2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVEN - Banking (§§ 1 — 3116) › PART III - Other Financial Institutions (§§ 551 — 1390) › Chapter 61 - Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico (§§ 551 — 607i) › Subchapter I - General Provisions (§§ 551 — 569) › § 559 - Appointment of and powers of a receiver

(a) The Board of Directors of the Bank or the Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico shall have the power to recommend to the Governor the appointment of a receiver for the Bank if the Board of Directors of the Bank or the Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico determines that: (1) the Bank’s assets are less than its obligations to its creditors; (2) the Bank is unable to pay valid debts or obligations as they mature in the normal course of business; (3) the Bank is operating in an unsafe or unsound condition to perform its statutory functions; or (4) the Bank has incurred or is likely to incur losses that will deplete all or substantially all of its capital, and there is no reasonable prospect for the Bank to become adequately capitalized.
(b) Following a recommendation pursuant to subsection (a) above, the Governor may then (1) appoint, or direct the Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico to appoint, a receiver for the Bank, (2) designate another entity, whether a privately owned entity or an existing or new government instrumentality, after consultation with the Secretary of Justice, to assume the Bank’s payment and depositary functions, and (3) appoint new Boards of Directors, if necessary, of any of the Bank’s direct or indirect subsidiaries or affiliates that may have had the same Board of Directors of the Bank. In the exercise of discretion by the Governor or the Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico, any person may be appointed receiver.
(c) Except to the extent proven by final and unappealable judgment to have engaged in willful misconduct for personal gain or gross negligence comprising reckless disregard of and failure to perform applicable duties, the Board of Directors and officers of the Bank, the bridge bank and any subsidiary of the Bank, any employee, agent of the Bank, the bridge bank or of any subsidiary of the Bank, any receiver, or such private persons or entities retained, appointed or employed by such receiver, shall not have any personal liability to any person for, and without further notice or order shall be exonerated from liability for, actions taken or not taken in good faith in their capacity, and within their authority under this chapter. No action shall be brought against a person or entity concerning its acts or omissions in connection with, related to, or arising under this chapter, except in the Commonwealth Court of First Instance for the Judicial Region of San Juan.
(d) Immediately upon the appointment of a receiver, the receiver shall succeed to (1) all rights, titles, powers, and privileges of the Bank, and of any accountholder, depositor, officer, or director of the Bank with respect to the Bank and the assets of the Bank, with full power to do all acts and to execute in the name and on behalf of the Bank all functions, including without limitation all deeds, receipts, and other documents; and (2) title to the books, records, and assets of any previous legal custodian of the Bank.
(e) Immediately upon the appointment of a receiver, the receiver may (1) take over the assets of and operate the Bank with all the powers of the directors and the officers of the Bank, including the power to employ and utilize the seal of the Bank, and conduct all business of the Bank; (2) collect all obligations and money due to the Bank, including without limitation to take all acts necessary for obtaining payment of any money due from a debtor of the Bank or his estate, to prove, rank and claim in the bankruptcy, insolvency, or sequestration of any debtor of the Bank for any balance against any estate, and to receive dividends in any proceeding for monies due to the Bank; (3) sell, transfer and compromise any asset, liability, right, power, or obligation of the Bank, by public auction or private contract, without any approval, assignment, or consent with respect to such transfer and without payment of any registration or other fee, charge, stamp or duty; (4) draw, accept, make, compromise, terminate, and endorse any bill of exchange, promissory note, or other document or obligation in the name and on behalf of the Bank; (5) provide or facilitate through guarantees or other support such funding as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes and exercise the powers authorized by this chapter; (6) retain, appoint, and employ the services of private persons and entities, on such terms and conditions as the receiver may approve, to assist the receiver in fulfilling the duties under this chapter and such private persons and entities shall have full recourse to the powers and rights of the receiver, as appropriate, as directed, limited and managed by the receiver; (7) sue and be sued in the name of the Bank, except as otherwise limited in this chapter, and perform all functions of the Bank in the name of the Bank that are consistent with the appointment as receiver; (8) as appropriate, preserve and conserve the assets and property of the Bank; (9) pay all valid claims and obligations of the Bank in accordance with the prescriptions and limitations of this chapter; (10) investigate, pursue all claims or lawsuits, and collect all claims against persons who may be liable for injuries or losses of the Bank through negligence or other wrongdoing; (11) exercise all powers and authorities specifically granted to receivers, respectively, under this chapter and such incidental powers as shall be necessary to carry out such powers; and (12) take any action authorized by this Section, which the receiver determines is in the best interests of the Bank or its depositors and obligees.
(f) The receiver:
(1) May place the Bank in resolution and proceed to realize upon the assets of the Bank, having due regard to the functions and responsibilities of the Bank.
(2) May allow or disallow and otherwise determine claims in accordance with the requirements of this section.
(3) Shall (A) promptly publish in a newspaper of national circulation and a newspaper of local circulation and in the Bank’s website, a general notice to the Bank’s creditors, and mail notice to any creditor shown in the Bank’s records, to present their claims, together with proof, to the receiver by a date specified in the notice which shall be not less than ninety (90) days after the publication of such notice; (B) republish such notice approximately thirty (30) days after publication under paragraph (A); and (C) upon discovery of the name and address of a claimant not identified in the Bank’s records, mail notice to such claimant within thirty (30) days of such discovery.
(4) Shall determine whether to allow or disallow the claim and shall notify the claimant, by mail at the address identified in the claim, of any decision by the receiver on such claim, stating the reasons for any denial of the claim and the procedures available for further review, not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date the claim is presented to the receiver. Such period may be extended by a written agreement between the claimant and the receiver.
