Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
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In the course of the proceedings, the parties agreed to submit the case for decision solely on the basis of documentary exhibits. Upon submission of their respective memoranda and the corresponding comment or reply thereto, and on 1 March 1989, judgment was handed down in favor of the plaintiffs, ordering the defendant to execute a deed of absolute sale of the land covered by TCT 327403 and canceling TCT 331582 and declaring the latter without force and effect. Claims for damages by plaintiffs and counterclaims by the defendants and intervenors were dismissed. A motion for reconsideration was thereafter filed, which was denied. CA affirmed decision of TC.
The case arose from a complaint for specific performance filed by private respondent Alcaraz against petitioners to consummate the sale of a parcel of land in Quezon City. Facts: On 19 January 1985, Romulo Coronel, et al. executed a document entitled Receipt of Down Payment in favor of Ramona Patricia Alcaraz for P50,000 downpayment of the total amount of P1.24M as purchase price for an inherited house and lot (TCT119627, Registry of Deeds of Quezon City), promising to execute a deed of absolute sale of said property as soon as such has been transferred in their name. The balance of P1.19M is due upon the execution of said deed. On the same date, Concepcion D. Alcaraz, mother of Ramona, paid the down payment of P50,000.00. On 6 February 1985, the property originally registered in the name of the Coronels father was transferred in their names (TCT 327043). However, on 18 February 1985, the Coronels sold the property to Catalina B. Mabanag for P1,580,000.00 after the latter has paid P300,000.00. For this reason, Coronels canceled and rescinded the contract with Alcaraz by depositing the down payment in the bank in trust for Alcaraz. On 22 February 1985, Alcaraz filed a complaint for specific performance against the Coronels and caused the annotation of a notice of lis pendens at the back of TCT 327403. On 2 April 1985, Mabanag caused the annotation of a notice of adverse claim covering the same property with the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City. On 25 April 1985, the Coronels executed a Deed of Absolute Sale over the subject property in favor of Mabanag. On 5 June 1985, a new title over the subject property was issued in the name of Mabanag under TCT 351582.
Issue: Whether the contract between petitioners and private respondent was that of a conditional sale or a mere contract to sell Held: Sale, by its very nature, is a consensual contract because it is perfected by mere consent. The essential elements of a contract of sale are the following: a) Consent or meeting of the minds, that is, consent to transfer ownership in exchange for the price; b) Determinate subject matter; and c) Price certain in money or its equivalent. Under this definition, a Contract to Sell may not be considered as a Contract of Sale because the first essential element is lacking. In a contract to sell, the prospective seller explicity reserves the transfer of title to the prospective buyer, meaning, the prospective seller does not as yet agree or consent to transfer ownership of the property subject of the contract to sell until the happening of an event, which for present purposes we shall take as the full payment of the purchase price. What the seller agrees or obliges himself to do is to fulfill his promise to sell the subject property when the entire amount of the purchase price is delivered to him. In other words the full payment of the purchase price partakes of a suspensive condition, the non-fulfillment of which prevents the obligation to sell from arising and thus, ownership is retained by the prospective seller
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buyer cannot seek the relief of reconveyance of the property. There is no double sale in such case. Title to the property will transfer to the buyer after registration because there is no defect in the ownerseller's title per se, but the latter, of course, may be used for damages by the intending buyer. In a conditional contract of sale, however, upon the fulfillment of the suspensive condition, the sale becomes absolute and this will definitely affect the seller's title thereto. In fact, if there had been previous delivery of the subject property, the seller's ownership or title to the property is automatically transferred to the buyer such that, the seller will no longer have any title to transfer to any third person. Such second buyer of the property who may have had actual or constructive knowledge of such defect in the seller's title, or at least was charged with the obligation to discover such defect, cannot be a registrant in good faith. Such second buyer cannot defeat the first buyer's title. In case a title is issued to the second buyer, the first buyer may seek reconveyance of the property subject of the sale. The agreement could not have been a contract to sell because the sellers herein made no express reservation of ownership or title to the subject parcel of land. Furthermore, the circumstance which prevented the parties from entering into an absolute contract of sale pertained to the sellers themselves (the certificate of title was not in their names) and not the full payment of the purchase price. Under the established facts and circumstances of the case, the Court may safely presume that, had the certificate of title been in the names of petitioners-sellers at that time, there would have been no reason why an absolute contract of sale could not have been executed and consummated right there and then. What is clearly established by the plain language of the subject document is that when the said "Receipt of Down Payment" was prepared and signed by petitioners Romeo A. Coronel, et al., the parties had agreed to a conditional contract of sale, consummation of
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Romero, a civil engineer, was engaged in the business of production, manufacture and exportation of perlite filter aids, permalite insulation and processed perlite ore. In 1988, he decided to put up a central warehouse in Metro Manila. Flores and his wife offered a parcel of land measuring 1,952 square meters. The lot was covered in a TCT in the name of private respondent Enriqueta Chua vda. de Ongsiong. Petitioner visited the property and, except for the presence of squatters in the area, he found the place suitable for a central warehouse. Flores called on petitioner with a proposal that should he advance the amount of P50,000.00 which could be used in taking up an ejectment case against the squatters, private respondent would agree to sell the property for only P800/square meter. Romero agreed. Later, a Deed of Conditional Sale was executed between Flores and Ongsiong. Purchase price = P1,561,600.00; Downpayment = P50K; Balance = to be paid 45 days after the removal of all the squatters; upon full payment, Ongsiong shall execute deed of absolute sale in favour of Romero. Ongsiong sought to return the P50,000.00 she received from petitioner since, she said, she could not get rid of the squatters on the lot. She opted to rescind the sale in view of her failure to get rid of the squatters. Regional Trial Court of Makati rendered decision holding that private respondent had no right to rescind the contract since it was she who violated her obligation to eject the squatters from the subject property and that petitioner, being the injured party, was the party who could, under Article 1191 of the Civil Code, rescind the agreement. Issue: WON there was a perfected contract of sale? YES Held:
