CONFLICT OF LAWS

Course Outline
PHILIPPINE LAW SCHOOL
1st Sem A.Y. 2021 – 2022
Atty. Maria Leonila B. Villegas

REFERENCE: Coquia and Pangalanan, Conflict of Laws: Cases, Materials, and

Comments, Central Book Supply, Inc., (2000)

I. PART ONE: INTRODUCTION

a. Scope and History

Hilton v Guyot, 159 US 113 (1895)
b. Sources of Law

II. PART TWO: JURISDICTION AND CHOICE OF LAW

a. Jurisdiction Over the Person

Gemperle vs Schenker 19 SCRA 45 (1967)

b. Jurisdiction Over Property

Pennoyer v Neff 95 US 714 (1878)
International Shoe Co v Washington 362 US 310 (1945)
Mullane v Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co 399 US 306 (1950)
Shaffer v Heitner 433 US 186 (1977)

c. Jurisdiction Over the Subject Matter

Perkins v Roxas 72 PHIL 514 (1941)

d. Ways of Dealing with a Conflicts Problem

i. Dismiss the case – forum non conveniens

Heine v New York Insurance Company 45 F2d 426 (1940)
In Re: Union Carbide 634 F. Supp 842 (S.D.N.Y. 1986)
Wing On Company v Syyap 64 O.G. 8311 (1967)

ii. Take cognizance of the case

Fleumer v Hix 54 PHIL 610
Philippine Trust Co v Bohanan 106 PHIL 997 (1960)

III. PART THREE: CHOICE OF LAW

a. Jurisdiction and Choice of Law

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 b. Approaches to Choice of Law

i. Traditional Approach

1. Vested Rights Theory

Gray v Gray 87 N.H. 82
Alabama Great Southern R.R. Co. v Carroll 97 Ala 126
2. Local Law Theory
3. Cavers Principles of Preference

ii. Modern Approach

1. Place of Most Significant Relationship

Auten v Auten 308 NY 155
Haag v Barnes 9 NY 2d 554
2. Interest Analysis
Babcock v Jackson 12 NY 2d 473
3. Comparative Impairment
4. Functional Analysis
5. Choice Influencing Considerations

c. Characterization

i. Single Aspect Method

ii. Subject Matter Characterization
Gibbs v Government of the PI 59 PHIL 293 (1933)
iii. Substance-Procedure Dichotomy
Grant v Mcauliffe 41 Cal 2d 859 (1953)

d. Depecage
Haumschild v Continental Casualty 7 Wis 2d 130

e. Renvoi
Aznar v Garcia 117 PHIL 106
Annesley, Davidson v Annesley 95 LJ Ch. 404 (1926)
Bellis v Bellis 20 SCRA 359 (1968)

IV. PART FOUR: FOREIGN LAW

a. Judicial Notice

b. Proof of Foreign Law

Philippine Commercial and Industrial Bank v Escolin 56 SCRA 266
(1974)

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 In Re: Estate of Johnson 39 PHIL 156 (1918)
Zalamea v Court of Appeals 228 SCRA 27 (1993)

c. Exceptions to When Foreign Law Should Be Applied

Pakistan International Airlines Corporation v Ople 190 SCRA 90
(1990)

V. PART FIVE: CHOICE OF LAW PROBLEMS

a. PERSONAL LAW

i. Nationality and Citizenship

1. Citizenship by Birth – Jus Soli and Jus Sanguinis

Co v Electoral Tribunal of the House of Representatives
199 SCRA 692 (1991)
Poe-Llamanzares v COMELEC G.R. Nos. 221697 &
221698-700 8 March 2016 (include separate opinions)

2. Citizenship by Naturalization

3. Loss of Philippine Citizenship

Frivaldo v COMELEC 174 SCRA 245 (1989)
Frivaldo v COMELEC 257 SCRA 727 (1996)

4. Dual or Multiple Citizenship

Nottebohm Case (Liechtenstein v Guatemala 155 ICJ
Rep 4 (1955))
Maquiling v COMELEC 696 SCRA 420
Arnado v COMELEC G.R. No. 2010164, 18 August 2015

5. Statelessness
Kookooritchkin v Solicitor General 81 PHIL 435 (1948)

ii. Domicile

1. Domicile of Origin
2. Domicile of Choice
3. Constructive Domicile
Caasi v Court of Appeals 191 SCRA 229 (1990)
Uytengsu v Republic 95 PHIL 890 (1954)
Romualdez-Marcos v COMELEC 248 SCRA 300 (1995)
Ujano v Republic 17 SCRA 147 (1966)
In Re Dorance’s Estate 39 Pa 303 (1932)

