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CONFLICT OF LAWS
Atty. Mark Del Rosario
Angeles University Foundation School of Law
Second Semester SY 2019-2020

I. Introduction

a. Nature, Definition and Significance of Conflict of Laws

Hilton v. Guyot, 159 U.S. 113 (1895)
b. History of Conflict of Laws
i. Origin
ii. Modern Views/ Developments
iii. Conflict of Laws in the Philippines
c. Conflict of Laws vs. Public International Law
d. Sources of Conflict of Laws Rules

II. Addressing Conflict of Laws Problems

a. Elements for the Application of Conflict of Laws

Saudi Arabian Airlines v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 122191,
October 8, 1998
Laurel vs. Garcia, 187 SCRA 797 (1990)
b. Judicial resolution of conflicts cases
Hasegawa v. Kitamura, G.R. No. 149177, November 23, 2007

III. Jurisdiction

a. Basis for exercising jurisdiction

Pennoyer v. Neff, 95 U.S. 714 (1878)
International Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310
i. Jurisdiction Over the Person
Rules of Court, Rule 14
Macasaet v. Co, G.R. No. 156759, June 5, 2013
Spouses Belen v. Chavez, G.R. No. 175334, March 26, 2008
Gemperle v. Schenker, 19 SCRA 45 (1967)
Regner vs. Logarta, 537 SCRA 277
Asiavest Limited v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 128803,
September 25, 1998
ii. Jurisdiction over the subject matter and issues of the case
Constitution, Art. VIII, Secs. 4-5
BP 129
Civil Code, Arts. 2042-2046
Labor Code, Art. 217
Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9285, April 2, 2004
Caluag v. Pecson, 82 Phil. 8 (1948)
Idonah Perkins vs. Roxas, 72 Phil. 514 (1941)
Lhuiller v. British Airways, G.R. No. 171092, March 15, 2010
Korea Technologies, Co., Ltd., v. Lerma, G.R. No. 143581,
January 7, 2008
Philippine National Bank v. Cabansag, G.R. No. 157010,
June 21, 2005
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iii. Jurisdiction over the res or the thing which is the subject of the litigation.
Rules of Court, Rule 57
Valmonte v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 108538, January 22, 1996
Philsec Investment Corp. v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 103493,
June 19, 1997
b. Ways of Dealing with a Conflict of Laws Case
i. Dismiss the case
1. Lack of Jurisdiction
2. Forum Non Conveniens
Puyat v. Zabarte, G.R. No. 141536. February 26, 2001
Bank of America NT & SA v. Court of Appeals,
G.R. No. 120135, March 31, 2003
Pioneer Concrete Philippines, Inc. v. Todaro,
G.R. No. 154830, June 8, 2007
Raytheon International v. Rouzie, Jr.,
G.R. No. 162894, February 26, 2008
The Manila Hotel Corp v. NLRC, G.R. No. 120077,
October 13, 2000
ii. Assume jurisdiction and apply internal law of the forum
iii. Assume jurisdiction and apply foreign law
Fleumer vs. Hix, 54 Phil. 610 (1930)
Philippine Trust Co. vs. Bohanan, 106 Phil. 997 (1960)

IV. Choice of Law

a. General Principles
i. Philippine Conflict Rules
Civil Code Arts. 15, 16 and 17
ii. Characterization
1. Depacage
2. Renvoi
Cadalin v. POEA Administrator, 238 SCRA 721 (1994)
LWV Construction Corp. v. Dupo, G.R. No. 172342, July 13, 2009
Aznar v. Garcia, 7 SCRA 95 (1963)
Bellis v. Bellis, 20 SCRA 359 (1968)
iii. Notice and Proof of Foreign Law
iv. Exceptions to the Application of Foreign Law

b. Personal Law
i. Natural Persons
1. Civil Code Art. 15
2. Nationality
Constitution, Art. IV
Tecson v. Comelec, G.R. No. 161434, March 3, 2004
a. Citizens by Birth
Poe-Llamanzares v. Comelec, G.R. No. 221697,
March 8, 2016
b. Citizens by Naturalization
Commonwealth Act No. 473
Republic Act No. 530
R.A. 9139 (June 8, 2001)
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c. Loss and Reacquisition of Philippine Citizenship