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Facts: Fr. Antonio Jacobe initially mortgage a 10-hectare property in Tanay, Rizal (covered by TCT 320725) to the Rural Bank of Alaminos, Laguna to secure a loan in the amount of P10,000. Said mortgage was later foreclosed and the property offered for public auction upon his default. In June 1984, Gregorio Fule, as corporate secretary of the bank, asked Remelia Dichoso andOlivia Mendoza to look for a buyer who might be interested in the Tanay property. The two found one in the person of Dr. Ninevetch Cruz. It so happened that in January of said year, Gregorio Fule, also a jeweler, has shown interest in buying a pair of emerald-cut diamond earrings owned by Dr. Cruz. Dr. Cruz has declined Fules offer to buy said jewelry for P100,000; and a subsequent bid by Fule to buy them for US$6,000 at $1 to P25 while making a sketch of said jewelry during an inspection at the lobby of Prudential Bank (the latter instance was declined, since the exchange rate appreciated to P19 per dollar). Subsequently, however, negotiations for the barter of the jewelry and the Tanay property ensued. Atty. Belarmino was requested by Dr. Cruz to check the property and found out that no sale or barter was feasible as the 1year period of redemption has not expired. In an effort to cut through any legal impediment, Fule executed on 19 October 1984, a deed of redemption on behalf of Fr. Jacobe purportedly in the amount of P15,987.78, and on even date, Fr. Jacobe sold the property to Fule for P75,000.00. The haste with which the two deeds were executed is shown by the fact that the deed of sale was notarized ahead of the deed of redemption. As Dr. Cruz had already agreed to the proposed barter, Fule went to Prudential Bank to take a look at the jewelry.
accordingly caused the preparation of a deed of absolute sale while 3. FULE vs CA (268 SCRA 698) Fule and Dr. Cruz attended to the safekeeping of the jewelry. The
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to have the earrings tested. Dimayuga, after taking one look at the earrings, immediately declared them counterfeit. At around 9:30 p.m., Fule went to one Atty. Reynaldo Alcantara residing at Lakeside Subdivision in San Pablo City, complaining about the fake jewelry. Upon being advised by the latter, Fule reported the matter to the police station where Dichoso and Mendoza likewise executed sworn statements. On 26 October 1984, Fule filed a complaint before the RTC San Pablo City against private respondents praying, among other things, that the contract of sale over the Tanay property be declared null and void on the ground of fraud and deceit. On 30October 1984, the lower court issued a temporary restraining order directing the Register of Deeds of Rizal to refrain from acting on the pertinent documents involved in the transaction. On 20 November 1984, however, the same court lifted its previous order and denied the prayer for a writ of preliminary injunction. After trial, the lower court rendered its decision on 7March 1989; holding that the genuine pair of earrings used as consideration for the sale was delivered by Dr. Cruz to Fule, thatthe contract was valid even if the agreement between the parties was principally a barter contract, that the agreement has been consummated at the time the principal parties parted ways at the bank, and that damages are due to the defendants. From the trial courts adverse decision, petitioner elevated the matter to the Court of Appeals. On 20 October 1992, the Court of Appeals, however, rendered a decision affirming in toto the lower courts decision. His motion for reconsideration having been denied on 19 October 1993. Hence, the petition for review on certiorari. Issue: Whether the sale should be nullified on the ground of fraud
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that now bound him and Dr. Cruz. The nature and value of the thing he had taken preclude its return after that supervening period within which anything could have happened, not excluding the alteration of the jewelry or its being switched with an inferior kind. Ownership over the parcel of land and the pair of emerald-cut diamond earrings had been transferred to Dr. Cruz and petitioner, respectively, upon the actual and constructive delivery thereof. Said contract of sale being absolute in nature, title passed to the vendee upon delivery of the thing sold since there was no stipulation in the contract that title to the property sold has been reserved in the seller until full payment of the price or that the vendor has the right to unilaterally resolve the contract the moment the buyer fails to pay within a fixed period. While it is true that the amount of P40,000.00 forming part of the consideration was still payable to petitioner, its nonpayment by Dr. Cruz is not a sufficient cause to invalidate the contract or bar the transfer of ownership and possession of the things exchanged considering the fact that their contract is silent as to when it becomes due and demandable. The Supreme Court affirmed in toto the decision of the Court of Appeals, but ordered Dr. Cruz to pay Fule the balance of thepurchase price of P40,000 within 10 days from the finality of the decision; with costs against petitioner. 4. ONG vs CA (310 SCRA 1)
Facts: On 10 May 1983, Jaime Ong and spouses Miguel and Alejandra Robles executed an Agreement of Purchase and Sale respecting 2 parcels of land situated at Barrio Puri, San Antonio, Quezon
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outstanding obligation with said bank, with the knowledge and conformity of Ong. Ong, in eturn, voluntarily gave the spouses authority to operate the rice mill. He, however, continued to be in possession of the two parcels of land while the spouses were forced to use the rice mill for residential purposes. On 2 August 1985, the spouses, through counsel, sent Ong a demand letter asking for the return of the properties. Their demand was left unheeded, so, on 2 September 1985, they filed with the RTC Lucena City, Branch 60, a complaint for rescission of contract and recovery of properties with damages. Later, while the case was still pending with the trial court, Ong introduced major improvements on the subject properties by constructing a complete fence made of hollow blocks and expanding the piggery. These prompted the spouses to ask for a writ of preliminary injunction; which the trial court granted, and thus enjoined Ong from introducing improvements on the properties except for repairs. On 1 June 1989, the trial court rendered a decision in favor of the spouses: ordering the contract entered into by the parties set aside, ordering the delivery of the parcels of land and the improvements thereon to the spouses, ordering the return of the sum of P497,179.51 to Ong by the spouses, ordering Ong to pay the spouses P100,000 for exemplary damages and P20,000 as attorneys fees and litigation expenses. From this decision, petitioner appealed to the Court of Appeals, which affirmed the decision of the RTC but deleted the award of exemplary damages. In affirming the decision of the trial court, the Court of Appeals noted that the failure of petitioner to completely pay the purchase price is a substantial breach of his obligation which entitles the private respondents to rescind their contract under Article 1191 of the New Civil Code. Hence, the petition for review on certiorari.
