By: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on September 3, 2026 WHISTLEBLOWING, or reporting a wrongdoing or misconduct, does not just make government officials accountable; it is the cornerstone to the protection of integrity. Without doubt, it is something that should be strongly promoted and encouraged. A...

By: Atty. Lew Earvin H. Manarin on August 27, 2026 PRESCRIPTION serves an important purpose in criminal law. While the state is given sufficient time to investigate and prosecute offenses, it cannot indefinitely leave a person exposed to prosecution. Once the prescriptive period expires, the state...

By: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on August 20, 2026 RECENTLY, there has been a clamor to exclude “system losses” from the electricity rates of distribution utilities (DUs) for purposes of value-added tax (VAT). Under the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended (Tax Code), gross receipts...

By: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on August 13, 2026 THE Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CIR) has the power to cancel and abate tax liabilities. Such powers are pursuant to express powers granted to the official under the law. Section 204(B) of the National Internal Revenue Code (Tax Code)...

By: Atty. Keshia Daniell L. Valencia on August 6, 2026 UNDER the current Revised Rules on Evidence (“RRE”), a “duplicate” can be admissible in evidence, subject to certain conditions. Since the year 1901, the rules of procedure in the Philippines have required that the original document itself...

By: Atty. Rey Christian M. Guintibano on July 30, 2026 IN the recent case Tayam v. Recto, the Supreme Court ruled that Republic Act 12079, a law providing value-added tax (VAT) refund to foreign tourists, does not violate the constitutional right to equal protection of laws. In the case, Tayam...

By: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on July 23, 2026 The Supreme Court can exercise its power of judicial review only when the following requisites are met: (1) the existence of an actual and appropriate case; (2) a personal and substantial interest of the party raising the constitutional question;...

By: Atty. Mary Grace S. Tejada on July 16, 2026 THE income tax exemption of electric cooperatives has long been the subject of legislative developments and was recently revisited by the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) en banc in the Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Misamis Oriental Rural Electric...

By: Atty. Rey Christian M. Guintibano on July 9, 2026 WHEN can a taxpayer claim that a tax was erroneously paid and demand its return? Section 229 of the Tax Code allows a taxpayer to seek a refund of taxes or amounts erroneously or illegally assessed or collected, any penalty claimed to have...