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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Security of Tenure in Philippine Civil Service: When Reassignment Becomes Illegal Removal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a government employee's indefinite reassignment violates security of tenure and constitutes constructive removal.
Reasonable Doubt and Due Process in Criminal Cases: The Arco Acquittal
A look at how the Supreme Court’s ruling in People v. Arco underscores the presumption of innocence and the prosecution’s burden in criminal cases.
Credibility of Child Witnesses in Statutory Rape Cases: People v. Arco
The Supreme Court affirms a statutory rape conviction, clarifying how courts assess the credibility of a child witness's testimony.
Lawyer Suspended for Deceit in Client Property Dealings: A Lesson in Professional Trust
A Supreme Court ruling suspends a lawyer for one year for gross misconduct in handling a client's property, underscoring fiduciary duties.
Navigating Buy-Bust Operations in the Philippines: A Supreme Court Guide
A Supreme Court guide to buy-bust operations in the Philippines, covering legality, procedure, and evidentiary rules for drug cases.
Upholding Legal Ethics When Lawyer Neglect Leads to Suspension in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling shows how a lawyer's failure to file a brief and obey court orders led to suspension for violating legal ethics.
Dual Citizenship and Election in the Philippines: Clarifying Qualifications for Public Office
The Supreme Court clarifies when dual citizenship disqualifies a candidate and how filing a certificate of candidacy can cure it.
Proving Residency and Citizenship for Candidacy: Lessons from Valles v. COMELEC
How the Supreme Court clarified citizenship, dual allegiance, and disqualification rules for elective office in the Philippines.
Defining Kidnapping When Taking A Child Becomes A Crime IN THE Philippines
When does taking a child become kidnapping? The Supreme Court explains the elements of serious illegal detention under the Revised Penal Code.
Protecting Your Property From Fraudulent Land Titles: Key Lessons From Arriola vs. Mahilum
Learn how the Supreme Court nullified fraudulent land titles in Arriola vs. Mahilum and what property owners must know to protect their rights.
Positive Identification in Philippine Courts: Why Eyewitness Testimony Matters in Criminal Convictions
The Supreme Court explains why positive identification by a credible witness outweighs alibi and denial in Philippine criminal cases.
National vs Local Amusement Tax: Who Taxes PBA Games in the Philippines
Supreme Court ruling clarifies that amusement tax on PBA games is a national tax, not a local one. Learn the legal basis.
Workplace Sexual Harassment in the Philippines: Substantial Evidence and Employee Rights
Understand how the Supreme Court protects employees in sexual harassment cases, applying substantial evidence in administrative proceedings.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: When Facebook Posts Lead to Higher Penalties
The Supreme Court clarifies how social media posts can prove psychological abuse under RA 9262 and why using Facebook raises the penalty.
Independent Judgment Prevails: Why Acquittal of Co-Accused Doesn't Guarantee Your Freedom
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: a judge's acquittal of one co-accused does not bind another judge in separate trials. Learn the rule.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: What Philippine Workers Should Know
The Supreme Court clarifies what procedural due process really means in employee dismissals, using a Philippine Airlines case as a guide.
Contracts Under Martial Law: When Government Regulations Don't Mean Void Ab Initio
Supreme Court clarifies that regulated goods under martial law orders remain valid contract objects, distinguishing prohibition from regulation.
Execution of Judgment in Ejectment Cases: Why the Court of Origin Matters
In ejectment cases, execution of an affirmed judgment generally belongs to the trial court of origin, not the appellate court. A Supreme Court ruling clarifies why.
Public Officials Beware: Good Faith Reliance on Subordinates Is No Shield Against Graft Charges
The Supreme Court clarifies that public officials cannot evade graft liability by claiming reliance on subordinates, especially when approving large transactions.
Justice Delayed IS Justice Denied Understanding Judicial Efficiency IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on a judge fined for failing to decide a case within the 90-day constitutional period.
Assurance Fund Claims in Philippine Property Law: Protecting Against Land Title Fraud
When can victims of land title fraud recover from the Assurance Fund? The Supreme Court explains the limits.
Upholding Judicial Impartiality: Why Private Judge-Litigant Communication Is Unacceptable in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court admonishes a judge for private calls to a litigant, reaffirming that judges must not only be impartial but also appear impartial.
Beyond Eyewitnesses: Circumstantial Evidence in Philippine Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction based on circumstantial evidence, explaining what this means for criminal prosecutions in the Philippines.
When Presence at the Scene of an Illegal Act Becomes Misconduct: A Philippine Legal Guide
Explore how Philippine law treats presence at an illegal act as misconduct, using the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Casingal as a guide.