(5) May petition the Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico to organize a bridge bank pursuant to § 559c of this title.
(6) May create one or more subsidiaries pursuant to § 552 of this title, to assume any of the functions of the Bank, other than the lending and depositary functions.
(7) Shall not be required to furnish bond and may appoint an agent or agents to assist in its duties as receiver. All fees, compensation, and expenses of resolution and administration shall be fixed by the receiver, and may be paid by it out of funds coming into its possession as receiver.
(g) If the receiver disallows all or any portion of a claim, or if no decision has been made by the receiver within one hundred eighty (180) days following the presentment of any claim and there has been no extension of that time, the claimant may file a judicial action on such claim (or continue an action commenced before the appointment of the receiver) in the Public Corporations Debt Enforcement and Recovery Act Courtroom created by Act 71-2014, and if such courtroom is not operative, then in the Court of First Instance of Puerto Rico, San Juan Part, not later than sixty (60) days after disallowance of all or any portion of the claim or the expiration of the 180-day period for determination of claims. If any claimant fails to file a judicial action on such claim (or continue an action commenced before the appointment of the receiver), within such time, the claim shall be deemed to be disallowed (other than any portion of such claim which was allowed by the receiver), such disallowance shall be final, and the claimant shall have no further rights or remedies on such claim. No court shall have any jurisdiction to take any action, and no pending judicial action against the Bank in receivership by any claimant may be continued, until the claimant has exhausted all remedies available under the claims procedures specified in this Section. After all remedies under the foregoing claims procedures are exhausted, any judicial action concerning such claim must be filed or continued within sixty (60) days or the claimant shall have no further rights or remedies on such claim and no court shall have further jurisdiction.
(h) Each person having a claim against the Bank or against the receivership shall, in no event, receive in payments and/or property less than the amount the creditor would have been entitled to receive if the Bank had been liquidated on the date of the appointment of the receiver, and the maximum liability to any person having a claim against the Bank or against the receiver or receivership shall equal the amount such creditor would have received if the Bank had been liquidated on the date of the appointment of the receiver.
(i) The receiver shall pay all valid obligations of the Bank in accordance with the prescriptions and limitations of this chapter.
(j) The right of transfer or assignment conferred by §§ 559—559c of this title shall override all other rights and interests, including but not limited to rights to consent or object to such transfer or assignment, of parties under indentures, contracts of employment, leases, charges, mortgages, or any other agreements the Bank may have entered into before the appointment of the receiver. Every public officer having the power or duty to accept and register or amend any entry in any register relating to a transfer or assignment of an asset or liability shall, upon request made by the receiver, transferee, or other person, do all such things as are by law necessary to complete the registration of the transfer or assignment.
(k) After the appointment of a receiver for the Bank, the receiver may request a stay for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days in any judicial or administrative action or proceeding to which the Bank is or becomes a party. Upon receipt of a request by any receiver pursuant to this paragraph for a stay of any judicial or administrative action or proceeding in any court or administrative body with jurisdiction of such action or proceeding, the court or administrative body shall grant such stay as to all parties.
(l) Except as provided in this chapter, no court, officer, employee, agency, or department of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may take any action, except at the request of the receiver, to restrain or affect the exercise of the powers and functions of the receiver. Except as permitted in this chapter, the exclusive remedy in any judicial action against the receivership, or the Bank in receivership, shall be compensatory monetary damages, which shall not include any punitive or other non-compensatory damages.
(m) Once a receiver for the Bank has been appointed, the receiver shall have the discretion to use the services of those employees of the Bank that are necessary to exercise its function and powers pursuant to this chapter, and in that sense, it may temporarily suspend every clause, precept and/or provision applicable to such employees and/or positions of the Bank contained in applicable laws, collective agreements, supplemental agreements, policies, employment manuals, circular letters, contractual letters, addenda, certifications, rules, regulations and employment conditions, regulation letters, classification plans and/or remuneration plans, referring to all and any employment condition, provided that the salary and marginal benefits of such employees are not reduced. The receiver may also order, effectuate or request the detachment and/or transfer of the Bank’s employees to other agencies or existing entities or new entities created by §§ 561—568 of this title and/or any other legislation, including to any subsidiary of the Bank or to a bridge bank created pursuant to § 559c of this title. In the case the Bank is liquidated, the receiver may also effectuate dismissals. If the employees of the Bank are permanently transferred to an existing agency, the terms and conditions of their employment shall be modified to comply with any law, regulation and/or agreement that addresses the remuneration and classification of the employees of the agency to which they have been transferred. In every case, the terms and conditions of employment effective as of the time the receiver is appointed shall be honored, including the rights, privileges, obligations and seniority, acquired pursuant to applicable laws, collective bargaining agreements and current personnel regulations, subject to the modifications contained in Act 66-2014 while it remains effective. In addition, the salaries, wages or commissions of every employee shall be guaranteed in every case, including payments related to paid vacations, allowances and sick leaves or other similar employment benefits acquired prior to the appointment of a receiver, in accordance with the employment policies of the Bank or applicable laws. The transfer of employees to a bridge bank shall also be governed by the provisions included in § 559c of this title.
(n) For purposes of interpreting §§ 559—559c of this title, a court shall consider, to the extent applicable, jurisprudence interpreting Title 12 of the United States Code.
History —Sept. 23, 1948, No. 17, p. 290, §§ 11, 22; Apr. 26, 1957, No. 3, p. 3, § 3; Apr. 6, 2016, No. 21, § 301.