Conflict of Laws Paras and Salonga Reviewer PDF

CONFLICTS OF LAWS REVIEWER (Based on Paras and Salonga)
CHAPTER 12
RULES ON STATUS IN GENERAL

SYNOPSIS OF THE RULES ON STATUS IN GENERAL
FACTUAL SITUATION POINT OF CONTACT
(1) Beginning of personality of
natural persons
(2) Ways and effects of emancipation
(3) Age of majority
(4) Use of names and surnames
(5) Use of titles of nobility
(6) Absence
(7) Presumptions of death and
survivorship
(1) National law of the child (Art. 15,
NCC)
(2) National law (Art. 15, NCC)
(7) Lex fori

What is the Philippine rule on status?
- In general, the status of a person depends on his national law.
- Art. 15 of the NCC: Laws relating to family rights and duties, or to the
legal capacity of persons are binding upon citizens of the Philippines,
even though living abroad.
- Although literally, Art. 15 is a one-sided conflicts rule, it has been
construed by the SC to be all-side, and therefore, the nationality rule
here applies to ALL nationals.

Beginning of Personality of Natural Persons
- Art. 40 of the NCC: Birth determines personality but the conceived child
shall be considered born for all purposes that are favorable to it,
provided it be born later with the conditions specified in the following
article.
- Art. 41 of the NCC: For civil purposes, the fetus is considered born if it
is alive at the time it is completely delivered from the mothers womb.
However, if the fetus had an intra-uterine life of less than seven months,
it is not deemed born if it dies within 24 hours after its complete
delivery from the maternal womb.
- Personality does not begin at birth, it begins at conception. This is called
presumptive personality. It is, however, essential that birth should occur
later.
- If the conditions in Art. 41 are not complied with, the birth and the
death of the child will not be recorded in the Civil Registry.
- Note that the law says the fetus is considered born only for civil
purposes, which are beneficial or favorable.
- Arts. 40 and 41 of the NCC apply only to Filipino babies. If the child be
a foreigner, the beginning of its personality depends upon its national
law.

Ways and Effects of Emancipation
Emancipation takes place by way of:
(1) marriage of the minor
(2) attainment of the age of minority
(3) parental concession
(4) judicial concession

Age of Majority
Art. 234 of the FC: Emancipation takes place by the attainment of majority.
Unless otherwise provided, majority commences at the age of eighteen years.

Use of Names and Surnames
STATUS SURNAME
Legitimate children Surname of the father
Adopted child Surname of the adopter
Legitimated children Surname of the father
Child conceived before the decree
annulling a voidable marriage
Surname of the father
Illegitimate children Unless recognized also by the father,
the surname of the mother
Married woman (1) Her maiden name and surname and
add her husbands surname; or
(2) Her maiden name and her
husbands surname; or
(3) Her husbands full name, but
prefixing a word indicating that she
is his wife, such as Mrs.

Titles of Nobility
- The right to use a title of nobility depends upon the national law of the
individual concerned.
- Under our Constitution, such titles of royalty or nobility are not
allowed.

Absence
- Absence, being the legal status of a person who disappears from his
domicile, his whereabouts being unknown, is naturally governed by the
national law.

Joei / Cecille 3C 06-07
- Under our laws, it would seem that our own courts also have
jurisdiction to declare an alien domiciliary in the Philippines as absent
under the conditions laid down in the NCC.
- The periods stated in the law are apparently applicable to both Filipinos
and foreigners.

Presumptions of Death and Survivorship
- In the Philippines, regardless of the nationality involved, it is the lex fori
that governs the rules on presumption of death as well as survivorship.
- Refer to Arts. 390, 391, and 43 of the NCC.

End of Personality
- Art. 42 of the NCC: Civil personality is extinguished by death. The
effect of death upon the rights and obligations of the deceased is
determined by law, by contract, and by will.

Legislative Jurisdiction v. Judicial Jurisdiction
- Judicial jurisdiction is authority to hear and determine a legal
controversy.
- Legislative jurisdiction, aside from the authority to enact laws, is the
competence of a persons national law to govern his status.
- Thus, while under Art. 15 of the NCC, a foreigners status is governed
by his national law (legislative jurisdiction), our own Philippine courts,
not the foreign courts, will have authority to decide questions
concerning said foreigners status (judicial jurisdiction) by applying his
national law.

Joei / Cecille 3C 06-07 2

Status v. Capacity
STATUS CAPACITY
Legal position of an individual in
society
Power of an individual to acquire
and exercise rights
Includes all his personal qualities and
relations, more or less permanent in
nature, not ordinarily terminable at
his own will, such as his being
legitimate or illegitimate, or his being
married or not
One of the incidents of status

Recto vs. Harden
Inasmuch as Mr. and Mrs. Harden are admittedly citizens of the United States,
their status and dissolution thereof as governed by Article 9 of the Civil Code
of Spain (which was in force in the Philippines at the time of the execution of the
contract in question) and Article 15 of the Civil Code of the Philippines by the
laws of the United States, which sanction divorce the contract of services is
not contrary to law, morals, good customs, public order or policy.

Application of Foreign Laws
- Foreign laws regulating a persons status and capacity are to be
disregarded where they have a political or penal character.
- Art. 1, Treaty of Montevideo on International Civil Law: No incapacity
of penal character, nor for reaons of religion, race, nationality or opinion
will be recognized.
- A decree which excludes a person from entering into contracts, for
political reasons, is generally denied effect outside of the State of
enactment, particularly if the decree is against an important public
policy of the form.

Laws Governing Status v. Judicial Jurisdiction Affecting Status
- Aliens can be sued before Philippine courts, subject to our rules of
procedure, with respect to matters affecting their personal status and
family relations; but under Art. 15 of the NCC, the governing law is
their national law, and it is this law that is to be applied by our courts,
subject to the basic exceptions to the application of foreign law.

Beginning and End of Personality
- Philippine law, as a general rule, considers the fact of complete birth as
determinative of the beginning of personality.
- Certain rights, such as those of succession are reserved which will
pertain to the conceived child when, if ever, it becomes a person.

Reasons Why Philippine Courts Do Not Declare a Person Dead
(1) such a declaration is useless, since the presumption of death is found in
the law itself; and
(2) such a judgment can never by final since the person may turn out to be
alive.

NOTE: Where property rights are involved in the same proceeding for the
purpose of the determination and distribution of property rights, such judicial
declaration or presumption of death may be made.

Absence
- The domestic laws of different countries do not treat absentees alike
which has given rise to difficult problems in conflict of laws.
- In some countries, problems of law of absentees should be determined
in accordance with the personal law of the absentee (which, in our case,
is the national law) and that jurisdiction for judicial action belongs
primarily to the State of which the absentee is a national or domiciliary,
as the case may be.
- See Arts. 384-386, NCC.

Emancipation
- Under Art. 236 of the FC: Emancipation shall terminate parental
authority over the person and property of the child who shall then be
qualified and responsible for all acts of civil life, save the exceptions
established by existing laws in special cases.
- Exceptions:
(1) For purposes of marriage, parental consent is needed until the
age of 21. Otherwise, the marriage shall be voidable; and
(2) Nothing in this Code shall be construed to derogate from the
duty and responsibility of parents and guardians for children
and wards below 21 years of age mentioned in the second and
third paragraphs of 2180 of the NCC (pertaining to
responsibility for torts committed by minors).
- In civil law countries following the nationality principle, all questions
regarding emancipation, for what causes it may be conferred, the effects
it produces, particularly on the capacity to enter into legal transactions,
are determined by the national law of the individual.
- In the US, the capacity of an individual to enter into legal transactions is
not considered a problem for the personal law of the individual to
determine but is referred to the law governing the transaction or
contract.
- In therefore, becomes necessary to inquire into the governing law on
capacity, particularly to enter into contracts and transactions.

Capacity in General
- The term capacity is not used with quite the same meaning
everywhere and the laws of various countries differ as to the law that
should determine a persons competence or disability.
- Juridical Capacity: Fitness to be the subject of legal relations. It is
considered inherent in every natural person and is lost only through
death.
- Capacity to Act: Power to do acts with legal effects. It is acquired and
may be lost.
- In Conflict of Laws, the inquiry is to ascertain what system of law will
determine a persons capacity to enter into a legal transaction when
there is a conflict between the law of the place where the transaction is
entered into and some system of law, such as the law of the domicile or
of the nationality, which can claim to regulate that persons acts.
- The questions as to what law governs capacity in general cannot be
given one sweeping answer, despite the catch-all language of Art. 15.
The task is to ascertain what legal system governs capacity in different
transactions.

Capacity to Enter into Contracts
- See Art. 15 of the NCC.
- The NCC adheres to the nationality principle in respect of capacity in
general.
- Aliens residing in the Philippines are to be governed, insofar as their
capacity is concerned, by their national law.
- An even better and thorough way of dealing with the problem of
capacity of individuals in conflicts problems may be suggested. A
distinction might be made between capacity to engage in transactions
involving family relations and strictly domestic matters, on the one
hand, and capacity to enter into ordinary day to day business contracts
on the other. The former should be regulated by the personal law
which, in the case of the Philippines, is the national law of the person
involved, while the latter should be regulated by the law governing the
contract as a whole rather than by the law of the place of contracting.

CHAPTER 13
MARRIAGE AS A CONTRACT

Definition of Marriage
It is a union of one man with one woman or the reciprocal blessings of a
domestic home life, and for the birth, rearing, and education of children.

Three Aspects of Marriage
(1) It is a contract;
(2) It is also a union, a status, a legal relation; and
(3) It is an institution.

Definition of Marriage under the Family Code
Art. 1: Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a
woman entered into in accordance with law or the establishment of conjugal and
family life. It is the foundation of the family and inviolable social institution
whose nature, consequences, and incidents are governed by law and not subject
to stipulation, except that marriage settlements may fix the property relations
during the marriage within the limits provided by this Code.

SYNOPSIS OF THE RULES ON MARRIAGE AS A CONTRACT
(1) If celebrated abroad
(a) Between Filipinos

(b) Between foreigners

(c) Mixed

(a) Lex loci celebrationis without
prejudice to the exceptions under
Arts. 26, 35 (1), (4), (5) and (6), 36,
37, and 38 of the Family Code
(bigamous, polygamous, and
incestuous marriages and
consular marriages)
(b) Lex loci celebrationis except if the
marriage is:
1. highly immoral (like bigamous
and polygamous marriages)
2. or UNIVERSALLY considered
INCESTUOUS (like between
brothers and sisters and
between ascendants and
descendants)
(c) Apply (1-b) to uphold the
validity of the marriage
(2) if celebrated in the Philippines
(a) Between foreigners

(a) National law (Art. 21, FC)

(b) Mixed
provided that the marriage is not
highly immoral or universally
considered incestuous)
(b) National law of the Filipino
(otherwise public policy may be
militated against)
(3) marriage by proxy (NOTE: a
marriage by proxy is considered as
celebrated where the proxy appears)
(3) Lex loci celebrationis (with prejudice
to the foregoing rules)

Marriage as a Contract in General
- Generally, marriage has two kinds of requisites: the formal and essential
requisites.
- Under the Family Code, formalities do NOT affect the validity of the
marriage (i.e. if a judge solemnizes the marriage, the ceremony must be
in open court refer to Arts. 7 and 8, FC).
- However, there are so called formalities which are now considered as
ESSENTIAL requisites under our law (i.e. marriage license except in
marriages of exception character refer to Art. 3, FC).

Three Theories on Formal Requisites in Marriage in Conflict of Laws
(1) The Compulsary/Imperative Rule
- It is imperative for the parties to follow the formalities of the place
of celebration (lex loci celebrationis the law of the place of
celebration; or lex regit actum the law of the place where the act
was done or performed).
- This seems to be the rule we follow here (Art. 17, par. 1, NCC).

(2) The Optional Rule
- Here, the parties may follow either the lex loci celebrationis or their
national law.
- This rule is followed in most counties.

(4) The Ecclesiastical/Modified?Religious Rule
- Here, the formalities of both the lex loci celebrationis and the national
law of the parties (imposing religious requirements) must be
complied with.

Substantial or Essential Requisites
Under Art. 3 of the FC, the substantial or essential requisites of Filipinos who
marry in the Philippines are as follows:
(1) Legal capacity of the contracting parties;
(2) The consent on the contracting parties, freely given;

(3) Authority of the person solemnizing the marriage; and
(4) A marriage license, except in a marriage of exceptional character.

Is common-law marriage valid here in the Philippines? In no case would
common-law marriage between Filipinos in the Philippines be considered as
valid, for solemnization must be before the proper officer.

However, common-law marriage between foreigners (relationship began abroad)
in the Philippines would be valid provided that such is also valid according to
their national law and according to the laws of the place where the relationship
began.

Marriages Celebrated Abroad Between Filipinos
- Art. 26 of the FC: All marriages solemnized outside the Philippines in
accordance with the laws in force in the country where they were
solemnized, and valid there as such, shall also be valid in this country,
except those prohibited under Articles 35 (1), (4), (5), and (6), 36, 37, and
38. Where a marriage between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner is
validly celebrated and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad by
the alien spouse, capacitating him or her to remarry, the Filipino spouse
shall likewise have capacity to remarry under Philippine law.
- In this article, we follow the rule of lex loci celebrationis.
- However, there are several exceptions (i.e. bigamous, polygamous, or
incestuous marriage) caused by our nationality theory.
- If a marriage in a foreign country between Filipinos is celebrated or
performed inside the Philippine consulate abroad, it is as if the marriage
had been celebrated not in a foreign country, but right here in the
Philippines.

Example
If a Filipino step-brother marries his Filipino step-sister in California, and the
marriage is considered valid there, will their marriage be recognized in the
Philippines?
- Yes. The marriage will be considered as valid here for the reason that it
is not bigamous, polygamous, or incestuous.
- If this marriage had been performed inside the Philippines consulate in
San Francisco by our consul or vice-consul, the marriage will be deemed
to have taken place in the Philippines, and will therefore be considered
void.

Marriage Celebrated Abroad Between Foreigners
If marriage between foreigners is validly celebrated abroad, the same shall be
recognized as valid here, provided it is not highly immoral and provided it is not
universally considered incestuous.

