Francisco G. Chan v. Bank of the Philippine Islands

Summary

This case involves a credit card debt collection dispute between Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) and Francisco Chan over P729,119.48 in unpaid charges. The RTC initially dismissed BPI's complaint after excluding key evidence including statements of account and demand letters for lack of proper foundation. The Court of Appeals reversed, ruling that electronic statements were admissible under the Rules on Electronic Evidence and ordering full payment with interest and penalties. The Supreme Court partially granted Chan's petition, affirming his liability for the principal amount but rejecting interest and penalty charges for lack of written agreement as required by Civil Code Article 1956. The final judgment reduced the obligation to P699,730.59 plus 6% legal interest per annum from the demand date, establishing important precedent on the admissibility of electronic banking records and the requirement of written stipulation for contractual interest charges.