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ATLAS Consolidated Mining & Development Corporation vs. Court of Appeals, et al.

ATLAS CONSOLIDATED MINING & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, petitioner, vs. THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS, MALAYAN INTEGRATED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION, BIGA COPPER MINES EXPLORATION COMPANY, PABLO B. GOROSIN, FRANCISCO B. GOROSIN, HEIRS OF PEDRO B. GOROSIN and VICENTE T. GARAYGAY, respondents.

G.R. No. L-54305 | 1990-02-14

D E C I S I O N


GANCAYCO, J.:

Can a person who is not a party to a contract file a petition for declaratory relief and seek a judicial interpretation of such contract? Can a trial court which had already taken cognizance of an action involving a mining controversy be divested of jurisdiction to hear and decide the case upon the promulgation of Presidential Decree No. 1281? 1

These are the threshold issues brought about by the long drawn legal battle between the conflicting parties in this
case.

The facts are undisputed.

On June 5, 1973, Atlas Consolidated Mining & Development Corporation (ATLAS) entered into an operating agreement...