Two Kinds of Universally Considered Incestuous Marriages
1. Those between ascendants and descendants (whether the relationship
be legitimate or illegitimate);
2. Those between brothers and sisters (whether of the full or half blood,
and whether the relationship be legitimate or illegitimate).
- Marriage between American first cousins will be recognized valid
here if valid in the place of celebration because it is neither immoral
or universally considered incestuous.

Mixed Marriages Celebrated Abroad
- By mixed marriages in this discussion, it is mean that which were
celebrated between Filipinos on the one hand and aliens or foreigners
upon the other hand.
- Paras: If by one law the marriage is valid, and by another law the
marriage is void, that which will uphold the validity of the marriage
should be followed.

Marriages Celebrated in the Philippines Between Foreigners
- Should foreigners decided to marry in this country, their capacity to
marry shall be governed by their national law.
- Art. 21 of the FC: When either or both of the contracting parties are
citizens of a foreign country, it shall be necessary for them before a
marriage license can be obtained, to submit a certificate of legal capacity
to contract marriage, issued by their respective diplomatic or consular
officials. Stateless persons or refugees from other countries shall, in lieu
of the certificate of legal capacity herein required, submit an affidavit
stating the circumstances showing such capacity to contract marriage.
- However, even if allowed by their respective national laws, and even if
they are armed with the needed certificate of legal capacity, still
foreigners will not be allowed to get married if the marriage will be
highly immoral or if it will be considered incestuous.

Mixed Marriages in the Philippines
If a Filipino marries in the Philippines an American, it is believed that the
national law of the Filipino should be followed otherwise our public policy on
this point may be militated against.

Marriages by Proxy
A marriage by proxy is one where one of the parties is merely represented at the
ceremony by a friend or delegate. The rule on such a marriage is:
(a) If performed in the Philippines the marriage is void because physical
presence of both parties is required under Art. 6 of the FC. The rule
applies, however, only in the case of Filipinos and in mixed marriages.

(b) If performed abroad, whether between Filipinos or foreigners or mixed
the controlling rule is lex loci celebrationis, subject to the exceptions
already discussed and subject further to special provisions as may be
found in special laws. What is important is that it is permitted by law of
the place where the proxy acted.

Contract of Marriage v. Ordinary Contracts
ORDINARY CONTRACT MARRIAGE CONTRACT
Mere contract Also an inviolable social institution
The agreements entered into usually
depend on the stipulations agreed
upon by the contracting parties unless
those stipulations violate the law,
public polity, public order, good
customs or good morals.
The nature and the consequences as
well as the incidents, are governed by
the law except with reference to
marriage settlements. In marriage
therefore, as a general rule,
stipulations are of no value.
Age requirement in ordinary contract
is age of majority
Age requirements vary
May end thru the express provision of
the law, thru expiration of the term for
which the contract was agreed upon,
thru fulfillment of the purpose for
which the contract was entered into,
and even thru mutual agreement
Only death or annulment or legal
causes dissolves the contract
Substantial or intrinsic validity of an
ordinary contract is usually resolved
by an inquiry into the law intended by
the parties (lex loci voluntatis or lex loci
intentionem)
Validity of a marriage contract is
verified generally by a reference to the
lex celebrationis

Marriage Contract v. Ordinary Contracts
ORDINARY CONTRACT MARRIAGE CONTRACT
There is no requirement that ordinary
contracts be entered into by persons
of opposite sex.
Can be contracted only by and
between persons of opposite sex.
A person may enter into as many
ordinary contracts as he can.
Marriage is invalid, as a general rule,
if one of the parties had previously
entered into a similar contract with
one who is still living.
Parties are free to mutually withdraw
from the contract.
Parties to a marriage contract cannot
mutually withdraw from the
relationship if and when they please.
Primarily regulated by the terms and Regulated by law.
The cause for dissolution of a
contract different from those
provided by law in marriage.
The cause for dissolution of the
marriage different from those of an
ordinary contract.

Marriage as a Contract and as an Institution
- In a sense, it is a contract because of the element of mutual consent,
which is characteristic of all contracts.
- It is the characteristic of permanence of marriage that distinguishes
marriage from a purely consensual contract.
- Marriage as a relationship creating status, in whose preservation society
has a vital and enduring interest.
- Sec. 1, Art. XV, 1987 Constitution: The State recognizes the Filipino
family as the foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen
its solidarity and actively promote its total development.
- Sec. 2, Art. XV, 1987 Constitution: Marriage, as an inviolable social
institution, is the foundation of the family and shall be protected by the
State.
- As a status, marriage is a creature of the law and may be destroyed only
in the manner specified by law.
- The status, once created, is treated in law as a res, a thing which has
legal existence independent of the control of the parties to it and which
has a situs assigned to it by law
- Since the effect of marriage is to confer the status of legitimacy upon
children born in wedlock and as it gives rise to relations of
consanguinity and affinity, it is correctly described as an institution
intimately related to the public policy of the State and cannot therefore
be abrogated by mere agreement of the parties.

Meaning of Marriage
- The definition in Art. 1 of FC views marriage as a sacrament. It is the
result of the influence of Christianity. Under this definition,
polygamous unions are excluded and insofar as Philippine nationals are
concerned, absolute divorce is not recognized.
- In Conflict of Laws, however, marriage is and should be defined in
broader terms than those in which it is understood in internal
Philippine law.
- There are marriages contracted in other legal systems that do not
exactly conform to our notion of marriage; to deny validity to them in
all cases would create chaos in many domestic relationships.
- Furthermore, where the question at issue in a given case is neither the
celebration of marriage nor the cohabitation of spouses in the forum, the
moral standards of the forum are not infringed by conceding validity to


the incidents of a foreign marriage. The existence of a foreign marriage
may be only a consideration preliminary to the decision of the case
involving succession, tax law, or some other matter not immediately
affecting the mores of the forum.

Marriage Problems in Conflicts of Laws; Policy Considerations
- Two principal problems regarding marriage in the field of Private
International Law:
(1) The problem of what law governs the creation of the marriage
relation; and
(2) The problem of recognition of the marriage and protection to
be given the relation and incidents arising from the marriage
relation in States other than that in which the relationship was
created.
- It is necessary to keep in mind the distinction between formal validity of
the marriage contract, on the one hand, and its substantive validity on
the other.
- Policy considerations that should affect the choice of governing law:
(1) Element of predictability;
(2) To sustain marriages entered into good faith;
(3) Marriage is a matter of public concern and all States have rules
stating how marriages may be contracted and prohibiting
certain marriages.
- The rule, therefore, is that the forum, when confronted by a marriage
deemed particularly offensive to its own standards, will strike down a
marriage validly contracted in other jurisdictions, if, in the
circumstances of the case, it is against its own norms of public policy or
morality.

Formal Validity
- The law of the place where a marriage is celebrated governs its formal
validity.
- This is in consequence of the maxim locus regit actum, the place governs
the act.
- If valid by the law of the place of celebration, the lex loci celebrationis, it is
also valid in other places, though by the law of the latter other
formalities are required.
- Formal validity refers to the external conduct required by the parties or
of the solemnizing officers essential to the formation of a legally valid
marriage.
- Articles 2 and 3 of the FC specify which of the requirements of marriage
essential and which are formal.
- In Conflict of Laws, the distinction between formal validity and
substantive validity has not been very clear.

Philippine Law on Formal Validity
- Philippine law adheres to the imperative rule; a marriage formally valid
where celebrated is valid elsewhere.
- When the parties choose a place as the loci celebrationis of their marriage,
they are considered to have subjected all questions of form to the law of
that place, and if valid there it should be considered valid everywhere.
- There is a necessity of proving the content of the foreign law under
which a marriage was celebrated and the fact of conformity of said
marriage to the requirements of said foreign law. In the absence of proof
of foreign law, the presumption is that it is the same as Philippine
internal law.

Marriage on Board a Vessel on the High Seas
- Since the nation whose flag the ship is flying has jurisdiction over the
ship, the rule is that compliance with this law is required for a marriage
to be validly contracted.

Substantive Validity
- Each legal system has its own concept of what are matters of substance
as distinguished from matters of form.
- Art. 2 of the FC prescribes two essential requisites to marriage:
(1) legal capacity of the parties who must be a male and a female;
(2) consent freely given in the presence of the solemnizing officer.
- Two competing principles as to the law that should govern the
substantive validity of marriage:
(1) Lex loci celebrationis the law of the place of celebration of the
marriage;
(2) Personal law of the contracting parties either the law of their
domicile or nationality, depending on the theory followed by
the particular State.
- Second Restatement: A marriage which satisfies the requirements of the
State where the marriage was contracted will everywhere be recognized
as valid unless it violates the strong public policy of another State which
has the most significant relationship to the spouses and the marriage at
the time of the marriage.

Philippine Law on Substantive Validity
- With reference to marriages celebrated abroad, Philippine law primarily
refers to the law of the place of celebration.
- Exceptions to the general rule expressed in the formula valid where
celebrated, valid everywhere:
(1) In case of Filipino nationals who marry abroad before
Philippine consular or diplomatic officials. In such a case,
regardless of what the place of celebration prescribes, the
substantive validity of the marriage is to be determined by
Philippine law.
(2) In case of marriages that are prohibited under Philippine law
(saving clause of Art. 26, FC).
- As a general rule, a marriage should be upheld if valid according to the
law of the place of celebration, unless the marriage itself or the
enjoyment of the incidents of the marital relationship would offend the
strongly-held notions of decency and morality of a State that has a close
relationship to the contracting parties.
- With reference to marriage contracted in the Philippines, the national law of
the particular alien concerned, insofar as the capacity to contract
marriage is concerned, is decisive.
- Citizens of a foreign country are required to obtain a certificate of legal
capacity to contract marriage before a marriage license is issued.
- In these cases, the Government of the alien, through its diplomatic or
consular officials, shall decide the question of whether the individual
can marry in the Philippines.
- Philippine law on substantive validity does not exclusively adhere to
the lex loci celebrationis rule. It is a combination of that rule, in respect of
marriages celebrated abroad, and of the personal law, insofar as
capacity to marry is concerned, in respect of marriages in the
Philippines.

CHAPTER 14
MARRIAGE AS A STATUS

SYNOPSIS OR RULES FOR MARRIAGE AS A STATUS
(1) Personal rights and obligations
between husband and wife

(mutual fidelity, cohabitation, respect,
assistance and support; right of wife to
use husbands name; duty to follow
husbands residence)
(1) National law of the husband

Effect of subsequent change of nationality:
(a) If both will have a new
common nationality the new
one.
(b) If only one will change the
last common nationality.
(c) If there never was any common
nationality the national law
of the husband at the time of
the marriage.

(2) Property relations between
husband and wife
(2) National law of the husband,
without prejudice to what the
Civil Code provides concerning
REAL property located in the
Philippines (Art. 80, NCC)

Effect of subsequent change of nationality:
No effect. This is the doctrine of
Immutability in the Matrimonial
Property Regime.

Personal Rights and Obligations
- Marriage as a status carries with it implications in two fields:
1. the realm of personal rights and obligations of the spouses;
and
2. the realm of property relations.
- Personal relations between spouses under Philippine law are governed
by the national law of the parties (Art. 15, NCC).
- The national law of the husband is usually given preference.

Scope of Personal Relations Between the Husband and the Wife
Personal rights and obligations between the husband and the wife, all of which
are generally governed by the national law of the husband, but subject to the

principles of characterization and to the exceptions to the application of the
proper law, include:
(1) Mutual fidelity, cohabitation, and respect;
(2) Mutual assistance and support;
(3) Right of the wife to use the husbands name; and
(4) Duty of the wife to follow the husband to his residence or domicile.

Duty to Live Together
(a) There is a duty and a right to live together: cohabitation or consortium.
(b) The wife may establish a separate residence or domicile in the following
cases:
(1) If the husband continually indulges in illicit relations with
others.
(2) If the husband is immoderate or barbaric in his demands for
sexual intercourse.
(3) If the husband grossly insults her or maltreats her.
(4) If she has been virtually driven out of their home of her
husband and she is threatened with violence if she should
return.
(5) If the husband continually gambles and refuses to support the
family.
(6) If the court exempts her because the husband lives abroad.
(c) If the wife refuses unjustifiably to live with her husband, the court will
admonish but not order her to return; and even if an order is made,
contempt proceedings against the wife will not proper in case of
disobedience. The remedy here for the husband is to refuse to grant
support.
(d) The court cannot order a wife to have sexual intercourse with the
husband. Similarly, it cannot also compel a husband to carnally posses
the wife.
(e) Damages are recoverable from a stranger if he:
(1) injures the wife and deprives the husband of consortium.
(2) Tries to interfere with the domicile home life of the spouses.

Duty to Observe Mutual Respect and Fidelity
If according to the national law of the husband, he may brutally treat his wife,
the same cannot be given cognizance under our law otherwise our policy would
be offended.

If the spouses national law, however, permits infidelity to be a ground for legal
separation or disinheritance for or unworthiness in matters of succession, the
same will be recognized as valid here.

Rules on Procedure
To enforce rights granted by the husbands national law, resort is had to the lex
fori, hence should suits be litigated in the Philippines our procedural rules will
have to be followed.

Property Relations Between the Husband and the Wife
- Art. 80 of the FC is our conflicts rule on the subject of property relations
between the husband and the wife.
- Art. 80: In the absence of a contrary stipulation in a marriage settlement,
the property relations of the spouses shall be governed by Philippine
laws, regardless of the place of the celebration of the marriage and their
residence.
This rule shall not apply:
(1) Where both spouses are aliens;
(2) With respect to the extrinsic validity of contracts affecting
property not situated in the Philippines and executed in the
country where the property is located; and
(3) With respect to the extrinsic validity of contracts entered into
in the Philippines but affecting property situated in a foreign
country whose laws require different formalities for its
extrinsic validity.
- The law chooses the matrimonial property regime under the national
law of the husband, instead of the wife. This is true even if both the
spouses are foreigners of different nationalities.

