CONFLICT OF LAWS

Prof. Anthony Amunategui Abad

Ateneo de Manila University School of Law
2nd semester, SY 2009-2010 (Section 2-B)
Monday: 12:00 nn 2:00 p.m.
A.

Relevant Sources

International
Statutes of Hague Convention Conference on Private International Law
Convention on the Jurisdiction of the Selected Forum in the Case of International
Sales of Goods, April 15, 1958
Convention on the Settlement of the Conflicts between the Law of Nationality
and the Law of Domicile, June 15, 1955
Convention on the Recognition of the Legal Personality of Foreign Companies,
Associations and Institutions, June 1, 1956
Convention on the Choice of Court Agreements, June 30, 2005
Protocol on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations, November 23,
2007

Domestic
Constitution (Art. IV and Art. V, Section 1)
Family Code (Articles 10, 21, 26, 35, 36, 37, 38, 80, 96, 184, and 187)
Civil Code (Articles 14, 15, 16, 17, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 829, 1039, 1319,
and 1753)
Penal Code (Article 2)
Corporation Code (Section 133 Doing Business Without License)
Rules of Court (Rule 14 and 39, Section 48, Rule 131, Section 3 (n), 132, Section
25)

B.

Materials
-

Philippine Conflict of Laws (Edgardo Paras, 1996)

Handbook on Conflict of Laws (Alicia V. Sempio-Diy, 2004)
Conflict of Laws, Cases, Materials and Comments (Jorge R. Coquia & Elizabeth
Aguiling-Pangalangan, 2000)
Conflict of Laws (Private International Law) (Ruben Agpalo, 2004)
Bar Review Materials and Supreme Court Cases related to Conflict of Laws
Online sources

I.

Introduction

1.

Scope of Conflict of Laws

a.
Definition of Conflict of Laws
b.
Elements for the Application of Conflict of Laws
- Conflict of Laws is part of Municipal law
- Directive to Courts and/or Administrative Agencies
- Foreign Elements
- Application or non-application of a Foreign Law/s
c.
Functions of Conflict of Laws
d.
Significance / Importance of Conflict of Laws
e.
Identifying issues of Conflict of Laws

2.

History of Conflict of Laws

a.
Origin
b.
Modern Views/ Developments

3.

4.
Cases:
-

c.
Conflict of Laws in the Philippines
Conflict of Laws vs. Public International Law
a.
Distinguish
b.
Sources
Conflict of Laws under Common Law and Private International Law under Civil Law
Guerreros Transport Services, Inc vs. Blayblock Transp. Services, 71
SCRA 621 (1976)
Saudi Arabian Airlines vs. CA, 297 SCRA 469 (1998)
Northern P.R. Co vs. Babcock, 154 U.S 190
Laurel vs. Garcia, 187 SCRA 797 (1990)
Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp vs. Sheman, 176 SCRA 331
(1989)
International School Alliance of Educators vs. Quisumbing, 333 SCRA
13 (2000)

II.

Jurisdiction

1.

Category of Jurisdiction
a.
Definition
b.
Jurisdiction Over the Person
c.
Jurisdiction Over the Res
d.
Jurisdiction Over the Subject Matter

2.

Ways to Deal with Conflict of Laws Cases

a.
Refusal to Assume Jurisdiction
i.
Doctrine of Forum Non-Conveniens
b.
Assumption of Jurisdiction
i.
Lex fori
ii.
Lex causae
c.
Renvoi
i.
Definition
ii.
Application
iii.
Problem
iv.
Double Renvoi vs. Transmission

