Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, Inc., v. Gimenez

Full Text: http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1961/jan1961/gr_l-14787_1961.html

Facts:
On several occasions, it imported from abroad various materials such as irish moss extract, sodium benzoate, sodium saccharinate precipitated calcium carbonate and dicalcium phosphate, for use as stabilizers and flavoring of the dental cream it manufactures. For every importation made of these materials, the petitioner paid to the Central Bank of the Philippines the 17% special excise tax on the foreign exchange used for the payment of the cost, transportation and other charges incident thereto, pursuant to Republic Act No. 601, as amended, commonly known as the Exchange Tax Law.
On March 14, 1956, the petitioner filed with the Central Bank three applications for refund of the 17% special excise tax it had paid in the aggregate sum of P113,343.99. The claim for refund was based on section 2 of Republic Act 601, which provides that "foreign exchange used for the payment of the cost, transportation and/or other charges incident to the importation into the Philippines of . . . stabilizer and flavors . . . shall be refunded to any importer making application therefor, upon satisfactory proof of actual importation under the rules and regulations to be promulgated pursuant to section seven thereof.". The OIC of ETA of CBP approved the application for refund of the special excise tax on the foreign exchange used to import irish moss extract, sodium benzoate and precipitated calcium carbonate. However, the auditor of CBP refused to pass in audit its claims for refund even for the reduced amout fixed by OIC of ETA on the theory that toothpaste stabilizers and flavors are not exempt form Section 2 of ETC.
The Auditor General  affirmed the ruling of the auditor of the Central Bank, maintaining that the term "stabilizer and flavors" mentioned in section 2 of the Exchange Tax Law refers only to those used in the preparation or manufacture of food or food products.


Issue:
Whether or not the foreign exchange used by petitioner for the importation of dental cream stabilizers and flavors is exempt from the 17% special excise tax imposed by the Exchange Tax Law so as to entitle it to refund under Section 2 thereof.

Held:
The ruliong of Auditor General is based on the principle "general terms may be restricted by specific words, with the result that the general language will be limited by the specific language which indicates the statute's object and purpose". It is applicablle only to cases where, except for one general term, all the items in teh enumeration belong to or fall under one specific class.
In the case at bar, the items do not belong to the same classification.  On the basis of the grouping of the articles alone, it cannot validly be maintained that the term "stabilizer and flavors" as used in the above-quoted provision of the Exchange Tax Law refers only to those used in the manufacture of food and food products. This view is supported by the principle "Ubi lex non distinguish nec nos distinguire debemos", or "where the law does not distinguish, neither do we distinguish". (Ligget & Myers Tobacco Company vs. Collector of Internal Revenue, 53 Off. Gaz. No. 15, page 4831). Since the law does not distinguish between "stabilizer and flavors" used in the preparation of food and those used in the manufacture of toothpaste or dental cream, we are not authorized to make any distinction and must construe the words in their general sense. The rule of construction that general and unlimited terms are restrained and limited by particular recitals when used in connection with them, does not require the rejection of general terms entirely.
Therefore, the decision is reversed and the Colgate-Palmolive is entitled of the refund which was approved by OIC of the ETA in the thotal amount of P23, 958.13