The Matrimonial Property Regimes
(a) Absolute Community Regime
- almost all the properties of the marriage are owned in common by
the husband and the wife
(b) Relative Community Regime / Conjugal Partnership of Gains /
Ganancial System / System of Community Acquests
- everything earned during the marriage belongs to the conjugal
partnership
(c) Complete Separation of Property Regimes / System of Separation of
Goods
- each owns his or her earnings
(d) Dotal or Dowry System
- the wife before marriage delivers a dowry or property to the
husband to help out the marriage obligations, but later, when the
marriage is dissolved, the property or its value must be returned
(e) Complete Absorption or Administration by the Husband
- the husband owns all the properties of the marriage but he is liable
for all the debts

(f) Marital Administration System
- each spouse still owns his or her property, but the husband
administers all the properties

** In the Philippines, the general rule is the absolute community regime.

Family Code Vis--vis Corporation Code
- Sec. 10 of the Corporation Code requires from a married woman the
marital consent of her husband to become an incorporator.
- If the wife were to exercise an ordinary occupation or profession, the FC
provides the she no longer needs the consent of the husband. Thus, in
case the wife will need money to be a subscriber or incorporator and if
the money she uses will be community or conjugal funds, the husband
is required to give his consent. If the money is her exclusive or separate
property, she does not need her husbands consent.
- If spouses owned shares of stock before they got married and they
failed to agree on what property regime to adopt, the shares of stock
they used to own individually would have to be deemed as community
property, now governed by the rules of co-ownership under Art. 90 of
the FC. Given such situation, it would be now necessary to require
proof of consent by the other spouse to vote such shares even if the
shares appear in the name of one spouse alone.
- Art. 52 of the FC which requires that the judgment of annulment or of
absolutely nullity of the marriage, the partition and distribution of the
properties of the spouses, and the delivery of the childrens
presumptive legitimes be recorded in the appropriate civil registry or
registries of properties must be taken in conjunction with Sec. 53 of the
Corporation Code. Thus, any transfer of stocks in relation to Art. 52 of
the FC must also be registered in the books of the corporation to be
valid and binding against third persons.

Example
An American, whose national law follows the system of complete separation of
property, marries a Filipino woman, whose national law provides, in the absence
of contrary stipulation in a marriage settlement, the absolute community regime
shall apply. The husband as a technical consultant in an engineering project of
the Philippines earns the sum of Php 4M which he used to purchase a house in
the Philippines. Who owns the house?
- The husband is the exclusive owner of the house. Art. 80 of the Family
Code, it is clear that their matrimonial property relationship shall be
governed by the complete separation of property regime. In other
words, under Art. 80, it is the national law of the husband that
designates the matrimonial property regime to be enforced.

NOTE: Art. 80 of the FC does not refer to the system of marital property
relationship; it refers to such things as the alienation, or disposition of the
properties concerned. Similarly, the husband will not be allowed generally to
donate the house in favor of his wife during the existence of the marriage. This is
because insofar as capacity to alienate or encumber real property in the
Philippines is concerned, it is not the national law that controls. What governs
the transaction is the lex situs. This is also true with reference to formalities
required in the alienation.

Immutability of Matrimonial Property Regime Doctrine
The doctrine of immutability insofar as the matrimonial regime is concerned is this:
regardless of change of nationality on the part of the husband or of the wife or of
both, the original property relations regime at the state of the marriage remains.

The reasons for the doctrine are as follows:
(a) marital peace in property relationship shall be more or less guaranteed;
(b) the spouses will not be able to prejudice creditors, who in turn cannot
jeopardized the interests of the spouses;
(c) even the spouses may protect themselves from each other.

Immutability of the Regime v. Mutability of the Law
While subsequent change of nationality does not affect the original property
regime (doctrine of immutability in the marital property relationship), it cannot be
denied that when the law of the original nationality itself changes the marital
regime, the property relationship has to change accordingly (doctrine of mutability
insofar as the law itself is concerned).

Thus, in the previous example, if subsequent legislation in America alters the
system for example to conjugal partnership regime, this latter regime must
control. However, properties already acquired prior to the effectivity of the new
law shall still be governed by the original system complete separation of
property regime. Otherwise, a person may deprived of his property without due
process of law.


Personal Relations
- In cases where the husband and wife never had any common
nationality, the law of the husband as of the time of the marriage shall
govern. However, where the national law of the husband will violate
the public policy of the forum, his personal law will be disregarded.
- The Hague Convention on Marriage Relations of 1905, after stating that
as a general principle, the rights and duties of the spouses on their
personal relations to each other are governed by their national law,
adds: However, these rights and duties cannot be enforced except by
the means permitted under the law of the country where the
enforcement is sought.
- In short, the forms of action, judgment, and execution are controlled by
the lex fori, but no cause of action is permitted in the forum which is not
also recognized by the national law. On the other hand, though an
action is permitted or recognized by the national law, the lex fori is
competent to bar an action that does not fit in the local system or to
refuse a method of enforcement not permitted by its procedure.

Property Relations
- Aside from those given by Paras, here are the other systems of property
relations:
(1) System of Coverture the womans property, except in certain
cases, passes to the husband, who also acquires ownership of
the property which accrues to her during the marriage.
(2) Community of Movables and of Acquests everything
belonging to either spouse, except immovables not acquired
ruing the marriage as income or profit, passes to the conjugal
partnership.

Philippine Conflicts Rule on Property Relations of Spouses
- Art. 80 of the FC, which applies to marriages contracted from 3 August
1988 onwards is the Philippine conflicts rule on property relations.
- Art. 80 applies to Filipino spouses, in line with the nationality principle
embodied in Art. 15 of the NCC.
- When we speak of property relations, not of personal relations, the
place of celebration of the marriage or even the residence of the spouse
may have secondary relevance; what is more important as the point of
contact is the place where the property is situated, especially with
respect to immovables. Under all known legal systems, immovables are
usually governed by the lex rei sitae.
- Thus, Art. 16 of the NCC must be read into any interpretation of Art. 80
of the FC.
- Marriages before 3 August 1988 are subject to the conjugal partnership
of gains.
- With respect to marriages of Filipino spouses from 3 August 1988
onward, the property relations of Filipino spouses are subject to the
Family Code, which adopts the system of absolute community.

CHAPTER 15
ANNULMENT OF A VOIDABLE MARRIAGE AND DECLARATION
OF NULLITY OF A VOID MARRIAGE

SYNOPSIS OF CONFLICTS RULES
Grounds for annulment (if the
marriage is merely voidable) and
grounds for declaration of nullity
(if the marriage is void ab initio)
The law alleged to have been violated: in
other words, it is the law of the place of
celebration (lex loci celebrationis) subject to
certain exceptions that furnishes the
grounds

Proper Courts
The proper court to annul the marriage or to declare it null and void is the court
of the country of which the parties are nationals or domiciliaries.

Since we follow the nationality theory, our courts have jurisdiction to take
cognizance of annulment and nullity suits where the litigants are Filipinos, or
where they are domiciliaries of the Philippines.

Annulment v. Declaration of Nullity of a Void Marriage
VOIDABLLE MARRIAGE VOID AB INITIO MARRIAGE
Remedy: Annulment Remedy: Ordinarily, there is no need of a
declaration of nullity since there is
nothing to annul. But if a party wants to
obtain damages because of a void marriage,
the only way to obtain said damages would
be by asking the proper court to declare the
marriage null and void.

Grounds for Annulment or Declaration of Nullity
- In Conflict of Laws, the grounds for the annulment of a marriage
alleged to be voidable and the grounds for the declaration of nullity of a
marriage alleged to be null and void are the grounds provided for by
the law alleged to have been violated.
- In general, it is the law of the place of the celebration (lex loci
celebrationis), subject to certain exceptions, that furnishes the grounds.
- Generally, if a marriage is valid where celebrated, it is valid the forum
subject to designated exceptions. By necessary implication we may say:
if a marriage is voidable where celebrated, it shall also be voidable in

our country and if a marriage is void where celebrated, it is also void in
this country.

NOTE: In so far as the grounds for annulment or nullity are concerned it is NOT
the national law that governs; it is the lex loci celebrationis, subject to certain
exceptions. While it is true that under Art. 15 of the NCC, status shall be
governed by the national law, still in this problem, it is the very existence of the
status that it is in issue, and the marriage contract is as we have seen not
governed by Art. 15 but by Art. 26. Upon the other hand, the grounds for legal
separation are those indicated in the national law of the parties concerned, and
not those in the place of celebration of the marriage. On this point, Art. 15 of the
NCC, will apply because a suit or legal separation necessarily admits the validity
of the marriage.

Church Annulments and Declarations of Nullity
They are only for religious purposes and are not binding on the civil laws and
courts of our country, unless amendments to our Family Code are made.

Annulment
Two important questions with which Private International Law is concerned
with reference to annulment:
(a) what court has jurisdiction to declare that a marriage is annulled?
(b) what law governs the annulment of marriage?

Jurisdiction to annul must always be distinguished from the law that determines
the cause or ground for annulment.

Jurisdiction to Annul
- The regularly competent court that has jurisdiction to annul a marriage
is that of the domicile of the parties.
- This is because it is the State of the domicile, more than any other State,
that has the greatest interest in the domestic relations of the contracting
parties.
- In practically all civil law countries following the nationality principle,
nationals of the forum are permitted to sue for annulment irrespective
of their domicile.
- Where the wife was a national of the forum before marriage, jurisdiction
is likewise assumed for one or two reasons:
(1) protection of its own national; and
(2) the added justification that if the marriage is declared void,
there is no possible change of nationality as a result of the
marriage and the court is therefore competent.

Governing Law on Annulment or Nullity
- The general rule is that the law that governs the formal or substantive
validity of the contract of marriage also governs the questions as to
whether there is a valid cause for annulment.
- With reference to the substantive or intrinsic validity of the marriage,
our conflicts rule distinguishes between marriages performed abroad
and those performed in the Philippines.
- Marriages performed abroad and valid there, shall be considered valid
in the Philippines, subject to certain exception.
- Insofar as marriages celebrated in the Philippines are concerned, there is
no difficulty where the contracting parties are both Filipino nationals.
- Where the contracting parties are aliens, or where one is an alien and
the other is a national, the national law of the alien determines whether
he possesses the capacity to marry.
- Whether the parties have different national laws, each of the two laws
must be consulted in order to determine the consequences of failure to
comply with the requirement imposed by each.
- On all other matters of substance not concerned with the capacity to
marry, aliens marrying in the Philippines are governed by Philippine
internal law, the lex loci celebrationis; this law decides whether on such
other matters, there is sufficient ground for annulment.

CHAPTER 16
ABSOLUTE DIVORCE

SYNOPSIS OF RULES FOR ABSOLUTE DIVORCE
(1) If sought in the Philippines
(whether by Filipinos or by
foreigners)
(1) Lex fori (therefore, will not be granted)

Exception: Moslem divorces
(2) If obtained abroad:


(c) Mixed
(2)
(a) National law (therefore, not valid
here even if valid abroad; and this
is true regardless of the cause of
divorce)
(b) National law (if valid in the State
granting it, and valid according to
the national law of the parties, will
also be valid here)
(c) Apply (a) and (b) respectively.

Absolute Divorce v. Annulment
ABSOLUTE DIVORCE ANNULMENT
Dissolves the marriage and
relieves the spouses from their
marital obligations
Its legal effect is to declare that the
marriage never existed
Presupposes a validly existing
marriage
Ends a marriage which though considered
valid in the interim, nonetheless, is
defective
Granted for causes subsequent to
the marriage ceremony
Causes exist at the very time the marriage
is entered into

Kinds of Divorce
ABSOLUTE DIVORCE
(divorce a vinculo matrimoniee)
RELATIVE DIVORCE
(divorce a mensa et thoro)
Marital ties are dissolved Separation from bed and board or legal
separation.

Where parties remain married, although
this time, they are allowed to live
separately from each other.

Rules for Today for Absolute Divorce
(1) If the divorce suit is brought
here in the Philippines:
(c) Between a Filipino and a
foreigner
(1)

(a) It will not prosper
(b) It will not prosper
(c) It will not prosper

(2) If the action is brought in a
foreign court:


(c) Between a Filipino and a
foreigner
(2)

(a) The divorce decree on any ground
will not be recognized here even if
allowed by said foreign court.
(b) The foreign decree of absolute
divorce will be recognized as valid
here only if the following two
conditions concur:
i) The foreign court must have
had jurisdiction to grant the
absolute divorce;
ii) The divorce must be
recognized as valid by the
NATIONAL law of the parties.

NOTE: In case of change of
citizenship , such as for instance by
naturalization, it is the citizenship
at the time of the divorce that
controls.
(c) When the foreigner does not
become a Filipino or when the
Filipino does not become a
foreigner by virtue of the marriage,
the rule is to deny the validity of
the divorce since to rule otherwise
would be unjust to the Filipino.

Manila Surety and Fidelity Co. v. Teodoro
- FACTS: The conjugal partnership of a husband and wife was dissolved
upon their joint petition in Manila Juvenile Domestic Relations Court.
Husband obtained an absolute divorce decree in Nevada and married a
in Hongkong another girl.

- HELD: The divorce decree cannot be considered valid here, hence the
subsequent marriage is void and bigamous. The dissolution of the
conjugal partnership did not dissolve the marriage bonds.
- Although the subsequent marriage is void, Art. 147 of the FC (relating
to co-ownership or to quasi conjugal assets) cannot apply to the fruits of
husbands private properties, since they were not acquired thru the
couples work or industry, nor are they wages and salaries.
- See Art. 144, NCC and Art. 147.

Example 1
- A Filipino couple when to Las Vegas where they obtained a divorce
decree on account of the wifes adultery. Will the divorce decree be
recognized in the Philippines?
o No, because the divorce is contrary to an important public
policy of the forum.

Example 2
- American couple married in the US. Wife obtained a valid divorce in
the US. If she should come to the Philippines, will she be allowed to get
married here?
o Yes, provided she can get a certificate of legal capacity to
contract marriage here.
o The divorce will be recognized as valid here because it is valid
in accordance with her national law and it is valid in the place
which granted the same.

Example 3
- A Filipina married H, a national of X. Under the laws of X, the wife
acquired husbands nationality. Moreover, she expressly renounced her
Philippine citizenship. Later, the couple obtained a decree of absolute
divorce, which was valid in country X. Upon the wifes return to the
Philippines, will she be allowed to marry again here?
o Yes, because by virtue of her acquisition of foreign citizenship
in addition to her repudiation on renouncing of Philippine
citizenship, the rules on foreigners govern the validity of the
divorce. As her divorce is considered valid in country X, her
divorce should be recognized in our courts.