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to complete payment of the purchase price. Rather, his failure to do so brought about a situation which prevented the obligation of respondent spouses to convey title from acquiring an obligatory force. Novation is never presumed, it must be proven as a fact either by express stipulation of the parties or by implication derived from an irreconcilable incompatibility between the old and the new obligation. In order for novation to take place, the concurrence of the following requisites is indispensable: (1) there must be a previous valid obligation; (2) there must be an agreement of the parties concerned to a new contract; (3) there must be the extinguishment of the old contract; and (4) there must be the validity of the new contract. The aforesaid requisites are not found in the case at bench. The subsequent acts of the parties hardly demonstrate their intent to dissolve the old obligation as a consideration for the emergence of the new one. The Supreme Court affirmed the decision rendered by the Court of Appeals with the modification that the spouses are ordered to return to Ong the sum P48,680.00 in addition to the amounts already awarded; with costs against petitioner Ong.
Facts: Isabelo Fonacier was the owner and/or holder of 11 iron lode mineral claims (Dawahan Group), situated in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte. By a Deed of Assignment dated 29 September 1952, Fonacier constituted and appointed Fernando A. Gaite as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact to enter into a contract with any individual or juridical person for the exploration and development of
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and its stockholders as sureties. A second bond was executed by the parties to the first bond, on the same day, with the Far Eastern Surety and Insurance Co. as additional surety, but it provided that the liability of the surety company would attach only when there had been an actual sale of iron ore by the Larap Mines & Smelting Co. for an amount of not less than P65,000. Both bond were attached and made integral parts of the Revocation of Power of Attorney and Contract. On the same day that Fonacier revoked the power of attorney, Fonacier entered into a Contract of Mining Operation with Larap Mines and Smelting Co., Inc. to grant it the right to develop, exploit, and explore the mining claims, together with the improvements therein and the use of the name Larap Iron Mines and its goodwill, in consideration of certain royalties. Fonacier likewise transferred, in the same document, the complete title to the approximately 24,000 tons of iron ore which he acquired from Gaite, to the Larap Mines & Smelting Co., inconsideration for the signing by the company and its stockholders of the surety bonds delivered by Fonacier to Gaite. On 8 December 1955, the bond with respect to the Far Eastern Surety and Insurance Company expired with no sale of the approximately 24,000 tons of iron ore, nor had the 65,000 balance of the price of said ore been paid to Gaite by Fonacier and his sureties. Whereupon, Gaite demanded from Fonacier and his sureties payment of said amount. When Fonacier and his sureties failed to pay as demanded by Gaite, the latter filed a complaint against them in the CFI Manila (Civil Case 29310) for the payment of the P65,000 balance of the price of the ore, consequential damages, and attorneys fees. Judgment was, accordingly, rendered in favor of plaintiff Gaite ordering defendants to pay him, jointly and severally, P65,000 with interest at 6% per annum from 9 December 1955 until full payment, plus costs. From
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also on one by a surety company; and the fact that appellants did put up such bonds indicates that they admitted the definite existence of their obligation to pay the balance of P65,000.00. The appellant have forfeited the right court below that the appellants have forfeited the right to compel Gaite to wait for the sale of the ore before receiving payment of the balance of P65,000.00, because of their failure to renew the bond of the Far Eastern Surety Company or else replace it with an equivalent guarantee. The expiration of the bonding company's undertaking on December 8, 1955 substantially reduced the security of the vendor's rights as creditor for the unpaid P65,000.00, a security that Gaite considered essential and upon which he had insisted when he executed the deed of sale of the ore to Fonacier. (2) The sale between the parties is a sale of a specific mass or iron ore because no provision was made in their contract for the measuring or weighing of the ore sold in order to complete or perfect the sale, nor was the price of P75,000,00 agreed upon by the parties based upon any such measurement.(see Art. 1480, second par., New Civil Code). The subject matter of the sale is, therefore, a determinate object, the mass, and not the actual number of units or tons contained therein, so that all that was required of the seller Gaite was to deliver in good faith to his buyer all of the ore found in the mass, notwithstanding that the quantity delivered is less than the amount estimated by them. The Supreme Court affirmed the decision appealed from, with costs against appellants. 6. ACAP vs CA (251 SCRA 30)
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to pay 10 cavans of palay per annum as lease rental. In 1982, Acap allegedly complied with said obligation. In 1983, however, Acap refused to pay any further lease rentals on the land, prompting delos Reyes to seek the assistance of the then Ministry of Agrarian Reform (MAR) in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental. The MAR invited Acap, who sent his wife, to a conference scheduled on 13 October 1983. The wife stated that the she and her husband did not recognize delos Reyess claim of ownership over the land. On 28 April 1988, after the lapse of four (4) years, delos Reys field a complaint for recovery of possession and damages against Acap, alleging that as his leasehold tenant, Acap refused and failed to pay the agreed annual rental of 10 cavans of palay despite repeated demands. On 20 August 1991, the lower court rendered a decision in favor of delos Reyes, ordering the forfeiture of Acaps preferred right of a Certificae of Land Transfer under PD 27 and his farmholdings, the return of the farmland in Acaps possession to delos Reyes, and Acap to pay P5,000.00 as attorneys fees, the sum of P1,000.00 as expenses of litigation and the amount of P10,000.00 as actual damages. Aggrieved, petitioner appealed to the Court of Appeals. Subsequently, the CA affirmed the lower courts decision, holding that de los Reyes had acquired ownership of Lot No. 1130 of the Cadastral Survey of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental based on a document entitled Declaration of Heirship and Waiver of Rights, and ordering the dispossession of Acap as leasehold tenant of the land for failure to pay rentals. Hence, the petition for review on certiorari. Issues: (1) Whether the Declaration of Heirship and Waiver of Rights is a recognized mode of acquiring ownership by private respondent
