ALLIANCE TOBACCO CORPORATION, INC., petitioner PHILIP PHILIPPIN PINE E VIRGIN VIRGINIA IA TOBAC TOBACCO CO ADNMI ADNMINIS NISTRA TRAT TION (PVT (PVTA), FARME FARMER’S R’S VIRGI VIRGINIA NIA TOBACCO REDRING COMPAN, INC. AND INTERMEDIATE APELLATE CO!RT, re"pon#ent"
FACTS$ PVTA, % &o'ernent orpor%tion entere# into % ontr%t o* pro+rin&, re#rin& %n# "er'iin& -it FVTR *or te /012 to3%o tr%#in& oper%tion. In 4+ne o* te "%e e%r, PVTA %5"o entere# into % er%n#i"in& 5o%n %&reeent -it te petitioner, % #+5 inorpor%te# %n# %+tori6e# to3%o tr%#in& entit, -ere3 PVTA %&ree# to 5en# P78,899 to petitioner *or p+r%"e o* *5+e+re# Vir&in% to3%o *ro 3on% *i#e Vir&ini% to3%o *%rer:pro#+er". Fo55o-in& ont, petitioner "ippe# to FVTR 01 3%5e" o* to3%o (;,<99 =i5o") o'ere# 3 G+i% No. / %n# /1> 3%5e" (<,289 =i5o") o'ere# 3 G+i% No. 7 to te Re#rin& p5%nt. On5 <0 3%5e" *ro G+i% No. 7 -ere &r%#e#, -ei&e# %n# %epte# 3 FVTR, te re%inin& />; 3%5e" -ere not &r%#e# %n# -ei&e# 3e%+"e "oe o**ier %n# ep5oee o* FVTR %"=e# one *or "ep%r%te -ei&in& %n# &r%#in& o* te re%inin& 3%5e". Te oper%tion" o* FVTR in B%+%n& "toppe# in Oto3er /012. P5%inti** %"=e# t%t it" +n&r%#e# %n# +n-ei&e# to3%o 3e -it#r%-n *ro Re#rin& p5%nt. PVTA %n# FVTR re*+"e# 3e%+"e %or#in& to te, to"e to3%o -ere "+3?et to er%n#i"in& 5o%ne# %n# o-ne# 3 PVTA. PVTA. !n*ort+n%te5, te re%inin& />; 3%5e" -it tot%5 '%5+e o* P7<,2<7 -ere 5o"t -i5e in te po""e""ion o* FVTR. H%'in& 5e%rne# o* "+ 5o"", petitioner #e%n#e# *or it" '%5+e %n# %pp5i%tion o* te "%e to it" er%n#i"in& 5o%n -it PVTA 3+t 3ot te 5%tter %n# te FVTR re*+"e# to ee# "%i# #e%n#".
ISS!E$ @ON Petitioner’" #e5i'er o* />; 3%5e" o* To3%o to FVTR, % ontr%tee o* PVTA per*ete# te ontr%t o* "%5e 3et-een petitioner %n# PVTA "o %" to o5# te 5%tter 5i%35e *or te 5o"" o* te "%i# 3%5e" -i5e in po""e""ion o* FVTR. FVTR.
HELD$ Te o+rt *ir"t #enie# te petition *or 5%= o* erit. B+t -%" "et %"i#e +pon petitioner’" otion *or reon"i#er%tion. @i5e +n#er %n I#e%5 "it+%tion, PVTA" PVTA" ontention t%t te ontr%t o* "%5e o+5# not %'e 3een per*ete# p+r"+%nt to Arti5e /;>8 77 o* te Ci'i5 Co#e 3e%+"e to #eterine te prie o* te to3%o tr%#e#, te "ipent "o+5# *ir"t 3e in"pete#, &r%#e# %n# -ei&e# %" erit, "%i# ontention i"p5%e# erein. A "trit interpret%tion o* te pro'i"ion o* Arti5e /;>8 % re"+5t in %#'er"e e**et" to "%55 p5%nter" -o -o+5# not 3e p%i# *or te 5o"t pro#+t" o* teir toi5.
E+it %n# *%ir #e%5in&, te %nor o* "%i# %"e, +"t one ore pre'%i5. Sine PVTA %# 'irt+%5 ontro5 o'er te 5o"t to3%o 3%5e", #e5i'er tereo* to te FVTR "o+5# %5"o 3e on"i#ere# e**eti'e #e5i'er to te PVTA.