Example 4
- A and B, Filipino citizens, married in Manila. B, the wife then
committed an act of adultery. Thus, A abandoned her.
- B went to Nevada and obtained a final decree of divorce on the ground
of abandonment. Thereafter she married C, an American.
- A, having learned of the divorce, married D in Hongkong and
cohabited with her in Manila.
- 2 years later, B divorced C. She then learned of the marriage of A to D
and immediately filed an action for concubinage.
o The Reno divorce decree cannot be recognized as valid here in
the Philippines because the couples status is governed by the
Philippine law and because our prohibitory laws on persons
cannot be rendered nugatory and ineffective by a contrary
foreign decree or judgment.
o The marriage of A to D, while considered as valid there, cannot
be considered as valid here, because if is a bigamous marriage,
as determined by Philippine law.
o Insofar as the criminal aspects of the case are concerned, A
cannot be prosecuted for bigamy as the crime, if any, was
committed in Hongkong, and thus outside the jurisdiction of
the Philippines. We follow the principle of territoriality, as a
rule, insofar as crimes are concerned.

Prevailing Rule Today on Marriages Celebrated Abroad and Effect of Foreign
Divorce
- See Art. 26, FC.
- General Rule: If valid where celebrated, it is also valid here. This is the
doctrine of lex loci celebrationis, the law of the place of celebration.
- Exceptions: Those prohibited under Articles. 35 (1, 4, 5, and 6), 36, 37,
and 38.
- See Arts. 35-38, FC.
- Rule: If void where celebrated, the marriage shall be considered as void
in the Philippines.
- Rule: If voidable where celebrated, the marriage would also be voidable
here in the Philippines, without prejudice, to the exception under Art.
26.

Requirements to Prove a Foreign Marriage
(a) the existence of the pertinent provision of the foreign marriage law; and
(b) the celebration or performance of the marriage in accordance with said
law.

The foreign law is not of judicial notice and it must, therefore, be proved as a fact.

Imelda Manalaysay Pilapil v. Hon. Ibay-Somera, Hon. Victor, and Erich
Ekkerhand Geiling
- FACTS: F, Filipina, married G, German in Germany. They had a child.
About 3 years after the marriage, G initiated divorce proceedings

against F in Germany. F, on the other hand, filed an action for legal
separation, support and separation of property in RTC Manila.
- Later, the divorce decree was promulgated in Germany on the ground
of failure of marriage. More than five months later, G filed two
complaints for adultery in Manila alleging that while G was still
married to F, F had an affair with W and with another man named J.
- F filed a motion quash which was later denied. When arraigned, F
entered a plea of not guilty.
- F filed special civil action for certiorari and prohibition seeking the
annulment of the order of the lower court denying her motion to quash.
- It is Fs argument that the court is without jurisdiction to try and decide
the charge of adultery, which is a private offense that cannot be
prosecuted de officio, since the purported complainant, a foreigner, does
not qualify as an offended spouse having obtained a final divorce
decree under his national law prior to his filing the criminal complaint.
- HELD: The petition is meritorious. Art. 344 for the RPC provides that
the crime of adultery cannot be prosecuted except upon a sworn written
complaint filed by the offended spouse. Compliance with this rule is a
jurisdiction, and not merely a formal, requirement.
- The law specifically provides that in prosecutions for adultery and
concubinage the person who can legally file the complaint should be the
offended spouse, and nobody else.
- Corollary to such exclusive grant of power to the offended spouse to
institute the action, it necessarily follows that such initiator must have
the status, capacity or legal representation to do so at the time of the
filing of the criminal action.
- Art. 344 of the RPC presupposes that the marital relationship is still
subsisting at the time of the institution of the criminal action for
adultery. It would be absurd if his capacity to bring the action would be
determined by his status before or subsequent to the commencement
thereof, where such capacity or status existed prior to but ceased before,
or was acquired subsequent to but did not exist at the time of the
institution of the case.
- Considering also Art. 26 of the FC, the SC held that F, being no longer
the husband of F, had no legal standing to commence the adultery case
under the imposture that he was the offended spouse at the time he
filed the suit.

Rules on Absolute Divorce Prior to the New Civil Code and the Family Code
- The Divorce Law which became effective of 11 Marcy 1917 allowed only
absolute divorce on the grounds of:
(1) adultery on the part of the wife; or
(2) concubinage on the part of the husband.
- Absolute divorce of Filipino couples obtained in foreign countries were
considered valid here only if the court had jurisdiction and if the
ground was one of the two grounds provided under Philippine Divorce
Law.

NOTE: Please refer to the book of Paras for the discussion of absolute divorce under other
old Philippine laws.

Divorce
- Only Filipino couples, as a general rule, are covered by the policy
against absolute divorces.
- Aliens may obtain divorces abroad which may be recognized in the
Philippines, provided they are valid according to their national law.

Philippine Conflicts Rule on Divorce
- As long as they are Filipino citizens, they cannot obtain a divorce decree
abroad which would be recognized in the Philippines.
- Art. 26, FC: Where a marriage between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner
is validly celebrated and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad
by the alien spouse, capacitating him or her to remarry, the Filipino
spouse shall likewise have capacity to remarry under Philippine law.

Recognition of Foreign Divorces Under the Present Law
- Filipino couples cannot obtain absolute divorces abroad which will be
entitled to recognition in the Philippines.
- Where the absolute divorce decree involves alien spouses, the
prevailing rule in jurisdictions following the nationality principle is to
recognize the decree, if valid by their national law, in spite of the fact
that internal municipal law may not recognize absolute divorce but only
legal separation.
- Where the alien spouses have different nationalities, what national law
will provide the test of whether the divorce obtained is valid or not?
German law and practice hold that a decree concerning two foreigners
is recognized as valid if rendered at the marital domicile and recognized
by the national law of the husband.
- In marriages where one of the spouses is a national of the Philippines,
recognition of divorce will depend on several factors, i.e. whether the
Filipino spouse acquires the nationality of the foreign spouse; whether it
was the foreign spouse or the Filipino spouse who obtained divorce (see
examples of Paras or Salonga).

CHAPTER 17
LEGAL SEPARATION

(1) Grounds for legal separation:

(a) Adultery
(b) Concubinage
(c) Attempt by one spouse
against the life of the other

(1) National law of the parties

(a) If of the same or common
nationality the common
national law governs
(b) If of different nationalities the
grounds given by BOTH
national laws should ALL be
considered proper grounds

NOTE: Residence requirement if suit is
brought in the Philippines:
(a) If cause occurred in the
Philippines NO residence
requirement
(b) If cause occurred outside the
Philippines one year
residence is required in our
country (Art. 99, NCC)

Legal Separation v. Absolute Divorce
LEGAL SEPARATION ABSOLUTE DIVORCE
Does not sever the marriage bonds Dissolves the marriage hence the
parties allowed to remarry
Reconciliation prevents a suit for legal
separation or rescinds one already
granted
Reconciliation does not revive a
marriage already dissolved by a decree
granting absolute divorce

Legal Separation v. Annulment of Marriage
LEGAL SEPARATION ANNULMENT OF MARRIAGE
Can be granted for causes arising
AFTER the celebration of the marriage
Requires causes existing PRIOR TO or
AT THE TIME the wedding takes
place
Grounds are those given by the
national law of the parties concerned,
inasmuch as this is purely a question
Generally, the grounds are those given
by the lex loci celebrationis, inasmuch as
annulment questions the very
of status, the validity of the marriage
being presumed or admitted
existence of that status

Grounds for Legal Separation
- The grounds are those given by the national law of the spouses.
- If the nationality of the husband and the wife be different, the grounds
enumerated under the national law of the husband PLUS the grounds
given by the national law of the wife constitute all the available grounds
for granting them legal separation.
- Foreigner may sue for legal separation in the Philippines even if they
did not get married here; the grounds of course will be those given by
their national law.
- Art. 55, FC provides for the grounds for legal separation.
- Art. 56, FC provides for the grounds for denial for petition for legal
separation.

Residence Requirments
- See Art. 99, NCC.
- Thus, if the cause took place in the Philippines there is NO residence
requirement.
- If the cause took place outside the Philippines, the law requires a
residence here of one year.
- The one-year residence requisite should suspend the running of the
prescriptive perioed.
- The requirement in Art. 99 is jurisdictional.

Pastor Tenchavez v. Vicente Escano
- FACTS: H and W, both Filipino, were married in the Philippines. W
obtained an absolute divorce from her husband from Nevada. She then
married an American. Both reside in US and W later acquired American
citizenship.
- Later, H initiated legal separation proceedings in the Philippines.
- ISSUE: Will the legal separation proceedings and relief for damages
prosper?
- HELD: Yes, because W technically committed adultery, her divorce not
being recognized here in the Philippines.
- The change from Philippine to American citizenship is immaterial for
the change was made AFTER the grant of absolute divorce. What is
important is the citizenship at the time of the grant of the divorce.

Doctrines from Tenchaves Case

(1) A foreign divorce between Filipino citizens sought and decreed after the
effectivity of the NCC is NOT entitled to recognition as a valid decree in
this country;
(2) Neither is the marriage contracted with another party by the divorced
consort subsequent to the foreign decree of divorce, entitled to validity
in the Philippines;
(3) The remarriage of the divorced spouse and cohabitation with a
person other than her lawful spouse entitled the latter to obtain a decree
of legal separation;
(4) The desertion and obtaining of an invalid divorce decree by one entitles
the other to recover lawful damages;
(5) An action for alienation of affections against the parents of one consort
will not prosper in the absence of proof of malice and unworthy
motives on their part;
(6) A valid marriage remains subsisting under Philippine laws despite the
decree of absolute divorce from a foreign court; and
(7) To grant effectivity to such foreign divorce would be to patently violate
the declared policy of the State as enunciated in the third paragraph of
Art. 17 of the NCC.

Defenses in Legal Separation
(a) Condonation
- This means forgiveness, express or implied.
- To constitute valid defense, it must be free, voluntary and not
induced by duress or fraud.
- Sleeping together after full knowledge of the offense is
condonation.
- Each sexual intercourse of the wife outside the marriage is a
separate act of adultery. Therefore, condonation of one act does not
necessarily imply condonation of the others.
- Where the wife left the conjugal home after her adulterous acts
were discovered, the fact that the husband did not actively search
for her is not condonation.
(b) Consent
- It may be express or implied.
- It must not be clouded by fraud, duress, or even mistake.
- Consent is PRIOR to the act; condonation comes AFTER.
(c) Connivance
(d) Recrimination or Mutual Guilt
- Recrimination is a charge made by an accused against the accuser;
in particular, a countercharge of adultery or concubinage made by
one charged with the same offense in a suit for legal separation,
against the person who has charged him or her.
- When both parties are in pari delicto, there is no offended spouse
who deserves to bring the action.
(e) Collusion
- This is an agreement whereby one party will pretend to have
committed the ground relied upon.
- A legal separation obtained through collusion is void.
- The law requires proof, not a mere stipulation of facts or a
confession of judgment. The proof may be either direct or
circumstantial.
(f) Prescription (Art. 57, FC)
Although prescripti on should ordinarily be alleged, this is not so
in legal separation or annulment proceedings. Therefore, the court
even by itself can take cognizance of prescription of the cause of
action because the case involves public interest.

People v. Schneckenburger
FACT: H, husband, who was an alien consul in Manila, and his wife
entered into a mutual agreement whereby each could carnally live with
others, without interference from either. The husband then lived with
another woman. W, wife, filed a case for concubinage. H presented in
defense the prior agreement or consent.
HELD: H is not guilty. The SC held that it did not legalize the
agreement. But because the girl had previously given her consent, she is
now undeserving of sympathy.

Ocampo v. Florenciano
FACTS: W, wife, left the conjugal home after H, husband, discovered
that W was having illicit relations with A. Later, H against caught his
wife having carnal knowledge with N. H told W he was filing suit for
legal separation. W agreed on condition that she would not be charged
criminally. When the Prosecutor outside of court asked W why she
failed to file an answer, she replied that she was in conformity with the
legal separation. RTC and CA denied the legal separation on the ground
that there was confession on judgment.
HELD: The legal separation should be granted, in view of the presence
of other evidence. Here, there was only an extrajudicial admission and
not confession of judgment. Also, the SC considered that there is
evidence of adultery independently of the statement made by W to the
Prosecutor. What the law prohibits is a judgment based on exclusively
or mainly on the confession of judgment.

Effect of Death During the Pendency of the Case
If one party dies during the pendency of the cases, the same should be dismissed
since the action is purely a personal one. This is true even if there would have
been effects of property fights if a decree of legal separation had been granted.


Legal Separation
Legal separation may be claimed only by the innocent spouses,
provided there has been non-condonation of or consent to the adultery
or concubinage.
Where both spouses are offenders, a legal separation cannot be claimed
by either of them. Collusion between the parties to obtain legal
separation shall cause the dismissal of the petition.
Alien spouses may also apply for such relief in Philippine courts. There
is no infringement of morality or public policy involved.
But since Philippine rules on conflict of Laws follow the nationality
principle on family rights and duties, status, condition, and legal
capacity, the following provisions of the Hague Convention relating to
relative divorce and legal separation are relevant:
Art. 1. Married persons may apply for divorce provided the
law of the state to which they belong (national law) and the
law of the place where the application is made both permit
divorce.

The same applies to separation from bed and board.

Art. 2. Divorce may be granted only if obtainable in the
particular case under both the national law of the spouses and
the law of the place where the application is made, though on
difference grounds.
Civil law countries take into account the position of the national law of
the spouses, with regard to the following points:
(1) Jurisdiction in the case of aliens is not assumed unless the
national law of the parties is willing to recognize this
jurisdiction;
(2) Divorce is not granted, unless it is agreeable to the internal aw
of the national State of the parties.
In short, separation from bed and board depends upon the approval of
such an institution by the national law of the parties. The Hague
Convention relating to Divorce and Separation provides that the system
of law last common to each of the spouses shall be considered as the
national law.

