Nego-case-part-1.docx

I.GENERAL PRINCIPLES Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC G.R. No. L-22405 June 30, 1971 PHILIPPINE EDUCATION CO., INC., plaintiff-appellant, vs. MAURICIO A. SORIANO, ET AL., defendant-appellees. Marcial Esposo for plaintiff-appellant. Office of the Solicitor General Arturo A. Alafriz, Assistant Solicitor General Antonio G. Ibarra and Attorney Concepcion Torrijos-Agapinan for defendants-appellees. DIZON, J.: An appeal from a decision of the Court of First Instance of Manila dismissing the complaint filed by the Philippine Education Co., Inc. against Mauricio A. Soriano, Enrico Palomar and Rafael Contreras. On April 18, 1958 Enrique Montinola sought to purchase from the Manila Post Office ten (10) money orders of P200.00 each payable to E.P. Montinola withaddress at Lucena, Quezon. After the postal teller had made out money ordersnumbered 124685, 124687124695, Montinola offered to pay for them with a private checks were not generally accepted in payment of money orders, the teller advised him to see the Chief of the Money Order Division, but instead of doing so, Montinola managed to leave building with his own check and the ten(10) money orders without the knowledge of the teller. On the same date, April 18, 1958, upon discovery of the disappearance of the unpaid money orders, an urgent message was sent to all postmasters, and the following day notice was likewise served upon all banks, instructing them not to pay anyone of the money orders aforesaid if presented for payment. The Bank of America received a copy of said notice three days later. On April 23, 1958 one of the above-mentioned money orders numbered 124688 was received by appellant as part of its sales receipts. The following day it deposited the same with the Bank of America, and one day thereafter the latter cleared it with the Bureau of Posts and received from the latter its face value of P200.00. On September 27, 1961, appellee Mauricio A. Soriano, Chief of the Money Order Division of the Manila Post Office, acting for and in behalf of his co-appellee, Postmaster Enrico

Palomar, notified the Bank of America that money order No. 124688 attached to his letter had been found to have been irregularly issued and that, in view thereof, the amount it represented had been deducted from the bank's clearing account. For its part, on August 2 of the same year, the Bank of America debited appellant's account with the same amount and gave it advice thereof by means of a debit memo. On October 12, 1961 appellant requested the Postmaster General to reconsider the action taken by his office deducting the sum of P200.00 from the clearing account of the Bank of America, but his request was denied. So was appellant's subsequent request that the matter be referred to the Secretary of Justice for advice. Thereafter, appellant elevated the matter to the Secretary of Public Works and Communications, but the latter sustained the actions taken by the postal officers. In connection with the events set forth above, Montinola was charged with theft in the Court of First Instance of Manila (Criminal Case No. 43866) but after trial he was acquitted on the ground of reasonable doubt. On January 8, 1962 appellant filed an action against appellees in the Municipal Court of Manila praying for judgment as follows: WHEREFORE, plaintiff prays that after hearing defendants be ordered: (a) To countermand the notice given to the Bank of America on September 27, 1961, deducting from the said Bank's clearing account the sum of P200.00 represented by postal money order No. 124688, or in the alternative indemnify the plaintiff in the same amount with interest at 8-½% per annum from September 27, 1961, which is the rate of interest being paid by plaintiff on its overdraft account; (b) To pay to the plaintiff out of their own personal funds, jointly and severally, actual and moral damages in the amount of P1,000.00 or in such amount as will be proved and/or determined by this Honorable Court: exemplary damages in the amount of P1,000.00, attorney's fees of P1,000.00, and the costs of action. Plaintiff also prays for such other and further relief as may be deemed just and equitable. On November 17, 1962, after the parties had submitted the stipulation of facts reproduced at pages 12 to 15 of the Record on Appeal, the above-named court rendered judgment as follows: WHEREFORE, judgment is hereby rendered, ordering the defendants to countermand the notice given to the Bank of America on September 27, 1961, deducting from said Bank's clearing account the sum of P200.00 representing the amount of postal money order No. 124688, or in the alternative, to

indemnify the plaintiff in the said sum of P200.00 with interest thereon at the rate of 8-½% per annum from September 27, 1961 until fully paid; without any pronouncement as to cost and attorney's fees. The case was appealed to the Court of First Instance of Manila where, after the parties had resubmitted the same stipulation of facts, the appealed decision dismissing the complaint, with costs, was rendered. The first, second and fifth assignments of error discussed in appellant's brief are related to the other and will therefore be discussed jointly. They raise this main issue: that the postal money order in question is a negotiable instrument; that its nature as such is not in anyway affected by the letter dated October 26, 1948 signed by the Director of Posts and addressed to all banks with a clearing account with the Post Office, and that money orders, once issued, create a contractual relationship of debtor and creditor, respectively, between the government, on the one hand, and the remitters payees or endorses, on the other. It is not disputed that our postal statutes were patterned after statutes in force in the United States. For this reason, ours are generally construed in accordance with the construction given in the United States to their own postal statutes, in the absence of any special reason justifying a departure from this policy or practice. The weight of authority in the United States is that postal money orders are not negotiable instruments (Bolognesi vs. U.S. 189 Fed. 395; U.S. vs. Stock Drawers National Bank, 30 Fed. 912), the reason behind this rule being that, in establishing and operating a postal money order system, the government is not engaging in commercial transactions but merely exercises a governmental power for the public benefit. It is to be noted in this connection that some of the restrictions imposed upon money orders by postal laws and regulations are inconsistent with the character of negotiable instruments. For instance, such laws and regulations usually provide for not more than one endorsement; payment of money orders may be withheld under a variety of circumstances (49 C.J. 1153). Of particular application to the postal money order in question are the conditions laid down in the letter of the Director of Posts of October 26, 1948 (Exhibit 3) to the Bank of America for the redemption of postal money orders received by it from its depositors. Among others, the condition is imposed that "in cases of adverse claim, the money order or money orders involved will be returned to you (the bank) and the, corresponding amount will have to be refunded to the Postmaster, Manila, who reserves the right to deduct the value thereof from any amount due you if such step is deemed necessary." The conditions thus imposed in order to enable the bank to continue enjoying the facilities theretofore enjoyed by its depositors, were accepted by the Bank of America. The latter is therefore bound by them. That it is so is clearly referred from the fact that, upon receiving advice that the amount represented by the money order in question had been deducted from its clearing account with the Manila Post Office, it did not file any protest against such action. Moreover, not being a party to the understanding existing between the postal officers, on the one hand, and the Bank of America, on the other, appellant has no right to assail the terms

and conditions thereof on the ground that the letter setting forth the terms and conditions aforesaid is void because it was not issued by a Department Head in accordance with Sec. 79 (B) of the Revised Administrative Code. In reality, however, said legal provision does not apply to the letter in question because it does not provide for a department regulation but merely sets down certain conditions upon the privilege granted to the Bank of Amrica to accept and pay postal money orders presented for payment at the Manila Post Office. Such being the case, it is clear that the Director of Posts had ample authority to issue it pursuant to Sec. 1190 of the Revised Administrative Code. In view of the foregoing, We do not find it necessary to resolve the issues raised in the third and fourth assignments of error. WHEREFORE, the appealed decision being in accordance with law, the same is hereby affirmed with costs. Concepcion, C.J., Reyes, J.B.L., Makalintal, Zaldivar, Fernando, Teehankee, Barredo and Villamor, JJ., concur. Castro and Makasiar, JJ., took no part. SECOND DIVISION G.R. No. 100290 June 4, 1993 NORBERTO TIBAJIA, JR. and CARMEN TIBAJIA, Petitioners, vs. THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS and EDEN TAN, Respondents.chanrobles virtual law library PADILLA, J.: Petitioners, spouses Norberto Tibajia, Jr. and Carmen Tibajia, are before this Court assailing the decision * of respondent appellate court dated 24 April 1991 in CA-G.R. SP No. 24164 denying their petition for certiorari prohibition, and injunction which sought to annul the order of Judge Eutropio Migriño of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 151, Pasig, Metro Manila in Civil Case No. 54863 entitled "Eden Tan vs. Sps. Norberto and Carmen Tibajia."chanrobles virtual law library Stated briefly, the relevant facts are as follows:chanrobles virtual law library Case No. 54863 was a suit for collection of a sum of money filed by Eden Tan against the Tibajia spouses. A writ of attachment was issued by the trial court on 17 August 1987 and on 17 September 1987, the Deputy Sheriff filed a return stating that a deposit made by the Tibajia spouses in the Regional Trial Court of Kalookan City in the amount of Four Hundred Forty Two Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Pesos (P442,750.00) in another case, had been garnished by him. On 10 March 1988, the Regional Trial Court, Branch 151 of Pasig, Metro Manila rendered its decision in Civil Case No. 54863 in favor of the plaintiff Eden Tan, ordering the Tibajia spouses to pay her an amount in excess of Three Hundred Thousand

Pesos (P300,000.00). On appeal, the Court of Appeals modified the decision by reducing the award of moral and exemplary damages. The decision having become final, Eden Tan filed the corresponding motion for execution and thereafter, the garnished funds which by then were on deposit with the cashier of the Regional Trial Court of Pasig, Metro Manila, were levied upon.chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library On 14 December 1990, the Tibajia spouses delivered to Deputy Sheriff Eduardo Bolima the total money judgment in the following form: Cashier's Check P262,750.00 Cash 135,733.70 ---Total P398,483.70 Private respondent, Eden Tan, refused to accept the payment made by the Tibajia spouses and instead insisted that the garnished funds deposited with the cashier of the Regional Trial Court of Pasig, Metro Manila be withdrawn to satisfy the judgment obligation. On 15 January 1991, defendant spouses (petitioners) filed a motion to lift the writ of execution on the ground that the judgment debt had already been paid. On 29 January 1991, the motion was denied by the trial court on the ground that payment in cashier's check is not payment in legal tender and that payment was made by a third party other than the defendant. A motion for reconsideration was denied on 8 February 1991. Thereafter, the spouses Tibajia filed a petition for certiorari, prohibition and injunction in the Court of Appeals. The appellate court dismissed the petition on 24 April 1991 holding that payment by cashier's check is not payment in legal tender as required by Republic Act No. 529. The motion for reconsideration was denied on 27 May 1991.chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library In this petition for review, the Tibajia spouses raise the following issues: I WHETHER OR NOT THE BPI CASHIER'S CHECK NO. 014021 IN THE AMOUNT OF P262,750.00 TENDERED BY PETITIONERS FOR PAYMENT OF THE JUDGMENT DEBT, IS "LEGAL TENDER".chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library II WHETHER OR NOT THE PRIVATE RESPONDENT MAY VALIDLY REFUSE THE TENDER OF PAYMENT PARTLY IN CHECK AND PARTLY IN CASH MADE BY PETITIONERS, THRU AURORA VITO AND COUNSEL, FOR THE SATISFACTION OF THE MONETARY OBLIGATION OF PETITIONERS-SPOUSES. 1chanrobles virtual law library The only issue to be resolved in this case is whether or not payment by means of check (even by cashier's check) is considered payment in legal tender as required by the Civil Code, Republic Act No. 529, and the Central Bank Act.chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library It is contended by the petitioners that the check, which was a cashier's check of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, undoubtedly a bank of good standing and reputation, and which was