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either a sale, or a donation, or any other derivative mode of acquiring ownership. A notice of adverse claim is nothing but a notice of a claim adverse to the registered owner, the validity of which is yet to be established in court at some future date, and is no better than a notice of lis pendens which is a notice of a case already pending in court. It is to be noted that while the existence of said adverse claim was duly proven, there is no evidence whatsoever that a deed of sale was executed between Cosme Pido's heirs and private respondent transferring the rights of Pido's heirs to the land in favor of private respondent. Private respondent's right or interest therefore in the tenanted lot remains an adverse claim which cannot by itself be sufficient to cancel the OCT to the land and title the same in private respondent's name. Consequently, while the transaction between Pido's heirs and private respondent may be binding on both parties, the right of petitioner as a registered tenant to the land cannot be perfunctorily forfeited on a mere allegation of private respondent's ownership without the corresponding proof thereof. The Supreme Court granted the petition, set aside the decision of the RTC Negros Occidental, dismissed the complaint for recovery of possession and damages against Acap for failure to properly state a cause of action, without prejudice to private respondent taking the proper legal steps to establish the legal mode by which he claims to have acquired ownership of the land in question. 7. Facts: QUIJADA vs CA (299 SCRA 695)
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in favor of the petitioners, holding that Trinidad Quijada did not have legal title or right to sell the land to Mondejar as it belongs to the Municipality of Talacogon at that time, and that the deed of sale in favor of Mondejar did not carry the conformity and acquiescence of her children considering that Trinidad was already 63 years old and a widow. The trial court ordered the defendants (private respondents), and any person acting in defendants behalf to return and vacate the 2 hectares of land to the plaintiff, and to remove their improvements constructed on the lot; ordered the cancellation of the deed of sale executed by Trinidad to Mondejar, as well as the deeds of sale/relinquishments executed by Mondejar to the other defendants; and ordered the defendants to pay the plaintiffs, in solidum, the amount of P10,000, P8,000, and P30,000 as attorneys fees, expenses of litigation and moral damages, respectively. On appeal, the Court of Appeals reversed and set aside the judgment a quo ruling that the sale made by Trinidad Quijada to respondent Mondejar was valid as the former retained an inchoate interest on the lots by virtue of the automatic reversion clause in the deed of donation. Thereafter, petitioners filed a motion for reconsideration. When the CA denied their motion, petitioners instituted a petition for review to the Supreme Court. Issue: Whether the sale between Trinidad and Regalado is valid considering the capacity of the vendor to execute the contract in view of the conditional deed of donation
property during the time that ownership of the land has not reverted to her. Such inchoate interest may be the subject of contracts
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law to the buyer." This rule applies not only when the subject matter of the contract of sale is goods, but also to other kinds of property, including real property. The Supreme Court affirmed the assailed decision of the Court of Appeals 8. CELESTINO vs CIR (99 Phil 841)
Facts: Celestino Co & Company is a general co-partnership registered under the trade name Oriental Sash Factory. From 1946 to 1951, it paid taxes equivalent to 7% on the gross receipts under Sec. 186 of the NIRC, which is a tax on the original sales of articles by manufacturer, producer or importer. However, in 1952 it began to claim only 3% tax under Sec. 191, which is a tax on sales of services. Petitioner claims that it does not manufacture ready-made doors, sash and windows for the public, but only upon special orders from the customers, hence, it is not engaged in manufacturing, but only in sales of services. Issue: Whether the petitioner company is engaged in manufacturing, or is merely a special service provider
The consummation, however, of the perfected contract is another matter. It occurs upon the constructive or actual delivery of the subject matter to the buyer when the seller or her successors-ininterest subsequently acquires ownership thereof. Such circumstance happened in this case when petitioners who are Trinidad Quijada's heirs and successors-in-interest became the owners of the subject property upon the reversion of the ownership of the land to them. Consequently, ownership is transferred to respondent Mondejar and those who claim their right from him. Article 1434 of the New Civil Code supports the ruling that the seller's "title passes by operation of
Held: Celestino Co & Company habitually makes sash, windows and doors, as it has represented in its stationery and advertisements to the public. That it "manufactures" the same is practically admitted by appellant itself. The fact that windows and doors are made by it only when customers place their orders, does not alter the nature of the establishment, for it is obvious that it only accepted such orders as called for the employment of such material-moulding, frames, panels-as it ordinarily manufactured or was in a position habitually to manufacture.
