation.
Elections and Financial Regulations: Analyzing the Limits of Comelec's Authority
The Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to Comelec's money ban resolution as moot, leaving key constitutional questions unanswered.
Election Contests and Jurisdiction: When the HRET Takes Over from COMELEC
The Supreme Court explains why election contests involving proclaimed congressional winners belong exclusively to the HRET, not the courts.
Electoral Tribunal Jurisdiction: Proclamation Is the Decisive Factor in Election Contests
The Supreme Court clarifies that once a congressional candidate is proclaimed, the HRET, not the COMELEC, has sole jurisdiction over election contests.
Party List Registration Misrepresentation and the Right to Representation
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, not the COMELEC, has jurisdiction over congressional election disputes.
When Can a Substitute Candidate Validly Replace Another in Philippine Elections
Philippine election law on substitution of candidates: grounds, deadlines, and rules for valid replacement under the Omnibus Election Code.
Barangay Election Protests: Finality of Decisions and Execution Pending Appeal
The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on execution pending appeal in barangay election protests, emphasizing finality and proper procedure.