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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Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Abandonment, Illness, and Employer Obligations
When does absence become abandonment, and when can illness justify termination? A Supreme Court ruling clarifies employer duties.
Retroactive Application of Retirement Laws: When R.A. 7641 Does Not Apply
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when R.A. 7641 retirement benefits apply retroactively and when they do not, explained in plain language.
Prior Land Title Prevails: Property Rights and Good Faith in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on ejectment, lease obligations, and why historical landmark status does not override property rights.
Corporate Liability vs Personal Guarantee: Surety Agreements in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a continuing surety agreement covers corporate debts and when it does not bind the surety.
Squatting Rights: When Tolerance Does Not Mean Consent in Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that sharing harvests or tolerating possession does not create ownership rights or consent to squatting.
Bail in Capital Offenses: When Is a Hearing Mandatory?
A judge must hold a hearing before granting bail in capital offenses, even if the prosecution does not object. Learn the rule.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Force and Consent Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains why a "sweethearts" defense does not negate force in rape, and how resistance is measured.
Ejectment of Possessors by Tolerance: Guardians, Wills, and Unlawful Detainer
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a guardian may eject possessors by tolerance, and why an unprobated will does not defeat an unlawful detainer suit.
Shared Guilt Establishing Conspiracy in Robbery With Homicide Under Philippine Law
When does a getaway accomplice become liable for murder? Philippine law on conspiracy in robbery with homicide explained through a Supreme Court ruling.
Rape Conviction: Why Delay in Filing Does Not Always Equal Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court explains why a rape victim's delayed complaint can still be credible and lead to conviction.
Passion Provocation and Criminal Liability: Understanding Homicide in the Philippines
When does anger mitigate a killing? The Supreme Court explains passion or obfuscation, treachery, and homicide in People v. Valles.
Conjugal Property vs Separate Property: Protecting Your Assets in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish conjugal from separate property, and why registration alone does not prove ownership during marriage.
Parricide in the Philippines: Proving Marriage and the Effect of an Affidavit of Desistance
The Supreme Court explains how to prove marriage in parricide cases and why an affidavit of desistance does not erase criminal liability.
When Can an Agent Sell Your Property? The Limits of a Special Power of Attorney
A special power of attorney to eject squatters does not authorize selling land. Learn the limits of an agent's authority to dispose of real property.
Malversation in the Philippines: When Can a Public Official Be Held Liable
Explaining when public officials face malversation charges under Article 217, and why COA audit clearance does not automatically end criminal liability.
Circumstantial Evidence and the Right Against Self-Incrimination in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices for conviction and why the right against self-incrimination does not cover physical evidence.
Employer Liability in Independent Contractor Relationships: The PAL Security Guards Case
Philippine Airlines v. NLRC clarifies when a client company becomes liable for an independent contractor's employees—and when it does not.
Eyewitness Testimony When Doubt Leads To Acquittal IN Philippine Courts
When does a lone eyewitness's testimony fail the test of moral certainty? The Supreme Court explains in People v. Perez.
When Does a Local Union Have the Right to Bargain? A Look at San Miguel Foods v. Laguesma
A local union need not secure its own registration certificate to be legitimate. Learn the rules from San Miguel Foods v. Laguesma.
Conditional Contracts of Sale: When Does Ownership Transfer in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the key difference between a contract to sell and a conditional contract of sale, and when ownership transfers.
Retraction of Witness Testimony: When Does It Affect a Criminal Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when witness retraction affects convictions, the weight of positive identification, and the limits of alibi as a defense.
Rape and Consent: Force, Intimidation, and the Victim's Response in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a rape victim's lack of resistance does not imply consent, especially when force or intimidation is used.
Self-Defense and Defense of Relatives in Philippine Law: Limits and Lessons from People v. Babor
When does self-defense fail in the Philippines? People v. Babor clarifies the limits of justifying circumstances, unlawful aggression, and reasonable force.
Civil Liability After Acquittal: When an Acquitted Person Can Still Be Sued
An acquittal does not always erase civil liability. Learn when a separate civil case can still proceed under Philippine law.