Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia

Managing Partners: 1
Number of partners: 21
Number of lawyers: 67
Languages: Chinese, English, Filipino, Japanese

Firm Overview:
Building upon the founding principles that brought success to a partnership that spanned over 33 years, a group of 15 partners led by Avelino J. Cruz, Jr., former Secretary of National Defense and Simeon V. Marcelo, former Ombudsman and Solicitor General – exceptional lawyers with impeccable professional reputations – founded Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia. Now led by 21 partners, each with different fields of expertise, Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia is a top tier full-service firm recognized in, among others, intellectual property; arbitration and alternative dispute resolution; corporate and special projects; mining and natural resources/energy; infrastructure, transportation and public utilities; taxation; labour and employment; trade; telecommunications and ICT; and family law.

Main Areas of Practice

Corporate & Commercial:
5 partners, 14 fee-earners
■ Handles significant commercial transactions and projects for clients in mass media, infrastructure development, real estate, retail and healthcare industries
Partners: Manuel L Manaligod, Jr, Patricia A O Bunye, Aida Araceli G Roxas-Rivera, Rosa Michele C Bagtas, Pancho G Umali
Key Clients: ABS-CBN, Fox Network, Pilipinas Shell, Total (Philippines) Corporation, Aboitiz, RII Builders Group, W Group, Sta. Lucia Land Inc., Pepsi Cola Products Philippines, Nestle Philippines, Bench, Ayala Healthcare
Key Contact: Aida Araceli G Roxas-Rivera
Tel: +63 2 8810 5858
Email: [email protected]

Litigation & Dispute Resolution:
11 partners, 16 fee-earners
■ Represented Yujuico Group of Companies and secured a favorable dismissal of a civil case seeking to nullify titles covering huge hectares of land and multi-billion peso contracts affecting these properties
■ Handles key litigation and tax cases for clients in manufacturing, banking, insurance, transportation and agriculture involving hundreds of millions of pesos
Partners: Simeon V. Marcelo, Joe Nathan P. Tenefrancia, Rodel A. Cruz, John Jerico L. Balisnomo, Miguel U. Silos, Elmar B. Galacio, Victor E. M. Pangilinan
Key Clients: Philippine National Bank, Philam Life, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, BDO, Manila Water Company, Inc., Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Philippine Banana Exporters & Growers Assn., Philippine Chambers of Commerce & Industry, ABS-CBN, SM Group, Tullet Prebon, Dole Foods, Inc., Union Bank of the Philippines, Inc., Yujuico Group of Companies
Key Contact: John Jerico L. Balisnomo
Tel: +63 2 8810 5858
Email: [email protected]

Intellectual Property:
4 partners, 15 fee-earners
■ Handles patents, trademarks, copyright, and litigation involving IP rights; IP enforcement
■ Advises in technology transfer and IP commercialisation, IP audit and IP due diligence, and IP valuation
Partners: Susan D. Villanueva, Patricia A. O. Bunye, Divina Gracia E. Pedron, Rowanie A. Nakan
Key Clients: Cemex, JT International SA, Dole Asia Holdings Pte Ltd., Siemens AG, Unilab, Inc., University of the Philippines, DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute, Max’s Group, Inc., San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc.
Key Contact: Susan D Villanueva
Tel: +63 2 8810 5858
Email: [email protected]

Mining & Natural Resources/Energy:
2 partners, 14 fee-earners
■ Advises Sagittarius Mines, Inc. on issues related to its Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement with the government
Partners: Patricia A. O. Bunye, Pancho G. Umali
Key Clients: Sagittarius Mines, Inc., RTG Mining, Inc., Philippine Gold processing and Refining Corp., Aboitiz Power Corp., Shell Philippines Exploration, B.V., Galoc Production Company, Nido Production Galoc Pty. Ltd.
Key Contact: Patricia A O Bunye
Tel: +63 2 8810 5858
Email: [email protected]

Taxation:
4 partners, 14 fee-earners
■ Represents Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. and Unilever RFM against excessive business tax assessments and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation and United Laboratories against alleged deficiency taxes
■ Assists clients in securing rulings from the BIR and BLGF and in addressing BIR tax audits
■ Renders comprehensive tax opinions
Partners: Susan D. Villanueva, Aida Araceli G. Roxas-Rivera, Rosa Michele C. Bagtas, Pancho G. Umali, Jon Anton Daryl Y. Chua
Key Clients: Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, United Laboratories, Inc.
Key Contact: Rosa Michele C. Bagtas
Tel: +63 2 8810 5858
Email: [email protected]

Capital Markets, Securities Regulation & Finance:
5 partners, 7 fee-earners
■ Counselled for Unicapital, Inc. as underwriter in connection with a follow-on offering of preferred shares
■ Advised BDO Unibank, Inc. in entering into a multi-million US Dollar syndicated term loan facility agreement
Partners: Manuel L. Manaligod, Jr., Aida Araceli G. Roxas-Rivera, Rosa Michele C. Bagtas, Pancho G. Umali, Fernand Joseph D. Miranda
Key Clients: Unicapital, Inc., BDO Unibank, Inc.
Key Contact: Rosa Michele C. Bagtas
Tel: +63 2 8810 5858
Email: [email protected]

Telecommunications & ICT:
6 partners, 14 fee-earners
■ Represented Multi-Media Telephony, Inc. involving the award of 3G frequency bandwidths
Partners: Simeon V. Marcelo, Joe Nathan P. Tenefrancia, Manuel L. Manaligod, Jr., Elmar B. Galacio, Ramon Manolo A. Alcasabas
Key Clients: ABS-CBN Corporation, Multi-Media Telephony, Inc.
Key Contact: Joe Nathan P. Tenefrancia
Tel: +63 2 8810 5858
Email: [email protected]