Commonwealth Act No. 63
Republic Act No. 2630
Bengson III v. HRET, G.R. No. 142840,
May 7, 2001
Mercado vs. Manzano, 307 SCRA 630
Valles vs. COMELEC, 337 SCRA 543
Yu vs. Defensor-Santiago, 169 SCRA 363
Board of Immigration Commissioner vs. Go,
25 SCRA 890
d. Dual Citizenship
Constitution, Art. IV, Sec. 5
Republic Act No. 9225
David vs. Agbay, G.R. No. 199113 March 18, 2015
Jacot vs. Dal, G.R. No. 179848,
November 27, 2008
Sobejana-Condon vs. COMELEC, G.R No. 198742,
August 10, 2012
Maquiling vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 195649,
April 16, 2013
In re: Petition for Leave to Resume Practice of Law,
B.M. No. 1678, December 17, 2007
3. Domicile
Civil Code, Arts. 50 and 51
Romualdez-Marcos vs. COMELEC, 248 SCRA 300 (1995)
Jalosjos vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 191970, April 24, 2012
Caballero vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 209835,
September 22, 2015
Caasi vs. CA, 191 SCRA 229 (1990)
Coquilla vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 151914, July 31, 2002
4. Personal Status and Capacity
Civil Code, Arts. 40 and 41
ii. Corporations
Corporation Code, Secs. 2, 123, 127-129, 133
Palting v. San Jose Petroleum, Inc., 18 SCRA 924 (1966)
State Investment House, Inc. v. Citibank, N.A., 203 SCRA 9 (1991)
Steelcase, Inc. v. Design International Selections, Inc.,
G.R. No. 171995, April 18, 2012
Wang Laboratories, Inc. v. Mendoza, 156 SCRA 44 (1987)
Leviton Industries v. Salvador, 114 SCRA 420 (1982)
La Chemise Lacoste, S.A .v. Fernandez, 129 SCRA 373 (1984)
Hang Lung Bank, Ltd., v. Saulog, 201 SCRA 137 (1991)

c. Family Relations
i. Marriage
1. Extrinsic and Intrinsic Validity
Family Code, Arts. 10, 21, 26, 35-38,
2. Effects of Marriage
Family Code, Art. 80
Djumantan v. Domingo, 240 SCRA 746 (1995)
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3. Divorce, Separation and Annulment

Bayot v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 155635,
November 7, 2008
ii. Adoption
Family Code, Arts. 184 and 187
1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and
Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption
R.A. 8552 (Domestic Adoption Act of 1998), as amended
R.A. 8043 Inter-Country Adoption Act of 1995), as amended,
Rule on Adoption (A.M. No. 02-6-02-SC)
Uggi Lindamand Therkelsen v. Republic, 12 SCRA 400 (1964)
iii. Paternity, Support and Parental Obligations
Family Code, Arts 163, 164, 165
Del Socorro v. Van Wilsem, G.R. No. 193707, December 10, 2014

d. Wills, Succession and Administration of Estates

i. Extrinsic and Intrinsic Validity of Wills
Civil Code, Arts. 16, 17, 815-819 and 1039
Vda. De Perez vs. Tolete, 232 SCRA 722
Miciano vs. Brimo, 50 PHIL 867
Bellis v. Bellis, 20 SCRA 359 (1968)
Llorente v. CA, G.R. No. 124371, November 23, 2000
ii. Interpretation of Wills
iii. Revocation
Civil Code, Art. 829
iv. Probate
v. Administration of Estates
vi. Trusts

e. Property
Civil Code, Art. 16
i. Capacity to Transfer or Acquire Property
Llantino vs. Co Liong Chong, G.R. No. L-29663 August 20, 1990
Matthews v. Taylor, G.R. No. 164584, June 22, 2009
ii. Validity of Conveyances
iii. Exception to lex situs rule

f. Contracts
i. Extrinsic and Intrinsic Validity of Contracts
Civil Code, Arts. 17 and 1319
Philippine Export and Foreign Loan Guarantee Corp v. VP
Eusebio Construction, Inc., G.R. No. 140047, July 13, 2004
EDI-Staffbuilders International, Inc. v. NLRC, G.R. No. 145587
October 26, 2007
Continental Micronesia, Inc. v. Basso, G.R. Nos. 178382-83,
September 23, 2015
ii. Capacity to Enter into Contracts
iii. Choice of Forum Clauses
Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation v. Sherman,
G.R. No. 72494 August 11, 1989
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iv. Specific Contracts

