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EXHIBIT 5(C)
Richards, Layton & Finger
One Rodney Square
P.O. Box 551
Wilmington, Delaware 19899
January 29, 1997
BanPonce Corporation BanPonce Financial Corp.
209 Munoz Rivera Avenue 521 Fellowship Road
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico 00918 Mt. Laurel, New Jersey 08054
BanPonce Trust I
c/o BanPonce Financial Corp.
521 Fellowship Road
Mt. Laurel, New Jersey 08054
Re: BanPonce Trust I
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Delaware counsel for BanPonce Corporation, a
Puerto Rico corporation (the "Company"), BanPonce Financial Corp., a Delaware
corporation ("BanPonce Financial"), and BanPonce Trust I, a Delaware business
trust (the "Trust"), in connection with the matters set forth herein. At your
request, this opinion is being furnished to you.
For purposes of giving the opinions hereinafter set forth, our
examination of documents has been limited to the examination of originals or
copies of the following:
(a) The Certificate of Trust of the Trust (the "Certificate"), dated
January 15, 1997 as filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware (the "Secretary of State") on January 16, 1997;
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January 29, 1997
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(b) The Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of January 15, 1997
among the Company, BanPonce Financial and the trustees of the Trust named
therein;
(c) The Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement") on Form
S-3, including a preliminary prospectus with respect to the Trust (the
"Prospectus"), relating to the Capital Securities of the Trust representing
preferred undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust (each, a
"Capital Security" and collectively, the "Capital Securities"), filed by the
Company and the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about
January 29, 1997;
(d) A form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement for the Trust, to
be entered into between the Company, BanPonce Financial, the trustees of the
Trust named therein, and the holders, from time to time, of the undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust (including Exhibits C and E
thereto) (the "Trust Agreement"), attached as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement; and
(e) A Certificate of Good Standing for the Trust, dated January 29,
1997, obtained from the Secretary of State.
Initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined are
used as defined in the Trust Agreement.
For purposes of this opinion, we have not reviewed any documents other
than the documents listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) above. In particular,
we have not reviewed any document (other than the documents listed in paragraphs
(a) through (e) above) that is referred to in or incorporated by reference into
the documents reviewed by us. We have assumed that there exists no provision
in any document that we have not reviewed that is inconsistent with the opinions
stated herein. We have conducted no independent factual investigation of our
own but rather have relied solely upon the foregoing documents, the statements
and information set forth therein and the additional matters recited or assumed
herein, all of which we have assumed to be true, complete and accurate in all
material respects.
With respect to all documents examined by us, we have assumed (i) the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as authentic originals, (ii) the
conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or
forms, and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures.
For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed (i) that the Trust
Agreement and the Certificate are in full force and effect and have not been
amended, (ii) except to the extent provided in paragraph 1 below, the due
organization or due formation, as the case may be, and valid existence in good
standing of each party to the documents examined by us under the laws
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of the jurisdiction governing its creation, organization or formation, (iii)
the legal capacity of natural persons who are parties to the documents examined
by us, (iv) that each of the parties to the documents examined by us has the
power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations
under, such documents, (v) the due authorization, execution and delivery by all
parties thereto of all documents examined by us, (vi) the receipt by each
Person to whom a Capital Security is to be issued by the Trust (collectively,
the "Capital Security Holders") of a certificate for such Capital Security in
the form prescribed by the Trust Agreement and the payment for such Capital
Security, in accordance with the Trust Agreement and the Registration
Statement, and (vii) that the Capital Securities are issued and sold to the
Capital Security Holders in accordance with the Trust Agreement and the
Registration Statement. We have not participated in the preparation of the
Registration Statement and assume no responsibility for its contents.
This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Delaware (excluding
the securities laws of the State of Delaware), and we have not considered and
express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction, including federal laws
and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions are rendered only with
respect to Delaware laws and rules, regulations and orders thereunder which are
currently in effect.
Based upon the foregoing, and upon our examination of such questions of
law and statutes of the State of Delaware as we have considered necessary or
appropriate, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and
exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing in good
standing as a business trust under the Delaware Business Trust Act.
2. The Capital Securities of the Trust will represent valid and,
subject to the qualifications set forth in paragraph 3 below, fully paid and
nonassessable undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
3. The Capital Security Holders, as beneficial owners of the Trust,
will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to
stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We note that the Capital Security
Holders may be obligated to make payments as set forth in the Trust Agreement.
We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We hereby
consent to the use of our name under the heading "Validity of Securities" in the
Prospectus. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not thereby admit that we
come within the category of persons whose consent is
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required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.
Except as stated above, without our prior written consent, this opinion may
not be furnished or quoted to, or relied upon by, any other person for any
purpose.
Very truly yours,
/s/ RICHARDS, LAYTON & FINGER
CDK