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CIR received an anonymous letter denouncing Engineering for tax evasion by misdeclaring its imported articles and failing to pay the correct percentage taxes due thereon in connivance with its foreign suppliers. Engineering was likewise denounced to the Central Bank (CB) for alleged fraud in obtaining its dollar allocations. So, NBI and Central Bank conducted a raid and search on which occasion voluminous records of the firm were seized and confiscated. CIR also reported about deficiency advance sales tax. CIR assessed against the Company payment of the increased amount and suggested that P10,000 be paid as compromise in extrajudicial settlement of the Companys penal liability for violation of the Tax Code. The firm, however, contested the tax assessment and requested that it be furnished with the details and particulars of the Commissioners assessment. Engineering appealed the case to the Court of Tax Appeals. During the pendency of the case the investigating revenue examiners reduced the Companys deficiency tax. CTA declared that Engineering is a contractor and is exempt from deficiency manufacturers sales tax. The Commissioner, not satisfied with the decision of the CTA, appealed to the Supreme Court. Issue: 1) WON Engineering Equipment is a manufacturer or contractor? CONTRACTOR. 2) Corrollarily WON the installation of a centralized air-conditioning system a contact of sale or a contract for piece of work? CONTRACT FOR PIECE OF WORK. 3) Is Celestino Co vs. CIR case applicable in this case? NO.
Facts: Engineering Equipment and Supply Co., an engineering and machinery firm, is engaged in the design and installation of central type air conditioning system, pumping plants and steel fabrications.
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order of the party desiring to acquire it, or a thing which would have existed and has been the subject of sale to some other persons even if the order had not been given. If the article ordered by the purchaser is exactly such as the plaintiff makes and keeps on hand for sale to anyone, and no change or modification of it is made at defendants request, it is a contract of sale, even though it may be entirely made after, and in consequence of, the defendants order for it. The air conditioning units installed in a central type of air conditioning system would not have existed but for the order of the party desiring to acquire it and if it existed without the special order of Engineerings customer, the said air conditioning units were not intended for sale to the general public. Hence, it is a contract for a piece of work. 3) Celestino Co compared to Engineering Equipment: Points of discussion:
In Celestino Co, the Court held the taxpayer to be a manufacturer rather than a contractor of sash, doors and windows manufactured in its factory. From the very start, Celestino Co intended itself to be a manufacturer of doors, windows, sashes etc. as it did register a
2) NATURE OF OBJECT TEST: The distinction between a contract of sale and one for work, labor and materials is tested by the inquiry whether the thing transferred is one NOT in existence and which never would have existed but for the
special trade name for its sash business and ordered company stationery carrying the bold print ORIENTAL SASH FACTORY. As a general rule, sash factories receive orders for doors and windows of special design only in particular cases, but the bulk of their sales is derived from ready-made doors and windows of standard sizes for
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beds by the dozen and in no other manner. With the exception of the obligation on the part of the defendant to order the beds by the dozen and in no other manner, none of the obligations imputed to the defendant in the two causes of action are expressly set forth in the contract. But the plaintiff alleged that the defendant was his agent for the sale of his beds in Iloilo, and that said obligations are implied in a contract of commercial agency. The whole question, therefore, reduced itself to a determination as to whether the defendant, by reason of the contract hereinbefore transcribed, was a purchaser or an agent of the plaintiff for the sale of his beds. Issue: Whether the contract is a contract of agency or of sale. Held: In order to classify a contract, due attention must be given to its essential clauses. In the contract in question, what was essential, as constituting its cause and subject matter, is that the plaintiff was to furnish the defendant with the beds which the latter might order, at the price stipulated, and that the defendant was to pay the price in the manner stipulated. Payment was to be made at the end of sixty days, or before, at the plaintiffs request, or in cash, if the defendant so preferred, and in these last two cases an additional discount was to be allowed for prompt payment. These are precisely the essential features of a contract of purchase and sale. There was the obligation on the part of the plaintiff to supply the beds, and, on the part of the defendant, to pay their price. These features exclude the legal conception of an agency or order to sell whereby the mandatory or agent received the thing to sell it, and does not pay its price, but delivers to the principal the price he obtains from the sale of the thing to a third person, and if he does not succeed in selling it, he returns it. By virtue of the contract between the plaintiff and the defendant, the latter, on receiving the beds, was necessarily obliged
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Puyat sent a cable to the Starr Piano Company, inquiring about the equipment desired and making the said company to quote its price of $1,700 FOB factory Richmond, Indiana. Puyat informed the plaintiff of the price of $1,700, and being agreeable to the price, Arco, in a letter dated 19 November 1929, formally authorized the order. The equipment arrived about the end of the year 1929, and upon delivery of the same to Arco and the presentation of necessary papers, the price of $1,700, plus the 10% commission agreed upon the plus all the expenses and charges, was duly paid by the Arco to Puyat. He following year, another order for sound reproducing equipment was placed by Arco with Puyat, on the same terms as the first order. The equipment under the second order arrived in due time, and the defendant was duly paid the price of $1,600 with its10 per cent commission, and $160, for all expenses and charges. This amount of $160 does not represent actual out-of-pocket expenses paid by Puyat, but a mere flat charge and rough estimate made by Puyat equivalent to 10% of the price of $1,600 of the equipment. Three years later, in connection with a civil case in Vigan, filed by one Fidel Reyes against Puyat, the officials of the Arco discovered that the price quoted to them by Puyat with regard to their two orders was not the net price but rather the list price, and that the defendant had obtained a discount from the Starr Piano Company. Moreover, by reading reviews and literature on prices of machinery and cinematograph equipment, said officials of Arco were convinced that the prices charged them by the defendant were much too high including the charges for out-of-pocket expenses. For these reasons, they sought to obtain a reduction from Puyat or rather a reimbursement. Failing in this they brought an action with the CFI Manila.