a crossed check marked "For Payee's Account Only" and payable to private respondent Eden Tan, is considered legal tender, payment with which operates to discharge their monetary obligation. 2Petitioners, to support their contention, cite the case of New Pacific Timber and Supply Co., Inc. v. Señeris 3where this Court held through Mr. Justice Hermogenes Concepcion, Jr. that "It is a well-known and accepted practice in the business sector that a cashier's check is deemed as cash".chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library The provisions of law applicable to the case at bar are the following:chanrobles virtual law library a. Article 1249 of the Civil Code which provides: Art. 1249. The payment of debts in money shall be made in the currency stipulated, and if it is not possible to deliver such currency, then in the currency which is legal tender in the Philippines.chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library The delivery of promissory notes payable to order, or bills of exchange or other mercantile documents shall produce the effect of payment only when they have been cashed, or when through the fault of the creditor they have been impaired.chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library In the meantime, the action derived from the original obligation shall be held in abeyance.; b. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 529, as amended, which provides: Sec. 1. Every provision contained in, or made with respect to, any obligation which purports to give the obligee the right to require payment in gold or in any particular kind of coin or currency other than Philippine currency or in an amount of money of the Philippines measured thereby, shall be as it is hereby declared against public policy null and void, and of no effect, and no such provision shall be contained in, or made with respect to, any obligation thereafter incurred. Every obligation heretofore and hereafter incurred, whether or not any such provision as to payment is contained therein or made with respect thereto, shall be discharged upon payment in any coin or currency which at the time of payment is legal tender for public and private debts. c. Section 63 of Republic Act No. 265, as amended (Central Bank Act) which provides: Sec. 63. Legal character - Checks representing deposit money do not have legal tender power and their acceptance in the payment of debts, both public and private, is at the option of the creditor: Provided, however, that a check which has been cleared and credited to the account of the creditor shall be equivalent to a delivery to the creditor of cash in an amount equal to the amount credited to his account. From the aforequoted provisions of law, it is clear that this petition must fail.chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library

In the recent cases of Philippine Airlines, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals 4and Roman Catholic Bishop of Malolos, Inc. vs. Intermediate Appellate Court,5this Court held that A check, whether a manager's check or ordinary check, is not legal tender, and an offer of a check in payment of a debt is not a valid tender of payment and may be refused receipt by the obligee or creditor. The ruling in these two (2) cases merely applies the statutory provisions which lay down the rule that a check is not legal tender and that a creditor may validly refuse payment by check, whether it be a manager's, cashier's or personal check.chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library Petitioners erroneously rely on one of the dissenting opinions in the Philippine Airlines case 6to support their cause. The dissenting opinion however does not in any way support the contention that a check is legal tender but, on the contrary, states that "If the PAL checks in question had not been encashed by Sheriff Reyes, there would be no payment by PAL and, consequently, no discharge or satisfaction of its judgment obligation." 7Moreover, the circumstances in the Philippine Airlines case are quite different from those in the case at bar for in that case the checks issued by the judgment debtor were made payable to the sheriff, Emilio Z. Reyes, who encashed the checks but failed to deliver the proceeds of said encashment to the judgment creditor. In the more recent case of Fortunado vs. Court of Appeals, 8this Court stressed that, "We are not, by this decision, sanctioning the use of a check for the payment of obligations over the objection of the creditor." law library WHEREFORE, the petition is DENIED. The appealed decision is hereby AFFIRMED, with costs against the petitioners. SO ORDERED. Narvasa, C.J., Regalado and Nocon, JJ., concur.

Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC G.R. No. L-49188

January 30, 1990

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES, INC., petitioner, vs. HON. COURT OF APPEALS, HON. JUDGE RICARDO D. GALANO, Court of First

Instance of Manila, Branch XIII, JAIME K. DEL ROSARIO, Deputy Sheriff, Court of First Instance, Manila, and AMELIA TAN, respondents.

GUTIERREZ, JR., J.: Behind the simple issue of validity of an alias writ of execution in this case is a more fundamental question. Should the Court allow a too literal interpretation of the Rules with an open invitation to knavery to prevail over a more discerning and just approach? Should we not apply the ancient rule of statutory construction that laws are to be interpreted by the spirit which vivifies and not by the letter which killeth? This is a petition to review on certiorari the decision of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. No. 07695 entitled "Philippine Airlines, Inc. v. Hon. Judge Ricardo D. Galano, et al.", dismissing the petition for certiorari against the order of the Court of First Instance of Manila which issued an alias writ of execution against the petitioner. The petition involving the alias writ of execution had its beginnings on November 8, 1967, when respondent Amelia Tan, under the name and style of Able Printing Press commenced a complaint for damages before the Court of First Instance of Manila. The case was docketed as Civil Case No. 71307, entitled Amelia Tan, et al. v. Philippine Airlines, Inc. After trial, the Court of First Instance of Manila, Branch 13, then presided over by the late Judge Jesus P. Morfe rendered judgment on June 29, 1972, in favor of private respondent Amelia Tan and against petitioner Philippine Airlines, Inc. (PAL) as follows: WHEREFORE, judgment is hereby rendered, ordering the defendant Philippine Air Lines: 1. On the first cause of action, to pay to the plaintiff the amount of P75,000.00 as actual damages, with legal interest thereon from plaintiffs extra-judicial demand made by the letter of July 20, 1967; 2. On the third cause of action, to pay to the plaintiff the amount of P18,200.00, representing the unrealized profit of 10% included in the contract price of P200,000.00 plus legal interest thereon from July 20,1967; 3. On the fourth cause of action, to pay to the plaintiff the amount of P20,000.00 as and for moral damages, with legal interest thereon from July 20, 1 967; 4. On the sixth cause of action, to pay to the plaintiff the amount of P5,000.00 damages as and for attorney's fee.

Plaintiffs second and fifth causes of action, and defendant's counterclaim, are dismissed. With costs against the defendant. (CA Rollo, p. 18) On July 28, 1972, the petitioner filed its appeal with the Court of Appeals. The case was docketed as CA-G.R. No. 51079-R. On February 3, 1977, the appellate court rendered its decision, the dispositive portion of which reads: IN VIEW WHEREOF, with the modification that PAL is condemned to pay plaintiff the sum of P25,000.00 as damages and P5,000.00 as attorney's fee, judgment is affirmed, with costs. (CA Rollo, p. 29) Notice of judgment was sent by the Court of Appeals to the trial court and on dates subsequent thereto, a motion for reconsideration was filed by respondent Amelia Tan, duly opposed by petitioner PAL. On May 23,1977, the Court of Appeals rendered its resolution denying the respondent's motion for reconsideration for lack of merit. No further appeal having been taken by the parties, the judgment became final and executory and on May 31, 1977, judgment was correspondingly entered in the case. The case was remanded to the trial court for execution and on September 2,1977, respondent Amelia Tan filed a motion praying for the issuance of a writ of execution of the judgment rendered by the Court of Appeals. On October 11, 1977, the trial court, presided over by Judge Galano, issued its order of execution with the corresponding writ in favor of the respondent. The writ was duly referred to Deputy Sheriff Emilio Z. Reyes of Branch 13 of the Court of First Instance of Manila for enforcement. Four months later, on February 11, 1978, respondent Amelia Tan moved for the issuance of an alias writ of execution stating that the judgment rendered by the lower court, and affirmed with modification by the Court of Appeals, remained unsatisfied. On March 1, 1978, the petitioner filed an opposition to the motion for the issuance of an alias writ of execution stating that it had already fully paid its obligation to plaintiff through the deputy sheriff of the respondent court, Emilio Z. Reyes, as evidenced by cash vouchers properly signed and receipted by said Emilio Z. Reyes. On March 3,1978, the Court of Appeals denied the issuance of the alias writ for being premature, ordering the executing sheriff Emilio Z. Reyes to appear with his return and explain the reason for his failure to surrender the amounts paid to him by petitioner PAL. However, the order could not be served upon Deputy Sheriff Reyes who had absconded or disappeared.

On March 28, 1978, motion for the issuance of a partial alias writ of execution was filed by respondent Amelia Tan. On April 19, 1978, respondent Amelia Tan filed a motion to withdraw "Motion for Partial Alias Writ of Execution" with Substitute Motion for Alias Writ of Execution. On May 1, 1978, the respondent Judge issued an order which reads: As prayed for by counsel for the plaintiff, the Motion to Withdraw 'Motion for Partial Alias Writ of Execution with Substitute Motion for Alias Writ of Execution is hereby granted, and the motion for partial alias writ of execution is considered withdrawn. Let an Alias Writ of Execution issue against the defendant for the fall satisfaction of the judgment rendered. Deputy Sheriff Jaime K. del Rosario is hereby appointed Special Sheriff for the enforcement thereof. (CA Rollo, p. 34) On May 18, 1978, the petitioner received a copy of the first alias writ of execution issued on the same day directing Special Sheriff Jaime K. del Rosario to levy on execution in the sum of P25,000.00 with legal interest thereon from July 20,1967 when respondent Amelia Tan made an extra-judicial demand through a letter. Levy was also ordered for the further sum of P5,000.00 awarded as attorney's fees. On May 23, 1978, the petitioner filed an urgent motion to quash the alias writ of execution stating that no return of the writ had as yet been made by Deputy Sheriff Emilio Z. Reyes and that the judgment debt had already been fully satisfied by the petitioner as evidenced by the cash vouchers signed and receipted by the server of the writ of execution, Deputy Sheriff Emilio Z. Reyes. On May 26,1978, the respondent Jaime K. del Rosario served a notice of garnishment on the depository bank of petitioner, Far East Bank and Trust Company, Rosario Branch, Binondo, Manila, through its manager and garnished the petitioner's deposit in the said bank in the total amount of P64,408.00 as of May 16, 1978. Hence, this petition for certiorari filed by the Philippine Airlines, Inc., on the grounds that: I AN ALIAS WRIT OF EXECUTION CANNOT BE ISSUED WITHOUT PRIOR RETURN OF THE ORIGINAL WRIT BY THE IMPLEMENTING OFFICER. II PAYMENT OF JUDGMENT TO THE IMPLEMENTING OFFICER AS DIRECTED IN THE WRIT OF EXECUTION CONSTITUTES SATISFACTION OF JUDGMENT. III

