Repu
Uniwide Sales, Inc., Uniwide Holdings, Inc.,
NAIC Resources and Development Corp.,
Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corp.,
First Paragon Corporation, and Uniwide
Warehouse Club, Inc.,
Petitioners,
=versus-
The Hearing Panel in SEC Case No. 06-99-
6340,
Respondent.
In the Matter of the Petition for Declaration
of Suspension Of Payment, Formation and
Appointment of a Rehabilitation
Receiver/Committee and Approval of a
Rehabilitation Plan,
Uniwide Sales, Inc., Uniwide Holdings, Inc.,
NAIC Resources and Development Corp.,
Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corp.,
First Paragon Corporation, and Uniwide
Warehouse Club, Inc,
Petitioners-Appellants,
Philippine National Bank,
Oppositor-Appellee.
x x
of the Philippines
Department of Finance
Securities and Exchange Commission
SEC Building, EDSA, Greenhills, Mandaluyong City
SEC En Banc Case No. 12-09-183
(SEC Case No. 06-99-6340)
SEC En Bane Case No. 01-10-193
(SEC Case No. 06-99-6340)
CLARIFICATORY ORDER
On 30 May 2013, the Commission En Banc issued a Decision the dispositive
Portion stating as follows:
“WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Petition for
Certiorari (SEC En Banc Case No. 12-09-183) is hereby DENIED. The
Order of the Hearing Panel dated 30 July 2009 and the Order of theClarif
SEC En Banc Case No. 12-9-183
SEC En Bane Case No, 01-10-193
Page 2.0f4
Special Hearing Panel dated 17 September 2009 are hereby
AFFIRMED,
The Appeal by the Uniwide Group of Companies (SEC En Banc
Case No. 01-10-193) is hereby DENIED, and Special Hearing Panel
Resolution dated 13 January 2010 is hereby AFFIRMED.
‘The Urgent Manifestations and Motions to Withdraw from the
pending cases SEC En Banc case No. 12-09-183 and SEC En Banc
case No. 12-09-183 filed by Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources
Corporation, Uniwide Sales, Inc, and Uniwide Holdings, Inc. are hereby
DENIED.
The DISSOLUTION of all the companies in the group, namely:
1) Uniwide Sales, Inc. 2) Uniwide Holdings, Inc. 3) Naic Resources &
Development Corporation 4) Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corp.
5) First Paragon Corporation and 6) Uniwide Sales Warchouse Club,
Inc. is hereby ORDERED pursuant to Section 6-1 of the SEC Rules of
Procedure on Corporate Recovery, after which, LIQUIDATION
SHALL FOLLOW.”
Thereafter, several pleadings were submitted by the parties in relation to the
appointment of a liquidator supposedly pursuant to the above-quoted Decision.
An Urgent Motion to Appoint a Liquidator dated 27 August 2013 was filed by
Division 16 (Philippines), Inc., one of the Creditor-Oppositors in the original
tat s involving the Uniwide Group before the Commission docketed
. 06-99-6340 requesting that the Commission immediately appoint a
liquidator pursuant to the dispositive portion of the 30 May 2013 SEC En Bane Decision
in relation to Section 6-1, Rule VI of the SEC Rules of Procedure on Corporate
Recovery!
The Uniwide Group filed an Opposition to the Urgent Motion to Appoint a
Liquidator dated 03 September 2013 stating therein that the 30 May 2013 Decision is
now the subject of a Petition for Review docketed as CA G.R. No. 130736 pending before
the Court of Appeals. Hence, the said Decision, not having reached finality, the same
should not be executed. Further, the Uniwide Group argued that the Commission no
Jonger has jurisdiction over cases of liquidation based on R.A. No. 8799 as amended by
P.D, 902-A.
" Section 6-1. Order of Dissolutton — In case of termination.
eter than the sucess thereof, the Commission may, motu proprio, or upon motion by eny intrested pay, or onthe,
Receiver, asthe case may be, thatthe continuance in business ofthe debior is no longer feasible or profitable oF no
longer works tothe best interest of the stockholders, partieslitigants creditors, or the general public, order the
Aissolution ofthe debtor and the liquidation ofthe remaining assets appointing a Liquidator forthe purposSEC En Bane Case No, [2-9-183
SEC En Bane Case No, 01-10-193
Page 3 of 4
In its Reply (Re: Petitioners’ Opposition dated 03 September 2013) dated 16
September 2013, Division 16 (Philippines), Inc. maintained that the “Commission has
Jurisdiction and power to order and implement the dissolution of petitioners and the
liquidation of their assets” since R.A. No. 8799 provides that the Commission shall retain
jurisdiction over pending payment/rehabilitation cases filed as of 30 June 2000, Further,
the Decision being one in relation to rehabilitation proceedings, the same is immediately
executory despite the same being raised on appeal with the Court of Appeals. In this
connection, they also note that the Court of Appeals has not issued a temporary
restraining order or status quo order against the Commission despite the Petitioners’
prayer.
Several other pleadings were submitted by the parties with the same arguments in
relation to whether or not the Commission retained jurisdiction over the present matter
and, hence, the authority to appoint a liquidator.
DISCUSSION
At this point, it should be noted that the Supreme Court in the case of Consuelo
Metal Corporation vs. Planters Development Banithas already stated that:
“However, the SEC's jurisdiction does not extend to the
liquidation of a corporation. While the SEC has jurisdiction to order the
liquidation of the corporation, jurisdiction over the liquidation of the
corporation now pertains to the appropriate regional trial courts.”
In this connection, the Supreme Court, in the above-mentioned case, stated that
Republic Act No. 8799 transferred to the appropriate RTC’s the SEC’s jurisdiction over
intra-corporate disputes. However, the SEC shall maintain its jurisdiction over pending
cases involving intra-corporate disputes submitted for final resolution and pending
suspension or payments/rehabilitation cases filed as of 30 June 2000 until finally
disposed,
‘The Uniwide Group's petition for suspension of payments, being filed before
2000, the SEC had jurisdiction over the same until finally terminated based on the 30
May 2013 SEC En Bane Decision.
However, the SEC’s jurisdiction does not extend to the liquidation of the
corporation and the same now pertains to the appropriate RTC’s as the latter is “in the
best position to convene all the creditors of the corporation, ascertain their claims, and
determine their preference*” in complete settlement of claims in the liquidation
proceedings.
2 Section $.2 of R.A. No. 8799.
2GR.No, 152580, June 26 2008,
* ibid