SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan

Partner

Angel M. Salita, Jr. is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. His practice area is corporate law, specializing in special projects (including power, energy, oil and gas, telecommunications, water, construction, BOT, and other infrastructure laws), project finance, acquisition, investment, and banking. Projects that he has handled or is handling include Hutama-RSEA's $370M construction contract with CMMTC for the Manila Skyway (Phase I); Sual and Pagbilao power projects of Mirant Energy (formerly Southern Energy and Hopewell), the plants’ excess capacity sale, and the eventual divestment of Mirant Energy’s interest in the Philippines; JBIC’s project financing for the San Roque hydropower projects; AES’ acquisition of NPC’s Masinloc power plant; BWSC’s O&M contracts for NPC’s power barges; NTT’s investments in PLDT and Smart; Asian Broadcast Satellite’s acquisition of Mabuhay Agila II satellite; Anglian Water Corporation’s water project with the Province of Laguna; Chevron Geothermal’s Tiwi and Mak-Ban geothermal project; CBK’s power project; structuring of Meralco’s power generation business; Meralco PowerGen’s investment in RP Energy; Climate Change Capital’s investments in various renewable energy projects; Filinvest’s construction of PBCom Tower; and Tomen’s supply of telecom equipment to Globe.

Anna Loraine M. Mendoza is a senior associate of SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. She is a member of the firm’s Employment & Immigration and Intellectual Property practice groups.

Mr. Dee is a partner in Sycip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He has represented clients at all court levels and has extensive litigation and arbitration experience.

Arlene M. Maneja is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan specializing in the practice areas of Banking, Finance & Securities, Special Projects, as well as Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution. She has led due diligence teams in several high-value transactions and assisted in rendering regulatory, transaction and business advice in connection with, as well as in documentation of, deals involving commercial lending, acquisitions, investments and divestments, capital restructuring, project financing and corporate reorganizations in, among others, the real estate, public infrastructure, oil and gas, mining and power/energy industries. Her recent projects include: Acquisition by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company of controlling interest in Digital Telecommunications Phils., Inc.; Acquisition by Century Pacific Group of substantial equity interest in Arthaland Corporation—a real property development company; Sale of South Star Drug, Inc., a chain of retail drugstores; Php 75 Billion Syndicated Loan to the National Food Authority; Php 75 Billion Syndicated Loan to the Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management Corporation; and US$ 270 Million project financing of a 2x100 MW coal-fired power plant in Naga City. .

Benedicto P. Panigbatan is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate Services, Tax, Special Projects, and Banking, Finance and Securities practice groups. His practice areas cover mergers and acquisitions, foreign investments, corporate structuring and reorganization, sale and purchase of non-performing/distressed assets of banks and financial institutions, securities regulation, documentation of loans and security arrangements, taxation (including estate planning, availment of reliefs and exemptions under various tax treaties), joint ventures and financing for real estate projects, mining and construction projects, general corporate services, legal due diligence exercises, and general contract drafting, review and negotiations. Mr. Panigbatan is acting as corporate secretary or assistant corporate secretary in various companies in the fields of real estate, pharmaceuticals, tollroad business, mining, business process outsourcing, and investment house business.

Bhong Paulo A. Macasaet is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the firm’s special projects and banking groups. His areas of practice include mergers, acquisitions, aviation, and banking and finance. Mr. Macasaet has experience in several high-value transactions, including acquisitions other forms of investments, as well as financing.

Partner

Carlos Roberto Z. Lopez is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He specializes in dispute resolution and commercial arbitration. His areas of practice include litigation (civil, criminal and administrative), intra-corporate disputes, international commercial arbitration, patent infringement, estate proceedings, local taxation, mining, and general corporation law.

Ms. Caro-Selvaggio is a special counsel in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. Her practice areas are intellectual property, franchising & distribution. She manages and maintains intellectual property portfolios of local and international clients; renders opinions on registrability and protection of intellectual property in the Philippines; has expertise in licensing, technology transfer, distributorship and similarly focused business transactions. She also advises major players in the fashion, food, pharmaceutical and hotel industries on licensing and technology transfer matters.

Dante T. Pamintuan heads the Employment and Immigration Department of SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He specializes in labor and employment, litigation, and corporate services.