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 Velilla v Posadas 62 PHIL 624 (1935)
White v Tennant 8 SE 596 (1888)
De La Vina v Villareal and Geopano 41 PHIL 13 (1920)

iii. Personal Status and Capacity

Recto v Harden 100 PHIL 427 (1959)

1. Civil Personality
Geluz v Court of Appeals 112 PHIL 696
Limjoco v Intestate Estate of Fragante 80 PHIL 776
2. Absence
3. Name
4. Age of Majority
5. Capacity
Insular Government v Frank 13 PHIL 236 (1909)

b. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY RELATIONS

i. Marriage

1. Extrinsic Validity
Adong v Cheong Seng Gee 43 PHIL 43 (1922)
People v Mora Dumpo 62 PHIL 246 (1935)
Wong Woo Yu v Vivo 13 SCRA 552 (1965)
Apt v Apt (1947) P 127

2. Intrinsic Validity
Sottomayor v De Barros 47 LJP 23 (1877)
In Re May’s Estate 185 N.Y.S. 284 (1920)

3. Effects of Marriage

ii. Divorce and Separation

Tenchavez v Escaño 15 SCRA 355 (1965)

Van Dorn v Romillo 139 SCRA 139 (1985)
Pilapil v Ibay-Somera 174 SCRA 653 (1989)
Quita v Court of Appeals 300 SCRA 406 (1998)
Republic v Iyoy G.R. No. 152577 21 September 2005
Republic v Orbecido G.R. No. 154380 5 October 2005
San Luis v Sagalongos G.R. No. 134029 6 February 2007
Medina v Koike G.R. No. 215723 27 July 2016
Republic v Manalo G.R. No. 221029 24 April 2018
Racho v Seiicho Tanaka G.R. No. 199515 25 June 2018

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 Sarto y Misalucha v People G.R. No. 206284 28 February 2018

iii. Annulment and Declaration of Nullity

Beumer v Amores G.R. No. 195670 3 December 2012

iv. Parental Relations

1. Legitimacy
2. Parental Authority

v. Adoption

Republic v Court of Appeals 227 SCRA 401 (1993)

Uggi Lindamand Therkelsen v Republic 12 SCRA 400 (1964)
Ng Hian v Collector of Customs 34 PHIL 248 (1916)

c. PROPERTY

i. Capacity to Transfer or Acquire Property

Llantino v Co Liong Chong 188 SCRA 592 (1990)
Cheesman v IAC 193 SCRA 92 (1991)

ii. Exceptions to Lex Situs Rule

Liljedahl v Glassgow 190 Iowa 87 (1921)

iii. Situs of Certain Properties

1. Tax Purposes
Asiatic Petroleum v Co Quico 69 PHIL 433 (1940)

2. Situs of Money

3. Situs of Debts
Harris v Balk 198 US 215 (1905)

4. Situs of Corporate Shares of Stock

CIR vs Anglo California National Bank 106 PHIL 903
(1960)

5. Patents, Trademarks, Trade Name, and Copyright

Philips Export B.V. v Court of Appeals 206 SCRA 457
(1992)
Emerald Garment Manufacturing Corp v Court of
Appeals 251 SCRA 600 (1995)

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 d. CONTRACTS

i. Extrinsic Validity of Contracts

ii. Intrinsic Validity of Contracts

1. Lex Loci Contractus

2. Lex Loci Solutionis

Macmillan and Bloedel v T.H. Valderama and Sons 61
O.G. 1696 (1964)

3. Lex Loci Intentionis

iii. Capacity to Enter into Contracts

iv. Choice of Law in Contracts Cases

1. Choice of Forum/Venue Clause

Compagne De Commerce v Hamburg Amerika 36 PHIL
590 (1917)
King Mau v Sycip 94 PHIL 784 (1954)
HSBC v Sherman 176 SCRA 331 (1980)

2. Arbitration Clauses
Puromines, Inc. v Court of Appeals 220 SCRA 281 (1993)
The Bremen et al v Zapata Off-Shore Company 407 US 1
(1972)

3. Adhesion Contracts
Pan Am World Airways v Rapadas 209 SCRA 67 (1992)
PAL v CA 255 SCRA 48 (1996)

4. Special Contracts

a. Carriage of Goods by the Sea

American President Lines Ltd. v Klepper 110 PHIL
243 (1960)

b. Air Transportation
Lopez v Pan Am 16 SCRA 431 (1965)
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines v Court of Appeals 65
SCRA 237 (1975)

