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50 Ateneo L.J. 1 (2005-2006)

handle is hein.journals/ateno50 and id is 1 raw text is: 






In  re  Philippine National Bank: Transcending

   Traditional Act of State Doctrine Limitations
   Pedro Roman  M. Ariston*



I.  INTRODUCTION  ........................................ I
II. UNDERGIRDING  CHAIN  OF EVENTS ........................ 2
    A. Swiss Mutual Assistance and Philippine Forfeiture Proceedings
    B. In re Estate of Ferdinand Marcos Human Rights Litigation
    C. Threat of Contempt Proceedings Cast
III. ARGUING THE ACT OF STATE DOCTRINE. .       .................... 13
    A. Asserting the Act of State Doctrine Argument
    B. Assailing the Act of State Doctrine Argument
    C. Amplifying the Act of State Doctrine Argument
IV. AFFIRMING THE ACT OF STATE DOCTRINE  ARGUMENT  ............. 21
    A. Mandamus Factors Availing
    B. The Forfeiture Decision is an Act of State
    C. Doctrine's Underlying Considerations Outweigh Singapore Situs
V. CONCLUSION.                ........................................ 25


                          I. INTRODUCTION
The  Philippine Supreme Court's decision to forfeit the Marcos Swiss assets
in favor of the Republic of the Philippines (ROP) unwittingly embroiled the
Philippine National Bank (PNB) in threatened contempt proceedings before
the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii (Hawaii District
Court). In a recent opinion granting PNB's  mandamus  relief, the United
States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) acknowledged
that the case raises new and important problems on the act of state doctrine.

    The controversy, as the Ninth Circuit puts it, was one more chapter in a
long-running dispute over the rightful ownership of the Marcos Swiss assets.
This battle began nearly two decades ago and, on previous occasions, had
been  brought  before the Ninth  Circuit in order  to resolve the legal
skirmishes between the protagonists. The opinion's concise recital of the
underlying facts thus comes as no surprise. Yet, the Ninth Circuit's teaching

* '90 A.B. Philosophy; '02 J.D., Ateneo de Manila University School of Law; Senior
Associate, Zambrano & Gruba Law Offices. He was a member of the legal team that
assisted PNB's U.S. counsel in developing the act of state doctrine defense before the
Ninth Circuit. The team included Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J., Lily K. Gruba, Jose A.
Bernas and Angelo Patrick F. Advincula.

Cite as 50 ATENEO L.J. i (2005).


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