Title
Bank of America NT and SA vs. Court of Appeals
Case
G.R. No. 78017
Decision Date
Jun 8, 1990
Class action filed over IBAA share sale; SEC dismissed case against Gotianun, allowing claims against BA. SC upheld CA ruling, citing separate causes of action and finality of SEC order.
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Case Digest (G.R. No. 78017)

Facts:

  1. Formation of IBAA: The Insular Bank of Asia and America (IBAA) was established under a Memorandum of Agreement dated March 25, 1974, involving three banks: First Insular Bank of Cebu, Bank of Asia, and Bank of America NT & SA (BA). Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank later acquired 10% of IBAA's capital stock.
  2. Class Action Filed: On July 19, 1978, a class action was filed in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by the ASIA GROUP (comprising successors of the former Bank of Asia) against BA, Andrew Gotianun, and others. The plaintiffs alleged that BA violated the 1974 Agreement by selling its IBAA shares to Gotianun without first offering them to the other parties.
  3. SEC Orders and Challenges: Several SEC orders were issued, including a temporary restraining order (TRO) on July 19, 1978, preventing the sale of IBAA shares. These orders were challenged in the Supreme Court through certiorari petitions.
  4. Amicable Settlement: On September 25, 1985, the ASIA GROUP and Gotianun filed a joint motion to dismiss the case against Gotianun, reserving their right to proceed against BA. The Supreme Court dismissed related cases as moot and academic.
  5. SEC Dismissal of Case Against Gotianun: The SEC granted the joint motion, dismissing the case against Gotianun but allowing the case against BA to proceed. BA opposed this, arguing that the dismissal should also apply to it since the sale was a single transaction.
  6. Court of Appeals Decision: BA filed a petition for certiorari in the Court of Appeals, which dismissed the petition, ruling that the SEC order was final and that BA failed to exhaust administrative remedies.

Issue:

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Ruling:

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Ratio:

  1. Finality of Orders: A final order disposes of a case, leaving nothing more for the court to adjudicate. The SEC's dismissal of the case against Gotianun was final, and BA's failure to appeal rendered it unalterable.
  2. Separate Causes of Action: The ASIA GROUP's claims against BA and Gotianun were based on distinct legal grounds—breach of contract against BA and tort against Gotianun. Thus, the dismissal of the case against Gotianun did not affect the case against BA.
  3. Certiorari as a Remedy: Certiorari is not a substitute for a lost appeal. BA's failure to appeal the SEC order barred it from seeking relief through certiorari.
  4. Indispensable Parties: BA and Gotianun were not indispensable parties in the same cause of action. The ASIA GROUP had the right to choose which defendants to proceed against, and the dismissal of the case against Gotianun did not necessitate the dismissal of the case against BA.


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