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 Santos III vs Northwest Orient Airlines 210 SCRA
256 (1992)

v. Limitations to Choice of Law - Cognovit Clause

e. WILLS, SUCCESSION, AND ADMINISRATION OF ESTATES

i. Extrinsic Validity of Wills

In re Estate of Johnson 39 PHIL 156 (1918)
Babcock Templeton v Rider Babcock 52 PHIL 130 (1928)

ii. Intrinsic Validity of Wills

Cayetano v Leonidas 129 SCRA 522 (1984)

iii. Interpretation

iv. Revocation

v. Probate
Suntay v Suntay 95 PHIL 500 (1954)
Vda de Perez v Toleta 232 SCRA 722 (1994)

vi. Administration of Estates

Tayag v Benguet Consolidated Inc. 26 SCRA 242 (1968)

f. TORTS AND CRIMES

i. Traditional Theory – Lex Loci Delicti Commissioni

Loucks v Standards Oil Co. 224 NY 99 (1913)

ii. Modern Theories

1. Place of Most Significant Relationship

Saudi Arabian Airlines v Court of Appeals 297 SCRA 469
(1998)
2. Interest Analysis
3. Caver’s Principle of Preference
Schmidt v Driscoll Hotel 249 Minn 376 (1957)

iii. Foreign Tort Claims

1. Product Liability
Asahi Metal Industry Co v Superior Court of California
480 US 102 (1987)

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 2. The Alien Tort Act
Hilao v Estate of Ferdinand Marcos No. 95-15779 O.C.
No. MDL-00840 (1996)
Guinto v Marcos 654 F. Supp. 276 (1986)

3. Philippine Rule on Tort Claims

Time Inc v Reyes et al 39 SCRA 303 (1971)

iv. Exceptions to the Territoriality Principle

1. Immunity of State Officials, Diplomatic Representatives,

etc.
Liang Huefeng v People G.R. No. 125865 (2000)

2. Crimes Committed on Foreign Vessels

US v Look Chaw 18 PHIL 573 (1910)

3. Certain Crimes Which are by Law Are Punished even if

Committed Abroad
Article 2, Revised Penal Code

g. CORPORATIONS AND OTHER JURIDICAL ENTITIES

i. Personal Law of a Corporation

ME Gray v Insular Lumber Company 67 PHIL 139 (1939)
Bank of Augusta v Earle 38 US 519 (1839)

1. Exceptions
Palting v San Jose Petroleum Inc 18 SCRA 924 (1966)
Filipinas Compañia de Seguros v Christern, Huenfeld &
Co., Inc 89 PHIL 54 (1951)

ii. Domicile of Foreign Corporations

State Investment House Inc v Citibank 203 SCRA 9 (1991)

iii. Jurisdiction Over Foreign Corporations

iv. Right of Foreign Corporations to Bring Suit

Home Insurance Co v Eastern Shipping Lines 123 SCRA 424
(1983)
Atlantic Mutual Insurance Co v Cebu Stevedoring Co., Inc 17
SCRA 1037 (1966)

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 v. Exceptions to License Requirement
Eastboard Navigation Ltd. v Juan Ysmael and Company, Inc
102 PHIL 1 (1957)
Leviton Industries v Salvador 114 SCRA 420 (1982)

vi. Definition of “Transacting Business”

Wang Laboratories v Mendoza 156 SCRA 44 (1987)
CIR v Japan Air Lines, Inc 202 SCRA 450 (1991)

vii. Branches of Foreign Corporations

viii. Special Corporations

ix. Partnerships

h. REMEDIAL LAW
Arcilla v Teodoro G.R. No. 162886 11 August 2008

VI. PART SIX: FOREIGN JUDGEMENTS

a. Recognition v Enforcement
Goddard v Gray L.R. 6 Q.B. 139 (1870)

b. Requisites for Recognition or Enforcement

i. Jurisdiction of the Foreign Court

Northwest Orient Airlines v Court of Appeals 241 SCRA 192
(1995)
Boudard v Tait 67 PHIL 170 (1939)
Ramirez v Gmur 42 PHIL 855 (1918)
Borthwick v Castro 152 SCRA 229 (1987)

ii. Validity of the Judgement under Foreign Law

iii. Finality of the Judgement

Nouvion v Freeman 59 L.J. 337 (1889)
Querubin v Querubin 87 PHIL 124 (1950)

iv. Reciprocity
Cowans et al v Teconderoga Pulp & Paper Co 219 N.Y.S. 284
(1927)

v. Judgement is for a Fixed Sum of Money

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 vi. Judgement not obtained by Fraud, Collusion, Mistake of Fact,
or Mistake of Law

c. Grounds for Non-Recognition

d. Procedure for Enforcement

Ingernohl v Olsen & Co 273 U.S. 451

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