INTEREST IS NOT PAYABLE WHEN THE DECISION IS SILENT AS TO THE PAYMENT THEREOF. IV SECTION 5, RULE 39, PARTICULARLY REFERS TO LEVY OF PROPERTY OF JUDGMENT DEBTOR AND DISPOSAL OR SALE THEREOF TO SATISFY JUDGMENT. Can an alias writ of execution be issued without a prior return of the original writ by the implementing officer? We rule in the affirmative and we quote the respondent court's decision with approval: The issuance of the questioned alias writ of execution under the circumstances here obtaining is justified because even with the absence of a Sheriffs return on the original writ, the unalterable fact remains that such a return is incapable of being obtained (sic) because the officer who is to make the said return has absconded and cannot be brought to the Court despite the earlier order of the court for him to appear for this purpose. (Order of Feb. 21, 1978, Annex C, Petition). Obviously, taking cognizance of this circumstance, the order of May 11, 1978 directing the issuance of an alias writ was therefore issued. (Annex D. Petition). The need for such a return as a condition precedent for the issuance of an alias writ was justifiably dispensed with by the court below and its action in this regard meets with our concurrence. A contrary view will produce an abhorent situation whereby the mischief of an erring officer of the court could be utilized to impede indefinitely the undisputed and awarded rights which a prevailing party rightfully deserves to obtain and with dispatch. The final judgment in this case should not indeed be permitted to become illusory or incapable of execution for an indefinite and over extended period, as had already transpired. (Rollo, pp. 35-36) Judicium non debet esse illusorium; suum effectum habere debet (A judgment ought not to be illusory it ought to have its proper effect). Indeed, technicality cannot be countenanced to defeat the execution of a judgment for execution is the fruit and end of the suit and is very aptly called the life of the law (Ipekdjian Merchandising Co. v. Court of Tax Appeals, 8 SCRA 59 [1963]; Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Visayan Electric Co., 19 SCRA 697, 698 [1967]). A judgment cannot be rendered nugatory by the unreasonable application of a strict rule of procedure. Vested rights were never intended to rest on the requirement of a return, the office of which is merely to inform the court and the parties, of any and all actions taken under the writ of execution. Where such information can be established in some other manner, the absence of an executing officer's return will not preclude a judgment from being treated as discharged or being executed through an alias writ of execution as the case may be. More so, as in the case at bar. Where the return cannot be expected to be forthcoming, to require the same would be to compel the enforcement of rights under a judgment to rest on an

impossibility, thereby allowing the total avoidance of judgment debts. So long as a judgment is not satisfied, a plaintiff is entitled to other writs of execution (Government of the Philippines v. Echaus and Gonzales, 71 Phil. 318). It is a well known legal maxim that he who cannot prosecute his judgment with effect, sues his case vainly. More important in the determination of the propriety of the trial court's issuance of an alias writ of execution is the issue of satisfaction of judgment. Under the peculiar circumstances surrounding this case, did the payment made to the absconding sheriff by check in his name operate to satisfy the judgment debt? The Court rules that the plaintiff who has won her case should not be adjudged as having sued in vain. To decide otherwise would not only give her an empty but a pyrrhic victory. It should be emphasized that under the initial judgment, Amelia Tan was found to have been wronged by PAL. She filed her complaint in 1967. After ten (10) years of protracted litigation in the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeals, Ms. Tan won her case. It is now 1990. Almost twenty-two (22) years later, Ms. Tan has not seen a centavo of what the courts have solemnly declared as rightfully hers. Through absolutely no fault of her own, Ms. Tan has been deprived of what, technically, she should have been paid from the start, before 1967, without need of her going to court to enforce her rights. And all because PAL did not issue the checks intended for her, in her name. Under the peculiar circumstances of this case, the payment to the absconding sheriff by check in his name did not operate as a satisfaction of the judgment debt. In general, a payment, in order to be effective to discharge an obligation, must be made to the proper person. Article 1240 of the Civil Code provides: Payment shall be made to the person in whose favor the obligation has been constituted, or his successor in interest, or any person authorized to receive it. (Emphasis supplied) Thus, payment must be made to the obligee himself or to an agent having authority, express or implied, to receive the particular payment (Ulen v. Knecttle 50 Wyo 94, 58 [2d] 446, 111 ALR 65). Payment made to one having apparent authority to receive the money will, as a rule, be treated as though actual authority had been given for its receipt. Likewise, if payment is made to one who by law is authorized to act for the creditor, it will work a discharge (Hendry v. Benlisa 37 Fla. 609, 20 SO 800,34 LRA 283). The receipt of money due on ajudgment by an officer authorized by law to accept it will, therefore, satisfy the debt

(See 40 Am Jm 729, 25; Hendry v. Benlisa supra; Seattle v. Stirrat 55 Wash. 104 p. 834,24 LRA [NS] 1275). The theory is where payment is made to a person authorized and recognized by the creditor, the payment to such a person so authorized is deemed payment to the creditor. Under ordinary circumstances, payment by the judgment debtor in the case at bar, to the sheriff should be valid payment to extinguish the judgment debt. There are circumstances in this case, however, which compel a different conclusion. The payment made by the petitioner to the absconding sheriff was not in cash or legal tender but in checks. The checks were not payable to Amelia Tan or Able Printing Press but to the absconding sheriff. Did such payments extinguish the judgment debt? Article 1249 of the Civil Code provides: The payment of debts in money shall be made in the currency stipulated, and if it is not possible to deliver such currency, then in the currency which is legal tender in the Philippines. The delivery of promissory notes payable to order, or bills of exchange or other mercantile documents shall produce the effect of payment only when they have been cashed, or when through the fault of the creditor they have been impaired. In the meantime, the action derived from the original obligation shall be held in abeyance. In the absence of an agreement, either express or implied, payment means the discharge of a debt or obligation in money (US v. Robertson, 5 Pet. [US] 641, 8 L. ed. 257) and unless the parties so agree, a debtor has no rights, except at his own peril, to substitute something in lieu of cash as medium of payment of his debt (Anderson v. Gill, 79 Md.. 312, 29 A 527, 25 LRA 200,47 Am. St. Rep. 402). Consequently, unless authorized to do so by law or by consent of the obligee a public officer has no authority to accept anything other than money in payment of an obligation under a judgment being executed. Strictly speaking, the acceptance by the sheriff of the petitioner's checks, in the case at bar, does not, per se, operate as a discharge of the judgment debt. Since a negotiable instrument is only a substitute for money and not money, the delivery of such an instrument does not, by itself, operate as payment (See. 189, Act 2031 on Negs. Insts.; Art. 1249, Civil Code; Bryan Landon Co. v. American Bank, 7 Phil. 255; Tan Sunco v. Santos, 9 Phil. 44; 21 R.C.L. 60, 61). A check, whether a manager's check or ordinary cheek, is not legal tender, and an offer of a check in payment of a debt is not a valid tender of payment and may be refused receipt by the obligee or creditor. Mere delivery of checks does not discharge the obligation under a judgment. The obligation is not extinguished and

remains suspended until the payment by commercial document is actually realized (Art. 1249, Civil Code, par. 3). If bouncing checks had been issued in the name of Amelia Tan and not the Sheriff's, there would have been no payment. After dishonor of the checks, Ms. Tan could have run after other properties of PAL. The theory is that she has received no value for what had been awarded her. Because the checks were drawn in the name of Emilio Z. Reyes, neither has she received anything. The same rule should apply. It is argued that if PAL had paid in cash to Sheriff Reyes, there would have been payment in full legal contemplation. The reasoning is logical but is it valid and proper? Logic has its limits in decision making. We should not follow rulings to their logical extremes if in doing so we arrive at unjust or absurd results. In the first place, PAL did not pay in cash. It paid in cheeks. And second, payment in cash always carries with it certain cautions. Nobody hands over big amounts of cash in a careless and inane manner. Mature thought is given to the possibility of the cash being lost, of the bearer being waylaid or running off with what he is carrying for another. Payment in checks is precisely intended to avoid the possibility of the money going to the wrong party. The situation is entirely different where a Sheriff seizes a car, a tractor, or a piece of land. Logic often has to give way to experience and to reality. Having paid with checks, PAL should have done so properly. Payment in money or cash to the implementing officer may be deemed absolute payment of the judgment debt but the Court has never, in the least bit, suggested that judgment debtors should settle their obligations by turning over huge amounts of cash or legal tender to sheriffs and other executing officers. Payment in cash would result in damage or interminable litigations each time a sheriff with huge amounts of cash in his hands decides to abscond. As a protective measure, therefore, the courts encourage the practice of payments by cheek provided adequate controls are instituted to prevent wrongful payment and illegal withdrawal or disbursement of funds. If particularly big amounts are involved, escrow arrangements with a bank and carefully supervised by the court would be the safer procedure. Actual transfer of funds takes place within the safety of bank premises. These practices are perfectly legal. The object is always the safe and incorrupt execution of the judgment. It is, indeed, out of the ordinary that checks intended for a particular payee are made out in the name of another. Making the checks payable to the judgment creditor would have prevented the encashment or the taking of undue advantage by the sheriff, or any person into whose hands the checks may have fallen, whether wrongfully or in behalf of the creditor. The issuance of the checks in the name of the sheriff clearly made possible the misappropriation of the funds that were withdrawn. As explained and held by the respondent court:

... [K]nowing as it does that the intended payment was for the private party respondent Amelia Tan, the petitioner corporation, utilizing the services of its personnel who are or should be knowledgeable about the accepted procedures and resulting consequences of the checks drawn, nevertheless, in this instance, without prudence, departed from what is generally observed and done, and placed as payee in the checks the name of the errant Sheriff and not the name of the rightful payee. Petitioner thereby created a situation which permitted the said Sheriff to personally encash said checks and misappropriate the proceeds thereof to his exclusive personal benefit. For the prejudice that resulted, the petitioner himself must bear the fault. The judicial guideline which we take note of states as follows: As between two innocent persons, one of whom must suffer the consequence of a breach of trust, the one who made it possible by his act of confidence must bear the loss. (Blondeau, et al. v. Nano, et al., L-41377, July 26, 1935, 61 Phil. 625) Having failed to employ the proper safeguards to protect itself, the judgment debtor whose act made possible the loss had but itself to blame. The attention of this Court has been called to the bad practice of a number of executing officers, of requiring checks in satisfaction of judgment debts to be made out in their own names. If a sheriff directs a judgment debtor to issue the checks in the sheriff's name, claiming he must get his commission or fees, the debtor must report the sheriff immediately to the court which ordered the execution or to the Supreme Court for appropriate disciplinary action. Fees, commissions, and salaries are paid through regular channels. This improper procedure also allows such officers, who have sixty (60) days within which to make a return, to treat the moneys as their personal finds and to deposit the same in their private accounts to earn sixty (60) days interest, before said finds are turned over to the court or judgment creditor (See Balgos v. Velasco, 108 SCRA 525 [1981]). Quite as easily, such officers could put up the defense that said checks had been issued to them in their private or personal capacity. Without a receipt evidencing payment of the judgment debt, the misappropriation of finds by such officers becomes clean and complete. The practice is ingenious but evil as it unjustly enriches court personnel at the expense of litigants and the proper administration of justice. The temptation could be far greater, as proved to be in this case of the absconding sheriff. The correct and prudent thing for the petitioner was to have issued the checks in the intended payee's name. The pernicious effects of issuing checks in the name of a person other than the intended payee, without the latter's agreement or consent, are as many as the ways that an artful mind could concoct to get around the safeguards provided by the law on negotiable instruments. An angry litigant who loses a case, as a rule, would not want the winning party to get what he won in the judgment. He would think of ways to delay the winning party's getting what has been adjudged in his favor. We cannot condone that practice especially in cases where the courts and their officers are involved.1âwphi1 We rule against the petitioner. Anent the applicability of Section 15, Rule 39, as follows:

