Contract Dispute Dismissed — Foreign Pharmaceutical Company v. Local Client, RTC Pasig City Branch 71
A foreign pharmaceutical company with Philippine branch operations filed a lawsuit seeking to collect US$374,000 from our client, a local pharmaceutical company. We established that our client was not a real party in interest to the underlying transaction. The RTC granted the dismissal.
Asset Forfeiture — PAPO Lifted, Anti-Money Laundering Court, RTC Manila Branch 37
The Philippine government sought civil forfeiture of millions of pesos in our client’s bank accounts, alleging involvement in money laundering before the designated Anti-Money Laundering Court. We submitted documentary proof of the legitimacy of our client’s business operations and the lawful source of the funds. The court lifted the Provisional Asset Preservation Order and unfroze the accounts.
Intellectual Property — Pfizer Patent Declared Invalid, RTC Makati City Branch 149
Our client, a local pharmaceutical company, faced a patent infringement claim by Pfizer over the drug Unasyn (ampicillin sulbactam). We argued — and the Regional Trial Court agreed — that Pfizer’s patent violated the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (RA 8293) because it formed part of a prior patent that had already expired in 2007. The court rendered judgment in our client’s favor, declaring the patent invalid.
