Unsafe or Unsound Banking: Speccom
Unsafe or Unsound Banking: Speccom
Unsafe or Unsound Banking: Speccom
Rural Bank of Lucena vs Central Bank of the Philippines, G.R.No.L-19621, November 29, 1969
Lucena was incorporated under the Rural Banks' Act (Republic Act No. 720) with a paid-up capital
of P60,000.00 — later increased to P500,000.00 — and a capital assistance of P100,000.00 in preferred
stock from the Republic of the Philippines.
Rural Bank of San Pablo complained to the Central Bank that Lucena was operating a branch office
in San Pablo City without authority from the Monetary Board. The Governor of the
Central Bank reported the following: (1) that Lucena had been operating a branch office in San Pablo
without proper authority; (2) that it received savings accounts in spite of authority only to service current
accounts and sales of drafts; (3) cash deposits were received only by a mere helper; (4) that it had extended
loans up to the amount of P180,000.00 to 23 borrowers whose whereabouts could not be located and were
probably either ineligible as borrowers or fictitious persons. On a second progress report are the following:
(1) the President-Manager of the plaintiff Rural Bank has sole power to approve loans; (2) the credit
standing and integrity of the President and members of the Board of Directors of the plaintiff Rural Bank
were not considered when certificate of authority was issued; (3) the employees handling cash and cash
deposits were not bonded; (4) no punitive or disciplinary action has been taken against Rural Bank for
extending anomalous loans or credits to ineligible borrowers; (5) no adequate steps were taken to press
collection of loans to ineligible and/or non-existent borrowers; (6) irregularities and violations committed by
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plaintiff Rural Bank were not brought to the attention of the Monetary Board; (7) the Department of Loans
and Credit intervened in appointment and separation of bank personnel; (8) the Department of Loans and
Credit and Rural Banks Administration encouraged the illegal operation of the Rural Bank 'Extension
Office' in San Pablo City; (9) the Department of Loans and Credit and Rural Banks Administration has not
exerted any effort to stop misleading and erroneous advertisements of the plaintiff Rural Bank; and (10)
that: "a) the Management of the Rural Bank of Lucena is allegedly allergic to bank examination. In several
instances, Mr. Jose V. Perez, President Manager of said bank, had displayed hostility and even threatened
examiners presently assigned thereat. "b) Mr. Jose V. Perez, President-Manager of the Rural Bank of Lucena
allegedly has had highly questionable business transactions in connection with the infamous surplus
property and immigration scandals. "c) The Rural Bank of Lucena has flagrantly violated banking laws and
Central Bank rules and regulations as a result of irresponsible and anomalous banking operations. This is
especially true with regards to its lending operations and the handling of current accounts on which interest
and/or premium appears to have been paid. "d) The Rural Bank of Lucena is illegally transacting business
beyond its authorized territory of operation which is limited only to fifteen (15) towns in Quezon, Sariaya,
Candelaria, Dolores, Tayabas, Lucban, Sampaloc, Mauban, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Atimonan, Gumaca,
Lopez, Cabuag, Tagkawayan and Pagbilao.
Ruling: The foregoing acts committed by the officers, directors and employees of the Rural Bank of Lucena,
Inc. being substantially prejudicial to the interest of the Government, depositors or creditors, it appearing
that the continuance in business of the said Rural Bank under such circumstances would involve probable
loss to its creditors or depositors; and it having been shown further that notwithstanding warnings and
directives of the Director, Department of Rural Banks, the aforesaid officers, directors and employees of the
Lucena Rural Bank, Inc. persisted in such unsafe and unsound banking practices which are in violation of
the laws, instructions, orders, rules and regulations promulgated by the Monetary Board.
The intention of the Central Bank was to provide for temporary measures to prevent the commission
of further irregularities in the business operations of Lucena; to provide for the placing of its management in
the hands of men of integrity and competence; to provide for authority for its examiners to oversee the
operations of Lucena, and finally, to serve a warning upon the latter that should it refuse to comply with the
directives contained in the questioned resolution, the Central Bank would then have no other recourse but to
do its duty under the law — to "take over" the management and operations of Lucena — for the protection of
the interest of the Government and of the stockholders.