CHAPTER 18
PATERNITY AND FILIATION, ADOPTION,
GUARDIANSHIP AND FUNERALS

Paternity/Maternity vs. Filiation
Paternity/Maternity Filiation
Father/Mother Relation Of Child
Child Relation To Father/Mother

What are the Conflict Rules on Paternity and Filiation?
1. To determine whether child is legitimate national law of the father
2. Then the rules that govern the relationship and duties between parent
and child depends on whether child is determined
a. Legitimate use national law of father
b. Illegitimate use national law of mother

When should be the decisive time to determine such applicable law?
Time of childs birth

Why are presumptions of legitimacy governed by the law of the male parent
rather than the law of the forum?
Because presumptions of legitimacy are not rules of evidence but rather rules of
substantive law

Under Philippine law, what are the rights of legitimate children?
1. Bear surnames of the father and mother
2. Receive support from parents
3. Legitime and other successional rights

What is Legitimation?
Remedy or process by means of which those who in fact were not born in
wedlock, and should therefore be ordinarily considered illegitimate children, are
by fiction and upon compliance with certain requirements, regarded by the law
as legitimate

Requisites for Legitimation
1. Child must be conceived and born outside wedlock of parents who at
the time of the conception of the child were NOT disqualified by any
impediment to marry each other
2. There must be a subsequent valid marriage


Kinds of Legitimation
1. Legitimation per subsequens matrimonium recognition of the child by
the father
2. Legitimatio per rescriptum principis recognition by conduct of public
repute of the parent

To what time does legitimation relate back to?
1. In the Philippines birth of the child
2. Other countries time of legitimation

What is the Doctrine of Immutability of Status?
Theory that the status of a child (i.e. legitimacy) is NOT affected by the
subsequent change of nationality of the parents, however, the rights and
obligations of parents and child will be determined by the NEW nationality

How does the Doctrine of Immutability of Status relate to legitimation?
1. Legitimation not affected by change of nationality
2. Rights and duties of parents and child affected by change of
nationality

What is Adoption?
Process of making a child whether related or not to the adopter, possess in
general the rights accorded to a legitimate child

What are the Conflict Rules on Adoption?
1. To determine whether status of adoption is created national law of
adopter
2. BUT compliance with procedural requisites Philippine law IF
adoption takes place in the Philippines

What is the Principle of Cumulation?
Principle whereby courts should satisfy the substantive requirements of both the
national law of the adopted person (i.e. Philippine law requires written consent
of natural parents) and the national law of the adopting spouses

Who may not adopt under Philippine Law?
1. Guardian with respect to ward prior to approval of the final accounts
rendered upon termination of the guardianship
2. Any person convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude
3. An alien EXCEPT
a. Former Filipino citizen who seeks to adopt a relative by
consanguinity
b. One who seeks to adopt the legitimate child of his/her Filipino
spouse
c. One who is married to a Filipino citizen and seeks to adopt
jointly with his/her spouse a relative by consanguinity of the
latter (Article 184, Family Code)
4. An alien with whose government the Republic of the Philippines has no
diplomatic relations (Article 187 No 2, Family Code)

What if a former Filipino citizen married to an alien spouse wishes to adopt her
minor brother?
It is not allowed despite Article 184 (3a) because law mandates joint adoption by
husband AND wife and since the spouse is an alien and does not fall under any
of the exceptions provided for in Article 184, they cannot validly adopt the
brother of the former Filipino citizen (People v Judge Tolentino)

Is an alien not under the exceptions laid out in Article 184 absolutely prohibited
from adopting a Filipino child?
No, he may still adopt in accordance with the rules on intercounty adoption

If an alien adopts a Filipino child, what rule governs the rights and duties of the
adopter and the adopted?
National law of the adopter

Will the adopted non-Filipino child acquire the Filipino citizenship of his
Filipino adopter?
No, for the following reasons
1. While the adopted child has the rights of a legitimate child, citizenship
is not a right
2. Even if citizenship were a right, it is not enumerated as one of the rights
of legitimate children
3. Acquisition of citizenship partakes the character of naturalization and is
not regulated by the Civil Code but by special laws (Ching Leng v
Galang)

What law governs the successional rights of the adopted child?
National law of the deceased


What are the successional rights of the adopted child?
1. Heir of his adopting parents
2. Intestate heir of his natural parents and blood relatives

Are foreign decrees concerning adoption recognized in the Philippines?
There is nothing to prevent our tribunals from recognizing such as long as
1. The court granting the same was vested with jurisdiction
2. The judgment is meritorious and arrived at impartially
3. No collusion or extrinsic fraud (Sec 50 Rule 39, Rules of Court)

How should be give effect to a foreign decree of adoption?
Same effect as the national law of the adopter would have given it because
adoption is a status UNLESS said effect comes under any of the exceptions to the
application to foreign law

Guardianship
Kinds Court Who Appoints
Guardian over the Person Where ward domiciled
Guardian over the Property Where properties may be found
General Guardians Where ward domiciled AND where
properties may be found

What are the Philippine rules on the petition for appointment of guardians?
1. If the ward is a resident relative, friend or other person on behalf of
the resident minor or incompetent or the minor himself if 14 years of
age or over
2. If the ward is a non-resident (but has estate in the Philippines)
relative, friend, any one interested in his estate

What are incidents of funerals?
Funeral expenses

What law governs the incidents of funerals?
Law of the country where the body is to be buried

What are the Philippine rules on Funerals?
1. Duty to make arrangements for funerals are on persons obliged to
support the deceased while still alive (Art 305, Civil Code)
2. Funeral should be within social position of deceased (Art 306, Civil
Code)
3. Pompous and elaborate funeral of a criminal on whom death penalty
was inflicted is prohibited (Art 85, RPC)

CHAPTER 19
REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTIES

What law governs real properties?
GENERAL RULE
Concerned With Law
Real property (formalities, capacity of
parties and intrinsic validity)
Where property is situated
EXCEPTIONS
Concerned With Law
Succession rights to real property National law of deceased
Capacity to succeed in inheritance
problems
National law of deceased
Contracts involving real property but
not really dealing with title thereto
Proper law of the contract
(lex voluntatis or
lex loci intention)
Principal contract
(loan)
(lex voluntatis or
lex loci intention)
Validity of
contracts where
real property is
given by way of
security (i.e.
mortgage
contract)
Accessory
contract
(mortgage)
Where property is situated

When does lex situs govern real properties?
GENERAL RULE
Concerned With Law
Capacity to take and transfer
immovables*
Formalities of conveyance*
Essential validity and effect of
transfer*
Interpretation and effect of
conveyance

Where property situated

Validity and effect of mortgages and
other encumbrances*
Where property mortgaged situated
(not law where principal contract
executed)
Marital interest in land
Equitable interests in land
Where property situated
EXCEPTIONS
Concerned With Law
Succession* National law of deceased
Issue is not effect of transaction but
rights and liabilities of parties
between themselves*
Validity and effect of principal
contract (i.e. contract of loan with
mortgage)*
Proper law of the principal contract
governs the principal contract
Validity of a contract of transfer (as
distinguished from the validity of the
transfer of land which is determined
by lex situs)

*Same as Paras

What law governs personal properties?
Old rule
Mobilia sequuntur personam (movable property follows the law of the owner)

Present rule
General - Lex situs or where personal property is situated
Exception - Lies in the difference between personal properties (chose in
possession and chose in action)

Reasons for Applying Lex Situs to Movables
1. Since personal property has no fixed situs, an artificial one must be
created
2. The new rule is simple
3. The new rule is more stable

Defects of Applying Lex Situs to Movables
1. Too inflexible and oversimplified
2. Lumps different kinds of personal properties together

What is a Chose?
It is a thing, an article of personal property

Kinds of Choses
1. Choses in possession tangibles

2. Choses in Action intangibles (i.e. shares of stock, franchises and
copyrights)

What is a Chose in Possession?
Person thing of which one has possession

Laws that Govern Chose in Possesion
Chose in Possession Law
General rule Where chose in possession situated
Exceptions Same as those provided for in real
properties
Vessels Law of the flag or place of registry

Transportation
that usually
moves Others Law of the depot (storage place for
supplies) or resting place
Loss, destruction,
deterioration
Law of the destination
Validity and
effect of seizure of
goods
Where seized (locus regit actum)
because this is their temporary situs

Goods in Transit
Disposition or
alienation of
goods
(lex voluntatis or
lex loci intention)
because there is a contract

What is a Chose in Action?
The right bringing an action or right to recover a debt or money including:
1. Right of proceeding to procure payment of money or
Right to recover personal chattel or money or
Right to recover personal chattel or money by action
2. Personal right not reduced to possession but recoverable by a suit at law
3. Right to personal things of which the owner merely a right of action for
their possession (and not the possession itself)
4. Personal chattels not in possession
All property in action which depends entirely on contracts
5. Right to receive or recover a debt, demand or damages on a cause of
action ex contractu or for a tort or omission

Laws that Govern Chose in Action
Chose in Action Law that Governs
Recover of debts or involuntary
assignment of debts (garnishment)
Place where debtor may effectively be
served with summons
Validity and effectiveness of voluntary
assignment of a debt
(lex voluntatis or
lex loci intention)

Other Theories:
National law of the debtor or creditor
Domicile of the debtor or creditor
Lex loci celebrationis
Lex loci solutionis
Situs of a debt for purposes of taxation Domicile of creditor
Purposes of administrating debts Place where assets of debtor are
actually situated
Negotiability or non-negotiability of an
instrument (bill of exchange)
Law embodied in the instrument (i.e.
Philippine cheque = Philippine law)
Validity of transfer, delivery or
negotiation of instrument
Law of the situs of the instrument at
the time of the transfer, delivery or
negotiation
Effect on a corporation of the sale of
corporate shares
Place of incorporation
Effect between parties of the sale of
corporate shares
(lex voluntatis or
lex loci intention)
Taxation on dividends Place of incorporation
Franchises Law of place that granted them
Goodwill and taxation of business Where business is carried
Patents, copyright, trademarks and
tradenames
State that granted or recognized them

Illustration: Taxes and Customs
1. If paid chose in possession
2. If unpaid chose in action

CHAPTER 20
WILLS, SUCCESSION AND ADMINISTRATION

What is the Extrinsic Validity of Wills?
Those which refer to requirements such as writing, of attesting witnesses and of
acknowledgment

What are the conflict rules on the Extrinsic Validity of Wills?
Testator Where Followed Law Basis
Lex nationalii
Lex domicilii
Article 816, CC Alien Abroad
Lex celebrationis Art 17 par 1, CC
Alien Philippines Lex nationalii
Lex loci
celebrationis
Art 817, CC
Filipino Abroad Lex nationalii
Lex celebrationis
Art 815, CC
Filipino Philippines Lex nationalii Civil Code

What are the conflict rules on the Extrinsic Validity of Joint Wills?
Testator Where Validity Basis
Alien Abroad Valid if valid
according to lex
nationalii or lex
domicilii or lex
celebrationis
Art 816 and 817
Alien Philippines Void Public policy
Filipino Abroad Void in the
Philippines even
if valid in place
where executed
Art 819, Civil
Code
Filipino Philippines Void Civil Code

What does the intrinsic validity of wills include?
1. Order of succession
2. Amount of successional rights
3. Intrinsic validity of provisions

What law governs the intrinsic validity of wills?
Lex nationalii REGARDLESS of location and nature of property and
NOTWITHSTANDING the fact that testator provided otherwise

Miciano vs Brimo
- Testators will provide that even if were a Turk, he wanted his estate to
be disposed of in accordance with Philippine laws
- Because of this, testators brother was deprived of his legacy
- SC: condition is contrary to law
- Impossible conditions and those contrary to law or good customs shall
be considered as not imposed and shall in no manner prejudice the heir,
even if the testator should otherwise provide (Art 873, CC)
- Condition provided by testator is against Art 16 which insist on the
application of deceaseds national law
- Hence, the condition should not be followed

Theories on the Proper Law for the Transmission of Successional Rights
1. Unitary or Single System one law governs transmission of both real
and personal property
2. Split or Scission System one law governs real property while the other
governs personal property

Which theory does the Philippines follow?
Unitary system because only the national law of the deceased that governs
whatever may be the nature of the property and regardless of the country
wherein said property may be found

What is the basis of the adherence to the Unitary System?
Real property as well as personal property is subject to the law of the country
where it is situated.

