1) The petitioner Planters Products Inc. challenged the constitutionality of LOI 1465 which imposed a P10 capital recovery component (CRC) on fertilizer sales.
2) The RTC and CA ruled LOI 1465 unconstitutional, finding the P10 levy was a tax not imposed for public purpose but rather to benefit the private company PPI.
3) The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that while ensuring fertilizer supply is a valid public purpose, the method used in LOI 1465 - imposing a levy directly remitted to PPI until it was viable - spoiled the public purpose and made the tax an arbitrary exercise of power for private interest.
1) The petitioner Planters Products Inc. challenged the constitutionality of LOI 1465 which imposed a P10 capital recovery component (CRC) on fertilizer sales.
2) The RTC and CA ruled LOI 1465 unconstitutional, finding the P10 levy was a tax not imposed for public purpose but rather to benefit the private company PPI.
3) The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that while ensuring fertilizer supply is a valid public purpose, the method used in LOI 1465 - imposing a levy directly remitted to PPI until it was viable - spoiled the public purpose and made the tax an arbitrary exercise of power for private interest.
1) The petitioner Planters Products Inc. challenged the constitutionality of LOI 1465 which imposed a P10 capital recovery component (CRC) on fertilizer sales.
2) The RTC and CA ruled LOI 1465 unconstitutional, finding the P10 levy was a tax not imposed for public purpose but rather to benefit the private company PPI.
3) The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that while ensuring fertilizer supply is a valid public purpose, the method used in LOI 1465 - imposing a levy directly remitted to PPI until it was viable - spoiled the public purpose and made the tax an arbitrary exercise of power for private interest.
Planters Products Inc v FertiPhil Corporation - PPI MR denied; hence, this petition
G.R. No. 166006, March 14, 2008
TOPIC: Effect of declaration of unconstitutionality ISSUES PLANTERS PRODUCTS, INC., Petitioner, vs. FERTIPHIL 1. THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF LOI 1465 CANNOT CORPORATION, Respondent. BE COLLATERALLY ATTACKED AND BE DECREED REYES, R.T, certiorari VIA A DEFAULT JUDGMENT IN A CASE FILED FOR COLLECTION AND DAMAGES WHERE THE ISSUE FACTS OF CONSTITUTIONALITY IS NOT THE VERY LIS - both companies are engaged in the importation and MOTA OF THE CASE. NEITHER CAN LOI 1465 BE distribution of fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural CHALLENGED BY ANY PERSON OR ENTITY chemicals. WHICH HAS NO STANDING TO DO SO. - June 3, 1985, then President Ferdinand Marcos, 2. LOI 1465, BEING A LAW IMPLEMENTED FOR THE exercising his legislative powers, issued LOI No. 1465 PURPOSE OF ASSURING THE FERTILIZER which provided, among others, for the imposition of a SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION IN THE COUNTRY, capital recovery component (CRC) on the domestic sale AND FOR BENEFITING A FOUNDATION CREATED of all grades of fertilizers in the Philippines BY LAW TO HOLD IN TRUST FOR MILLIONS OF 3. The Administrator of the Fertilizer Pesticide Authority FARMERS THEIR STOCK OWNERSHIP IN PPI to include in its fertilizer pricing formula a capital CONSTITUTES A VALID LEGISLATION PURSUANT contribution component of not less than P10 per bag. TO THE EXERCISE OF TAXATION AND POLICE This capital contribution shall be collected until POWER FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES. adequate capital is raised to make PPI viable. Such 3. THE AMOUNT COLLECTED UNDER THE CAPITAL capital contribution shall be applied by FPA to all RECOVERY COMPONENT WAS REMITTED TO domestic sales of fertilizers in the Philippines. THE GOVERNMENT, AND BECAME - Fertiphil paid P10 for every bag of fertilizer it sold in GOVERNMENT FUNDS PURSUANT TO AN the domestic market to the Fertilizer and Pesticide EFFECTIVE AND VALIDLY ENACTED LAW WHICH Authority (FPA), which remitted the amount to the Far IMPOSED DUTIES AND CONFERRED RIGHTS BY East Bank and Trust Company, the depositary bank of VIRTUE OF THE PRINCIPLE OF OPERATIVE PPI. FACT PRIOR TO ANY DECLARATION OF - total of P6,689,144 from July 8, 1985 to January 24, UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF LOI 1465. 1986 4. THE PRINCIPLE OF UNJUST VEXATION (SHOULD - After the 1986 Edsa Revolution, FPA voluntarily BE ENRICHMENT) FINDS NO APPLICATION IN stopped the levy THE INSTANT CASE. - FertiPhil demanded from PPI a refund of the amounts, but PPI refused to refund HELD - FertiPhil filed a complaint for collection and WHEREFORE, the petition is DENIED. The Court of damages[8] against FPA and PPI with the RTC in Makati, Appeals Decision dated November 28, 2003 is questioned the constitutionality of LOI No. 1465, the AFFIRMED. LOI solely favored PPI a private corporation RATIO - RTC ordered PPI to pay FertiPhil P6,698,144.00 with Standing interest at 12% from the time of judicial demand; - Fertiphil has locus standi because it suffered direct - Ruling that the imposition of the P10 CRC was an injury; doctrine of standing is a mere procedural exercise of the States inherent power of taxation, the technicality which may be waived. RTC invalidated the levy for