Section 15. Execution of money judgments. — The officer must enforce an execution of a money judgment by levying on all the property, real and personal of every name and nature whatsoever, and which may be disposed of for value, of the judgment debtor not exempt from execution, or on a sufficient amount of such property, if they be sufficient, and selling the same, and paying to the judgment creditor, or his attorney, so much of the proceeds as will satisfy the judgment. ... the respondent court held: We are obliged to rule that the judgment debt cannot be considered satisfied and therefore the orders of the respondent judge granting the alias writ of execution may not be pronounced as a nullity. xxx

xxx

xxx

It is clear and manifest that after levy or garnishment, for a judgment to be executed there is the requisite of payment by the officer to the judgment creditor, or his attorney, so much of the proceeds as will satisfy the judgment and none such payment had been concededly made yet by the absconding Sheriff to the private respondent Amelia Tan. The ultimate and essential step to complete the execution of the judgment not having been performed by the City Sheriff, the judgment debt legally and factually remains unsatisfied. Strictly speaking execution cannot be equated with satisfaction of a judgment. Under unusual circumstances as those obtaining in this petition, the distinction comes out clearly. Execution is the process which carries into effect a decree or judgment (Painter v. Berglund, 31 Cal. App. 2d. 63, 87 P 2d 360, 363; Miller v. London, 294 Mass 300, 1 NE 2d 198, 200; Black's Law Dictionary), whereas the satisfaction of a judgment is the payment of the amount of the writ, or a lawful tender thereof, or the conversion by sale of the debtor's property into an amount equal to that due, and, it may be done otherwise than upon an execution (Section 47, Rule 39). Levy and delivery by an execution officer are not prerequisites to the satisfaction of a judgment when the same has already been realized in fact (Section 47, Rule 39). Execution is for the sheriff to accomplish while satisfaction of the judgment is for the creditor to achieve. Section 15, Rule 39 merely provides the sheriff with his duties as executing officer including delivery of the proceeds of his levy on the debtor's property to satisfy the judgment debt. It is but to stress that the implementing officer's duty should not stop at his receipt of payments but must continue until payment is delivered to the obligor or creditor. Finally, we find no error in the respondent court's pronouncement on the inclusion of interests to be recovered under the alias writ of execution. This logically follows from our ruling that PAL is liable for both the lost checks and interest. The respondent court's decision in CA-G.R. No. 51079-R does not totally supersede the trial court's judgment in Civil Case No. 71307. It merely modified the same as to the principal amount awarded as actual damages.

WHEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, the petition is hereby DISMISSED. The judgment of the respondent Court of Appeals is AFFIRMED and the trial court's issuance of the alias writ of execution against the petitioner is upheld without prejudice to any action it should take against the errant sheriff Emilio Z. Reyes. The Court Administrator is ordered to follow up the actions taken against Emilio Z. Reyes. SO ORDERED. Fernan, C.J., Cruz, Paras, Bidin, Griño-Aquino, Medialdea and Regalado, JJ., concur.

Separate Opinions

NARVASA, J., dissenting: The execution of final judgments and orders is a function of the sheriff, an officer of the court whose authority is by and large statutorily determined to meet the particular exigencies arising from or connected with the performance of the multifarious duties of the office. It is the acknowledgment of the many dimensions of this authority, defined by statute and chiselled by practice, which compels me to disagree with the decision reached by the majority. A consideration of the wide latitude of discretion allowed the sheriff as the officer of the court most directly involved with the implementation and execution of final judgments and orders persuades me that PAL's payment to the sheriff of its judgment debt to Amelia Tan, though made by check issued in said officer's name, lawfully satisfied said obligation and foreclosed further recourse therefor against PAL, notwithstanding the sheriffs failure to deliver to Tan the proceeds of the check. It is a matter of history that the judiciary .. is an inherit or of the Anglo-American tradition. While the common law as such .. "is not in force" in this jurisdiction, "to breathe the breath of life into many of the institutions, introduced [here] under American sovereignty, recourse must be had to the rules, principles and doctrines of the common law under whose protecting aegis the prototypes of these institutions had their birth" A sheriff is "an officer of great antiquity," and was also called the shire reeve. A shire in English law is a Saxon word signifying a division later called a county. A reeve is an ancient English officer of justice inferior in rank to an alderman .. appointed to process, keep the King's peace, and put the laws in execution. From a very remote period in English constitutional history .. the shire had another officer, namely the shire reeve or as we say, the sheriff. .. The Sheriff was the special representative of the legal or central authority, and as such usually nominated by the

King. .. Since the earliest times, both in England and the United States, a sheriff has continued his status as an adjunct of the court .. . As it was there, so it has been in the Philippines from the time of the organization of the judiciary .. . (J. Fernando's concurring opinion in Bagatsing v. Herrera, 65 SCRA 434) One of a sheriff s principal functions is to execute final judgments and orders. The Rules of Court require the writs of execution to issue to him, directing him to enforce such judgments and orders in the manner therein provided (Rule 39). The mode of enforcement varies according to the nature of the judgment to be carried out: whether it be against property of the judgment debtor in his hands or in the hands of a third person i e. money judgment), or for the sale of property, real or personal (i.e. foreclosure of mortgage) or the delivery thereof, etc. (sec. 8, Rule 39). Under sec. 15 of the same Rule, the sheriff is empowered to levy on so much of the judgment debtor's property as may be sufficient to enforce the money judgment and sell these properties at public auction after due notice to satisfy the adjudged amount. It is the sheriff who, after the auction sale, conveys to the purchaser the property thus sold (secs. 25, 26, 27, Rule 39), and pays the judgment creditor so much of the proceeds as will satisfy the judgment. When the property sold by him on execution is an immovable which consequently gives rise to a light of redemption on the part of the judgment debtor and others (secs. 29, 30, Rule 39), it is to him (or to the purchaser or redemptioner that the payments may be made by those declared by law as entitled to redeem (sec. 31, Rule 39); and in this situation, it becomes his duty to accept payment and execute the certificate of redemption (Enage v. Vda. y Hijos de Escano, 38 Phil. 657, cited in Moran, Comments on the Rules of Court, 1979 ed., vol. 2, pp. 326-327). It is also to the sheriff that "written notice of any redemption must be given and a duplicate filed with the registrar of deeds of the province, and if any assessments or taxes are paid by the redemptioner or if he has or acquires any lien other than that upon which the redemption was made, notice thereof must in like manner be given to the officer and filed with the registrar of deeds," the effect of failure to file such notice being that redemption may be made without paying such assessments, taxes, or liens (sec. 30, Rule 39). The sheriff may likewise be appointed a receiver of the property of the judgment debtor where the appointment of the receiver is deemed necessary for the execution of the judgment (sec. 32, Rule 39). At any time before the sale of property on execution, the judgment debtor may prevent the sale by paying the sheriff the amount required by the execution and the costs that have been incurred therein (sec. 20, Rule 39). The sheriff is also authorized to receive payments on account of the judgment debt tendered by "a person indebted to the judgment debtor," and his "receipt shall be a sufficient discharge for the amount so paid or directed to be credited by the judgment creditor on the execution" (sec. 41, Rule 39).

Now, obviously, the sheriff s sale extinguishes the liability of the judgment debtor either in fun, if the price paid by the highest bidder is equal to, or more than the amount of the judgment or pro tanto if the price fetched at the sale be less. Such extinction is not in any way dependent upon the judgment creditor's receiving the amount realized, so that the conversion or embezzlement of the proceeds of the sale by the sheriff does not revive the judgment debt or render the judgment creditor liable anew therefor. So, also, the taking by the sheriff of, say, personal property from the judgment debtor for delivery to the judgment creditor, in fulfillment of the verdict against him, extinguishes the debtor's liability; and the conversion of said property by the sheriff, does not make said debtor responsible for replacing the property or paying the value thereof. In the instances where the Rules allow or direct payments to be made to the sheriff, the payments may be made by check, but it goes without saying that if the sheriff so desires, he may require payment to be made in lawful money. If he accepts the check, he places himself in a position where he would be liable to the judgment creditor if any damages are suffered by the latter as a result of the medium in which payment was made (Javellana v. Mirasol, et al., 40 Phil. 761). The validity of the payment made by the judgment debtor, however, is in no wise affected and the latter is discharged from his obligation to the judgment creditor as of the moment the check issued to the sheriff is encashed and the proceeds are received by Id. office. The issuance of the check to a person authorized to receive it (Art. 1240, Civil Code; See. 46 of the Code of Civil Procedure; Enage v. Vda y Hijos de Escano, 38 Phil. 657, cited in Javellana v. Mirasol, 40 Phil. 761) operates to release the judgment debtor from any further obligations on the judgment. The sheriff is an adjunct of the court; a court functionary whose competence involves both discretion and personal liability (concurring opinion of J. Fernando, citing Uy Piaoco v. Osmena, 9 Phil. 299, in Bagatsing v. Herrera, 65 SCRA 434). Being an officer of the court and acting within the scope of his authorized functions, the sheriff s receipt of the checks in payment of the judgment execution, may be deemed, in legal contemplation, as received by the court itself (Lara v. Bayona, 10 May 1955, No. L- 10919). That the sheriff functions as a conduit of the court is further underscored by the fact that one of the requisites for appointment to the office is the execution of a bond, "conditioned (upon) the faithful performance of his (the appointee's) duties .. for the delivery or payment to Government, or the person entitled thereto, of all properties or sums of money that shall officially come into his hands" (sec. 330, Revised Administrative Code). There is no question that the checks came into the sheriffs possession in his official capacity. The court may require of the judgment debtor, in complying with the judgment, no further burden than his vigilance in ensuring that the person he is paying money or delivering property to is a person authorized by the court to receive it. Beyond this, further expectations become unreasonable. To my mind, a proposal that would make the judgment debtor unqualifiedly the insurer of the judgment creditor's entitlement to the judgment amount which is really what this case is all about begs the question.

That the checks were made out in the sheriffs name (a practice, by the way, of long and common acceptance) is of little consequence if juxtaposed with the extent of the authority explicitly granted him by law as the officer entrusted with the power to execute and implement court judgments. The sheriffs requirement that the checks in payment of the judgment debt be issued in his name was simply an assertion of that authority; and PAL's compliance cannot in the premises be faulted merely because of the sheriffs subsequent malfeasance in absconding with the payment instead of turning it over to the judgment creditor. If payment had been in cash, no question about its validity or of the authority and duty of the sheriff to accept it in settlement of PAL's judgment obligation would even have arisen. Simply because it was made by checks issued in the sheriff s name does not warrant reaching any different conclusion. As payment to the court discharges the judgment debtor from his responsibility on the judgment, so too must payment to the person designated by such court and authorized to act in its behalf, operate to produce the same effect. It is unfortunate and deserving of commiseration that Amelia Tan was deprived of what was adjudged to her when the sheriff misappropriated the payment made to him by PAL in dereliction of his sworn duties. But I submit that her remedy lies, not here and in reviving liability under a judgment already lawfully satisfied, but elsewhere. ACCORDINGLY, I vote to grant the petition. Melencio-Herrera, Gancayco, J., concurs.

