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478 Phil. 260
SPECIAL FIRST DIVISION
[ G.R. No. 111159, July 13, 2004 ]
NORDIC ASIA LIMITED (NOW KNOWN AS DNC LIMITED) AND
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, PETITIONERS, VS. THE HONORABLE
COURT OF APPEALS, NAM UNG MARINE CO., LTD., KIM JEONG
SEONG, P. U. ULSTRUP, BAK JEONG RANG, SIN SUK NO, HWANG IN
CHAN, O JEONG SUK, LEE MYUNG UNG, CHAE DOO EUP, SEOK
HAEONG JO, KIM YONG JIN, KIM BU YUL, JEONG DONG SONG, LEE
ON CHUN, GYEONG GI GIM, MUN KU HAN, SEUNG HO AN, BYANG
YEOL YANG, SEOG MAN HAN, KIM JUNG GON, LEE DONG HWA, LEE
MOON HYEONG, SEONG MUG JANG, HAN IL IM, SANG MYEONG
GIM, WOO JEONG SUL, GIL HUN GIM, CHAE DONG CHONG,
RESPONDENTS.
RESOLUTION
AZCUNA, J.:
This is to resolve petitioners’ motion for reconsideration of the decision rendered by the
Court on June 10, 2003.
As a brief background: On May 26, 1981, Sextant Maritime, S.A., (Sextant) borrowed
US$5,300,000 from petitioners Nordic Asia Limited and Bankers Trust Company. The
loan amount was used by Sextant to purchase the vessel M/V “Fylyppa.” As security
for the loan, a First Preferred Mortgage over the vessel M/V “Fylyppa” was constituted
in favor of petitioners. Sextant eventually defaulted on the loan, prompting petitioners
to institute extrajudicial foreclosure proceedings under P.D. 1521.[1]
By coincidence, the same day that extrajudicial proceedings were instituted,
respondents Nam Ung Marine Co., Ltd., manning agent of the vessel, and twenty-seven
(27) crew members filed a collection case before the Regional Trial Court of Manila
(RTC). The object of the suit was to claim their preferred maritime liens under the
Code of Commerce and P.D. 1521, consisting of unpaid wages, overtime pay,
allowances and other benefits due to them for services rendered on board the vessel
and for the manning and provisioning thereof. Impleaded defendants were M/V
“Fylyppa” (the vessel), Maritime (the registered owner of the vessel), P.V. Christensen
Lines (time-charterer of the vessel), Theil Bolvinkel Shipping, A.S. (ship manager) and
Jibfair Shipping (the alleged local ship agent of the vessel). After filing the complaint,
the manning agent and the crewmen were able to cause the arrest of the vessel.
Upon learning of the collection case, petitioners filed with the RTC a motion for leave to
intervene in the collection case. Petitioners alleged that they hold a mortgage over the
vessel and that their intervention is only for the purpose of opposing the crew
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