violating the basic principle - direct injury test personal and substantial interest in that taxes can only be levied for public purpose the case such that he has sustained, or will sustain - PPI paid FPA, which remitted to FertiPhil; PPI MR direct injury as a result. denied - The direct injury test in public suits is similar to the - CA affirming with modification that of the RTC, real party in interest rule for private suits under removing attorneys fees Section 2, Rule 3 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure. - The CA held that even on the assumption that LOI No. - Fertiphil suffered harm from the enforcement of the 1465 was issued under the police power of the state, it LOI because it was compelled to factor in its product is still unconstitutional because it did not promote the levy made products more expensive public welfare. - To be sure, ensuring the continued - paramount public importance - constitutionality of a supply and distribution of fertilizer in the country is an tax law but, more importantly, the use of taxes for undertaking imbued with public interest. However, the public purpose. method by which LOI 1465 sought to achieve this is by no means a measure that will promote the public Lis Mota welfare. When a statutes public purpose is spoiled by - RTC may resolve constitutional issues; the private interest, the use of police power becomes a constitutional issue was adequately raised in the travesty which must be struck down for being an complaint; it is the lis mota of the case. arbitrary exercise of government power. - The Constitution vests the power of judicial review or LOI No. 1465 was not for a public purpose. the power to declare a law, treaty, international or - levy was for the benefit of a private company executive agreement, presidential decree, order, - actually imposed to benefit the PPI until it is viable instruction, ordinance, or regulation not only in this - levies were directly remitted the Far East Bank and Court, but in all Regional Trial Courts. Trust Company, the depositary bank of PPI. - the constitutionality of LOI No. 1465 was properly and - the levy was used to pay the corporate debts of PPI. adequately raised in the complaint The government guaranteed payment of PPIs debts to - The constitutionality of LOI No. 1465 is also the very its foreign creditors. lis mota of the complaint for collection. Fertiphil filed the complaint to compel PPI to refund the levies paid The LOI is still unconstitutional even if enacted under under the statute on the ground that the law imposing the police power; it did not promote public interest. the levy is unconstitutional. The general rule is that an unconstitutional law The P10 levy under LOI No. 1465 is an exercise of the is void; the doctrine of operative fact is power of taxation. inapplicable. - the Court holds that the RTC and the CA did not err in - PPI invokes operative fact - an unconstitutional law ruling against the constitutionality of the LOI. has an effect before being declared unconstitutional - The lawful subjects and lawful means tests are - It is settled that no question, issue or argument will used to determine the validity of a law enacted under be entertained on appeal, unless it has been raised in the police power. the court a quo.[53] PPI did not raise the applicability - While it is true that the power of taxation can be used of the doctrine of operative fact with the RTC and the as an implement of police power,[41] the primary CA. It cannot belatedly raise the issue with Us in order purpose of the levy is revenue generation. If the to extricate itself from the dire effects of an purpose is primarily revenue, or if revenue is, at least, unconstitutional law. one of the real and substantial purposes, then the - We find the doctrine inapplicable. an unconstitutional exaction is properly called a tax law is void. It produces no rights, imposes no duties - The P10 levy under LOI No. 1465 is too excessive to and affords no protection. It has no legal effect. serve a mere regulatory purpose. The levy, no doubt, - All levies paid should be refunded in accordance with was a big burden on the seller or the ultimate the general civil code principle against unjust consumer. increase of 5 percent on the price per bag enrichment. - The doctrine of operative fact, as an exception to the Taxes are exacted only for a public purpose. The P10 general rule, only applies as a matter of equity and fair levy is unconstitutional because it was not for a public play. The doctrine is applicable when a declaration of purpose. The levy was imposed to give undue benefit unconstitutionality will impose an undue burden on to PPI. those who have relied on the invalid law. - An inherent limitation on the power of taxation is - public purpose.; The power to tax exists for the general welfare - The term public purpose is not defined. It is an elastic concept that can be hammered to fit modern standards. - purposes which are traditionally viewed as essentially government functions, such as building roads and delivery of basic services, but also includes those purposes designed to promote social justice (relocation of illegal settlers, low-cost housing and urban or agrarian reform) - Public purpose is the heart of a tax law