DOSRI
SEC. 36. Restriction on Bank Exposure to Directors, Officers, Stockholders and Their Related Interests. - No
director or officer of any bank shall, directly or indirectly, for himself or as the representative or agent of
others, borrow from such bank nor shall he become a guarantor, endorser or surety for loans from such bank
to others, or in any manner be an obligor or incur any contractual liability to the bank except with the written
approval of the majority of all the directors of the bank, excluding the director concerned: Provided, That
such written approval shall not be required for loans, other credit accommodations and advances granted to
officers under a fringe benefit plan approved by the Bangko Sentral. The required approval shall be entered
upon the records of the bank and a copy of such entry shall be transmitted forthwith to the appropriate
supervising and examining department of the Bangko Sentral. Dealings of a bank with any of its directors,
officers or stockholders and their related interests shall be upon terms not less favorable to the bank than
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those offered to others. After due notice to the board of directors of the bank, the office of any bank director
or officer who violates the provisions of this Section may be declared vacant and the director or officer shall
be subject to the penal provisions of the New Central Bank Act. The Monetary Board may regulate the
amount of loans, credit accommodations and guarantees that may be extended, directly or indirectly, by a
bank to its directors, officers, stockholders and their related interests, as well as investments of such bank in
enterprises owned or controlled by said directors, officers, stockholders and their related interests. However,
the outstanding loans, credit accommodations and guarantees which a bank may extend to each of its
stockholders, directors, or officers and their related interests, shall be limited to an amount equivalent to their
respective unencumbered deposits and book value of their paid-in capital contribution in the bank: Provided,
however, That loans, credit accommodations and guarantees secured by assets considered as non-risk by the
Monetary Board shall be excluded from such limit: Provided, further, That loans, credit accommodations and
advances to officers in the form of fringe benefits granted in accordance with rules as may be prescribed by
the Monetary Board shall not be subject to the individual limit. The Monetary Board shall define the term
"related interests." The limit on loans, credit accommodations and guarantees prescribed herein shall not
apply to loans, credit accommodations and guarantees extended by a cooperative bank to its cooperative
shareholders.
iv. Same business group – group of persons whose stockholdings altogether constitute a majority
or control in one or more enterprises
o Illustration of 3(c): Controlling shares of A Bank and B Bank belong to the “same interest.” C
is a director of A Bank. If C borrows from B Bank, he should waive secrecy of his bank
deposits
4. The loan of DOS, singly or with that of his RI, is in excess of:
a. 5% of the capital and surplus of the lending bank; or
b. In the maximum amount permitted by law – SBL 20% of bank’s NW (Whichever is lower)
o “Maximum amount permitted by law”: Limit on loans that may be extended to DOS under
the GBL (This refers to SBL which is 20% of bank’s NW under the GBL, 25% under the
MORB, now 30% due to BSP Memo)
7. Corporation, association or firm which has an existing management contract or any similar
arrangement with the parent of the BSFI pursuant to Item “g” of Sec. 362 (Definition of terms)
- The term “control of majority interest” shall be synonymous to “controlling interest” and exists when
the parent owns directly or indirectly through subsidiaries more than one half of the voting power of
an enterprise unless, in exceptional circumstance, it can be clearly demonstrated that such ownership
does not constitute control. Control of majority interest may also exist even when the parent owns
one-half or less of the voting power of an enterprise when there is:
a. Power over more than one-half of the voting rights by virtue of an agreement with other
investors
b. Power to govern the financial and operating policies of the enterprise under a statute or an
agreement
c. Power to appoint or remove the majority members of the board of directors or equivalent
governing body
d. Power to cast the majority votes at meetings of the board of directors or equivalent governing
body
e. Any other arrangement similar to any of the above.
8. which are incorporated by any of the stockholders or directors or officers or related BSFIs.
directors of UDB, excluding the director concerned and the required approval was not entered upon the
records of the UDB and a copy of such entry was not reported/transmitted to the appropriate supervising
and examining department of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Ruling: To sustain a conviction for violation of the DOSRI restriction, the prosecution must prove the
existence of the following elements beyond reasonable doubt: . . . (1) the offender is a director or officer of
any banking institution; (2) the offender, either directly or indirectly, for himself or as a representative or
agent of another, performs any of the following acts: (a) he borrows any of the deposits or funds of such
bank; or (b) he becomes a guarantor, indorser, or surety for loans from such bank to others: or (c) he
becomes in any manner an obligor for money borrowed from bank or loaned by it; and (3) the offender has
performed any of such acts without the written approval of the majority of the directors of the bank,
excluding the offender, as the director concerned.