However, intestate and testamentary succession, both with respect to the order of
succession and to the amount of successional rights and to the intrinsic validity
of testamentary provisions, shall be regulated by the national law of the person
whose succession is under consideration, whatever may be the nature of the
property and regardless of the country where said property may be found (Art
16, CC)

Is the national law of the decedent followed despite its being contrary to our
own laws?
Yes, whatever public policy or good customs may be involved in our system of
legitimes, Congress has not intended to extend the same to succession of foreign
nationals for it has specifically chosen to leave, inter alia, the amount of

successional rights, to the decedents national law and specific provisions must
prevail over general ones (Bellis vs Bellis)

What law governs Capacity to Succeed?
Capacity to succeed is governed by the law of the nation of the decedent (Art
1039, CC)

What are the conflict rules on Revocation of Wills?
Testator Where Revoked Followed Law Basis
Non-resident of
the Philippines
Philippines Philippines Art 829, CC
Resident of the
Philippines
Philippines Philippines Art 829, CC
Non-resident of
the Philippines
Abroad Lex celebrationis
Lex domicilii
Art 829, CC
Resident of the
Philippines
Abroad Lex domicilii
(Philippine law)
Lex loci actus of
the revocation
(where revoked)
Not provided for
by Art 829 but
can be under Art
17 par 1, CC

Note: In revocation, domicile is important

What law governs the Interpretation of the Words of a Will?
1. Rules of construction referred to in the will
2. In default thereof, national law of deceased

What is the effect of the change of nationality of the testator?
1. With reference to extrinsic validity nationality at time will was
executed should control
2. With reference to intrinsic validity, order of succession and successional
rights nationality at moment of death should control (Art 777, CC)

What are Caduciary Rights?
Right of the state to claim through escheat proceedings properties of decedents
who are not survived by any heirs

What law governs Caduciary Rights?
Conflict rules should be abandoned such as Art 16 par 2 which directs the
application of the national law of the deceased and properties should go to the
government (i.e. if Turkish woman dies in the Philippines leaving property here,
Philippine Government should get the properties)
What is Probate?
The act of proving before a competent court the due execution of a will possessed
of testamentary capacity, as well as the approval thereof by the said court

What are the conflict rules on Wills Executed Abroad?
Regardless of whether probated or not abroad (place where executed), still have
to be probated here because foreign judgments do not have automatic
extraterritorial effect BUT there is no need to prove all over again the due
execution of the will, it being enough to ask the Philippine court for the
enforcement of the foreign judgment on probate abroad

What is the Administration of Estate?
Duties of the representatives of the deceased person in bringing the estate of the
deceased into a position in which he may safely distribute the balance or residue
after payment of debts to the persons beneficially entitled

Who are the persons in charge of administration of the estate?
1. Executor one appointed in the will (given letters testamentary)
2. Administrator one appointed by the court if there is no will (given
letters of administration)
3. Administrator with a will annexed - one appointed by the court if there
is a will but does not name an executor or named one but the latter is
incompetent or unwilling

Who cannot serve as executors or administrators?
1. Minors
2. Non-residents of the Philippines
3. Persons in the opinion of the Court unfit to execute the duties of the
trust by reason of drunkenness, improvidence, or want of
understanding or integrity, or by reason of conviction of an offense
involving moral turpitude (Rule 78 Sec 1, ROC)

What are the principal duties of an executor or administrator?
1. To file a bond
2. To make within 3 months a true and complete inventory
3. To administer the estate
4. To collect all accounts receivable and to pay all debts and taxes
5. To pay allowances to the surviving spouse and children
6. To maintain in tenable repair the houses and other structures and fences
belonging to the estate
7. To prepare a project of partition
8. To render a true and just account of his administration within 1 year
and at any other time when required by the Court
9. To perform all orders of the Court required of him

What is an Auto-Contract?
Contract whereby an executor or administrator of an estate appoints himself as
agent of the said estate, this is VOID

Kinds of Administrators
1. Domiciliary or Principal administrator in state where testator was
domiciled at the time of his death
2. Ancillary administrator in other states

What law governs Administrartion?
Lex fori NOT national law

What is a Trust?
Fiduciary relationship concerning property which obliges the person holding it
to deal with the property for the benefit of another

Who has legal title in the property in trust?
Trustee or holder NOT the guardian, administrator or executor

Kinds of Trust
1. Express created by parties or intention of testator
2. Implied created by operation of law (Art 1441, CC)

How can an Express Trust be created?
1. Act mortis causa will
2. Act inter vivos writing, deed or meeting of minds
As long as the trust is in writing because no express trust concerning an
immovable or any interest therein may be proved by parol evidence (Art 1443,
CC) BUT this is only for enforceability and not for validity

How can an Express Trust be terminated?
1. Mutual agreement
2. Expiration of term of the trust
3. Fulfillment of the resolutory condition
4. Rescission or annulment
5. Loss of the subject matter of the trust (physical loss or legal
impossibility)
6. Order of the court (as when purpose of the trust is frustrated)
7. Merger
8. Accomplishment of the purpose of the trust

What law governs the validity (extrinsic and intrinsic) of trusts?
Lex fori

CHAPTER 21
OBLIGATIONS AND CONTRACTS

What is an Obligation?
Juridical relation whereby a person (called a creditor) may demand from another
called a debtor the observance of a determined conduct (the giving, doing or not
doing) and in case of breach, may demand satisfaction from the assets of the
latter

What is a Contract?
Meeting of minds between two persons whereby one binds himself, with respect
to the other, to give something or to render some service (Art 1305, CC)

What is Form?
External side of the making of the contract, the means of signifying consent, the
expression as opossed to the content of the legal declarations

What law governs the Formal or Extrinsic Validity of contracts?
General Rule
The forms and solemnities of contracts, wills and other public instruments shall
be governed by the laws of the country in which they are executed (Art 17, CC),
in other words the LEX LOCI CELEBRATIONIS

What are the reasons for applying lex loci celebrationis?
1. Sovereignty - an obligation originates in a territory of a sovereign and
therefore depends on the conditions imposed there
2. Voluntary submission parties by entering into a contract deemed to
have voluntary submitted themselves to the law of the place where the
contract was formally executed
3. Business expedience and convenience

Is the application compulsory?
Old rule: Yes
New rule (Second Restatement): No, formalities of contract governed by law
chosen by parties and place where contract executed
Philippine rule:
Optional approach when re: formal validity of wills (Art 816, CC)
Compulsory approach when contracts (Insular Government vs Frank)


What is the place of execution when a contract is entered into by overseas
telephone or by exchange of cablegrams?
Contract is presumed to have been entered into the place where the offer was
made (Art 1319 par 2, CC)

Exceptions
1. If involves sale of property lex situs
2. If contract is celebrated in a foreign country but within the premises of
the Philippine embassy or consulate in said foreign state (consular
contracts) Philippine law through the principle of exterritoriality

Exterritoriality vs Extraterritoriality
Exterritoriality Extraterritoriality
Virtue by which foreign
persons and their things
are exempted from the
jurisdiction of a State on
the theory that they form
an extension of the
territory of their own
state
Definition Exemption of foreign
persons from laws and
jurisdictions of the state
in which they presently
reside, an exemption
which can exist only by
virtue of a treaty
stipulation to this effect
Exemption of persons
and things
Scope Exemption of persons
only
Premised on
international custom
Source Exist only because of a
treaty

What is Capacity?
Power of a party to bind himself effectively by contract

What law governs the Capacity of the Parties (to contract)?
General Rule
National law (Art 15, CC)

Exception
1. Alienation and encumbering of properties (real and personal) lex situs
(Art 16 par 1, CC)
2. Contract entered into in the Philippines Philippine law
3. Performance in the Philippines AND public policy on matter will be
jeopardized Philippine law

What is Essential or Intrinsic Validity?
Nature, content and effects of the contract

What law governs the Intrinsic Validity of contracts?
Lex contractus (proper law of the contract) which is either agreed upon by the
parties (Lex loci voluntatis) or intended by them expressly or impliedly (lex loci
intentionis)

What law governs the Intrinsic Validity of contracts?
Second Reinstatement of 1969
The essential validity of a contract is to be determined by the law chosen by the
parties, and in the absence thereof, by the law of the State which has the most
significant relationship to the parties or transaction

Philippine Law
Same as Second Reinstatement but with additional limitation -- not against the
law, morals or public policy of the forum (Philippines)

Can the parties select a law which is not where the contract is executed or
celebrated (no connection to transaction)?
Yes, PROVIDED the choice of law is not just in the spirit of adventure or to
provide mental exercise for the judge
For example the place of execution and celebration have unknown legal systems,
it is possible for them to use the law of a place generally known

Is there an instance when the law selected by the parties is not to be followed?
Yes, if the law which the parties select declares the said contract as void and if
the law which the parties select contravenes public policy

Pakistan International Airlines vs Ople
Stipulation in employment contract of 2 Filipina stewardesses which specifies the
law of Pakistan as the applicable law of the agreement and lays the venue for the
settlement of any dispute arising out of the agreement only in the courts of
Pakistan
SC: Stipulation void being contrary to Philippine labor laws, thus, Philippines is
still the proper forum for resolution of disputes between the parties

Note: Same ruling applies to adhesion contracts

Factors to Determine Implied Agreement of Parties (as to the law to be applied)
1. Law having most substantial connection with the transaction
2. Nationality and domicile of parties
3. Law most favorable for the effectivity of the contract

How can the parties be said to impliedly agree to a law to be applied?
When the contract does not refer to any law but contains legal expressions
peculiar to a particular law

What is the Center of Gravity or Grouping of Contracts Approach?
Applies the law where the transaction has its center of gravity or the most
important connection

Factors to Determine State Having Most Substantial Connection with the
Transaction
1. Place of negotiation
2. Place of contracting
3. Location of subject matter
4. Place of performance
5. Domicile, residence, nationality, place of incorporation and place of
business of the parties
Note: When the place of negotiation and performance are in the same State, the law
of this State is usually applied

What are the limitations in choosing the law to govern a contract?
1. May be made expressly or impliedly
2. May choose more than one law but one law must govern a different
element of the transaction
3. Cannot select a law that has no connection with the transaction
4. If selected law changes, it is the law as changed that will apply
5. While parties may stipulate on proper law, they cannot stipulate on
jurisdiction of courts

What if under the law selected the contract is legal but in the place of
performance it is illegal?
The contract is still legal

Other Theories on What Should Govern Intrinsic Validity
Theory Advantages Defects
1. Theory of Lex Loci
Celebrationis
Place of execution easily
ascertained
-Makes possible the
evasion of national law
-Place of contracting
may have very little
substantial connection
with the transaction
2. Theory of Lex
Nationalii
-Lex Nationalii may not
be easily determined
-Investigation of Lex
Nationalii may be time
consuming
-Nationality of parties
may be different
3. Theory of Lex Loci
Solutionis
Inherent and natural
connection of the place
of performance with the
contract itself
-May be different places
of performance
-Place of performance
may not have been
previously fixed

What is the Theory of Prof Minor?
Different laws govern different parts of the contract
1. Perfection lex loci celebrationis (where celebrated)
2. Sufficiency and validity of cause or consideration lex loci
considerationis (where consideration located)
3. Questions of performance lex loci solutionis (place of performance)

Illustration
X and Y entered into a contract in Madrid Spain
X would construct for Y an apartment in Manila
Consideration is Ys house and lot in San Francisco
What laws would govern
Perfection Spanish law (lex loci celebrationis)
Sufficiency and validity of cause or consideration California law (lex loci
considerationis)
Questions of performance Philippine law (lex loci solutionis)
But validity of contract in general will be governed by Philippine law (lex situs)

What are the conflict rules for Specific Contracts?
Specific
Contract
Extrinsic
Validity
Capacity of
Parties
Intrinsic
Validity
Others
Sales and
Barter
Lex situs
Lease of
Property
Lex situs
Lease of
Services
Lex loci
celebrationis

National law
Lex
voluntatis or
lex loci
intentionis
n/a
Contract of
Common
Carriage of
Goods

Fixed situs of carrier (depot or resting place)
Liability for
loss,
destruction
or
deterioration
of goods in
transitu -
Law of
destination
Contract of
Agency
Lex loci
celebrationis
(unless the
agency deals
with
conveyance
or
encumbering
property in
which case
lex situs
applies)
National law
of the praties
(unless the
agency deals
with
conveyance
or
encumbering
property in
which case
lex situs
applies)
Lex loci
voluntatis or
lex loci
intentionis
(unless the
agency deals
with
conveyance
or
encumbering
property in
which case
lex situs
applies)
n/a
Simple Loan
(Mutuum)
Lex loci
celebrationis
National law Lex loci
voluntatis or
lex loci
intentionis

Commodatum Lex situs
Pledge,
Chattel, Real
Mortgage and
Anti-chresis

Lex situs
Guaranty and
Suretyship
Lex loci
celebrationis
National law Lex loci
voluntatis or
lex loci
intentionis

What are the conflict rules for Specific Contracts?
1. Money Deposits place of the banking or financing institution
2. Contracts with Arbitration and Choice-of-Forum Clauses what
provision provides HOWEVER if its effect is to oust the jurisdiction of
the local courts, it is unenforceable
3. Air Transportation Contracts Warsaw Convention


CHAPTER 22
TORTS (QUASI-DELICTS)

Liability and damages for torts in
general

NOTE: The locus delicti (place of
commission of torts) is faced by the
problem of characterization. In civil law
countries, the locus delicti is generally
where the act began; in common law
countries, it is where the act first became
effective.
Lex loci delicti commissi (law of the place
where the delict was committed)

NOTE: Liability for foreign torts may
be enforced in the Philippines if:
(c) the tort is not penal in
character
(d) if the enforcement of the
tortious liability will not
contravene our public policy
(e) if our judicial machinery is
adequate for such enforcement

Definition of Tort
It is a legal wrong committed upon anothers person or property independent of
a contract.

Article 20, NCC
Article 20 of the Civil Code: Every person who, contrary to law, willfully or
negligently causes damage to another, shall indemnify the latter for the same.

This article embraces two concepts of tort:
1. Spanish Tort
- based on culpa aquiliana or negligence
- Art. 2176, NCC: Whoever by act or omission causes damage to
another, there being fault or negligence, is obliged to pay for the
damage done.
2. American Tort
- based on malice and willful intent

Reasons for the Lex Loci Delicti Commissi Rule
1. The state where the social disturbance occurred has the primary duty to
redress the wrong, and to determine the effects of the injury;
2. The law of said state must be presumed to have been foremost in the
mind of the parties concerned; thus, they acted with knowledge of the
resultant consequences under said law.

Characterization of the Locus Delicti
1. Civil Law Theory
- the locus delicti is where the act began
- this is because rules on tort are intended to regulate human
conduct; hence a person who willfully or negligently acts contrary
to social norms must be held liable for any injury caused.
2. Common Law Theory
- the locus delicti is where the tortious act first became effective
- the reason is until there is produced some effect, some result, no
injury to wrong has really been committed, despite the disregard of
human norms.
- The law on torts seeks to give protection and redress; without
injury, there is no necessity for judicial intervention and relief.
3. Dr. Rabels Theory
- the locus delicti is the place which has the most substantial or
essential connection with the act

SPECIAL RULES
1. If the tort is committed aboard a public vessel, whether on the high seas
or in foreign territorial waters, the country to which the vessel belongs
is the locus delicti; the law of the flag is thus the lex loci delicti commissi.
2. If the tort takes place aboard a private or merchant vessel on the high seas,
the law of the flag is likewise the lex loci delicti commissi.
3. If the tort concerns property, whether real or personal, the lex situs is
usually also the lex loci delicti commissi.
4. Maritime Torts
(a) If the colliding vessels are of the same state, or carry the same flag,
said law is the lex loci delicti commissi.
(b) If the vessels come from different states, whose laws however, on
the matter are identical, said laws constitute the lex loci delicti
commissi.
(c) If the vessels come from different states with different laws, the lex
loci delicti commissi is the general maritime law as understood and
applied by the forum where the case is tried.

