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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Rape Conviction Stands Even If Accused Claims Consensual Affair
A claim of a romantic relationship does not negate rape if force was used. The Supreme Court explains why consent matters.
THE Right TO Counsel Protecting Independence IN Attorney Client Relationships
Control Is Key: When a Bank Becomes the Real Employer of an Outsourced Janitor
The Supreme Court rules that control over work, not contracts, determines employer-employee relationships in outsourcing arrangements.
Beneficial Ownership VS Legal Title Understanding Trust Relationships IN Philippine LAW
A look at how Philippine courts distinguish beneficial ownership from legal title in trust relationships, using a landmark case on employee dismissal and quitclaims.
Forcible Abduction with Rape: Why "Sweetheart" Status Does Not Equal Consent
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that romantic relationships never imply consent to sexual acts, especially when force or abduction is involved.
Upholding Integrity: Why Workplace Misconduct in Philippine Courts Matters
A lawyer's duty to preserve client confidences survives the attorney-client relationship. The Supreme Court's ruling in Salonga v. Hildawa explains why.
Proving Familial Ties in Rape Cases and Their Impact on Penalties in Philippine Law
How Philippine courts prove father-daughter relationships in rape cases and why this qualifies for the death penalty under Article 335.
Philippine Rape Law: Why Complaint Details Matter in Death Penalty Cases
A father convicted of five counts of incestuous rape escaped the death penalty because the complaints failed to allege his relationship with the victim. Learn why details matter in Philippine rape cas
Employer-Employee Relationship and the Control Test: Lessons from Villa v. NLRC
The Supreme Court's ruling in Villa v. NLRC clarifies the control test in employer-employee relationships and the rules on evidence in illegal dismissal cases.
Why Qualifying Circumstances Must Be Pleaded in Rape Cases: People v. Medina
The Supreme Court explains why qualifying circumstances like relationship must be alleged in the information, or the death penalty cannot be imposed.
Labor-Only Contracting and Illegal Dismissal: Ponce v. NLRC Explained
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on labor-only contracting, employer-employee relationships, and illegal dismissal in Ponce v. NLRC.
Employee vs Independent Contractor: The Control Test in Philippine Labor Law (Ushio Marketing Case)
The Ushio Marketing case clarifies the control test for determining employer-employee relationships in Philippine labor law.
Probate Disputes: How Illicit Relationships Impact Will Validity in the Philippines
Philippine law on probate and will validity—how illicit relationships affect testamentary capacity and legal heirs' rights.
Strict Construction in Penal Law: Why Relationship Definitions Matter in Philippine Rape Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies that a step-grandfather is not an "ascendant" for death penalty purposes, applying strict construction in rape cases.
When "Independent Contractor" Labels Fail: The Four-Fold Test in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine courts look beyond contract labels to determine employer-employee relationships. Learn the four-fold test from Insular Life v. NLRC.
Rape and the Limits of Relationship in Philippine Law: When Kinship Aggravates the Crime
The Supreme Court clarifies when a relationship between offender and victim can aggravate rape, and when it cannot.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails: Acquittal in Rape Case Due to Inconsistent Testimony and Prior Relationship
Philippine Supreme Court acquits rape accused on reasonable doubt, citing inconsistent testimony and prior intimate relationship between complainant and accused.
Proving Employer-Employee Relationship in Philippine Labor Law
Understand the four-fold test for employer-employee relationship in the Philippines, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in Progress Homes v. NLRC.
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.
Proving Employer-Employee Relationship: Key Factors and Evidence in Philippine Labor Law
Learn how Philippine courts determine employer-employee relationships and what evidence matters, based on a Supreme Court ruling on seafarer death claims.
Insurance Proceeds and Trust Relationships: Understanding Fiduciary Duties
When an insurer holds insurance proceeds for insureds pending settlement, a trust may arise, creating fiduciary duties.
Establishing Employer-Employee Relationship Is Key to Illegal Dismissal Claims in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why proving employer-employee relationship is essential before an illegal dismissal case can prosper.
Burden of Proof in Labor Disputes: Who Must Prove What
Learn who bears the burden of proof in labor cases—especially on payment of wages and employer-employee relationship—from this Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Labor-Only Contracting: When a Manpower Agency Hides the Real Employer
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on labor-only contracting, employer-employee relationships, and separation pay for authorized dismissals.