It must be stressed that the responsibility of entering upon its records the required written approval
and of transmitting a copy of the entry to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is on the subject bank, which in
this case is Unitrust. Unitrust failed to report the same.
Ruling: The Central Bank, through the Monetary Board, is empowered to conduct investigations and
examine the records of savings and loan associations. If any irregularity is discovered in the process, the
Monetary Board may impose appropriate sanctions, such as suspending the offender from holding office or
from being employed with the Central Bank, or placing the names of the offenders in a watchlist.
Neither were petitioners deprived of their lawful calling as they are free to look for another
employment so long as the agency or company involved is not subject to Central Bank control and
supervision. Petitioners can still practice their profession or engage in business as long as these are not
within the ambit of Monetary Board Resolution No. 805.
payment of principal and interest; (c) loans and other credit accommodations covered by assignment of
deposits maintained in the lending bank and held in the Philippines; (d) loans, credit accommodations and
acceptances under letters of credit to the extent covered by margin deposits; and (e) other loans or credit
accommodations which the Monetary Board may from time to time, specify as non-risk items.
35.6. Loans and other credit accommodations, deposits maintained with, and usual guarantees by a
bank to any other bank or non-bank entity, whether locally or abroad, shall be subject to the limits as herein
prescribed.
35.7. Certain types of contingent accounts of borrowers may be included among those subject to
these prescribed limits as may be determined by the Monetary Board.
- GR: Total amount of loans, credit accommodations and guarantees that may be extended by a bank
shall not exceed 20% of the bank’s NW (Increased to 25% under the MORB then now to 30%
effective until Dec 2021 – BSP Memorandum No. M-2021-026)
- XPN: MB prescribes otherwise for reasons of national interest
- Basis of determining limit: Total credit commitment of bank to borrower - MORB: Loans by a bank
to an entity for the purpose of project finance is subject to SBL Conditions:
1. Such project finance loans are for the purpose of undertaking initiatives that are in line with the
priority programs and projects of govt
2. Lending bank shall ensure that the standard prudential controls in project finance loans to
safeguard creditors’ interests are in place, which may include (Securities)
3. Pledge of a borrower’s shares, assignments of the borrower’s assets, assignment of all revenues
and cash waterfall accounts, and assignment of project documents
Begay vs. Office of the Special Investigation – Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Rural Bank of San Luis,
G.R.No.237664, August 3, 2022
Begay, engaged in the real estate business in Benguet and Tarlac obtained a loan from Rural Bank of
San Luis, Pampanga under security of 2 mortgaged properties in Ambiong. He was able to secure other
loans through different individuals.
Special Investigation – Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas: Begay failed to prove he was the sole owner of
the subject loans.
The loans in the names of Begay's alleged attorneys-in-fact, Magallano, Sy, Bernal, Miranda,
Salvado, Gumangan, Novero, and Bautista were distinct and separate from Begay's loans. The Bank further
claimed that the respective promissory notes of the borrowers showed that they obtained such loans in their
personal capacities; thus, there can be no violation of the rules on the Single Borrower's Limit. It also
claimed that some of the subject loans had already been paid, such as the loan of Salvado which had been
paid in full.
Banks are expected to exercise more care and prudence than private individuals in their dealings,
even those that involve registered lands, for their business is affected with public interest.
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SECTION 9. Issuance of Stocks. - The Monetary Board may prescribe rules and regulations on the types of
stock a bank may issue, including the terms thereof and rights appurtenant thereto to determine compliance
with laws and regulations governing capital and equity structure of banks; Provided, That banks shall issue
par value stocks only.
SECTION 14. Certificate of Authority to Register. - The Securities and Exchange Commission shall no
register the articles of incorporation of any bank, or any amendment thereto, unless accompanied by a
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certificate of authority issued by the Monetary Board, under it seal. Such certificate shall not be issued unless
the Monetary Board is satisfied from the evidence submitted to it:
14.1 That all requirements of existing laws and regulations to engage in the business for which the
applicant is proposed to be incorporated have been complied with;
14.2 That the public interest and economic conditions, both general and local, justify the
authorization;
14.3 That the amount of capital, the financing, organization, direction and administration, as well as
the integrity and responsibility of the organizers and administrators reasonably assure the safety of deposits
and the public interest.
The Securities and Exchange Commission shall not register the by-laws of any bank, or any
amendment thereto, unless accompanied by a certificate of authority from the Bangko Sentral.