Enforceability of Foreign Torts in the Philippines
In the Philippines, foreign torts may properly be the subject of suits provided
following conditions are present, aside from the requisite that our courts must
have jurisdiction over the case:
1. The foreign tort must not be penal in character;
2. The enforcement of the tortious liability will not contravene our public
policy; and

3. Our judicial machinery must be adequate for such enforcement.

Application by Philippine Courts of the Proper Lex Loci Delicti Commissi
Once our tribunals find themselves confronted with the properly proved and
pleaded lex loci delicti commissi, sad law will now be used to govern, among other
things, the following points:
1. The proper prescriptive period;
Sec. 48 of the Code of Civil Procedure: If, by laws of the state or country
where the cause of action arose, the action is barred, it is also barred in
the Philippine Islands.
2. The proper parties;
3. Whether or not the act is considered the proximate cause of the injury;
4. The measure of damages, except punitive ones;
5. The burden of proof and the defenses that may be interposed.


Definition of Tort
- Tort, which is a common law term, has no exact equivalent in civil law.
- Roman law used the term quasi-delict to cover cases where, although
there was no intention nor fault, liability was imposed on grounds of
expedience.
- In many civil law countries, the term delict is usually confined to
intentional injuries.
- Quasi-delict refers to injury caused by negligence.
- In Anglo-American law, there is no such distinction. The term tort
covers both (1) intentional and negligent injury and (2) strict liability.
- Philippine law on torts represents the blending of civil and Anglo-
American concepts.
- See Arts. 19-21, 2176, 2180, and 2187 of the NCC.

Two-Fold Purpose of Tort Rules
(1) To deter other wrongdoers; and
(2) To compensate the injured persons.

Place of Wrong
- The traditional rule was simply the recognition by the forum that where
all the elements of a tortious act occurred in one State, the law of the
latter should logically be referred to for the purpose of determining the
existence and consequences of the tort.
- However, due to the complexities of present-day society, the damage or
harm complained of may result from a series of acts or events
transpiring in different states. Determining the place of wrong may be
quite difficult to answer.
- The civil law rule, considers the locus delicti as the place where the
alleged tortious conduct was carried out by the defendant.
- Under the traidional American rule, the wrong is considered done in
the place where the injury is sustained. This rule is in line with the
vested rights theory. The inured person acquired a vested right only
when a cause of action arises; such cause of action is born only when
injury is sustained. Hence, the tort must be localized at the place of the
last event.

Modern Theories and Rules on Tort Liability
(1) The German rule of elective concurrence
(2) The State of the most significant relationship rule
(3) State-interest analysis
(4) Cavers Principles of Preference

German Rule
- Tort is committed in both the place where the actor engages in his
conduct and in the place where the effects of his conduct occur.
- Under this approach, a place of tort is assumed to be wherever an
essential part of the tort has been committed.

State of the Most Significant Relationship Rule
- The rights and liabilities of the parties with respect to an issue in tort are
determined by the local law of the state which, with respect to the
particular issue, has the most significant relationship to the occurrence
and the parties.
- In detertermining the State which has the most significant relationship,
the following contacts are to be taken into account:
(a) the place where the injury occurred;
(b) the place where the conduct causing the injury occurred;
(c) the domicile, residence, nationality, place of incorporation and
place of business of the parties; and
(d) the place where the relationship, if any, between the parties is
centered.
- The Second Restatement lays down separate rules for different torts and
for different issues in tort; the identity of the State of the most
significant relationship depends upon the nature of the tort and upon
the particular issue.
- The place of injury is of particular importance in cases of personal
injuries and of injuries to tangible things, in false imprisonment,
malicious prosecution, and abuse of process.
- The principal location of the defendants conduct may have the greater
weight in cases of fraudulent representation, or of unfair competition.
- In situations involving multi-state publication of matter that injures the
plaintiffs reputation, his place of business may be the most important
contact in determining the applicable law.

State-Interest Analysis
- All relevant and governmental concerns of a state in an issue, not only
as a sovereign in a set of facts or an entity but as a repository of justice,
must be considered by a court of law in determining which law to
apply.
- The first step in the analysis is to separate false or spurious conflicts
from true conflicts. There is a false conflict when two or more States
having some connection with the event or the parties have tort rules
pointing to different results, but upon analysis of the purposes
underlying the divergent rules, it becomes apparent that the purpose of
only one of them would be advanced by its application in the case.
- Where the forum can assert an interest in the application of its law, the
forums should apply its own internal law.
- Where the forum is a disinterested forum, the court should generally
dismiss the case on the ground of forum non conveniens.
- Criticisms on the State-Interest Analysis
(1) The forum may be led to exaggerate its own policies and
interests in order to justify application of its own law to
conflicts problems.
(2) Its terminology is unfortunate.
(3) In the absence of choice-of-law rules, how ill courts be guided
in the resolution of genuine conflicts cases?

Cavers Principles of Preference
- When a State has no statutory provision as to the law that should
regulate the question of tort liability in conflicts cases, its courts should
be guided by certain rules in determining which of the conflicting rules
should apply to an alleged tort.
- Four suggested principles:
(1) Where the liability laws of the State of injury set a higher
standard or conduct or of financial protection against injury
than do the laws of the State where the person causing the
injury has acted or has his home, the laws of the State of injury
should determine the standard and the protection applicable to
the case, at least where the person injured was not so related to
the person causing the injury that the question should be
relegated to the law governing their relationship.
(2) Where the liability of the laws of the state in which the
defendant acted and caused injury set a lower standard of
conduct or of financial protection that do the laws of the home
State of the injured person, the laws of the State of conduct and
injury should determine the standard of conduct or protection
applicable to the case, at lease where the injured person was
not so related to the defendant that the question should be
relegated to the laws governing their relationship.
(3) Where the State in which a defendant has acted has established
special controls, including the sanction of civil liability, over
conduct of the kind in which the defendant was engaged when
he caused a foreseeable injury to the plaintiff in another State,
the plaintiff, though having no relationship to the defendant,
should be accorded the benefit of the special standard of
conduct and of financial protection in the State of the
defendants conduct, even though the State of injury had
imposed no such controls or sanctions.
(4) Where the law of a State in which a relationship has its seat has
imposed a standard of conduct or of financial protection on
one party to that relationship for the benefit of the other party
which is higher than the like standard imposed by the State of
injury, the law of the former State should determine the
standard of conduct or financial protection applicable to the
case for he benefit of the party protected by the States law.

Philippine Conflicts Rule on Tort Liability
- We do not have any codal or statutory provision regarding tort liability
which is affected by the laws of two or more States.
- If the Philippines has an interest other than as a forum, and if our
internal law on torts is in conflict with the law of another State, a
Philippine court should resolve the conflict by the following method:
(1) First, ascertain and weigh the purpose underlying the tort law
of the forum as applied to the particular case.
(2) Second, examine and weigh the interests of the other State. If
Philippine courts finds that the Philippines has a substantial
connection with the parties or the operative facts and that our
internal law on tort embodies a social or economic policy
which will be advanced by its application to the case, it should
not hesitate to apply the law of the forum. Otherwise, it
should apply the law of the other State.

Enforcement of Claim for Foreign Tort
- As a general rule, an action for a foreign tort may be brought in any
place where the defendant may be served with process or is subject to
suit.
- In Anglo-American law, there is one tort action that is considered local,

so that recovery is not allowed outside the State where the wrong
occurred. This constitutes an exception to the general rule and involves
action for trespass to foreign realty.

Tort Liability Arising from Acts of Official Torture
- There now exists an international consensus that recognizes basic
human rights and obligations owed by all governments to their citizens.
- Official torture is now prohibited by the law of the nations.

CHAPTER 23
CRIMES

Essential elements of a crime and
penalties therefore
Generally were committed (locus regit
actum)

Theories as to What Court has Jurisdiction
(a) Territorial theory where the crime
was committed
(b) Nationality or Personal theory
country of which the criminal is a
citizen or a subject
(c) Protective theory any state whose
national interests may be jeopardized
has jurisdiction so that it may protect
itself
(d) Real theory any state whose penal
code has been violated has
jurisdiction, whether the crime was
committed inside or outside its
territory
(e) Cosmopolitan or Universality theory
the state where the criminal is found
or which has his custody has
jurisdiction
(f) Passive Personality theory the state
of which the victim is a citizen or
subject has jurisdiction

NOTE: In the Philippines, we follow the
territorial theory in general; by way of
exception, Art. 2 of the RPC stresses the
protective theory.
The locus delicti certain crimes:
(a) Frustrated and
consummated homicide,
murder, infanticide, and
parricide
(b) attempted homicide,
murder, infanticide, and

(a) where the victim was injured (not
where the aggressor wielded his
weapon

(b) where the intent victim was (not
where the aggressor was situated)

parricide

(c) bigamy

(d) theft and robbery

(e) estafa or swindling though
false representations

(f) conspiracy to commit
treason, rebellion, or
sedition

NOTE: Other conspiracies are
not penalized by our laws.

(g) libel
(h) continuing offense

(i) complex crimes
so long as weapon or the bullet either
touched him or fell inside the territory
where he was
(c) where the illegal marriage was
performed
(d) where the property was unlawfully
taken from the victim (not the place to
which the criminal went after the
commission of the crime)
(e) where the object of the crime was
received (not where the false
representations were made)
(f) where the conspiracy was formed (not
where the overt act of treason,
rebellion or sedition was committed)

(g) where published or circulated
(h) any place where the offense begins,
exists or continues
(i) any place where any of the essential
elements of the crime took place

Definition of Crimes
Crime an act or omission punishable by law
Felony transgression against our Revised Penal Code
Offense transgression against a special law
Infraction transgression against a local or municipal ordinance

Crimes v. Torts
Crimes Torts Similarities
Offenses against the state Violate private rights Both are unlawful acts
requiring redress
Prosecuted in the name of
the state
Instituted in the name
of the aggrieved party
Crimes require criminal
intent for offenses of
deceit and malice; torts
based on malice
(American concept of
tort) fundamentally insist
on intent
Requires proof of guilt
beyond reasonable doubt
Mere preponderance
of evidence would
suffice to obtain
judgment for the
plaintiff
Crimes mala prohibita and
crimes of negligence or
imprudence do not
necessitate criminal
intent; torts based on
negligence or culpa
aquiliana or quasi-delicts
cannot be premised on
intent
Purposes: punishment,
reformation, exemplarity
and deterrence
Purposes: civil
indemnification
Both crimes and torts,
governed as they are by
lex loci delicti, have their
respective defenses

Characterization
Whether an act is a tort or a crime depends on the characterization accorded the
actuation in the sate where it is committed. In the Philippines, certain acts may
be BOTH torts and crimes.

Theories as to What Tribunal has Jurisdiction to Take Cognizance of Criminal
Cases (Theories on Extra-Territorial Competence)

1. Territorial Theory
2. Nationality or Personal Theory
3. Protective Theory
4. Real Theory
5. Cosmopolitan or Universality Theory
6. Passive Personality Theory

TERRITORIAL THEORY
- Under this theory, the state where the crime was committed has
jurisdiction to try the case; the penal code it will apply will be its own;
the penalties to be meted out will also depend on its own law.
- In general, it is the theory that is adhered to in the Philippines.
- In some countries, the territorial principle includes:
(a) Subjective Territorial Principle the state has jurisdiction to
prosecute crimes begun within the state but completed abroad.
(b) Objective Territorial Principle the state can prosecute
offenses begun abroad but completed in its territory.

NATIONALITY THEORY/PERSONAL THEORY/ACTIVE NATIONALITY
PRINCIPLE

- Under this theory, it is the country of which the criminal is a citizen or a
subject has jurisdiction to try him for the offense he is supposed to have
committed, whether the effectuation of the act be inside or outside its
territory, provided that the act is a crime under his countrys penal law.
- According to this theory, penal laws follow a citizen or subject wherever
he may be and wherever the crime was committed, even if this be
outside of the territorial jurisdiction of his own native land.

PROTECTIVE THEORY
- Under this theory, any state whose national interests may be
jeopardized has jurisdiction over criminal offenses, even if committed
outside of its territory, and in some cases, even if committed by an alien
in order that it may protect itself.
- By way of exception, this principle finds support in Art. 2 of the RPC.

REAL THEORY/ECLECTIC THEORY
- Under this theory, any state whose penal code has been transgressed
upon has jurisdiction to bring to justice the perpetrators of the offense,
whether the crime was committed inside or outside of its own territory.
- It demands authority over ALL crimes committed against a states penal
statutes so long as any substantial contact is made with the state.
- Examples: piracy, slavery, drug trafficking, immoral traffic in women
and children, war crimes

COSMOPOLITAN/UNIVERSALITY THEORY
- Any state where the criminal is found or which has custody over him is
vested with jurisdiction to try him for the crime he is alleged to have
committed unless extradition is possible.

PASSIVE PERSONALITY/PASSIVE NATIONALITY THEORY
- Under this theory, the state of which the victim is a citizen or subject has
jurisdiction.
- Reason: A wrong having been inflicted on its citizen or subject, a state is
duty bound to seek justice by criminally prosecuting the offender.

Philippine Theory in Criminal Law
- As a general rule, the Philippines follows the territorial theory.
- By way of exception, the Philippines also occasionally make use of the
protective theory.
- Philippines penal legislation is considered to be endowed with the
principle of generality that is, regardless of the nationality of the
criminal, we consider him subject to our criminal processes.
- Art. 14 of the NCC: Penal laws and those of public security and safety
shall be obligatory upon all who live and sojourn in Philippine territory,
subject to the principles of public international law and to treaty
stipulations.
- Art. 2 of the RPC: Except as provided in the treatises and laws of
preferential application, the provisions of this Code shall be enforced
not only within the Philippine Archipelago, including its atmosphere;
its interior waters and maritime zone, but also outside of its jurisdiction,
against those who:
(1) Should commit an offense while on a Philippine ship or
airship;
(2) Should forge or counterfeit any coin or currency note of the
Philippine Islands or obligations and securities issued by the
Government of the Philippine Islands;
(3) Should be liable for acts connected with the introduction into
these Islands of the obligations mentioned in the preceding
number;
(4) While being public officers or employees, should commit an
offense in the exercise of their official functions;
(5) Should commit any of the crimes against national security.

Crimes Committed Aboard Public Vessels
- Whether the crime committed aboard a public vessel took place on the
high seas or within our territorial waters, the country whose flag the
vessel carries has jurisdiction on the theory that the vessel in an
extension of the territory of the said state.