Cases:
-

Adong vs. Cheong Seng Gee, 43 Phil 43

Lim vs. Collector 36 Phil 472
Hasegawa v. Kitamura, 538 SCRA 26, (2007)
Raytheon International v. Stockton W. Rouzie, Jr., G.R. No. 162894,
(February 26, 2008), 546 SCRA 555
Manila Hotel Corp and Manila Hotel Intl Ltd. vs. NLRC G.R. No.
120077, (October 13, 2000), 343 SCRA 1
PhilSec. Investment v. Court of Appeals, 274 SCRA 102 (1997)
Pioneer Concrete Philippines v. Todaro, 524 SCRA 153 (2007)
Laureano v. CA, 324 SCRA 414 (2000)
Wild Valley v. CA, 342 SCRA 213 (2000)
Santos III vs. Northwest Orient Lines, 210 SCRA 256 (1992)
National Rental vs. Szukhent et al., 375 U.S. 311 (1964)
International Shoe Co. vs. Washington, 326 U.S. 310 (1945)
Perkins vs. Benguet Consolidated Mining Co 342 U.S. 437, 72 S. Ct.
413 96 (1952)
McGee vs. International Life Ins. Co.355 U.S. 220 (December 16, 1957)
World-wide Volkswagen Corp. vs. Woodson 444 U.S. 286 (1980)
Calder vs. Jones, 465 U.S. 783 (March 20, 1984)

Keeton vs. Hustler Magazine, Inc. et al, 465 U.S. 770 (March 20, 1984)
Asahi Metal Industry Co vs. Superior Court, 480, U.S 102 (February 24,
1987)
Bensuan Restaurant Corporation vs. Richard B. King, Docket No. 969344, (September 10, 1997)
Compuserve Inc. vs. Richard Patterson, No. 95-3452, (July 22, 1996)
Rush vs. Sauchuk, 444 US 320 (1980)
Banco Espaol Filipino vs. Palanca, 37 Phil. 921 (1918)
Carballo vs. Encarnacion, 92 Phil. 974 (1952)
Santos vs. Montesa, Jr., 221 SCRA 15 (1993)
William Gemperle vs. Helen Schenker, 19 SCRA 45 (1967)
Asian Merchant Bankers (M) Berhad, vs. Court of Appeals et al., G.R.
No. 110263, (July 20, 2001)
Regner vs. Logarta 537 SCRA 277
European Resources and Technologies, Inc vs. Ingenieuburo Birkhahn +
Nolte, Ingeniurgesellschaft mbh 435 SCRA 246
Piper Aircraft Co. vs. Reyno, 454 U.S. 235 (December 8, 1981)
Gulf Oil vs. Gilbert, 330 US 501 (1947)
Lueck vs. Sundstrand , No. 99-15961, D.C. No. CV-97-2223, RGS
(January 8, 2001)
Monegro vs. Rosa, US 9th Circuit, 9816846, (May 3, 2000)
Erie Railroad Co. vs. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 58 S. Ct. 817, 82 L.Ed.
1188 (1938)
K.K. Shell Sekiyu Osaka Hatsubaisho and Fu Hing Oil Co., Ltd. v. Court
of Appeals, G.R. Nos. 90306-07, 30 July 1990
Communications Materials and Design vs. Court of Appeals G.R. No.
102223, (August 22,1996)
Islamic Republic of Iran v. Pahlavi, 62 NY 2d. 474 (1984)
MacShannon v. Rockware Glass Ltd [1987] A.C. 795 at 819
Sumitomo Bank Ltd v. Kartika Ratna Thahir & Ors and another matter,
High Court, Originating Summons No. 308 of 1976, Singapore
Kartika Ratna Thahir v. PT Pertambangan Minyak dan Gas Bumi
Negara, Court of Appeal, Civil Appeal No. 204 of 1992, 25 August 1994, Singapore
The Rainbow Joy, 2005 SGCA 36, Court of Appeal Civil Appeal No
116 of 2004, Singapore
In re: Union Carbide Corporation Gas Plant Disaster in Bhopal, India in
December 1984, U.S. Court of Appeals, 14 January 1986
First Philippine International Bank vs. CA, 252 SCRA 259 (1996)
Wing On Company vs. Syyap 64 O.G. 8311 (1967)
Heine vs. New York Insurance Company 45 F2d 426 (1940)
Goodwine vs. Superior Court 63 Cal. 2d 481, 407 P. 2d 47 Cal. Rptr. 201
(1965)
Fleumer vs. Hix, 54 Phil. 610 (1930)
Philippine Trust Co. vs. Bohanan, 106 Phil. 997 (1960)
Proscilla C. Mijares et al., vs. Hom. Santiago Javier Ranada, et al., G.R.
No. 139325, (April 12, 2005)
Pioneer Concrete Philippines, Inc., et al., vs. Antonio D. Todaro G.R. No.
154830, (June 8, 2007), 524 SCRA 153
Bank of America NT & SA, et al vs. Court of Appeals G.R. No. 120135,
(March 31, 2003)
Gulf Oil Corporation vs. Gilbert, 330, U.S. 501 (March 10, 1947)
Travelers Health Assn. vs. Virginia, 339 U.S. 643 (June 5, 1950)
World-Wide Volkswagen Corp vs. Woodson, 444 U.S. 286, Decided:
January 21, 1980
Schmidt vs. Driscol, 249 Minn 376 82, NW 2d 365 (1957)
Pennoyer vs. Neff, 95 U.S. 714 (1878)