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of $1,700 and $1,600." This is incompatible with the pretended relation of agency between the petitioner and the respondent, because in agency, the agent is exempted from all liability in the discharge of his commission provided he acts in accordance with the instructions received from his principal (section 254, Code of Commerce), and the principal must indemnify the agent for all damages which the latter may incur in carrying out the agency without fault or imprudence on his part (article 1729, Civil Code). While the letters state that the petitioner was to receive ten per cent (10%) commission, this does not necessarily make the petitioner an agent of the respondent, as this provision is only an additional price which the respondent bound itself to pay, and which stipulation is not incompatible with the contract of purchase and sale. In the second place, to hold the petitioner an agent of the respondent in the purchase of equipment and machinery from the Starr Piano Company of Richmond, Indiana, is incompatible with the admitted fact that the petitioner is the exclusive agent of the same company in the Philippines. It is out of the ordinary for one to be the agent of both the vendor and the purchaser. The facts and circumstances indicated do not point to anything but plain ordinary transaction where the respondent enters into a contract of purchase and sale with the petitioner, the latter as exclusive agent of the Starr Piano Company in the United States. It follows that the petitioner as vendor is not bound to reimburse the respondent as vendee for any difference between the cost price and the sales price which represents the profit realized by the vendor out of the transaction. This is the very essence of commerce without which merchants or middleman would not exist.
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contending that the assessment for the years 1946 to 1952 had already prescribed. After one hearing, the Conference Staff of the Bureau of Internal Revenue eliminated the 50% fraud penalty and held that the taxes assessed against him before 1948 had already prescribed. Based on these findings, the Collector issued a modified assessment, demanding the payment of only P3,325.68. Antonio again requested for reconsideration, but the Collector, in his letter of 4 April 1955, denied the same. Antonio appealed to the Court of Tax Appeals, which rendered judgment upholding a tax assessment of the Collector of Internal Revenue except with respect to the imposition of so-called compromise penalties, which were set aside. Hence a petition to review the decision of the CTA. Issue: Whether or not the sales made by the petitioner to his wife could be considered as his original taxable sales Held: It appears that at the time of the marriage between petitioner and his wife, they neither had any property nor business of their own, as to have really urged them to enter into the supposed property agreement. Secondly, the testimony that the separation of property agreement was recorded in the Registry of Property three months before the marriage, is patently absurd, since such a prenuptial agreement could not be effective before marriage is celebrated, and would automatically be cancelled if the union was called off. In the third place, despite their insistence on the existence of the ante nuptial contract, the couple, strangely enough, did not act in accordance with its alleged covenants. It was not until July of 1954 that he alleged, for the first time, the existence of the supposed property separation agreement. Finally, the Day Book of the Register of Deeds on which the agreement would have been entered, had it
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Daguines initiated a complaint before the CFI Pangasinan (Branch 1, Civil Case 15620) on19 June 1980 for quieting of title and damages against Calimlim-Canullas. Calimlim-Canullas resisted and claimed that the house in dispute where she and her children were residing, including the coconut trees on the land, were built and planted with conjugal funds and through her industry; that the sale of the land together with the house and improvements to Daguines was null and void because they are conjugal properties and she had not given her consent to the sale. On 6 October 1980, the trial court ruled in favor of Daguines as the lawful owner of the land as well as of the house erected on the land. Upon reconsideration and on 27 November 1980, however, the lower court modified the judgment by declaring Daguines as the lawful owner of the land and 10 coconut trees thereon but declaring the sale of the conjugal house including 3 coconuts and their crops during the conjugal relation of the spouses null and void. A petition for review on certiorari was filed with Supreme Court. During the pendency of the appeal, however, Fernando Canullas and
13. CALIMLIM-CANULAS vs FORTUN (129 SCRA 675) Facts: Mercedes Calimlim-Canullas and Fernando Canullas were married on 19 December 1962. They begot five children. They lived in a small house on the residential land in question with an area of approximately 891 sq. m., located at Bacabac, Bugallon, Pangasinan. After Canullas father died in 1965, he inherited the land. In 1978, Canullas abandoned his family and lived with Corazon Daguines. On 15 April 1980, Canullas sold the subject property with the house thereon to Daguines for the sum of P2,000.00. In the document of sale, Canullas described the house as also inherited by me from my deceased parents. Unable to take possession of the lot and house,
Corazon Daguines were convicted of concubinage in a judgment rendered on 27 October 1981 by the then CFI Pangasinan, Branch II, which judgment has become final. Issues: (1) Whether or not the construction of a conjugal house on the exclusive property of the husband ipso facto gave the land the character of conjugal property (2) Whether or not the sale of the lot together with the house and improvements thereon was valid under the circumstances surrounding the transaction