Crimes Committed Aboard Private or Merchant Vessels
- If the crime committed aboard a private or merchant vessel occurred on
the high seas, the country of the flag of the vessel has jurisdiction.
- If the crime aboard a private or merchant vessel o f a foreign state took
place inside Philippine territorial waters two theories have generally
been used to determine the question of jurisdiction: the English rule
(which emphasizes territorial principle) and the French rule (which
stresses the nationality theory).

(a) The English Rule Here the territory where the crime was
committed will have jurisdiction except:
(1) in matters relating to the internal order and discipline
in the vessel; and
(2) those which affect solely the ship and its occupants as
minor or petty criminal offense by members of the
crew.
(b) The French Rule Here, the state whose flag is flown by the
vessel, would have jurisdiction EXCEPT if the crime affects the
peace, order, security, and safety of the territory.


CHAPTER 24
JURIDICAL PERSONS

What is a Corporation?
Artificial being created by operation of law, having the right of succession and
the powers, attributes, and properties expressly authorized by law or incident to
its existence (Sec 2, Corporation Code)

Advantages of Doing Business Through a Corporation
1. Limitation of individual liability of shareholders
2. Transferability of shares
3. Capacity to act as a legal unit, to hold and own property, to contract, to
sue and be sued as a separate entity
4. Continuity of existence
5. Centralized management and standardized methods of organization
and financing

Theories on the Personal or Governing Law of a Corporation
1. Law of the Place of Incorporation
2. Law of the Place or Center of Management
3. Law of the Place of Exploitation

What is the Law of the Place of Incorporation?
Personal law of a private corporation is governed by the law of the place of
incorporation premised on the idea that a corporation is merely a creature of the
law under which it was organized and without such law granting existence, it
would be a non-entity

What is the defect of the Law of the Place of Incorporation?
Makes possible the evasion of many responsibilities by the simple expedient of a
company organizing in one state and performing its corporation functions in
another

Who follows the Law of the Place of Incorporation?
England, United States, Russia, German and in a modified way, the Philippines

What is the Law of the Place or Center of Management?
Personal law of a private corporation is governed by the place where officers of
the corporation exercise the functions of management and control (through
board meetings)

Where is usually the Place or Center of Management?
1. Where technical work is done
2. Where headquarters or its chief executive office is

What is the defect of the Law of the Place or Center of Management?
Difficulty may arise when the board meets in different states which of course
may be cured by express reference to its AOI or by-laws

Who follows the Law of the Place or Center of Management?
Almost all civil all countries

What is the Law of the Place of Exploitation?
Personal law of a private corporation is governed by the law of the place
principally affected by its activities

What are the defects of the Law of the Place of Exploitation?
1. Corporation may have its enterprise scattered in all parts of the world
2. Physical acts are not as important as the decisions arrived at board
meetings

Why is important to determine the personal law of a corporation?
1. Apply protectionist economic restrictions
2. Define an enemy corporation
3. Qualify an enterprise for economic assistance, exemptions, incentives or
subsidies or for national treatment
4. Entitle it to diplomatic protection

What is the theory followed in the Philippines?
General Rule
Law of Place of Incorporation based on For the purposes of this Code, a foreign
corporation is one formed, organized or existing under any laws other than those
of the Philippines and whose laws allow Filipino citizens and corporations to do
business in its own country or state (Sec 123, Corporation Code)

Exception
1. For Constitutional Purposes (natural resources, media, retail)
2. For Wartime Purposes

What does the personal law of a corporation govern?

1. Requisites for the formation of the corporation (but not pre-corporation
contracts such as those entered into by promoters preliminary to the
incorporation of the company)
2. Kinds of stocks allowed
3. Transfer of stocks
4. Issuance, amount, and legality of dividends
5. Powers and duties of members, stockholders and officers

What law governs the validity of corporate acts?
Law of the place of incorporation AND law of the place of performance

What corporate acts can a corporation engage in?
General Rule
Any activity

Exceptions
1. Prohibited by law or statute (i.e. Constitution)
2. Against public policy
3. Extraordinary or special franchise (i.e. public utilities)
4. Not authorized by place of incorporation

What is required of foreign corporations in order to be able to transact business
in the Philippines?
License

What is the effect if the foreign corporation enters into a contract in the
Philippines without the required license?
Contract is still valid but unenforceable

What law governs a corporations right to sue and amenability to court
processes?
Lex fori

What is the Philippine law on a foreign corporations right to sue and
amenability to court processes?
1. If doing business must have license to sue
2. If not doing business can sue without license
3. If sues merely on isolated acts can sue without license
4. If transacts business outside Philippines can sue without license

What does a foreign corporation need to sue in the Philippines?
General Rule
Needs a license to sue

Exceptions
1. Isolated transactions
2. Protection of intellectual property (trademarks, unfair competition, etc)
3. Transactions made and executed outside of the Philippines
4. Mere counterclaim

When is a foreign corporation doing business?
When it transacts therein in some substantial part of its ordinary business which
is continuous in character as distinguished by merely casual or occasional
transactions

Transaction Doing Business
First time transports merchandise to
the Philippines although previously its
vessel had been chartered to transport
rice to the Philippines
No
Foreign corporation which owns the
controlling interest of a domestic
corporation (even when it tries to sell
its own shares here in the Philippines)
No
Resident agent of foreign corporation
entered into contract of sale of goods
cif Pacific Coast (contract
consummated in US)
No
Foreign corporation sells its goods in
the Philippines through a resident
merchant on commission basis
No
the Philippines through an exclusive
distributing agent
Yes
the Philippines through a resident
agent whose business is to solicit
orders and sell the corporate goods
forwarded to it by the corporation for
delivery to the buyers
Yes
Foreign corporation issues marine Yes

policies abroad to cover Philippine-
bound cargo, makes policies payable in
the Philippines, and appoints and
keeps an agent here
Foreign corporation takes part of
bidding in the Philippines
No

Who determines whether a foreign corporation is doing business?
Law of forum

What did maam say about doing business in the Philippines?
Doing business is determined not by the frequency of transaction but relation to
the corporations principal business or the corporations intention to do it again

When is a foreign corporation doing business?
1. Soliciting orders
2. Service contracts
3. Opening offices (whether liaison or branches)
4. Appointing representatives or distributors
Operating under full control of a foreign corporation
Domiciled in the Philippines
Stay in the Philippines for a period or periods totaling 180 days
5. Participating in management, supervision or control of any domestic
business in the Philippines
6. Other act or acts that imply a continuity of commercial dealings or
arrangements (Foreign Insvestments Act of 1991)

When is a foreign corporation NOT doing business?
1. Mere investment as a shareholder by a foreign entity in domestic
corporations
2. Having a nominee director to represent its interests in such corporation
3. Appointing a representative or distributor domiciled in the Philippines
which transacts business in the representatives or distributors own
name and account
4. Publication of a general advertisement through any print or media
5. Maintaining a stock of goods in the Philippines solely for the purpose of
having another entity process it in the Philippines
6. Consignment of a foreign entity of equipment with a local company
used for processing foods for export
7. Collecting information in the Philippines
8. Performing services auxiliary to an existing isolated contract of sale
which are not on a continuing basis

Can the court acquire jurisdiction over foreign corporations notwithstanding the
absence of a license or a resident agent?
Yes, because if the defendant is a foreign corporation, or a non-resident joint
stock company or association, doing business in the Philippines, service may be
made on its resident agent designated in accordance with law for that purpose,
or if there be no such agent, on the government official designated by law to that
effect, or on any of its offcers or agents within the Philippines (Rule 14 Sec 14,
ROC)

What is the reason for this rule?
Jurisdiction depends on reasonableness in relation to the suit and activities or
contacts with the forum and not on the absence or presence of license

Ways a Foreign Corporation May Be Subjected to Jurisdiction
1. License
2. Consent
3. Ownership of property in the State
4. Activities within or having an effect within a State

What law governs the dissolution of a corporation?
Law of place of incorporation

Where is the domicile of the corporation?
Place where its legal representation is established or where it exercises its
principal functions (Art 51, CC)

Why is the determination of domicile important?
Purpose of determining the basis of assessment

When is a receiver appointed?
When there is a need to preserve the property of a private corporation or
sequester it for the benefit of creditors

Who appoints the receiver?
State where corporation was incorporated

What is a Partnership?
Contract whereby two or more persons bind themselves to contribute money,
property or industry to a common fund, with the intention of dividing the profits
among themselves, or in order to exercise a profession (Art 1767, CC)


What law governs partnerships?
Law of the place where it was created

Where is the domicile of the partnership?
Place where its legal representation is established or where it exercises its
principal functions (Art 51, CC)

When is a receiver appointed?
When there is a need to preserve the property of a private corporation or
sequester it for the benefit of creditors

Who appoints the receiver?
State where corporation was incorporated

*Note: Same as corporations

What are Foundations?
Combinations of capital, independent of individuals and organized principally
for charitable, medical or educational purposes (non-profit purposes)

What law governs foundations?
Law of the place from which it is administered

What are Multinational Corporations?
Clusters of corporation with separate entities controlled by one corporation
usually in a developed country

Can you sue the mother corporation for acts of local corporations?
According to maam, first determine whether mother corporation and local
corporation are really separate entitles (pierce corporate veil)
If they are separate entities, you cannot sue BUT if they are just one entity (same
payroll, same advertising), you can sue the mother corporation provided you
acquire jurisdiction over the latter

How are Juridical Persons taxed?
1. Domestic and resident foreign all sources
2. Licensed non-resident sources in the Philippines only

What is Domestication?
Process whereby a state effects a change in the status of the foreign corporation,
at least in legal effect

Does obtaining a license convert a foreign corporation into a domestic
corporation?
No, it only becomes a domesticated corporation

Recognition of Foreign Business Association vs Granting of License
In recognition, the State merely admits the fact of legal personality of a business
corporation but does NOT admit or involve the right of said business to do or
transact business in the said State
In granting of license, the State permits the business corporation to do or transact
business in the said State

Theories of Recognition
1. Territorial no legal existence beyond sovereignty where it was created
2. International has legal existence beyond sovereignty where it was
created
3. (No name) - restricts admission of foreign corporations by imposing
comprehensive examination, supervision and control of foreign
enterprises

CHAPTER 4
THE NATURE AND PROOF OF FOREIGN JUDGMENTS

Nature of Foreign Judgments
- A foreign judgment does not itself have any extra-territorial application.
For a foreign judgment to be made effective in our country, it is
imperative that it be proved in accordance with our prescribe rules on
the matter.

Recognition of Foreign Judgments v. Enforcement of Foreign Judgments
- For both recognition and enforcement, proof of the foreign judgment
has to be presented.
- The requisites or conditions for the recognition or enforcement of
foreign judgments must be present.

Recognition of Foreign Judgments Enforcement of Foreign Judgments
It means that our courts will allow said
foreign judgment to be presented as a
defense to local litigation (the defense
of res adjudicate).
Enforcement exists when a plaintiff
wants the courts to positively carry out
and make effective in the Philippines a
foreign judgment.
It involves merely the sense of justice. It implies a direct act of sovereignty.
It does not require either action or a
special proceeding.
It necessitates a separate action or
proceeding brought precisely to make
the foreign judgment effective.
It may exist without foreign judgment. It necessarily carries with it
recognition.

Recognition of Foreign Judgments Enforcement of Foreign Judgments
Given the same effect it has in the
State where it was rendered with
respect to the parties, the subject
matter of the action and the issues
involved
In addition to being recognized, a
party is given affirmative relief to
which the judgment entitles him
Extending the res judicata effect of a
judgment obtained in one State to
another State

Does not necessarily imply
recognition
Implies recognition

Basis of Recognition of Foreign Judgments
1. Comity and reciprocity
2. Legal obligation (vested rights)
3. Res judicata

Reasons why not all foreign judgments can be recognized or enforced in our
country
1. The requisite proof thereof may not be adequate;
2. They may contravene our established public policies;
3. They may contradict one another;
4. In some countries, the administration of justice may be shockingly
corrupt.

Requisites of a Valid Foreign Judgment Recognizable in the Philippines
1. Judgment in a judicial or quasi judicial action in a proper judicial
proceeding before a court with jurisdiction
2. Valid and binding
3. Constitutes res judicata
4. State which rendered judgment practices reciprocity
5. If judgment consists of money, it must be fixed
6. Not contrary to public policy
7. Not obtained through fraud or collusion

Conditions and requisites before foreign judgments may be enforced and
recognized in the Philippines
1. There must be proof of foreign judgment.
2. The judgment must be on a civil or commercial matter.
- If it involves criminal, revenue, administrative, or remedial matter,
the same would fall under the exceptions to the application of
foreign law.
3. There must be no lack of jurisdiction, no want of notice, no collusion, no
fraud, no clear mistake of law or fact.
- Fraud here means extrinsic fraud (fraud based on facts not
controverted or resolved in the case where the judgment was
rendered.
4. The judgment must not contravene a sound and established public
policy of the forum.
5. The judgment must be res judicata in the state that rendered it.
- The requisites for res judicata:

a. The judgment must be final.
b. The court rendering the judgment must have jurisdiction
over the subject matter and over the parties.
c. The judgment must be on the merits.
d. There must be identity of parties, of subject matter, and of
cause of action (except to the cause of action, the real cause
of action is now the recognition or enforcement of the
foreign judgment on the original cause of action.

Effect of Failure to Plead or Prove Foreign Law
1. Court has alternative to dismiss the case.
2. Presumption of identity or similarity arises, namely that foreign
law is the same as the domestic law (also called Processual
Presumption).
3. Presumption arises that party acquiesced in having their
controversy determined by the law of the forum.

Provisions of the Rules of Court on foreign judgments
- Rule 39, Section 50. Effect of foreign judgments. The effect of judgment
of a tribunal of a foreign country, having jurisdiction to pronounce the
judgment is as follows:
a. In case of a judgment against a specific thing, the judgment is
conclusive upon the title to the thing;
b. In case of judgment against a person, the judgment is
presumptive evidence of a right as between the parties and
their successors in interest by a subsequent title; but the
judgment may be repelled by evidence of want of jurisdiction,
want of notice to the party, collusion, fraud, or clear mistake of
law or fact.


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