G.R. No. 141735, 8 June 2005

FACTS:

Sappari K. Sawadjaan was loans analyst of the Philippine Amanah Bank (PAB) when it was created by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 264 on 02 August 1973. In February 1988, while still designated as appraiser/investigator, Sawadjaan was assigned to inspect the properties offered as collaterals by Compressed Air Machineries and Equipment Corporation (CAMEC) for a credit line of Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00). The properties consisted of two parcels of land covered by Transfer Certificates of Title (TCTs) No. N-130671 and No. C-52576. On the basis of his Inspection and Appraisal Report, the PAB granted the loan application.

In January 1990, Congress passed Republic Act 6848 creating the AIIBP and repealing P.D. No. 264 (which created the PAB). All assets, liabilities and capital accounts of the PAB were transferred to the AIIBP, and the existing personnel of the PAB were to continue to discharge their functions unless discharged. In the ensuing reorganization, Sawadjaan was among the personnel retained by the AIIBP. When CAMEC failed to pay despite the given extension, the bank, now referred to as the AIIBP, discovered that TCT No. N-130671 was spurious, the property described therein non-existent, and that the property covered by TCT No. C-52576 had a prior existing mortgage in favor of one Divina Pablico and found Sawadjaan at fault.

Petitioner appealed before the SC which ruled against him. Petitioner moved for a new trial claiming he recently discovered that AIIBP had not yet adopted its corporate by-laws and since it failed to file within 60 days from the passage of its law, it had forfeited its franchise or charter and thus has no legal standing to initiate an administrative case. The motion was denied.

ISSUE:

Whether the AIIBP is a de facto coporation.

RULING:

Yes. The AIIBP was created by Rep. Act No. 6848. It has a main office where it conducts business, has shareholders, corporate officers, a board of directors, assets, and personnel. It is, in fact, here represented by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, “the principal law office of government-owned corporations, one of which is respondent bank.” At the very least, by its failure to submit its by-laws on time, the AIIBP may be considered a de facto corporation whose right to exercise corporate powers may not be inquired into collaterally in any private suit to which such corporations may be a party.

Moreover, a corporation which has failed to file its by-laws within the prescribed period does not ipso facto lose its powers as such. The SEC Rules on Suspension/Revocation of the Certificate of Registration of Corporations, details the procedures and remedies that may be availed of before an order of revocation can be issued. There is no showing that such a procedure has been initiated in this case.

*Case digest by Paul Jason G. Acasio, JD-IV, Andres Bonifacio Law School, SY 2019-2020