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Facts: Gilda and Judie Corpuz were married civilly on 24 December 1968 in Bacolod City. The couple have 3 children (Junie, Harriet, and Jodie or Joji. On 14 February 1983, the Corpuzes, with Gilda Corpuz as vendee, bought a 421 sq. m. lot (Lot 8, Block9, (LRC) Psd-165409) located in Barangay Gen. Paulino Santos (Bo. 1), Koronadal, South Cotabato from Manuel Callejo who signed as vendor through a conditional deed of sale for a total consideration of P14,735.00. The consideration was payable in installment, with right of cancellation in favor of vendor should vendee fail to pay 3 successive installments. On 22 April 1988, the Corpuzes sold portion of their lot to spouses Antonio and Luzviminda Guiang. The latter have since then occupied the portion and built their house thereon. They are thus adjoining neighbors of the Corpuzes. On June 1989, Gilda Corpuz left for Manila, with the consent of her husband, to look for work abroad. Unfortunately, she became a victim of an unscrupulous illegal recruiter, was not able to go abroad, and stayed for sometime in Manila. Sometime in January 1990, Harriet Corpuz learned that her father intended to sell the remaining portion including their house, of their home lot to the Guiangs. She wrote a letter to her mother informing her, who in turn replied that she was objecting to the sale. Harriet, however, did not inform her father about this; but instead gave the letter to Mrs. Luzviminda Guiang so that Guiang would advise her father. However, in the absence of his wife Gilda Corpuz, and on 1 March 1990, Judie Corpuz sold the remaining portion of the lot and the house thereon to Luzviminda Guiang thru a document known as Deed of Transfer of Rights (Exh. A) for a total consideration of P30,000.00 of which P5,000.00 was to be paid in June 1990. Judie Corpuzs children Junie and Harriet signed the document as witnesses. On 5 March 1990, obviously to cure whatever
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settlement. Annulment not having been made, Gilda stayed put in her house and lot. The Guiangs followed thru the amicable settlement with a motion for the execution of the amicable settlement, filing the same with the MTC Koronadal, South Cotabato. The proceedings [are] still pending before the said court,with the filing of the instant suit. On 28 May 1990, Gilda Corpuz filed an Amended Complaint against her husband Judie Corpuz and the Guiangs. The said Complaint sought the declaration of a certain deed of sale, which involved the conjugal property of private respondent and her husband, null and void. On 9 September 1992, The RTC Koronodal, South Cotabato (Branch 25) rendered a decision in favor of Gilda Corpuz, recognizing her lawful and valid ownership and possession over the remaining portion of the lot, declaring the deed of transfer of rights and the amicable settlement null and void, and ordering Gilda Corpuz to reimburse the Guiangs the amount of P9,000 corresponding to the payment made by the Guiangs to Callejo for the unpaid balance and another P379.62representing of the amount of realty taxes paid by the Guiangs, both with legal interests thereon computed from the finality of the decision; without pronouncement as to costs. Dissatisfied, the Guiangs filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals. On 30January 1996, the appellate court affirmed the decision of the lower court. Their motion for reconsideration was also denied. A petition for review was before the Supreme Court. Issue: Whether the sale was void or merely voidable and was ratified by the amicable settlement Held: Respondent's consent to the contract of sale of their conjugal property was totally inexistent or absent. The nullity of the contract of sale is premised on the absence of private respondent's consent.
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record was reconstituted in the CFI Iloilo (Land Case R-695, GLRO Rec. 54852). The CFI heard the land registration case on 11 November 1952, and after trial the Court dismissed the application for registration. Militante appealed to the Court of Appeals (CA-GR 13497-R). Pending the disposal of the appeal or on 18 June 1956, Militante sold to Domingo Rubias, his son-in-law and a lawyer by profession, the land technically described in Psu-99791. The sale wasduly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for the Province of Iloilo (Entry 13609) on 14 July 1960. On 22 September1958, the CA promulgated its judgment confirming the decision of the trial court dismissing the Application for Registration filed by Militante. Domingo Rubias declared the land for taxation purposes under Tax Declaration (TD) 8585 for 1957; TD 9533 and TD 10019 for1961; TD 9868 for 1964, paying the land taxes under TD 8585 and TD 9533. Militante has also declared the land for taxation purposes under TD 5172 in 1940, under TD T-86 for 1945, under TD 7122 for 1948, and paid the land taxes for 1940, for 1945-46, for 1947, for 1947 & 1948, for 1948, and for 1948 and 1949. TD 2434 in the name of Liberato Demontao for the land described therein was cancelled by TD 5172 of Militante. Demontao paid the land tax under TD 2434 on 20 December 1939 for the years 1938 and 1959. Isaias Batiller had declared for taxation purposes Lot 2 of Psu-144241 under TD 8583 for 1957 and a portion of Lot 2 under TD 8584 for 1945. TD 8483 was revised by TD 9498 while TD 9584 was cancelled by TD 9584 both in the name of Batiller. Batiller paid the land taxes for Lot 2 on 9 November 1960 for the year 1945 and 1946, 1950 and 1960 as shown by the certificate of the treasurer. The land claimed by Batiller as his own was surveyed on 6-7 June 1956, and a plan
