3 - MITSUBISHI MOTORS PHILIPPINES CORPORATION v. BUREAU OF CUSTOMS P46,844,385.

00 in taxes and customs duties which can then be

G.R. No. 209830|June 17, 2015|PERLAS-BERNABE: used for various public works and projects.
BOTTOMLINE NG CASE: HINDI DAPAT NIREFER NG CA YUNG CASE NI BOC SA CTA, 10. Mitsubishi filed a MR arguing that since CA has no jurisdiction over BOC’s
DAPAT DINISMISS NA LANG NIYA. SINCE MALI, FINAL AND EXECUTORY NA DECISION appeal, it cannot perform any action on it except to order its dismissal.
NI RTC, CONSIDERING NA RIGHT TO APPEAL IS A STATUTORY PRIVILEGE LANG. Mej DENIED. Hence, this petition.
walang kwenta facts, nilagay ko lang baka magtanong siya. ISSUE: WON the CA correctly referred the records of the collection case to the CTA
1. This case arose from a collection suit filed by the Bureau of Customs (BOC, for proper disposition of the appeal taken by respondent. NO. PETITION GRANTED.
respondent) against Mitsubishi Motors (petitioner) for unpaid taxes and
custom duties (aggregate amount 46.84M++)  Jurisdiction is defined as the power and authority of a court to hear, try, and
2. BOC alleged that Mitsubishi was able to secure tax credit certificates (TCCs) decide a case.
from various companies; after which it made several importations and  In order for the court or an adjudicative body to have authority to dispose
utilized said TCCs for payment of custom duties and taxes (aggregate of the case on the merits, it must acquire, among others, jurisdiction over
amount 46.84M++, same amount they want to collect). Believing the the subject matter.
authenticity of the TCCs, BOC allowed Mitsubishi to use it to settle their tax  Jurisdiction over the subject matter is the power to hear and determine the
and customs liabilities. general class to which the proceedings in question belong; it is conferred by
3. However, it was revealed in the post-audit investigation of the DOF that the law and not by the consent or acquiescence of any or all of the parties or by
TCCs were fraudulently secured with the use of fake commercial and bank erroneous belief of the court that it exists.
documents. Thus, Mitsubishi never settled its taces and customs duties in  Thus, when a court has no jurisdiction over the subject matter, the only
the said importations. power it has is to dismiss the action.
4. BOS demanded payment of the said unsettled tax and customs duties. No
avail. Hence, this case. CA erred in referring the records of the collection case to the CTA for proper
5. Mitsubishi’s defense: it acquired the TCCs from their original holders in good disposition of the appeal taken by respondent.
faith and that they were authentic; thus, their remittance to BOC should be  Section 7 (RA 1125, as amended by RA 9282)
considered as proper settlement of its liabilities as to the said importation. o Sec. 7. Jurisdiction. – The CTA shall exercise:
6. RTC – dismissed collection case but was eventually reinstated and the trial xxx c. Jurisdiction over tax collection cases as herein provided: xxx
on the merits continued. 2. Exclusive appellate jurisdiction in tax collection cases:
7. After BOC’s presentation of evidence, Mitsubishi filed a Demurrer to a. Over appeals from the judgments, resolutions or orders of the
Plaintiff’s evidence, essentially contending that respondent failed to prove Regional Trial Courts in tax collection cases originally decided by
by clear and convincing evidence that the TCCs were fraudulently procured. them in their respective territorial jurisdiction. xxx
Thus, Mitsubishi prayed for the dismissal of the complaint.  Section 3, Rule 4 of the Revised Rules of the CTA, as amended
8. RTC granted Mitsubishi’s demurrer to Evidence, dismissed BOC’s collection o Sec. 3. Cases within the jurisdiction of the Court in Divisions. – The
case on the ground of insufficiency of evidence. Court in Divisions shall exercise: xxx
a. BOC had not shown any proof or substantial evidence of fraud or c. Exclusive jurisdiction over tax collections cases, to wit: xxx
conspiracy by Mitsubishi in the procurement of the TCCs. Fraud is Appellate jurisdiction over appeals from the judgments, resolutions
never presumed and it must be established by clear and convincing or orders of the Regional Trial Courts in tax collection cases
evidence. originally decided by them within their respective territorial
9. CA – referred the records of the collection case to the CTA for proper jurisdiction.
disposition of the appeal.  The foregoing provisions explicitly provide that the CTA has exclusive
a. CA admitted that it had no jurisdiction to take cognizance of the appellate jurisdiction over tax collection cases originally decided by the RTC.
appeal, as jurisdiction is properly lodged with the CTA. However, it  In this case, CA has no jurisdiction over Mitsubishi’s appeal; hence, it cannot
opted to relax procedural rules in not dismissing the appeal perform any action on the same except to order its dismissal pursuant to
outright. Section 2, Rule 50 of the Rules of Court.
b. CA deemed it appropriate to simply refer the matter to the CTA,
considering that the government stands to lose the amount of
 o The act of the CA in referring respondent’s wrongful appeal before
it to the CTA under the guise of furthering the interests of
substantial justice is blatantly erroneous, and thus, stands to be
corrected.
 Anderson v. Ho - the Court held that the invocation of substantial justice is
not a magic wand that would readily dispel the application of procedural
rules.
o procedural rules are designed to facilitate the adjudication of cases.
Courts and litigants alike are enjoined to abide strictly by the rules.
o While in certain instances, we allow a relaxation in the application
of the rules, we never intend to forge a weapon for erring litigants
to violate the rules with impunity. The liberal interpretation and
application of rules apply only in proper cases of demonstrable
merit and under justifiable causes and circumstances. While it is
true that litigation is not a game of technicalities, it is equally true
that every case must be prosecuted in accordance with the
prescribed procedure to ensure an orderly and speedy
administration of justice.
In view of respondent’s availment of a wrong mode of appeal via notice of appeal,
stating that it was elevating the case to the CA – instead of appealing by way of a
petition for review to the CTA within thirty (30) days from receipt of a copy of the
RTC’s August 3, 2012 Order, as required by Section 11 of RA 1125, as amended by
Section 9 of RA 9282.
 SC is constrained to deem the RTC’s dismissal of respondent’s collection case
against petitioner final and executory.
 It is settled that the perfection of an appeal in the manner and within the
period set by law is not only mandatory, but jurisdictional as well, and that
failure to perfect an appeal within the period fixed by law renders the
judgment appealed from final and executory.
 Team Pacific Corporation v. Daza - Although appeal is an essential part of
our judicial process, it has been held, time and again, that the right thereto
is not a natural right or a part of due process but is merely a statutory
privilege. Thus, the perfection of an appeal in the manner and within the
period prescribed by law is not only mandatory but also jurisdictional and
failure of a party to conform to the rules regarding appeal will render the
judgment final and executory.
 Once a decision attains finality, it becomes the law of the case irrespective
of whether the decision is erroneous or not and no court — not even the
Supreme Court — has the power to revise, review, change or alter the same.
The basic rule of finality of judgment is grounded on the fundamental
principle of public policy and sound practice that, at the risk of occasional
error, the judgment of courts and the award of quasi-judicial agencies must
become final at some definite date fixed by law.