Title
Republic vs. Coconut Industry Investment Fund Oil Mills Group
Case
G.R. No. 147062-64
Decision Date
Dec 14, 2001
The Supreme Court ruled that the government, via PCGG, holds voting rights over sequestered UCPB shares acquired with public coconut levy funds, pending final case resolution.

Case Digest (G.R. No. 147062-64)
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model

Facts:

  • Creation of PCGG and Sequestration
    • After the 1986 EDSA Revolution, President Aquino issued EO Nos. 1, 2, and 14 creating the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to recover ill-gotten wealth.
    • PCGG sequestered various assets, including United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) shares registered in the names of “one million coconut farmers,” Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) companies, and Eduardo M. Cojuangco, Jr.
  • Sandiganbayan Proceedings on UCPB Shares
    • July 31, 1987: PCGG filed Civil Case No. 0033 in Sandiganbayan for reconveyance, reversion, accounting, restitution, and damages concerning UCPB shares.
    • November 15, 1990: Sandiganbayan lifted sequestration of UCPB shares registered to private respondents for PCGG’s failure to implead them within the six-month constitutional period.
  • Supreme Court Interventions
    • G.R. No. 96073: PCGG petitioned to annul Sandiganbayan’s lifting of sequestration; SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining UCPB elections.
    • March 3, 1992: SC lifted its TRO, allowed UCPB stockholders’ meeting, and permitted registered owners to vote sequestered shares.
    • February 16, 1993: SC recalled March 3 order, reinstating PCGG voting rights pending final determination, citing the “public character” of coconut levy funds.
    • January 23, 1995: SC decision in G.R. No. 96073 nullified Sandiganbayan’s lifting of sequestration and confirmed PCGG’s TROs; maintained PCGG’s right to vote pending final resolution.
  • Events Leading to the Assailed Order
    • February 13, 2001: COCOFED et al. and Ballares et al. demanded a UCPB stockholders’ meeting on March 6, 2001 to elect directors.
    • February 23, 2001: They filed a “Class Action Omnibus Motion” seeking to enjoin PCGG from voting UCPB and certain San Miguel Corporation shares.
    • February 28, 2001: Sandiganbayan (First Division) issued an order allowing registered stockholders (COCOFED, Ballares, Cojuangco) to vote sequestered UCPB shares and setting a bond requirement.

Issues:

  • Substantive Issue
    • Who may exercise the right to vote sequestered UCPB shares pending final adjudication of their ownership?
  • Procedural Issue
    • Did the Sandiganbayan commit grave abuse of discretion and violate due process by issuing its February 28, 2001 order enjoining PCGG from voting the sequestered shares?

Ruling:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Ratio:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Doctrine:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

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