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outright dismissal of the complaint. Plaintiff's claim of ownership to the land in question was predicated on the sale thereof made by his father-in- law in his favor, at a time when Militante's application for registration thereof had already been dismissed by the Iloilo land registration court and was pending appeal in the Court of Appeals. Article 1491 of our Civil Code (like Article 1459 of the Spanish Civil Code) prohibits in its six paragraphs certain persons, by reason of the relation of trust or their peculiar control over the property, from acquiring such property in their trust or control either directly or indirectly and "even at a public or judicial auction," as follows: (1) guardians; (2) agents; (3) administrators; (4) public officers and employees; judicial officers and employees, prosecuting attorneys, and lawyers; and (6) others especially disqualified by law. Fundamental consideration of public policy render void and inexistent such expressly prohibited purchase (e.g. by public officers and employees of government property intrusted to them and by justices, judges, fiscals and lawyers of property and rights in litigation and submitted to or handled by them, under Article 1491, paragraphs (4) and (5) of our Civil Code) has been adopted in a new article of our Civil Code, viz, Article 1409 declaring such prohibited contracts as "inexistent and void from the beginning." Indeed, the nullity of such prohibited contracts is definite and permanent and cannot be cured by ratification. The public interest and public policy remain paramount and do not permit of compromise or ratification. In his aspect, the permanent disqualification of public and judicial officers and lawyers grounded on public policy differs from the first three cases of guardians, agents
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the sale. On 13 August 1947, Ramos executed in favor of Roldan, a deed of conveyance covering the same 17 parcels, for the sum of P15,000. On 21 October 1947, Roldan sold 4 parcels out of the 17 to Emilio Cruz for P3,000, reserving to herself the right to repurchase. The Philippine Trust Company replaced Roldan as guardian on 10 August 1948. Two months later, the Company, as guardian, filed before the CFI Manila a complaint against Roldan to annul 2 contracts regarding 17 parcels of land claiming that the step-mother in effect, sold to herself, the properties of her ward, and the sale should be annulled for violating Article 1459 of the Civil Code prohibiting the guardian from purchasing the property of her ward. The trial court upheld the contracts but allowing the minor to repurchase all the parcels by paying P15,000, within 1 year. The CA affirmed the judgment. Hence, the appeal. Issue: Whether the sale of the land by the guardian is null and void for being violative of the prohibition for a guardian to purchase either in person or through the mediation of another the property of her ward Held: Remembering the general doctrine that guardianship is a trust of the highest order, and the trustee cannot be allowed to have any inducement to neglect his wards interest, and in line with the courts suspicion whenever the guardian acquires wards property we have no hesitation to declare that in this case, in the eyes of the law, Socorro Roldan took by purchase her wards parcels thru Dr. Ramos, and that Article 1459 of the Civil Code applies. The Supreme Court annulled the 3 contracts of sale in question; declared the minor as the owner of the 17 parcels of land, with the obligation to return to Roldan the price of P14,700 with legal interest
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Alonzo filed for the annulment of the contract on the ground that it violated the provisions of R.A. 477, which states that lands awarded under the said law shall not be subject to encumbrance or alienation, otherwise the awardee shall no longer be entitled to apply for another piece of land. The lower court ruled that the contract, which it held as a contract of lease, is null and void. Issues: (1) Whether the respondent had the right or authority to execute the "Deed of Sale" in 1968, his award having been cancelled previously by the Board of Liquidators on January 27, 1965
(2) Whether the contract is one for lease of the land, or for sale of coconut fruits (3) Whether the contract is an encumbrance as contemplated by R.A. 477 Held: (1) Until and unless an appropriate proceeding for reversion is instituted by the State, and its reacquisition of the ownership and possession of the land decreed by a competent court, the grantee cannot be said to have been divested of whatever right that he may have over the same property. Herein respondent is not deemed to have lost any of his rights as grantee during the period material to the case at bar, i.e., from the cancellation of the award in 1965 to its reinstatement in 1972. Within said period, respondent could exercise all the rights pertaining to a grantee. (2) A perusal of the deed fails to disclose any ambiguity or obscurity in its provisions, nor is there doubt as to the real intention of the contracting parties. The terms of the agreement are clear and unequivocal, hence the literal and plain meaning thereof should be
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improvements thereon. Permanent improvements on a parcel of land are things incorporated or attached to the property in a fixed manner, naturally or artificially. They include whatever is built, planted or sown on the land which is characterized by fixity, immutability or immovability. Houses, buildings, machinery, animal houses, trees and plants would fall under the category of permanent improvements, the alienation or encumbrance of which is prohibited. The purpose of the law is not violated when a grantee sells the produce or fruits of his land. On the contrary, the aim of the law is thereby achieved, for the grantee is encouraged and induced to be more industrious and productive, thus making it possible for him and his family to be economically self-sufficient and to lead a respectable life. At the same time, the Government is assured of payment on the annual installments on the land. We agree with herein petitioner that it could not have been the intention of the legislature to prohibit the grantee from selling the natural and industrial fruits of his land, for otherwise, it would lead to an absurd situation wherein the grantee would not be able to receive and enjoy the fruits of the property in the real and complete sense.
First 17 cases only. More compilation of cases on this subject matter will be posted. Sources: http://www.scribd.com/yumiganda http://princesslawyer.blogspot.com
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