Title
Pryce Corp. vs. China Banking Corp.
Case
G.R. No. 172302
Decision Date
Feb 18, 2014
Pryce Corp. sought rehabilitation; courts upheld its plan despite creditor appeals, ruling res judicata applied and no hearing was required for the stay order.

Case Digest (G.R. No. 172302)
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model

Facts:

  • Petition and rehabilitation proceedings
  • Pryce Corporation filed a petition for corporate rehabilitation on July 9, 2004 with the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Makati, Branch 138.
  • On July 13, 2004, the RTC found the petition sufficient in form and substance, issued a stay order and appointed Gener T. Mendoza as Rehabilitation Receiver.
  • Approval of rehabilitation plan
  • On September 13, 2004, the RTC gave due course to the petition and directed the Receiver to evaluate Pryce’s proposed plan.
  • The Receiver submitted an amended rehabilitation plan, which the RTC approved by order dated January 17, 2005, identifying assets for disposition and the method of liability liquidation.
  • Appeals and Supreme Court referrals
  • China Banking Corporation and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) separately appealed to the Court of Appeals (CA):
    • The 7th Division granted China Bank’s petition (July 28, 2005) and set aside the RTC’s orders.
    • The 1st Division initially granted BPI’s petition, then on reconsideration dismissed it; BPI’s Supreme Court petition (G.R. No. 180316) was denied with finality (Jan 30 2008).
  • Pryce’s appeal to the Supreme Court (SC) first division was denied on February 4, 2008 with a remand to RTC; motions for reconsideration were denied (June 16, 2008) and the case was referred En Banc (June 22, 2009). A stay of proceedings (Aug 6, 2013) expired without settlement, leading to resolution of Pryce’s second motion for reconsideration.

Issues:

  • Whether the validity of the RTC’s January 17, 2005 rehabilitation order is res judicata in light of BPI v. Pryce Corporation (G.R. No. 180316).
  • Whether the rehabilitation court was required to hold a hearing under the “serious situations” test (Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. v. IAC) before issuing the stay order under Rule 4, Section 6 of the Interim Rules on corporate rehabilitation.

Ruling:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Ratio:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Doctrine:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

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