International Shoe Co. vs. Washington, 326 U.S. 310 (1945)

Mullane vs. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co., Trustee, et al., 399 U.S.
306 (1950)
Shaffer vs. Heitner, 433 U.S. 186 (1977)
Lazaro b. RayRay vs. Chae Kyung Lee G.R. No. L-18176, (October 26,
1966)

French vs. Banco National de Cuba, 295 NY 2d, 422-423 (1968) (Saba
Hino)
Hassan El-Fadl vs. Central Bank of Jordan, et. al. (February 6, 1996, No.
94-7212)

III.

Republic of the Philippines, et al v Pimentel et al Supreme Court of the

United States No. 06-1204
Islamic Republic of Iran v. Pahlavi, 62 NY 2d. 474 (1984)
Credit Suisse v. U.S.D.C., 130 F.3d at 1342 (9th Cir. 1997)
Kirkpatrick Inc. v. Environmental Tectonics Corp., Intl., 493 U.S. 400,
107 L.Ed. 2d 816 (1990)
In Re: Philippine National Bank v. United States District Court for the
District of Hawaii, No. 04-71843, D.C. No. MDL-00840-MLR
Pennhurst State School and Hosp. v. Halderman, 465, U.S. 89 (1984)
Lord Day & Lord v. Socialist Republic of Vietnam 134 F. Supp.2d 549
(S.D.N.Y. 2001)
Saratoga Country Chamber of Commerce, In. v. Pataki 798 N.E. 2d 1047
(N.Y. 2003)
Helen Liu v The Republic of China, No. 87-2976, United States Court of
Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 892 F.2d 1419 (1989)
Idonah Perkins vs. Roxas, 72 Phil. 514 (1941)
Caluag vs. Pecson, 82 Phil. 8 (1948)
Far East International Import and Export Corporation vs. Nankai Kogyo
Co., LTD., et al., G.R. No. L-13525, (November 30, 1962)

Choice of Law

1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Theories on the Application of Foreign Law

Theory of Comity
Theory of Vested Right
Theory of Local Law
Theory of Harmony of Laws
Theory of Justice

a.
b.
c.
d.

Determination of Applicable Law

Center of Gravity Doctrine / Grouping of Contracts
Cavers Principle
The State-Interest Analysis
German Rule of Elective Concurrence

a.
b.
c.
d.

Characterization of Conflicts Rules / Connecting Factors

Definition
Theories of Characterization
Sources of Problem of Characterization
Steps in Characterization

2.

3.

