Proton Pilipinas Corporation vs. Banque Nationale de Paris

Case #5
PROTON PILIPINAS CORPORATION, AUTOMOTIVE PHILIPPINES, ASEA ONE CORPORATION and

AUTOCORP vs. BANQUE NATIONALE DE PARIS
G. R. No. 151242, June 15, 2005
Facts:
Petitioner Proton Pilipinas Corporation (Proton) availed of credit facilities of herein respondent,
Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP).
BNP and Proton subsequently entered into three trust receipt agreements wherein Proton would
receive imported motor vehicles and hold them in trust for BNP. Proton would be free to sell the
vehicles subject to the condition that it would deliver the proceeds of the sale to BNP, to be
applied to its obligations to it. In case the vehicles are not sold, Proton would return them to BNP,
together with all the accompanying documents of title. Proton failed to deliver the proceeds of the
sale and return the unsold motor vehicles.
BNP demanded from Protons guarantors (Protons co-plaintiffs in this case) Automotive, Asea
and Autocorp the payment of the amount of US$1,544,984.40 representing Protons total
outstanding obligations. These guarantors refused to pay, hence, BNP filed before the Makati
Regional Trial Court (RTC) a complaint against petitioners praying that they be ordered to pay
US$1,544,984.40 plus accrued interest and other related charges thereon
The Makati RTC Clerk of Court assessed the docket fees which BNP paid at P352,116.30
To the complaint, Proton filed a Motion to Dismiss on the ground that BNP failed to pay the
correct docket fees to thus prevent the trial court from acquiring jurisdiction over the case.
Makati RTC denied petitioners Motion to Dismiss:
This court believes and so hold that the docket fees were properly paid. It is the
Office of the Clerk of Court of this station that computes the correct docket fees, and it is
their duty to assess the docket fees correctly, which they did.
Even granting arguendo that the docket fees were not properly paid, the court
cannot just dismiss the case. The Court has not yet ordered (and it will not in this case) to
pay the correct docket fees, thus the Motion to dismiss is premature, aside from being
without any legal basis.
Petitioners filed a motion for reconsideration of the denial of their Motion to Dismiss, but it was
denied by the trial court.
Petitioners thereupon brought the case on certiorari and mandamus to the Court of
Appeals which denied it.
Ruling of the Court of Appeals:
What the Office of the Clerk of Court did and the ruling of the respondent trial court Judge
find support in the decisions of the Supreme Court in Ng Soon vs. Alday and Tacay vs.
RTC of Tagum. In the Tacay case, the Supreme Court explicitly ruled that where the
action is purely for recovery of money or damages, the docket fees are assessed on the
basis of the aggregate amount claimed, exclusive only of interests and costs.
Assuming arguendo that the correct filing fees was not made, the rule is that the court
may allow a reasonable time for the payment of the prescribed fees, or the balance
thereof, and upon such payment, the defect is cured and the court may properly take
cognizance of the action unless in the meantime prescription has set in and consequently
barred the right of action. Here respondent Judge did not make any finding, and rightly
so, that the filing fee paid by private respondent was insufficient.
Their Motion for Reconsideration having been denied by the Court of Appeals, petitioners filed the
present petition for review on certiorari. Citing Administrative Circular No. 11-94, petitioners argue
that BNP failed to pay the correct docket fees as the said circular provides that in the assessment
thereof, interest claimed should be included. There being an underpayment of the docket fees,
petitioners conclude, the trial court did not acquire jurisdiction over the case. Additionally,
petitioners point out that the clerk of court, in converting BNPs claims from US dollars to
Philippine pesos, applied the wrong exchange rate of US $1 = P43.00.
Furthermore, petitioners submit that pursuant to Supreme Court Circular No. 7, the complaint
should have been dismissed for failure to specify the amount of interest in the prayer. The
Circular cites the case of Manchester Development Corporation vs. Court of
Appeals.
On the other hand, respondent maintains that it had paid the filing fee which was assessed by the
clerk of court, and that there was no violation of Supreme Court Circular No. 7 because the
amount of damages was clearly specified in the prayer.
Respondent goes even further by suggesting that it made an overpayment in light of Tacay v.
Regional Trial Court of Tagum, Davao del Norte where the Supreme Court held:
Where the action is purely for the recovery of money or damages, the docket fees are
assessed on the basis of the aggregate amount claimed, exclusive only of
interests and costs.
ISSUE:
1. Whether or not the respondents (BNP) paid the correct docket fees NO
2. Whether or not the trial court acquire jurisdiction over the case in light of the insufficient docket
fees? - YES
RULING:
1. When Tacay was decided in 1989, the pertinent rule applicable was Section 5 (a) of Rule 141
wherein it states that the computation for the filing fee was exclusive of interest of the sum
claimed.
When the complaint in this case was filed in 1998, however, Rule 141 had been amended by
Administrative Circular No. 11-94.
Administrative Circular No. 11-94 states that in assessing the correct filing fee, the the total sum
claimed, inclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorneys fees, litigation expenses, and
costs, or the stated value of the property in litigation should be taken into consideration.
The clerk of court should thus have assessed the filing fee by taking into consideration the total sum
claimed, inclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorneys fees, litigation expenses, and costs, or
the stated value of the property in litigation. Respondents and the Court of Appeals reliance then
on Tacay was not in order.
2. True, in Manchester Development Corporation v. Court of Appeals, this Court held that the court
acquires jurisdiction over any case only upon the payment of the prescribed docket fees, hence, it
concluded that the trial court did not acquire jurisdiction over the case. HOWEVER, the ruling
in Manchester was clarified in Sun Insurance Office, Ltd. (SIOL) v. Asuncion.
This Court held that in the Manchester case, there was clearly an effort to defraud the government in
avoiding to pay the correct docket fees, whereas in the Sun Insurance Office case the plaintiff
demonstrated his willingness to abide by paying the additional fees as required.
The ruling in Sun Insurance Office was echoed in the 2005 case of Heirs of Bertuldo Hinog v. Hon.
Achilles Melicor:
Plainly, while the payment of the prescribed docket fee is a jurisdictional requirement,
even its non-payment at the time of filing does not automatically cause the dismissal of
the case, as long as the fee is paid within the applicable prescriptive or reglementary
period, more so when the party involved demonstrates a willingness to abide by the rules
prescribing such payment. Thus, when insufficient filing fees were initially paid by
the plaintiffs and there was no intention to defraud the government,
the Manchester rule does not apply.
In the case at bar, respondent merely relied on the assessment made by the clerk of court which turned
out to be incorrect. Under the circumstances, the clerk of court has the responsibility of reassessing what
respondent must pay within the prescriptive period, failing which the complaint merits dismissal.

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Case #5

PROTON PILIPINAS CORPORATION, AUTOMOTIVE PHILIPPINES, ASEA ONE CORPORATION and

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