FELICIANO, J., dissenting: I concur in the able dissenting opinions of Narvasa and Padilla, JJ. and would merely wish to add a few footnotes to their lucid opinions. 1. Narvasa, J. has demonstrated in detail that a sheriff is authorized by the Rules of Court and our case law to receive either legal tender or checks from the judgment debtor in satisfaction of the judgment debt. In addition, Padilla, J. has underscored the obligation of the sheriff, imposed upon him by the nature of his office and the law, to turn over such legal tender, checks and proceeds of execution sales to the judgment creditor. The failure of a sheriff to effect such turnover and his conversion of the funds (or goods) held by him to his own uses, do not have the effect of frustrating payment by and consequent discharge of the judgment debtor. To hold otherwise would be to throw the risk of the sheriff faithfully performing his duty as a public officer upon those members of the general public who are compelled

to deal with him. It seems to me that a judgment debtor who turns over funds or property to the sheriff can not reasonably be made an insurer of the honesty and integrity of the sheriff and that the risk of the sheriff carrying out his duties honestly and faithfully is properly lodged in the State itself The sheriff, like all other officers of the court, is appointed and paid and controlled and disciplined by the Government, more specifically by this Court. The public surely has a duty to report possible wrongdoing by a sheriff or similar officer to the proper authorities and, if necessary, to testify in the appropriate judicial and administrative disciplinary proceedings. But to make the individual members of the general community insurers of the honest performance of duty of a sheriff, or other officer of the court, over whom they have no control, is not only deeply unfair to the former. It is also a confession of comprehensive failure and comes too close to an abdication of duty on the part of the Court itself. This Court should have no part in that. 2. I also feel compelled to comment on the majority opinion written by Gutierrez, J. with all his customary and special way with words. My learned and eloquent brother in the Court apparently accepts the proposition that payment by a judgment debtor of cash to a sheriff produces the legal effects of payment, the sheriff being authorized to accept such payment. Thus, in page 10 of his ponencia, Gutierrez, J. writes: The receipt of money due on a judgment by an officer authorized by law to accept it will satisfy the debt. (Citations omitted) The theory is where payment is made to a person authorized and recognized by the creditor, the payment to such a person so authorized is deemed payment to the creditor. Under ordinary circumstances, payment by the judgment debtor in the case at bar, to the sheriff would be valid payment to extinguish the judgment debt. Shortly thereafter, however, Gutierrez, J. backs off from the above position and strongly implies that payment in cash to the sheriff is sheer imprudence on the part of the judgment debtor and that therefore, should the sheriff abscond with the cash, the judgment debtor has not validly discharged the judgment debt: It is argued that if PAL had paid in cash to Sheriff Reyes, there would have been payment in full legal contemplation. The reasoning is logical but is it valid and proper? In the first place, PAL did not pay in cash. It paid in checks. And second, payment in cash always carries with it certain cautions. Nobody hands over big amounts of cash in a careless and inane manner. Mature thought is given to the possibility of the cash being lost, of the bearer being waylaid or running off with what he is carrying for another. Payment in checks is precisely intended to avoid the possibility of the money going to the wrong party.... Payment in money or cash to the implementing officer may be deemed absolute payment of the judgment debt but the court has never, in the least bit, suggested that

judgment debtors should settle their obligations by turning over huge amounts of cash or legal tender to sheriffs and other executing officers. ... (Emphasis in the original) (Majority opinion, pp. 12-13) There is no dispute with the suggestion apparently made that maximum safety is secured where the judgment debtor delivers to the sheriff not cash but a check made out, not in the name of the sheriff, but in the judgment creditor's name. The fundamental point that must be made, however, is that under our law only cash is legal tender and that the sheriff can be compelled to accept only cash and not checks, even if made out to the name of the judgment creditor. 1 The sheriff could have quite lawfully required PAL to deliver to him only cash, i.e., Philippine currency. If the sheriff had done so, and if PAL had complied with such a requirement, as it would have had to, one would have to agree that legal payment must be deemed to have been effected. It requires no particularly acute mind to note that a dishonest sheriff could easily convert the money and abscond. The fact that the sheriff in the instant case required, not cash to be delivered to him, but rather a check made out in his name, does not change the legal situation. PAL did not thereby become negligent; it did not make the loss anymore possible or probable than if it had instead delivered plain cash to the sheriffs. It seems to me that the majority opinion's real premise is the unspoken one that the judgment debtor should bear the risk of the fragility of the sheriff s virtue until the money or property parted with by the judgment debtor actually reaches the hands of the judgment creditor. This brings me back to my earlier point that risk is most appropriately borne not by the judgment debtor, nor indeed by the judgment creditor, but by the State itself. The Court requires all sheriffs to post good and adequate fidelity bonds before entering upon the performance of their duties and, presumably, to maintain such bonds in force and effect throughout their stay in office.2 The judgment creditor, in circumstances like those of the instant case, could be allowed to execute upon the absconding sheriff s bond.3 I believe the Petition should be granted and I vote accordingly.

PADILLA, J., Dissenting Opinion From the facts that appear to be undisputed, I reach a conclusion different from that of the majority. Sheriff Emilio Z. Reyes, the trial court's authorized sheriff, armed with a writ of execution to enforce a final money judgment against the petitioner Philippine Airlines (PAL) in favor of private respondent Amelia Tan, proceeded to petitioner PAL's office to implement the writ. There is no question that Sheriff Reyes, in enforcing the writ of execution, was acting with full authority as an officer of the law and not in his personal capacity. Stated differently, PAL had every right to assume that, as an officer of the law, Sheriff Reyes would perform his duties as enjoined by law. It would be grossly unfair to now charge PAL with advanced or

constructive notice that Mr. Reyes would abscond and not deliver to the judgment creditor the proceeds of the writ of execution. If a judgment debtor cannot rely on and trust an officer of the law, as the Sheriff, whom else can he trust? Pursued to its logical extreme, if PAL had delivered to Sheriff Reyes the amount of the judgment in CASH, i.e. Philippine currency, with the corresponding receipt signed by Sheriff Reyes, this would have been payment by PAL in full legal contemplation, because under Article 1240 of the Civil Code, "payment shall be made to the person in whose favor the obligation has been constituted or his successor in interest or any person authorized to receive it." And said payment if made by PAL in cash, i.e., Philippine currency, to Sheriff Reyes would have satisfied PAL's judgment obligation, as payment is a legally recognized mode for extinguishing one's obligation. (Article 1231, Civil Code). Under Sec. 15, Rule 39, Rules of Court which provides thatSec. 15. Execution of money judgments. — The officer must enforce an execution of a money judgment by levying on all the property, real and personal of every name and nature whatsoever, and which may be disposed of for value, of the judgment debtor not exempt from execution, or on a sufficient amount of such property, if there be sufficient, and selling the same, and paying to the judgment creditor, or his attorney, so much of the proceeds as will satisfy the judgment. ... .(emphasis supplied) it would be the duty of Sheriff Reyes to pay to the judgment creditor the proceeds of the execution i.e., the cash received from PAL (under the above assumption). But, the duty of the sheriff to pay the cash to the judgment creditor would be a matter separate the distinct from the fact that PAL would have satisfied its judgment obligation to Amelia Tan, the judgment creditor, by delivering the cash amount due under the judgment to Sheriff Reyes. Did the situation change by PAL's delivery of its two (2) checks totalling P30,000.00 drawn against its bank account, payable to Sheriff Reyes, for account of the judgment rendered against PAL? I do not think so, because when Sheriff Reyes encashed the checks, the encashment was in fact a payment by PAL to Amelia Tan through Sheriff Reyes, an officer of the law authorized to receive payment, and such payment discharged PAL'S obligation under the executed judgment. If the PAL cheeks in question had not been encashed by Sheriff Reyes, there would be no payment by PAL and, consequently no discharge or satisfaction of its judgment obligation. But the checks had been encashed by Sheriff Reyes giving rise to a situation as if PAL had paid Sheriff Reyes in cash, i.e., Philippine currency. This, we repeat, is payment, in legal contemplation, on the part of PAL and this payment legally discharged PAL from its judgment obligation to the judgment creditor. To be sure, the same encashment by Sheriff Reyes of PAL's checks delivered to him in his official capacity as Sheriff, imposed an obligation on Sheriff Reyes to pay and deliver the proceeds of the encashment to Amelia Tan who is deemed to have acquired a cause of action against Sheriff Reyes for his failure to deliver to her the proceeds of the encashment. As held:

Payment of a judgment, to operate as a release or satisfaction, even pro tanto must be made to the plaintiff or to some person authorized by him, or by law, to receive it. The payment of money to the sheriff having an execution satisfies it, and, if the plaintiff fails to receive it, his only remedy is against the officer (Henderson v. Planters' and Merchants Bank, 59 SO 493, 178 Ala. 420). Payment of an execution satisfies it without regard to whether the officer pays it over to the creditor or misapplies it (340, 33 C.J.S. 644, citing Elliot v. Higgins, 83 N.C. 459). If defendant consents to the Sheriff s misapplication of the money, however, defendant is estopped to claim that the debt is satisfied (340, 33 C.J.S. 644, citing Heptinstall v. Medlin 83 N.C. 16). The above rulings find even more cogent application in the case at bar because, as contended by petitioner PAL (not denied by private respondent), when Sheriff Reyes served the writ of execution on PAL, he (Reyes) was accompanied by private respondent's counsel. Prudence dictated that when PAL delivered to Sheriff Reyes the two (2) questioned checks (payable to Sheriff Reyes), private respondent's counsel should have insisted on their immediate encashment by the Sheriff with the drawee bank in order to promptly get hold of the amount belonging to his client, the judgment creditor. ACCORDINGLY, I vote to grant the petition and to quash the court a quo's alias writ of execution. Melencio-Herrera, Gancayco, Sarmiento, Cortes, JJ., concurs.

II. FORMS AND INTERPRETATION OF NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila FIRST DIVISION G.R. No. 88866

February 18, 1991

METROPOLITAN BANK & TRUST COMPANY, petitioner, vs. COURT OF APPEALS, GOLDEN SAVINGS & LOAN ASSOCIATION, INC., LUCIA CASTILLO, MAGNO CASTILLO and GLORIA CASTILLO, respondents. Angara, Abello, Concepcion, Regala & Cruz for petitioner. Bengzon, Zarraga, Narciso, Cudala, Pecson & Bengson for Magno and Lucia Castillo.

Agapito S. Fajardo and Jaime M. Cabiles for respondent Golden Savings & Loan Association, Inc.

CRUZ, J.: This case, for all its seeming complexity, turns on a simple question of negligence. The facts, pruned of all non-essentials, are easily told. The Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. is a commercial bank with branches throughout the Philippines and even abroad. Golden Savings and Loan Association was, at the time these events happened, operating in Calapan, Mindoro, with the other private respondents as its principal officers. In January 1979, a certain Eduardo Gomez opened an account with Golden Savings and deposited over a period of two months 38 treasury warrants with a total value of P1,755,228.37. They were all drawn by the Philippine Fish Marketing Authority and purportedly signed by its General Manager and countersigned by its Auditor. Six of these were directly payable to Gomez while the others appeared to have been indorsed by their respective payees, followed by Gomez as second indorser.1 On various dates between June 25 and July 16, 1979, all these warrants were subsequently indorsed by Gloria Castillo as Cashier of Golden Savings and deposited to its Savings Account No. 2498 in the Metrobank branch in Calapan, Mindoro. They were then sent for clearing by the branch office to the principal office of Metrobank, which forwarded them to the Bureau of Treasury for special clearing.2 More than two weeks after the deposits, Gloria Castillo went to the Calapan branch several times to ask whether the warrants had been cleared. She was told to wait. Accordingly, Gomez was meanwhile not allowed to withdraw from his account. Later, however, "exasperated" over Gloria's repeated inquiries and also as an accommodation for a "valued client," the petitioner says it finally decided to allow Golden Savings to withdraw from the proceeds of the warrants.3 The first withdrawal was made on July 9, 1979, in the amount of P508,000.00, the second on July 13, 1979, in the amount of P310,000.00, and the third on July 16, 1979, in the amount of P150,000.00. The total withdrawal was P968.000.00. 4 In turn, Golden Savings subsequently allowed Gomez to make withdrawals from his own account, eventually collecting the total amount of P1,167,500.00 from the proceeds of the apparently cleared warrants. The last withdrawal was made on July 16, 1979.

