Exhibit (5)(a)
[The Procter & Gamble Company Letterhead]
Susan S. Whaley
Associate Director and
Associate General Counsel
Legal Division
The Proctor & Gamble Company
299 East Sixth Street
Cincinatti, OH 45202-3315
Phone: (513) 983-7695
Fax: (513) 983-2611
whaley.ss@pg.com
www.pg.com
February 6, 2009
The Procter & Gamble Company
One Procter & Gamble Plaza
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Procter & Gamble International Funding SCA
26 Boulevard Royal
L-2449 Luxembourg
Gentlemen/Mesdames:
This opinion is rendered for use in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed by The Procter & Gamble Company (the “Company” or “Procter & Gamble”) and Procter & Gamble International Funding SCA (“PGIF”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 7, 2007 (the “Registration Statement”), with respect to the issuance of (i) $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.500% Notes due February 15, 2015 and $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 4.700% Notes due February 15, 2019 (collectively, the “Procter & Gamble Debt Securities”) and (ii) $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of PGIF’s Floating Rate Notes due February 8, 2010 (the “PGIF Debt Securities”), fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by the Company (the “Guarantee”).
The Procter & Gamble Debt Securities will be issued under an Indenture, dated as of September 28, 1992 between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, National Association (as successor-in-interest to J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association), as trustee (the “Procter & Gamble Indenture”). The PGIF Debt Securities and the Guarantee will be issued under an Indenture dated as of July 6, 2007, among PGIF, as issuer, the Company, as guarantor and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “PGIF Indenture”).
As counsel for the Company, I have examined and am familiar with originals or copies, certified or otherwise, identified to my satisfaction, of such statutes, documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as I have deemed necessary for the purpose of this opinion, including the Amended Articles of Incorporation, Regulations and By Laws of the Company and the records of the proceedings of the shareholders and directors of the Company.
This opinion is limited to the Federal laws of the United States and the laws of the State of Ohio, each as currently in effect, and I am expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction. Insofar as the opinions set forth herein are governed by the laws of the State of New York, I have relied as to all matters governed by such law upon the opinion dated the date hereof of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, One New York Plaza, New York, New York 10004, addressed to the Company and PGIF and filed as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement. To the extent the opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP contains conditions and limitations, I incorporate such conditions and limitations
herein. Also, insofar as my opinion involves factual matters, I have relied, to the extent I deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and certificates of public officials.
Upon the basis of the foregoing, I am of the opinion that:
(a) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation under the laws of Ohio;
(b) The Procter & Gamble Debt Securities have been duly authorized and the global securities representing the Procter & Gamble Debt Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered, and assuming receipt by the Company of payment of the issue price of the Procter & Gamble Debt Securities, will be legally issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company in accordance with their terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles, and shall be entitled to the benefits of the Procter & Gamble Indenture.
(c) The Guarantee has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, has been legally issued and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles, and shall be entitled to the benefits of the PGIF Indenture.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to my name in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement.
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Very truly yours, | | |
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Susan S. Whaley | | |
Associate General Counsel | | |