4.
Cases:
-

Exception to the Application of Foreign Laws

Tayag Renato vs. Benguet Consolidated, Inc. G.R. No. 23145,
(November 29, 1968)

United Airlines Inc. vs. Court of Appeals G.R. No. 124110, (April 20,
2001)

Cadalin vs. POEA Administrator, 238 SCRA 721, 774-775 (1994)

Pakistan International Airlines vs. Ople, G.R. No. 61594,(September 28,
1990) 190 SCRA 1990
Huntinghon vs. Attrill, 146 U.S. 657 (1892)
Testate Estate of Amos G. Bellis et al. vs. Edward Belli, L-23678, June 6,
1967
Sps. Zalamea vs. Court of Appeals and Transworld Airlines, Inc., G.R.
No. 104235, November 18, 1993
Garcia vs. Recio, G.R. No. 138322, October 2, 2001
Asiavest Merchant Bankers vs. Court of G.R. No. 110263, July 20, 2001
Intercontinental Hotels vs. Golden, 254 NYS 2d 527, NY 1964
Cadalin vs POEA Administrator, 238 SCRA 721 (1994)

IV.

Substantive Legal Areas

1.
a.
b.
c.
2.
a.
b.

General Theories in Status and Capacity

Definition of Status and Capacity
Kinds of Capacity
Characteristics of Status
Personal Law
Definition
Theories on Personal Law
i.
Nationality Theory
Definition of Nationality and Citizenship
Determination (Who are citizens of the Philippines?)
Classification of Citizens in the Philippines
Theory of effective nationality
Procedure for Naturalization
Lost of Philippine Citizenship
Reacquisition of Citizenship
Problem in the Application of Nationality Theory
Nationality of Juridical Person
ii.
-

3.

Domiciliary Theory
Definition of Domicile
Kinds
Rules on Domicile
Domicile distinguished from Residence
Domicile of Juridical Person

Family Relations
a. Marriage
Philippine Policy on Marriage
Intrinsic Validity (Between Foreigners, Filipinos or Mixed when
Celebrated abroad and/or in the Philippines)
Extrinsic Validity
Property Relations
b. Divorce
-

Divorce distinguished from Annulment and Legal Separation

Effect of Divorce Obtained by Filipinos
Divorce Between Foreigners
Divorce Between a Foreigner and a Filipina

c. Adoption
Definition and Purpose of Adoption
Conflict rules on Adoption (Effect of Adoption, Foreign
Adoption and Philippine Law on Adoption with foreign element)
d. Paternity and Filiation
Definition of Paternity and Filiation
Conflict rules on Paternity and Filiation
Status of Children
Rights of Children
Doctrine of Immutability of Status of Child
4.

Property
Lex loci or Lex loci rei sitae
Conflict of rules on Property
Immovables
Movables
c.
Exceptions
a.
b.

5.

Wills, Succession and Administration of Estates

a.
Definition of Wills and Administration of Estate
b.
Conflict Rules on the execution of a will
Intrinsic Validity (National Law)
Extrinsic Validity (Made by Filipinos or Foreigners abroad
and/or in the Philippines)
c.
Conflict Rules on the Administration of Estate

6.
a.
b.
c.

d.

7.

Obligations and Contacts

Definition of Contract
Essential Element of a Contract
Conflict rules on Contracts
Capacity of the parties
Intrinsic Validity (Lex loci contractus, lex loci voluntatis, lex loci
intentionis)
Extrinsic Validity
-

Issues on Conflicts Contracts Cases

Choice of Forum Clause
Contracts with Arbitration Clause
Adhesion Contracts
Special Contracts
Limitation on the Application of Conflict Rules on Contracts

Intellectual Property Rights

a.
Trademarks / Trade Name
Definition of Trademark
How ownership is acquired?
Rights of Foreign Nationals under Philippine Law
Infringement of Trademark
b.

Patent
-

c.

Definition of Patent
Rights of Foreigners with Respect to Patents
Compulsory Licensing
Copyright

8.
a.
b.

c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.