On July 21, 1979, Metrobank informed Golden Savings that 32 of the warrants had been dishonored by the Bureau of Treasury on July 19, 1979, and demanded the refund by Golden Savings of the amount it had previously withdrawn, to make up the deficit in its account. The demand was rejected. Metrobank then sued Golden Savings in the Regional Trial Court of Mindoro.5 After trial, judgment was rendered in favor of Golden Savings, which, however, filed a motion for reconsideration even as Metrobank filed its notice of appeal. On November 4, 1986, the lower court modified its decision thus: ACCORDINGLY, judgment is hereby rendered: 1. Dismissing the complaint with costs against the plaintiff; 2. Dissolving and lifting the writ of attachment of the properties of defendant Golden Savings and Loan Association, Inc. and defendant Spouses Magno Castillo and Lucia Castillo; 3. Directing the plaintiff to reverse its action of debiting Savings Account No. 2498 of the sum of P1,754,089.00 and to reinstate and credit to such account such amount existing before the debit was made including the amount of P812,033.37 in favor of defendant Golden Savings and Loan Association, Inc. and thereafter, to allow defendant Golden Savings and Loan Association, Inc. to withdraw the amount outstanding thereon before the debit; 4. Ordering the plaintiff to pay the defendant Golden Savings and Loan Association, Inc. attorney's fees and expenses of litigation in the amount of P200,000.00. 5. Ordering the plaintiff to pay the defendant Spouses Magno Castillo and Lucia Castillo attorney's fees and expenses of litigation in the amount of P100,000.00. SO ORDERED. On appeal to the respondent court,6 the decision was affirmed, prompting Metrobank to file this petition for review on the following grounds: 1. Respondent Court of Appeals erred in disregarding and failing to apply the clear contractual terms and conditions on the deposit slips allowing Metrobank to charge back any amount erroneously credited. (a) Metrobank's right to charge back is not limited to instances where the checks or treasury warrants are forged or unauthorized. (b) Until such time as Metrobank is actually paid, its obligation is that of a mere collecting agent which cannot be held liable for its failure to collect on the warrants.

2. Under the lower court's decision, affirmed by respondent Court of Appeals, Metrobank is made to pay for warrants already dishonored, thereby perpetuating the fraud committed by Eduardo Gomez. 3. Respondent Court of Appeals erred in not finding that as between Metrobank and Golden Savings, the latter should bear the loss. 4. Respondent Court of Appeals erred in holding that the treasury warrants involved in this case are not negotiable instruments. The petition has no merit. From the above undisputed facts, it would appear to the Court that Metrobank was indeed negligent in giving Golden Savings the impression that the treasury warrants had been cleared and that, consequently, it was safe to allow Gomez to withdraw the proceeds thereof from his account with it. Without such assurance, Golden Savings would not have allowed the withdrawals; with such assurance, there was no reason not to allow the withdrawal. Indeed, Golden Savings might even have incurred liability for its refusal to return the money that to all appearances belonged to the depositor, who could therefore withdraw it any time and for any reason he saw fit. It was, in fact, to secure the clearance of the treasury warrants that Golden Savings deposited them to its account with Metrobank. Golden Savings had no clearing facilities of its own. It relied on Metrobank to determine the validity of the warrants through its own services. The proceeds of the warrants were withheld from Gomez until Metrobank allowed Golden Savings itself to withdraw them from its own deposit.7 It was only when Metrobank gave the go-signal that Gomez was finally allowed by Golden Savings to withdraw them from his own account. The argument of Metrobank that Golden Savings should have exercised more care in checking the personal circumstances of Gomez before accepting his deposit does not hold water. It was Gomez who was entrusting the warrants, not Golden Savings that was extending him a loan; and moreover, the treasury warrants were subject to clearing, pending which the depositor could not withdraw its proceeds. There was no question of Gomez's identity or of the genuineness of his signature as checked by Golden Savings. In fact, the treasury warrants were dishonored allegedly because of the forgery of the signatures of the drawers, not of Gomez as payee or indorser. Under the circumstances, it is clear that Golden Savings acted with due care and diligence and cannot be faulted for the withdrawals it allowed Gomez to make. By contrast, Metrobank exhibited extraordinary carelessness. The amount involved was not trifling — more than one and a half million pesos (and this was 1979). There was no reason why it should not have waited until the treasury warrants had been cleared; it would not have lost a single centavo by waiting. Yet, despite the lack of such clearance — and notwithstanding that it had not received a single centavo from the proceeds of the treasury warrants, as it now repeatedly stresses — it allowed Golden Savings to withdraw — not

once, not twice, but thrice — from the uncleared treasury warrants in the total amount of P968,000.00 Its reason? It was "exasperated" over the persistent inquiries of Gloria Castillo about the clearance and it also wanted to "accommodate" a valued client. It "presumed" that the warrants had been cleared simply because of "the lapse of one week." 8 For a bank with its long experience, this explanation is unbelievably naive. And now, to gloss over its carelessness, Metrobank would invoke the conditions printed on the dorsal side of the deposit slips through which the treasury warrants were deposited by Golden Savings with its Calapan branch. The conditions read as follows: Kindly note that in receiving items on deposit, the bank obligates itself only as the depositor's collecting agent, assuming no responsibility beyond care in selecting correspondents, and until such time as actual payment shall have come into possession of this bank, the right is reserved to charge back to the depositor's account any amount previously credited, whether or not such item is returned. This also applies to checks drawn on local banks and bankers and their branches as well as on this bank, which are unpaid due to insufficiency of funds, forgery, unauthorized overdraft or any other reason. (Emphasis supplied.) According to Metrobank, the said conditions clearly show that it was acting only as a collecting agent for Golden Savings and give it the right to "charge back to the depositor's account any amount previously credited, whether or not such item is returned. This also applies to checks ". . . which are unpaid due to insufficiency of funds, forgery, unauthorized overdraft of any other reason." It is claimed that the said conditions are in the nature of contractual stipulations and became binding on Golden Savings when Gloria Castillo, as its Cashier, signed the deposit slips. Doubt may be expressed about the binding force of the conditions, considering that they have apparently been imposed by the bank unilaterally, without the consent of the depositor. Indeed, it could be argued that the depositor, in signing the deposit slip, does so only to identify himself and not to agree to the conditions set forth in the given permit at the back of the deposit slip. We do not have to rule on this matter at this time. At any rate, the Court feels that even if the deposit slip were considered a contract, the petitioner could still not validly disclaim responsibility thereunder in the light of the circumstances of this case. In stressing that it was acting only as a collecting agent for Golden Savings, Metrobank seems to be suggesting that as a mere agent it cannot be liable to the principal. This is not exactly true. On the contrary, Article 1909 of the Civil Code clearly provides that — Art. 1909. — The agent is responsible not only for fraud, but also for negligence, which shall be judged 'with more or less rigor by the courts, according to whether the agency was or was not for a compensation.

The negligence of Metrobank has been sufficiently established. To repeat for emphasis, it was the clearance given by it that assured Golden Savings it was already safe to allow Gomez to withdraw the proceeds of the treasury warrants he had deposited Metrobank misled Golden Savings. There may have been no express clearance, as Metrobank insists (although this is refuted by Golden Savings) but in any case that clearance could be implied from its allowing Golden Savings to withdraw from its account not only once or even twice but three times. The total withdrawal was in excess of its original balance before the treasury warrants were deposited, which only added to its belief that the treasury warrants had indeed been cleared. Metrobank's argument that it may recover the disputed amount if the warrants are not paid for any reason is not acceptable. Any reason does not mean no reason at all. Otherwise, there would have been no need at all for Golden Savings to deposit the treasury warrants with it for clearance. There would have been no need for it to wait until the warrants had been cleared before paying the proceeds thereof to Gomez. Such a condition, if interpreted in the way the petitioner suggests, is not binding for being arbitrary and unconscionable. And it becomes more so in the case at bar when it is considered that the supposed dishonor of the warrants was not communicated to Golden Savings before it made its own payment to Gomez. The belated notification aggravated the petitioner's earlier negligence in giving express or at least implied clearance to the treasury warrants and allowing payments therefrom to Golden Savings. But that is not all. On top of this, the supposed reason for the dishonor, to wit, the forgery of the signatures of the general manager and the auditor of the drawer corporation, has not been established.9 This was the finding of the lower courts which we see no reason to disturb. And as we said in MWSS v. Court of Appeals:10 Forgery cannot be presumed (Siasat, et al. v. IAC, et al., 139 SCRA 238). It must be established by clear, positive and convincing evidence. This was not done in the present case. A no less important consideration is the circumstance that the treasury warrants in question are not negotiable instruments. Clearly stamped on their face is the word "non-negotiable." Moreover, and this is of equal significance, it is indicated that they are payable from a particular fund, to wit, Fund 501. The following sections of the Negotiable Instruments Law, especially the underscored parts, are pertinent: Sec. 1. — Form of negotiable instruments. — An instrument to be negotiable must conform to the following requirements: (a) It must be in writing and signed by the maker or drawer; (b) Must contain an unconditional promise or order to pay a sum certain in money;

(c) Must be payable on demand, or at a fixed or determinable future time; (d) Must be payable to order or to bearer; and (e) Where the instrument is addressed to a drawee, he must be named or otherwise indicated therein with reasonable certainty. xxx