Easter Princess U. Castro is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. Her main practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, foreign investments, land acquisition and development, commercial leases, employment law, and immigration.She also handles general corporate work. She acts as corporate secretary for several corporations, advises clients on regulatory requirements, and works on various corporate transactions.Special Projects - Ms. Castro’s special projects include: Php12.6 Billion sale of five office buildings by a foreign private equity firm to a local conglomerate review of government contracts (e.g. concession agreement of operations and maintenance of a railway) investments in and divestments of businesses in various industries (e.g. cosmetics, insurance, advertising, financing, business process outsourcing, etc.) corporate restructuring and reorganization of businesses in various industries (e.g. mineral processing, mining, business process outsourcing, etc.) negotiation and review of commercial leases including build-to-suit arrangements. Employment & Immigration – She counsels clients on employment-related issues, specifically industrial relations, collective bargaining, notice of strike, voluntary and compulsory arbitration, labor compliance audits, and labor litigation.She has conducted workshops for clients on labor and industrial relations, labor standards, and disciplinary proceedings.She regularly advises clients (e.g. an immigration consulting firm based in Singapore), on work permit and work visa requirements of their employees or clients.She assisted in the preparation of a World Bank report on the immigration restrictions of its employees and their dependents in the Philippines.She has also handled deportation cases.Corporate Services – Ms. Castro acts as Corporate Secretary for companies in various industries (e.g. business process outsourcing, pharmaceutical, animal health, advertising, recruitment, sales, holding companies, etc.) and handles several corporate services work including forming local companies and establishing a business presence in the Philippines.

Mr. Manuel has more than 30 years of experience as an IP practitioner and is an internationally-recognized expert in the field. He counsels clients on all aspects of IP, including branding and trademark issues, specialized and strategic IP portfolio management for patents, trademarks, and copyrights, IP protection and enforcement, infringement and unfair competition, as well as related areas involving licensing transactions, technology transfer, entertainment, publishing, music, computer, Internet, domain name and privacy issues.

Mr. Larcina is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the firm’s Special Projects group. He specializes in investments, mergers and acquisitions, particularly in industries with FDI and nationality restrictions and in listed and public corporations. His other work focus is arbitration and dispute resolution for commercial transactions. He has expertise in merger and competition law, securities regulations, and telecommunications, media, and technology.

Hector M. De Leon, Jr. is SyCipLaw’s managing partner. His practice focuses on corporate and commercial matters, with emphasis on equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, project development and finance, and similar commercial transactions.

Il Young Choi is an associate in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan practicing in the areas of Litigation & Arbitration, Employment, Labor Relations & Immigration, Corporate Services & Business Transactions, Banking, Finance & Securities, and Special Projects.

Imelda A. Manguiat is a partner in SyCip Salzar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) specializing in foreign investments, mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure projects and government contracts. She currently heads the Corporate Services Department of the firm. Ms. Manguiat has acted as legal counsel to the proponents in various power projects in the Philippines, among them, the 1200 MW Ilijan natural gas power plant and the 200 MW Cebu coal-fired power plant. She was also counsel to a number of bidders in the privatization of the assets of the National Power Corporation by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation. Aside from the power sector, she was involved in other major infrastructure projects in the Philippines, such as the MRT 3 rail transit system that runs along EDSA from North Avenue in Quezon City to Pasay City and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. Ms. Manguiat has extensive experience in foreign investments, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions across various industry sectors, including telecommunications, real property development and the manufacturing sectors.

Jan Celine C. Abaño-Ranada is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. She is a member of the firm’s Special Projects and Banking, Finance and Securities groups. Her areas of practice include project financing, mergers, acquisitions, privatization, energy and infrastructure.

Joanna Marie O. Joson is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. She specializes in acquisitions, foreign investments, corporate reorganization and restructuring, insurance, labor and taxation. She also handles general corporate services, legal due diligence, and general contract drafting and review.She has assisted in rendering regulatory advice on life and non-life insurance and reinsurance matters to a foreign insurance company. She also renders tax advice in connection with deals involving acquisitions, investments and divestments, and corporate reorganizations in, among others, the real estate, mining, food and aviation industries, as well as transactions in connection with securities issuances. She has been involved in the conduct of legal due diligence for special projects such as the acquisition of shares in corporations in the power, mining, food, advertising, pharmaceutical and animal health industries.

John Regalado is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Arbitration practice group, and has been been cited as a Next Generation Lawyer (2019, 2018, 2017) and a Next Generation Partner and Recommended Lawyer (2020) for Dispute Resolution by the Legal 500 Asia Pacific. Mr. Regalado specializes in commercial arbitration, having represented clients in disputes before the International Chamber of Commerce-International Court of Arbitration, the Philippine Construction Industry Arbitration Commission, ad hoc arbitral tribunals, and the Philippine courts in applications for interim relief. Mr. Regalado is experienced in commercial and criminal litigation, and he has handled and tried cases before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan, trial courts, the Department of Justice, and prosecutors’ offices. He also specializes in product liability cases and has successfully defended, and continues to represent, an international automobile manufacturer in product liability suits filed by consumers before (1) the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry and trial courts, and (2) prosecutors’ offices for crimes arising out of alleged violations of consumer laws. Mr. Regalado is also a member of the firm’s Special Projects and Tax practice groups. His corporate practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, and foreign investments.

John Paul V. de Leon is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the firm’s Special Projects and Banking Finance and Securities Groups. His practice areas include real estate development, infrastructure, mergers and acquisitions, finance and securities and investments (both foreign and local) in highly regulated areas such as information technology, food and drugs, health care, media, advertising, gaming and retail trade.