Definition of Copyright
Terms of Protection
Reciprocity and International Conventions

Corporations and Other Juridical Entities

Definition of Corporation
Personal Law of Corporation
Nationality of Corporation
Grandfather Test
Control Test
Classification made under the Philippine Investment Law
Domicile of Corporation
Definition of Foreign Corporations
Kinds of Foreign Corporations
Applicable Law in Intra-Corporate disputes of a Foreign Corporation
Scope of Transacting or Doing Business (License Requirements)
Doing Business without a License
Rights of a Foreign Corporations

Cases:
-

Nazareno vs. Court of Appeals, 343 SCRA 637, (2000)

(property)
Bellis vs. Bellis, 20 SCRA 358, (1967) (successions)

V.

Foreign Judgment

1.

Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgment

a. Distinction
b. Bases
Conditions and Requisites Before Foreign Judgment maybe Recognized
Effect of Foreign Judgment
Grounds for Non Recognition

2.
3.
4.
Cases:
-

Oil and Natural Gas v. CA, 293 SCRA 96 (1998)

Asiavest v. CA, 361 SCRA 489 (2001)
Mijares v. Ranada, 455 SCRA 397 (2005)
Korea Technologies v. Lerma, 542 SCRA 1 (2008)
Loucks vs. Standard Oil Company of New York, 224 NY 99, 111
(July 12, 1918)
Godard vs. Gray, L.R. 6 Q.B. 139 (1870)
Hilton vs. Guyot, 159 U.S. 113, 16 S.Ct. 139, 40 L. Ed. 95
(1895)

Philippine Aluminum Wheels Inc. vs. FASGI Enterprises G.R.

No. 137378, (October 12, 2000)
Klaxon Co. vs. Stentor Electric Manufacturing Co. 313 U.S. 487,
61 S. Ct. 1020, 85 L.Ed. 1477 (1941).
Borthwick vs. Castro Bartolome, 152 SCRA 229, (1987)
Koster vs. Automark Industries, Inc. 640 F.2d 77, 81 n. 3 (7th Cir.
1981)
Querubin vs. Querubin, G.R. No. L-3693, (July 29, 1950)
Philippine International Shipping vs. CA, 172 SCRA 810
Scherk vs. Alberto-Culver Co.417 U.S. 506, 94 S. Ct. 2449 41 L.
Ed.2d 270 (1974)
Asiavest Merchant Bankers vs. Court of Appeals G.R. No.
110263, (July 20, 2001)

Northwest Orient Airlines, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals, 241 SCRA

192, 1995
Priscilla C. Mijares et al., v. Hon. Santiago Javier Ranada et
al.,G.R. No. 139325, (April 12, 2005)
Bachchan v. India Abroad Publications Inc., 585 N.Y.S. 2d 661
(N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1992)
Bridgeway Corp. V. Citibank, 201 F. 3d 134 (2d Cir. 2000)
Siedler v. Jacobson, 383 N.Y. S.2d 833 (NY Sup.Ct.App.1976)
Boudard vs. Tait, 67 Phil. 179 (1939)
Ramirez vs. Gmur, 42 Phil. 855 (1918)
Nouvion vs. Freeman, 59 L.J. Ch. 337 (1889)
Cowans, et al. vs. Teconderoga Pulp & Paper Co.219 N.Y.S. 284
(1927)
Ingenohl vs. Olsen & Co.273 U.S. 541
Republic vs. Gingoyon, 481 SCRA 457
Velez vs. De Vera, 496 SCRA 345
Gonzales vs. Climax Mining Ltd., 512 SCRA 148
EDI-Staffbuilders International, Inc vs. National Labor
Commission 537 SCRA 409
Valenzuela vs. People , 525 SCRA 306
Philippine Export and Foreign Loan Guarantee Corporation vs.
V.P Eusebio Construction Inc., 434 SCRA 202