Title
Dee vs. Harvest All Investment Limited
Case
G.R. No. 224834
Decision Date
Feb 28, 2018
Dispute over 2015 ASM and SRO of Alliance Select Foods; SC denied reconsideration, remanded to RTC for mootness and filing fee issues.

Case Summary (G.R. No. L-25499)

Procedural History

The motions for reconsideration were filed following the Court's Decision dated March 15, 2017, which affirmed a prior ruling from February 15, 2016, by the Court of Appeals. The appellate court modified the initial judgment and remanded the case back to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pasig City, Branch 159, for further proceedings. Various parties, including Barbara Anne C. Migallos and George E. SyCip, contested this decision, claiming that subsequent events rendered the case moot and academic.

Claim of Mootness

Movants assert that the key contentious issues in COMM'L CASE NO. 15-234 have become moot due to the completion of certain corporate meetings and actions. Specifically, they highlight that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting (ASM) for 2015, as well as subsequent meetings, were conducted on dates prior to the Court's determination, suggesting that any legal intervention would be futile.

Opposing Arguments

In contrast, Harvest All et al. counter that the motions for reconsideration claiming mootness are baseless. They argue that the completion of stockholder meetings cannot negate the need for judicial review, emphasizing that the parties cannot alter the status of the case through their actions. They contend that the issues before the Court, including the assessment of filing fees, remain pertinent.

Issues for Resolution

The pivotal matters for the Court’s review include first, whether Harvest All et al. paid insufficient filing fees concerning their complaint, based on the valuation associated with the Stock Rights Offering (SRO), and second, if such payment was made in good faith without intention to defraud the government. The determination of these questions is essential for establishing the RTC's jurisdiction over the case at hand.

Preliminary Matters and RTC's Role

The Court reiterates that the questions posed are primarily preliminary, concerning procedural aspects rather than the substantive merits of the case. As such, the resolution of these issues, which involve factual determinatio

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