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Sec. 3. When promise is unconditional. — An unqualified order or promise to pay is unconditional within the meaning of this Act though coupled with — (a) An indication of a particular fund out of which reimbursement is to be made or a particular account to be debited with the amount; or (b) A statement of the transaction which gives rise to the instrument judgment. But an order or promise to pay out of a particular fund is not unconditional. The indication of Fund 501 as the source of the payment to be made on the treasury warrants makes the order or promise to pay "not unconditional" and the warrants themselves non-negotiable. There should be no question that the exception on Section 3 of the Negotiable Instruments Law is applicable in the case at bar. This conclusion conforms to Abubakar vs. Auditor General11 where the Court held: The petitioner argues that he is a holder in good faith and for value of a negotiable instrument and is entitled to the rights and privileges of a holder in due course, free from defenses. But this treasury warrant is not within the scope of the negotiable instrument law. For one thing, the document bearing on its face the words "payable from the appropriation for food administration, is actually an Order for payment out of "a particular fund," and is not unconditional and does not fulfill one of the essential requirements of a negotiable instrument (Sec. 3 last sentence and section [1(b)] of the Negotiable Instruments Law). Metrobank cannot contend that by indorsing the warrants in general, Golden Savings assumed that they were "genuine and in all respects what they purport to be," in accordance with Section 66 of the Negotiable Instruments Law. The simple reason is that this law is not applicable to the non-negotiable treasury warrants. The indorsement was made by Gloria Castillo not for the purpose of guaranteeing the genuineness of the warrants but merely to deposit them with Metrobank for clearing. It was in fact Metrobank that made the guarantee when it stamped on the back of the warrants: "All prior indorsement and/or lack of endorsements guaranteed, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., Calapan Branch." The petitioner lays heavy stress on Jai Alai Corporation v. Bank of the Philippine Islands,12 but we feel this case is inapplicable to the present controversy.1âwphi1 That case involved checks whereas this case involves treasury warrants. Golden Savings never

represented that the warrants were negotiable but signed them only for the purpose of depositing them for clearance. Also, the fact of forgery was proved in that case but not in the case before us. Finally, the Court found the Jai Alai Corporation negligent in accepting the checks without question from one Antonio Ramirez notwithstanding that the payee was the Inter-Island Gas Services, Inc. and it did not appear that he was authorized to indorse it. No similar negligence can be imputed to Golden Savings. We find the challenged decision to be basically correct. However, we will have to amend it insofar as it directs the petitioner to credit Golden Savings with the full amount of the treasury checks deposited to its account. The total value of the 32 treasury warrants dishonored was P1,754,089.00, from which Gomez was allowed to withdraw P1,167,500.00 before Golden Savings was notified of the dishonor. The amount he has withdrawn must be charged not to Golden Savings but to Metrobank, which must bear the consequences of its own negligence. But the balance of P586,589.00 should be debited to Golden Savings, as obviously Gomez can no longer be permitted to withdraw this amount from his deposit because of the dishonor of the warrants. Gomez has in fact disappeared. To also credit the balance to Golden Savings would unduly enrich it at the expense of Metrobank, let alone the fact that it has already been informed of the dishonor of the treasury warrants. WHEREFORE, the challenged decision is AFFIRMED, with the modification that Paragraph 3 of the dispositive portion of the judgment of the lower court shall be reworded as follows: 3. Debiting Savings Account No. 2498 in the sum of P586,589.00 only and thereafter allowing defendant Golden Savings & Loan Association, Inc. to withdraw the amount outstanding thereon, if any, after the debit. SO ORDERED. Narvasa, Gancayco, Griño-Aquino and Medialdea, JJ., concur. Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila SECOND DIVISION G.R. No. 97753 August 10, 1992 CALTEX (PHILIPPINES), INC., petitioner, vs. COURT OF APPEALS and SECURITY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, respondents. Bito, Lozada, Ortega & Castillo for petitioners.

Nepomuceno, Hofileña & Guingona for private.

REGALADO, J.: This petition for review on certiorari impugns and seeks the reversal of the decision promulgated by respondent court on March 8, 1991 in CA-G.R. CV No. 23615 1 affirming with modifications, the earlier decision of the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch XLII, 2 which dismissed the complaint filed therein by herein petitioner against respondent bank. The undisputed background of this case, as found by the court a quo and adopted by respondent court, appears of record: 1. On various dates, defendant, a commercial banking institution, through its Sucat Branch issued 280 certificates of time deposit (CTDs) in favor of one Angel dela Cruz who deposited with herein defendant the aggregate amount of P1,120,000.00, as follows: (Joint Partial Stipulation of Facts and Statement of Issues, Original Records, p. 207; Defendant's Exhibits 1 to 280); CTD CTD Dates Serial Nos. Quantity Amount 22 Feb. 82 90101 to 90120 20 P80,000 26 Feb. 82 74602 to 74691 90 360,000 2 Mar. 82 74701 to 74740 40 160,000 4 Mar. 82 90127 to 90146 20 80,000 5 Mar. 82 74797 to 94800 4 16,000 5 Mar. 82 89965 to 89986 22 88,000 5 Mar. 82 70147 to 90150 4 16,000 8 Mar. 82 90001 to 90020 20 80,000 9 Mar. 82 90023 to 90050 28 112,000 9 Mar. 82 89991 to 90000 10 40,000 9 Mar. 82 90251 to 90272 22 88,000 ——— ———— Total 280 P1,120,000 ===== ======== 2. Angel dela Cruz delivered the said certificates of time (CTDs) to herein plaintiff in connection with his purchased of fuel products from the latter (Original Record, p. 208). 3. Sometime in March 1982, Angel dela Cruz informed Mr. Timoteo Tiangco, the Sucat Branch Manger, that he lost all the certificates of time deposit in dispute. Mr. Tiangco advised said depositor to execute and submit a notarized

Affidavit of Loss, as required by defendant bank's procedure, if he desired replacement of said lost CTDs (TSN, February 9, 1987, pp. 48-50). 4. On March 18, 1982, Angel dela Cruz executed and delivered to defendant bank the required Affidavit of Loss (Defendant's Exhibit 281). On the basis of said affidavit of loss, 280 replacement CTDs were issued in favor of said depositor (Defendant's Exhibits 282-561). 5. On March 25, 1982, Angel dela Cruz negotiated and obtained a loan from defendant bank in the amount of Eight Hundred Seventy Five Thousand Pesos (P875,000.00). On the same date, said depositor executed a notarized Deed of Assignment of Time Deposit (Exhibit 562) which stated, among others, that he (de la Cruz) surrenders to defendant bank "full control of the indicated time deposits from and after date" of the assignment and further authorizes said bank to pre-terminate, set-off and "apply the said time deposits to the payment of whatever amount or amounts may be due" on the loan upon its maturity (TSN, February 9, 1987, pp. 60-62). 6. Sometime in November, 1982, Mr. Aranas, Credit Manager of plaintiff Caltex (Phils.) Inc., went to the defendant bank's Sucat branch and presented for verification the CTDs declared lost by Angel dela Cruz alleging that the same were delivered to herein plaintiff "as security for purchases made with Caltex Philippines, Inc." by said depositor (TSN, February 9, 1987, pp. 54-68). 7. On November 26, 1982, defendant received a letter (Defendant's Exhibit 563) from herein plaintiff formally informing it of its possession of the CTDs in question and of its decision to pre-terminate the same. 8. On December 8, 1982, plaintiff was requested by herein defendant to furnish the former "a copy of the document evidencing the guarantee agreement with Mr. Angel dela Cruz" as well as "the details of Mr. Angel dela Cruz" obligation against which plaintiff proposed to apply the time deposits (Defendant's Exhibit 564). 9. No copy of the requested documents was furnished herein defendant. 10. Accordingly, defendant bank rejected the plaintiff's demand and claim for payment of the value of the CTDs in a letter dated February 7, 1983 (Defendant's Exhibit 566). 11. In April 1983, the loan of Angel dela Cruz with the defendant bank matured and fell due and on August 5, 1983, the latter set-off and applied the time deposits in question to the payment of the matured loan (TSN, February 9, 1987, pp. 130-131).

12. In view of the foregoing, plaintiff filed the instant complaint, praying that defendant bank be ordered to pay it the aggregate value of the certificates of time deposit of P1,120,000.00 plus accrued interest and compounded interest therein at 16% per annum, moral and exemplary damages as well as attorney's fees. After trial, the court a quo rendered its decision dismissing the instant complaint. 3 On appeal, as earlier stated, respondent court affirmed the lower court's dismissal of the complaint, hence this petition wherein petitioner faults respondent court in ruling (1) that the subject certificates of deposit are non-negotiable despite being clearly negotiable instruments; (2) that petitioner did not become a holder in due course of the said certificates of deposit; and (3) in disregarding the pertinent provisions of the Code of Commerce relating to lost instruments payable to bearer. 4 The instant petition is bereft of merit. A sample text of the certificates of time deposit is reproduced below to provide a better understanding of the issues involved in this recourse. SECURITY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY 6778 Ayala Ave., Makati No. 90101 Metro Manila, Philippines SUCAT OFFICEP 4,000.00 CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT Rate 16% Date of Maturity FEB. 23, 1984 FEB 22, 1982, 19____ This is to Certify that B E A R E R has deposited in this Bank the sum of PESOS: FOUR THOUSAND ONLY, SECURITY BANK SUCAT OFFICE P4,000 & 00 CTS Pesos, Philippine Currency, repayable to said depositor 731 days. after date, upon presentation and surrender of this certificate, with interest at the rate of 16% per cent per annum. (Sgd. Illegible) (Sgd. Illegible) —————————— ——————————— AUTHORIZED SIGNATURES 5 Respondent court ruled that the CTDs in question are non-negotiable instruments, nationalizing as follows:

. . . While it may be true that the word "bearer" appears rather boldly in the CTDs issued, it is important to note that after the word "BEARER" stamped on the space provided supposedly for the name of the depositor, the words "has deposited" a certain amount follows. The document further provides that the amount deposited shall be "repayable to said depositor" on the period indicated. Therefore, the text of the instrument(s) themselves manifest with clarity that they are payable, not to whoever purports to be the "bearer" but only to the specified person indicated therein, the depositor. In effect, the appellee bank acknowledges its depositor Angel dela Cruz as the person who made the deposit and further engages itself to pay said depositor the amount indicated thereon at the stipulated date. 6 We disagree with these findings and conclusions, and hereby hold that the CTDs in question are negotiable instruments. Section 1 Act No. 2031, otherwise known as the Negotiable Instruments Law, enumerates the requisites for an instrument to become negotiable, viz: (a) It must be in writing and signed by the maker or drawer; (b) Must contain an unconditional promise or order to pay a sum certain in money; (c) Must be payable on demand, or at a fixed or determinable future time; (d) Must be payable to order or to bearer; and (e) Where the instrument is addressed to a drawee, he must be named or otherwise indicated therein with reasonable certainty. The CTDs in question undoubtedly meet the requirements of the law for negotiability. The parties' bone of contention is with regard to requisite (d) set forth above. It is noted that Mr. Timoteo P. Tiangco, Security Bank's Branch Manager way back in 1982, testified in open court that the depositor reffered to in the CTDs is no other than Mr. Angel de la Cruz. xxx

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Atty. Calida: q In other words Mr. Witness, you are saying that per books of the bank, the depositor referred (sic) in these certificates states that it was Angel dela Cruz? witness: a Yes, your Honor, and we have the record to show that Angel dela Cruz was the one who cause (sic) the amount.

