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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Burden of Proof in Cargo Shortage Claims: Proving Loss and Valid Insurance Coverage
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on cargo shortage claims: insurer must prove actual loss and valid policy coverage to recover from carriers.
Good Faith Prevails When Public Officials ACT Without Malice IN Granting Benefits
Supreme Court ruling on good faith as a defense in graft cases under RA 3019, Section 3(e), for public officials relying on agency issuances.
Supreme Court Ruling on Health Care Agreements and Documentary Stamp Tax: What It Means
The Supreme Court ruled that HMO health care agreements are not insurance contracts subject to documentary stamp tax under the National Internal Revenue Code.
Hauling Contracts: Scope of Work Defines Entitlement to Extra Pay
Supreme Court rules on when hauling contractors can claim extra compensation beyond the contract price in service agreements.
Redundancy and Management Prerogative: Safeguarding Employee Rights in Corporate Restructuring
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies redundancy termination rules, management prerogative limits, and employee rights in corporate restructuring.
Territorial Jurisdiction and Taxing Power: The Limits of Local Authority
A local government cannot tax property outside its territory. The Supreme Court explains why jurisdiction defines taxing power.
Clerk of Court Dismissed for Dishonesty in Handling Public Funds
Supreme Court dismisses clerk of court for failing to account for P256,530.25 in court fund shortages, affirming strict accountability standards.
Drug Bust Conviction Upheld: Chain of Custody and Informant Rules in Philippine Drug Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies chain of custody and informant rules in drug cases, upholding a buy-bust conviction under RA 9165.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies in Agrarian Disputes: A Lesson from Montanez
Why landowners must appeal PARAD decisions to the DARAB first—and what happens when they skip this step.
Credit Card Interest Rates: Balancing Lender Rights and Borrower Protection in the Philippines
The Supreme Court limits credit card interest and penalty rates to 2% monthly, balancing lender rights with borrower protection.
Protecting Public Assets: Court Approves Conversion of Coconut Levy-Funded Shares Amidst Ownership Dispute
The Supreme Court allows converting sequestered SMC shares into preferred shares to protect public assets during the coconut levy ownership dispute.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies in CLOA Cancellation Cases: A Property Law Primer
Learn why a landowner's direct appeal to the Court of Appeals failed in a CLOA cancellation case, and the importance of exhausting administrative remedies.
Supreme Court Cuts Credit Card Interest to 2% Monthly as Unconscionable
The Supreme Court reduced BPI's 3% monthly credit card interest and penalty to 2%, citing unconscionable rates.
The Informant's Shield: Balancing Drug Enforcement and Defendants' Rights in Buy-Bust Operations
The Supreme Court clarifies when buy-bust operations are valid, how chain of custody works, and why informants' identities are protected.
Eyewitness Credibility and the Principle of Alibi: Standards of Proof in Philippine Criminal Law
This article explains how Philippine courts weigh eyewitness testimony, self-defense claims, and abuse of superior strength in murder cases.
When Silence Isn't Golden: Affirming Murder Conviction Despite Self-Defense Claim
The Supreme Court affirms a murder conviction, rejecting self-defense where the accused admitted killing but failed to prove unlawful aggression.
Residency vs. Domicile in Philippine Elections: The Pundaodaya Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies that voter registration and property ownership do not prove election residency, which legally means domicile.
Ballot Integrity Prevails: Rules for Correctly Counting Barangay Election Votes
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies appeal fee rules and ballot appreciation standards in barangay election protests, ensuring voter intent prevails.
Treachery IN Criminal LAW THE Importance OF Victims Defenselessness
Collective Bargaining in Education: Balancing Tuition Hikes and Employee Benefits
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how RA 6728 tuition fee increments fund employee benefits in collective bargaining disputes.
Default and Foreclosure: When Accepting Late Payments Waives the Right to Foreclose
A lender who accepts late and partial payments after a borrower's default may waive the right to foreclose. Learn the rule from this Philippine case.
Breach of Public Trust: Dishonesty and Gross Negligence Leading to Dismissal
When a municipal treasurer's repeated financial irregularities amount to grave misconduct, dismissal from service is the warranted penalty.
Defining Public Officer When Private Sector Representatives Face Graft Charges
Supreme Court ruling on when private sector board members are public officers under the Anti-Graft Law and Sandiganbayan jurisdiction.
Defective Summons Ensuring Proper Notification IN Philippine Legal Proceedings
Learn how defective summons can void a default judgment, as shown in B.D. Long Span Builders v. R.S. Ampeloquio Realty.