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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Lost Title Reconstitution: Court Jurisdiction and the Original Owner's Duplicate
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that courts lack jurisdiction to issue new owner's duplicate titles when the original is not actually lost.
Intimidation in Rape Cases: How Philippine Courts Determine Consent
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how force and intimidation are assessed in rape cases involving victims with mental disabilities.
Employer Neutrality in Union Certification Elections and Employee Rights to Representation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer neutrality during certification elections, freedom period CBAs, and employee rights to choose their bargaining representative.
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.
Why Summary Petitions Fall Short in Land Ownership Battles: Quevada v. Glorioso
The Supreme Court explains why a summary petition for inscription cannot resolve genuine ownership disputes over registered land.
Habeas Corpus and Premature Release: Why Appeals Matter in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling on why a convicted person cannot use habeas corpus to secure release while an appeal is still pending.
Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Employer's Burden of Proof and Due Process — The RDS Trucking Case
Learn from the RDS Trucking case how Philippine law protects employees from illegal dismissal and what employers must prove to justify termination.
Speedy Justice Delayed: Understanding Summary Procedure in Philippine Courts
A judge's delay in acting on a summary procedure case leads to a severe reprimand, highlighting the importance of speedy justice.
Seniority Matters: Why Fair Retrenchment in the Philippines Requires More Than Just Financial Losses
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on retrenchment: financial losses alone don't justify layoffs—seniority must be considered in employee selection.
Positive Identification Trumps Alibi in Rape Cases: Key Jurisprudence Explained
The Supreme Court explains why a rape victim's positive identification prevails over an accused's alibi defense, and clarifies damages and support.
Labor-Only Contracting vs. Legitimate Job Contracting: Supreme Court Clarifies Employer Liability
The Supreme Court explains the difference between labor-only contracting and legitimate job contracting, and who bears liability for workers' claims.
Premature Writ of Demolition: Due Process and the Sheriff's Duty in Philippine Execution
When can a sheriff implement a writ of demolition, and what happens when a motion for reconsideration is pending? The Supreme Court's ruling in A.M. No. P-98-1268 offers guidance.
Regular Employment for Private School Teachers: Security of Tenure and Contract Renewal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on private school teachers' security of tenure, probationary periods, and illegal dismissal through non-renewal of contracts.
Equitable Mortgage in Philippine Real Estate: Protecting Your Property Rights
When is a deed of sale actually an equitable mortgage? Learn how Philippine courts protect property owners from disguised loan transactions.
Loss of Confidence and Illegal Dismissal: Philippine Law on Breach of Trust in Employment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when loss of confidence justifies dismissal and when it does not, protecting employee tenure rights.
Electric Cooperative Membership and Director Eligibility: Key Rules from Espina v. Court of Appeals
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on electric cooperative membership requirements and director eligibility under P.D. 269, explained in plain language.
Protecting Children: Understanding Statutory Rape Laws in the Philippines
A landmark Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains statutory rape, victim testimony, and damages in child sexual abuse cases.
Upholding Judicial Integrity: Gross Ignorance of Law and Impropriety in Philippine Courts
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge's gross ignorance of law and impropriety, and what it means for judicial accountability in the Philippines.
When Company Practice Makes Resignation Pay: Separation Pay for Voluntary Resignees in the Philippines
Voluntary resignees usually get no separation pay, but a consistent company practice of paying it can create a legal right. Here's how.
Employee Status in Outsourcing: Key Lessons from the Supreme Court on Separation Pay
Learn when a resigning employee may claim separation pay under Philippine law, based on a landmark Supreme Court ruling on company practice.
Robbery vs. Highway Robbery in the Philippines: Key Distinctions Explained
Philippine law distinguishes simple robbery from highway robbery under P.D. 532. Learn how the Supreme Court clarified this crucial difference.
Unwritten Company Policy and Illegal Dismissal: The Bangloy Case
Can an employee be fired under an unwritten policy? The Bangloy case shows why written, communicated rules are vital in Philippine labor law.
Fixed-Term Contracts and Security of Tenure: What Romares v. NLRC Means for Employers and Workers
The Supreme Court explains when fixed-term employment contracts are valid and when they are a circumvention of the worker's security of tenure.
Regular Employment After One Year of Service Prevails Over Fixed-Term Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when repeated fixed-term contracts cannot defeat an employee's right to regular employment and security of tenure.