Court Validates Emmanuel Canivel as Legitimate President of Philippine Women's College of Davao
After an extensive period of institutional power struggle, the judicial system has delivered a definitive verdict regarding the legitimate leadership of the Philippine Women's College of Davao. The Regional Trial Court Branch 10, through rulings dated February 5 and 11, 2026, has established that Mr. Emmanuel Canivel's presidency possesses a solid legal foundation, thereby confirming his status as the authentic president of the institution.
Legal Basis for Canivel's Presidency
In its February 5, 2026 decision for Case No: R-DVO-23-02238-CV—an intra-corporate dispute involving declaration of nullity, injunction, and damages filed by Mr. Canivel and PWC—the court, presided by Judge Retrina E. Fuentes, determined that defendants including Ms. Elizabeth San Pedro Lietz failed to properly defend the appointment of nineteen individuals as new members of the PWC Corporation. The court emphasized that only legitimate PWC Corporation members possess the authority to elect the Board of Trustees, which subsequently elects the institution's president.
The judicial findings revealed that prior to the controversy, only fourteen valid members existed within the PWC Corporation. The defendants' appointment of nineteen new members was declared null and void due to non-compliance with institutional by-laws, which mandate nomination by a member of record and an affirmative majority vote from all members.
Invalidated Meetings and Appointments
The court further ordered that the meeting conducted by defendants on February 18, 2023, be considered null and void for failing to meet notice requirements specified in the by-laws. The ruling maintained that "defendants had no authority to organize a separate meeting to pursue their own agenda." Consequently, the court invalidated the election and appointment of Vicente Antonio V. Pijano III, Deogracia B. Corpuz, Alma Rose B. Bersano, and Maria Alma G. Gacto as Other Officers of PWC during that meeting.
Additionally, the General Information Sheet filed by defendants on February 18, 2023, was declared without legal force or effect. This document serves as crucial verification for financial institutions regarding authorized signatories for transactions and fund withdrawals.
Meanwhile, the court upheld the validity of the meeting called by the majority of members (the complainants' group) on February 18, 2023. The ruling clarified that "while by-laws designate the Chairperson to preside, a meeting cannot be 'held hostage' by a chairperson who refuses to attend or cooperate if a quorum is present."
Quo Warranto Case Dismissal
Prior to the intra-corporate dispute case, Ms. Lietz and Mary Jude Barba Icasiano filed a Quo Warranto Case (Case No. R-DVO-23-00415-SC) against Canivel and several Benitezes, questioning Canivel's legal right to serve as PWC president. The court dismissed this case as moot and academic regarding Mr. Canivel and for insufficiency of evidence against remaining defendants.
The court found insufficient evidence to prove that Joachim, Karen, and Andreanna Benitez were non-residents of the Philippines, noting that Special Powers of Attorney actually identified them as Filipinos. Regarding Ruby Benitez's education, the court ruled that PWC by-laws contain no requirement for members to hold bachelor's degrees.
The court also invalidated the October 20, 2022 meeting called by Ms. Lietz's group, conducted via video conference without meeting 'unanimity' or 'principal office' requirements when notice isn't provided to all trustees. Similarly, the December 9, 2022 meeting was declared null and void due to improper Zoom venue and failure to provide required three-day notice, rendering Canivel's initial election during that meeting invalid.
Despite this invalidity, the court deemed the issue moot because Canivel resigned on February 18, 2023, and was subsequently re-elected by new Trustees, making adjudication of the 2022 election without practical purpose.
Moving Forward with Transparency and Stability
On March 2, 2025, following the RTC 10 ruling, Mr. Canivel delivered his first President's Speech during PWC's General Assembly, committing to transparency, proper governance, and institutional stability. "My office will not be a place where you need permission to approach. Decisions about this institution will be made through proper governance, and you will know how and why they are made. The disruption ends here," Canivel declared.
He assured school administrators continuing their roles that he wouldn't conduct a witch hunt, stating: "I am here to move forward. What I ask is simple: do your jobs with integrity, serve this community, and we will have no issues." Canivel acknowledged that most institution members weren't responsible for past events, particularly since many followed orders from superiors.
Canivel repeatedly emphasized the Benitezes' significance to the institution, noting that founder Conrad Benitez invited him to PWC-Davao "because he believed it was worth protecting." He affirmed that the college's mission belongs to everyone in the community.
Financial Assessment and Judicial Challenges
Atty. Alro Paglinawan, legal counsel for Canivel and PWC, revealed that the institution is hiring external auditors to assess financial aspects and determine potential damages during the period when the other group handled finances. Simeon Marfori, a legally recognized Board of Trustees member, lamented the "slow wheels of justice" in the Philippines, suggesting financial losses could have been minimized with more courts dedicated to corporate disputes.
Currently, RTC Branch 10 serves as the only court branch handling corporate disputes throughout Mindanao. Meanwhile, Canivel emphasized focusing on enhancing and expanding academic programs, vowing: "We will bring PWC to heights you have never seen before."
PWC has formally communicated to the Commission on Higher Education and Davao Colleges and Universities Network that Mr. Pijano holds no position or authority at the institution, including as Chancellor, Chief Operating Officer, or any officer role. The institution stated that "any action he has taken as Chancellor or Chief Operating Officer from February 18, 2023 onwards is not only illegal, but utterly null and void as declared by the court."
Canivel's Distinguished Background
Tomas Julio "TJ" Benitez, a PWC corporation member, introduced Canivel as someone "shaped for this role over the course of a lifetime" and "a man who shows up when it matters." Canivel graduated Dean's List from Ateneo de Manila University with a Management Engineering degree, earned a Master's in Business Management with Distinction from Asian Institute of Management, and received training at Oxford University in Strategic Management.
His international banking career spans nearly three decades, including positions as Vice President at First Interstate Bank of California and leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank across Asia, where he served as Global Head of Bank Alliances for Financial Institutions worldwide based in Singapore. Canivel has worked across the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Middle East, and other regions, and currently serves as adjunct faculty member and mentor at the Asian Institute of Management.
