Tungkulin at pananagutan ng partneship

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | June 28, 2021

Dear Chief Acosta,

Nananalo ako sa aking kaso laban sa partnership. Nasa execution stage na ang aking kaso, subalit, wala nang mahanap na mga ari-arian ng kompanya kaya hindi maipatupad ang desisyon. Maaari ko bang panagutin ang mga dating general partners ng nasabing partnership kahit hindi sila naisama bilang respondents sa aking kaso? – Alona

Dear Alona,

Para sa inyong kaalaman, ang inyong katanungan ay tinalakay ng Kagalang-galang na Korte Suprema sa Michael C. Guy vs. Atty. Glenn C. Gacott (G.R. No. 206147, 13 January 2016, Ponente: Honorable former Associate Justice Jose C. Mendoza), kung saan nakasaad ang sumusunod:

“Although a partnership is based on delectus personae or mutual agency, whereby any partner can generally represent the partnership in its business affairs, it is non sequitur that a suit against the partnership is necessarily a suit impleading each and every partner. It must be remembered that a partnership is a juridical entity that has a distinct and separate personality from the persons composing it.

In relation to the rules of civil procedure, it is elementary that a judgment of a court is conclusive and binding only upon the parties and their successors-in-interest after the commencement of the action in court. A decision rendered on a complaint in a civil action or proceeding does not bind or prejudice a person not impleaded therein, for no person shall be adversely affected by the outcome of a civil action or proceeding in which he is not a party. The principle that a person cannot be prejudiced by a ruling rendered in an action or proceeding in which he has not been made a party conforms to the constitutional guarantee of due process of law.

x x x x

Further, Article 1821 of the Civil Code does not state that there is no need to implead a partner in order to be bound by the partnership liability. It provides that:

Notice to any partner of any matter relating to partnership affairs, and the knowledge of the partner acting in the particular matter, acquired while a partner or then present to his mind, and the knowledge of any other partner who reasonably could and should have communicated it to the acting partner, operate as notice to or knowledge of the partnership, except in the case of fraud on the partnership, committed by or with the consent of that partner” (Binigyang-diin).

Sang-ayon sa nabanggit, upang mapanagot ang mga partners ng partnership, kinakailangan na sila ay na-implead bilang respondents sa kasong inyong isinampa laban sa partnership bilang bahagi ng due process. Sa inyong stiwasyon, sapagkat hindi ninyo naisama ang mga partners bilang respondents sa isinampa ninyong kaso, hindi sila maaaring mapanagot sa inyong judgment award.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang inyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa impormasyon na inyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng inyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.