Jose Florante M. Pamfilo is a partner in  SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the firm’s Special Projects Department and Banking, Finance and Securities Department. He was recently recognized by The Legal 500 as a next generation lawyer for banking and finance.

Leah C. Abutan is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan.

Leslie C. Dy is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. Her main practice area is employment and labor where she handles arbitration, litigation and collective bargaining negotiations, among others. Her practice also includes civil litigation, family relations, estate planning and settlement and land disputes. Ms. Dy provides counseling and advice to local and foreign investors on Philippine labor laws in general, and assists multinational companies in their day-to-day employment-related issues and concerns. She handles employment issues in corporate restructuring, including mergers and acquisitions. She is a regular contributor to Lexoterica and writes articles in legal journals and publications. She also gives lectures to senior executives and personnel managers in top corporations.

Ma. Patricia B. Paz is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. Her practice areas are dispute resolution and commercial arbitration. She has represented clients in all levels of the Philippine judiciary, before international and domestic arbitral tribunals, as well as in proceedings before administrative agencies in the highly regulated water, mining, environmental protection, energy, land use, and telecommunications sectors.

Maria Viola B. Vista is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. She is a member of the firm’s Special Projects, Tax, Corporate Services and Employment and Immigration practice groups. She joined the firm in 2009. Ms. Vista’s employment practice includes advisory work on various areas such as employment and contracting arrangements, hiring of expatriates, union issues, disciplinary proceedings, employee-related data privacy issues, and employment transfers or terminations in corporate transactions.

Marianne M. Miguel is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. Her primary areas of practice are employment law, litigation and arbitration. Ms. Miguel specializes in employment law. Her work experience covers a broad and diverse range of issues including: labor and employment law compliance audits; restructuring and reorganization; mergers and acquisitions; termination issues; collective bargaining and other union-related issues; employment contracts, policies and handbooks; immigration; and dispute resolution, conciliation and mediation, compulsory and voluntary arbitration.

Marievic G. Ramos-Añonuevo has been in law practice for 34 years and has acquired substantial experience advising major local and foreign clients in the fields of banking, project finance, privatization, infrastructure, foreign investments, mergers and acquisitions, corporate rehabilitation and restructuring, securities, and land acquisition and development. She is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan.

Michael Trance Joseph M. Nuñez is an associate at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a newly-inducted member of the Philippine Bar and currently rotating through the firm’s various practice groups.

Mr. Dimayacyac is an associate at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is currently rotating through the firm’s various practice groups.

Mr. Nathaniel Andrew Uy is a senior associate in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the Firm’s Special Projects, Litigation and Employment and Immigration practice groups. His work includes conducting legal due diligence, drafting and reviewing transaction documents, and rendering advisory opinions on land, corporate, contracts, securities, employment and regulatory matters, including for high-value corporate acquisitions and other forms of investments.

Philbert E. Varona is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the firm’s Special Projects and Banking, Finance & Securities groups. His practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, finance and securities, foreign investments, and infrastructure and government contracts.

Ramon G. Songco is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. His practice areas include litigation and arbitration (civil, commercial, criminal, administrative) including contract disputes, tax cases, environmental (writ of kalikasan) cases, international commercial and sports arbitration, local taxation, estate proceedings, and general corporation law.

Rocky Alejandro L. Reyes heads the firm’s Special Projects Department. He specializes in taxation, project finance, construction, leveraged leases and infrastructure projects.

Rodelle B. Bolante is a member of the firm’s Employment and Immigration Department, which represents clients in compulsory and voluntary arbitration as well as in adversarial and non-adversarial labor proceedings before labor agencies and the courts. He specializes in immigration work, including providing professional advice and assistance in the procurement and renewal of the proper visas and work permits, and was cited for his work in the 2015 Legal 500 Asia Pacific rankings. Mr. Bolante also has extensive experience in representing companies in the banking and manufacturing sectors in collective bargaining negotiations. He does advisory work for business process outsourcing companies.

Ronald Mark C. Lleno specializes in litigation and employment law. His practice areas are litigation (civil, criminal, and administrative), employment law, and taxation law.

Partner

Russel L. Rodriguez is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He specializes in civil and commercial litigation.

Simeon Ken R. Ferrer is an of counsel in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He formerly headed the firm’s Corporate Services Department. His practice areas include banking, finance and securities, foreign investments, mergers and acquisitions, and corporations.

Vicente D. Gerochi IV has represented Philippine and international banks and multilateral financial institutions on a range of transactions, including securities offering, project finance and other financing deals. He heads the Banking, finance and securities Department of SyCipLaw.

Vida M. Panganiban-Alindogan heads the firm's Intellectual Property Department. Her practice area includes, among others, the management, prosecution and enforcement of intellectual property rights. She also provides advice on competition law, data protection and privacy; and regulatory advice on food, beverage and pharmaceutical products.