1. Employment of Overseas Filipino Workers
PCL Shipping Philippines, Inc. v. NLRC, G.R. No. 153031
December 14, 2006
Industrial Personnel Management Services, Inc v. De Vera,
G.R. No. 205703, March 7, 2016
2. Carriage of Goods by Sea
Civil Code, Art. 1753
American President Lines, Ltd., v. Klepper,
110 Phil. 243 (1960)
3. Contracts for International Air Transportation
Santos v. Northwest Orient Airlines, 210 SCRA 256 (1992)
v. Limitations to Choice of Law
Pakistan International Airlines Corp. v. Ople, G.R. No. 61594,
September 28, 1990

g. Torts and Crimes

RPC, Art. 2
Civil Code, Arts. 14, 20 and 2176
Saudi Arabian Airlines v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 122191,
October 8, 1998
Crescent Petroleum Ltd., v. M/V Lok Maheshwari, G.R. No. 155014,
November 11, 2005

V. Enforcement of Judgment

a. Execution of Judgment of Local Courts

Rules of Court, Rule 39
Tayag vs. Benguet Consolidated, G.R. No. L-23145, November 29, 1968

b. Enforcement and Recognition of Foreign Judgment

Rules of Court, Rule 39, Sec. 48
i. Nature of Action
Encarnacion v. Johnson, G.R. No. 192285, July 11, 2018
ii. Necessity for Action for Recognition of Judgment
Garcia v. Recio, G.R. No. 138322, October 2, 2001
Ando v. Department of Foreign Affairs, G.R. No. 195432,
August 27, 2014
iii. Jurisdiction
Mijares v. Ranada, G.R. No. 139325, April 12, 2005
Pacific Asia Overseas Shipping Corp. v. NLRC, G.R. No. 76595,
May 6, 1988
iv. Defenses
Bank of the Philippine Islands Securities Corporation v. Guevara,
G.R. No. 167052, March 11, 2015
Asiavest Limited v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 128803,
September 25, 1998
Oil and Natural Gas Commission v. Court of Appeals,
G.R. No. 114323 July 23, 1998
Asiavest Merchant Bankers (M) Berhad v. Court of Apeals,
G.R. No. 110263, July 20, 2001
Northwest Orient Airlines v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 112573,
February 9, 1995
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Borthwick v. Bartolome, G.R. No. L-57338, July 23, 1987

Philippine Aluminum Wheels v. FASGI Enterprises, Inc.,
G.R. No. 137378, October 12, 2000
St. Aviation Services Co., Pte, Ltd v. Grand Airways, Int’l,
G.R. No. 140288, October 23, 2006

c. Requirements for Recognition of Foreign Judgment

Rules of Court, Rule 132, Sections 24 and 25; Rule 39, Section 48
Sarto v. People, G.R. No. 206284, February 28, 2018
Bayot v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 155635, November 7, 2008
Noveras v. Noveras, G.R. No. 188289, August 20, 2014

d. Recognition of Foreign Divorce

Hague Convention on Recognition of Divorce and Legal Separation
Family Code, Article 26
Corpuz v. Sto. Tomas, G.R. No. 186571, August 11, 2010
Van Dorn v. Romillo, G.R. No. L-68470, October 8, 1985
Dacasin v. Dacasin, G.R. No. 168785, February 5, 2010
Republic v. Orbecido, G.R. No. 154380, October 5, 2005
Republic v. Manalo, G.R. No. 221029, April 24, 2018
Juego-Sakai v. Republic, G.R. No. 224015, July 23, 2018
Fujiki v. Marinay, G.R. No. 196049, June 26, 2013
Medina v. Koike, G.R. No. 215723, July 27, 2016

e. Recognition of Foreign Adoptions

Marcaida v. Aglubat, G.R. No. L-24006, November 25, 1967
But see, R.A. 8043 (Inter-Country Adoption Act of 1995), as amended

f. Support
Del Socorro v. Van Wilsem, G.R. No. 193707, December 10, 2014.

g. Arbitration
R.A. 9285, Secs. 42-48
Special Rules of Court on Alternative Dispute Resolution (A.M. No. 07-
11-08-SC, September 1, 2009) Rule 13
UNCITRAL Model Law, Art. 35
Korea Technologies, Co., Ltd., v. Lerma, G.R. No. 143581,
January 7, 2008