Atty. Calida: q And no other person or entity or company, Mr. Witness? witness: a None, your Honor. 7 xxx xxx xxx Atty. Calida: q Mr. Witness, who is the depositor identified in all of these certificates of time deposit insofar as the bank is concerned? witness: a Angel dela Cruz is the depositor. 8 xxx

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On this score, the accepted rule is that the negotiability or non-negotiability of an instrument is determined from the writing, that is, from the face of the instrument itself.9 In the construction of a bill or note, the intention of the parties is to control, if it can be legally ascertained. 10 While the writing may be read in the light of surrounding circumstances in order to more perfectly understand the intent and meaning of the parties, yet as they have constituted the writing to be the only outward and visible expression of their meaning, no other words are to be added to it or substituted in its stead. The duty of the court in such case is to ascertain, not what the parties may have secretly intended as contradistinguished from what their words express, but what is the meaning of the words they have used. What the parties meant must be determined by what they said. 11 Contrary to what respondent court held, the CTDs are negotiable instruments. The documents provide that the amounts deposited shall be repayable to the depositor. And who, according to the document, is the depositor? It is the "bearer." The documents do not say that the depositor is Angel de la Cruz and that the amounts deposited are repayable specifically to him. Rather, the amounts are to be repayable to the bearer of the documents or, for that matter, whosoever may be the bearer at the time of presentment. If it was really the intention of respondent bank to pay the amount to Angel de la Cruz only, it could have with facility so expressed that fact in clear and categorical terms in the documents, instead of having the word "BEARER" stamped on the space provided for the name of the depositor in each CTD. On the wordings of the documents, therefore, the amounts deposited are repayable to whoever may be the bearer thereof. Thus, petitioner's aforesaid witness merely declared that Angel de la Cruz is the depositor "insofar as the bank is concerned," but obviously other parties not privy to the transaction between them

would not be in a position to know that the depositor is not the bearer stated in the CTDs. Hence, the situation would require any party dealing with the CTDs to go behind the plain import of what is written thereon to unravel the agreement of the parties thereto through facts aliunde. This need for resort to extrinsic evidence is what is sought to be avoided by the Negotiable Instruments Law and calls for the application of the elementary rule that the interpretation of obscure words or stipulations in a contract shall not favor the party who caused the obscurity. 12 The next query is whether petitioner can rightfully recover on the CTDs. This time, the answer is in the negative. The records reveal that Angel de la Cruz, whom petitioner chose not to implead in this suit for reasons of its own, delivered the CTDs amounting to P1,120,000.00 to petitioner without informing respondent bank thereof at any time. Unfortunately for petitioner, although the CTDs are bearer instruments, a valid negotiation thereof for the true purpose and agreement between it and De la Cruz, as ultimately ascertained, requires both delivery and indorsement. For, although petitioner seeks to deflect this fact, the CTDs were in reality delivered to it as a security for De la Cruz' purchases of its fuel products. Any doubt as to whether the CTDs were delivered as payment for the fuel products or as a security has been dissipated and resolved in favor of the latter by petitioner's own authorized and responsible representative himself. In a letter dated November 26, 1982 addressed to respondent Security Bank, J.Q. Aranas, Jr., Caltex Credit Manager, wrote: ". . . These certificates of deposit were negotiated to us by Mr. Angel dela Cruz to guarantee his purchases of fuel products" (Emphasis ours.) 13 This admission is conclusive upon petitioner, its protestations notwithstanding. Under the doctrine of estoppel, an admission or representation is rendered conclusive upon the person making it, and cannot be denied or disproved as against the person relying thereon. 14 A party may not go back on his own acts and representations to the prejudice of the other party who relied upon them. 15 In the law of evidence, whenever a party has, by his own declaration, act, or omission, intentionally and deliberately led another to believe a particular thing true, and to act upon such belief, he cannot, in any litigation arising out of such declaration, act, or omission, be permitted to falsify it. 16 If it were true that the CTDs were delivered as payment and not as security, petitioner's credit manager could have easily said so, instead of using the words "to guarantee" in the letter aforequoted. Besides, when respondent bank, as defendant in the court below, moved for a bill of particularity therein 17 praying, among others, that petitioner, as plaintiff, be required to aver with sufficient definiteness or particularity (a) the due date or dates of payment of the alleged indebtedness of Angel de la Cruz to plaintiff and (b) whether or not it issued a receipt showing that the CTDs were delivered to it by De la Cruz as payment of the latter's alleged indebtedness to it, plaintiff corporation opposed the motion. 18 Had it produced the receipt prayed for, it could have proved, if such truly was the fact, that the CTDs were delivered as payment and not as security. Having opposed the motion, petitioner now labors under the presumption that evidence willfully suppressed would be adverse if produced. 19

Under the foregoing circumstances, this disquisition in Intergrated Realty Corporation, et al. vs. Philippine National Bank, et al. 20 is apropos: . . . Adverting again to the Court's pronouncements in Lopez, supra, we quote therefrom: The character of the transaction between the parties is to be determined by their intention, regardless of what language was used or what the form of the transfer was. If it was intended to secure the payment of money, it must be construed as a pledge; but if there was some other intention, it is not a pledge. However, even though a transfer, if regarded by itself, appears to have been absolute, its object and character might still be qualified and explained by contemporaneous writing declaring it to have been a deposit of the property as collateral security. It has been said that a transfer of property by the debtor to a creditor, even if sufficient on its face to make an absolute conveyance, should be treated as a pledge if the debt continues in inexistence and is not discharged by the transfer, and that accordingly the use of the terms ordinarily importing conveyance of absolute ownership will not be given that effect in such a transaction if they are also commonly used in pledges and mortgages and therefore do not unqualifiedly indicate a transfer of absolute ownership, in the absence of clear and unambiguous language or other circumstances excluding an intent to pledge. Petitioner's insistence that the CTDs were negotiated to it begs the question. Under the Negotiable Instruments Law, an instrument is negotiated when it is transferred from one person to another in such a manner as to constitute the transferee the holder thereof, 21 and a holder may be the payee or indorsee of a bill or note, who is in possession of it, or the bearer thereof. 22 In the present case, however, there was no negotiation in the sense of a transfer of the legal title to the CTDs in favor of petitioner in which situation, for obvious reasons, mere delivery of the bearer CTDs would have sufficed. Here, the delivery thereof only as security for the purchases of Angel de la Cruz (and we even disregard the fact that the amount involved was not disclosed) could at the most constitute petitioner only as a holder for value by reason of his lien. Accordingly, a negotiation for such purpose cannot be effected by mere delivery of the instrument since, necessarily, the terms thereof and the subsequent disposition of such security, in the event of non-payment of the principal obligation, must be contractually provided for. The pertinent law on this point is that where the holder has a lien on the instrument arising from contract, he is deemed a holder for value to the extent of his lien. 23 As such holder of collateral security, he would be a pledgee but the requirements therefor and the effects thereof, not being provided for by the Negotiable Instruments Law, shall be governed by the Civil Code provisions on pledge of incorporeal rights, 24 which inceptively provide:

Art. 2095. Incorporeal rights, evidenced by negotiable instruments, . . . may also be pledged. The instrument proving the right pledged shall be delivered to the creditor, and if negotiable, must be indorsed. Art. 2096. A pledge shall not take effect against third persons if a description of the thing pledged and the date of the pledge do not appear in a public instrument. Aside from the fact that the CTDs were only delivered but not indorsed, the factual findings of respondent court quoted at the start of this opinion show that petitioner failed to produce any document evidencing any contract of pledge or guarantee agreement between it and Angel de la Cruz. 25 Consequently, the mere delivery of the CTDs did not legally vest in petitioner any right effective against and binding upon respondent bank. The requirement under Article 2096 aforementioned is not a mere rule of adjective law prescribing the mode whereby proof may be made of the date of a pledge contract, but a rule of substantive law prescribing a condition without which the execution of a pledge contract cannot affect third persons adversely. 26 On the other hand, the assignment of the CTDs made by Angel de la Cruz in favor of respondent bank was embodied in a public instrument. 27 With regard to this other mode of transfer, the Civil Code specifically declares: Art. 1625. An assignment of credit, right or action shall produce no effect as against third persons, unless it appears in a public instrument, or the instrument is recorded in the Registry of Property in case the assignment involves real property. Respondent bank duly complied with this statutory requirement. Contrarily, petitioner, whether as purchaser, assignee or lien holder of the CTDs, neither proved the amount of its credit or the extent of its lien nor the execution of any public instrument which could affect or bind private respondent. Necessarily, therefore, as between petitioner and respondent bank, the latter has definitely the better right over the CTDs in question. Finally, petitioner faults respondent court for refusing to delve into the question of whether or not private respondent observed the requirements of the law in the case of lost negotiable instruments and the issuance of replacement certificates therefor, on the ground that petitioner failed to raised that issue in the lower court. 28 On this matter, we uphold respondent court's finding that the aspect of alleged negligence of private respondent was not included in the stipulation of the parties and in the statement of issues submitted by them to the trial court. 29 The issues agreed upon by them for resolution in this case are: 1. Whether or not the CTDs as worded are negotiable instruments.

2. Whether or not defendant could legally apply the amount covered by the CTDs against the depositor's loan by virtue of the assignment (Annex "C"). 3. Whether or not there was legal compensation or set off involving the amount covered by the CTDs and the depositor's outstanding account with defendant, if any. 4. Whether or not plaintiff could compel defendant to preterminate the CTDs before the maturity date provided therein. 5. Whether or not plaintiff is entitled to the proceeds of the CTDs. 6. Whether or not the parties can recover damages, attorney's fees and litigation expenses from each other. As respondent court correctly observed, with appropriate citation of some doctrinal authorities, the foregoing enumeration does not include the issue of negligence on the part of respondent bank. An issue raised for the first time on appeal and not raised timely in the proceedings in the lower court is barred by estoppel. 30 Questions raised on appeal must be within the issues framed by the parties and, consequently, issues not raised in the trial court cannot be raised for the first time on appeal. 31 Pre-trial is primarily intended to make certain that all issues necessary to the disposition of a case are properly raised. Thus, to obviate the element of surprise, parties are expected to disclose at a pre-trial conference all issues of law and fact which they intend to raise at the trial, except such as may involve privileged or impeaching matters. The determination of issues at a pre-trial conference bars the consideration of other questions on appeal. 32 To accept petitioner's suggestion that respondent bank's supposed negligence may be considered encompassed by the issues on its right to preterminate and receive the proceeds of the CTDs would be tantamount to saying that petitioner could raise on appeal any issue. We agree with private respondent that the broad ultimate issue of petitioner's entitlement to the proceeds of the questioned certificates can be premised on a multitude of other legal reasons and causes of action, of which respondent bank's supposed negligence is only one. Hence, petitioner's submission, if accepted, would render a pre-trial delimitation of issues a useless exercise. 33 Still, even assuming arguendo that said issue of negligence was raised in the court below, petitioner still cannot have the odds in its favor. A close scrutiny of the provisions of the Code of Commerce laying down the rules to be followed in case of lost instruments payable to bearer, which it invokes, will reveal that said provisions, even assuming their applicability to the CTDs in the case at bar, are merely permissive and not mandatory. The very first article cited by petitioner speaks for itself. Art 548. The dispossessed owner, no matter for what cause it may be, may apply to the judge or court of competent jurisdiction, asking that the

principal, interest or dividends due or about to become due, be not paid a third person, as well as in order to prevent the ownership of the instrument that a duplicate be issued him. (Emphasis ours.) xxx

xxx

xxx

The use of the word "may" in said provision shows that it is not mandatory but discretionary on the part of the "dispossessed owner" to apply to the judge or court of competent jurisdiction for the issuance of a duplicate of the lost instrument. Where the provision reads "may," this word shows that it is not mandatory but discretional. 34 The word "may" is usually permissive, not mandatory. 35 It is an auxiliary verb indicating liberty, opportunity, permission and possibility. 36 Moreover, as correctly analyzed by private respondent, 37 Articles 548 to 558 of the Code of Commerce, on which petitioner seeks to anchor respondent bank's supposed negligence, merely established, on the one hand, a right of recourse in favor of a dispossessed owner or holder of a bearer instrument so that he may obtain a duplicate of the same, and, on the other, an option in favor of the party liable thereon who, for some valid ground, may elect to refuse to issue a replacement of the instrument. Significantly, none of the provisions cited by petitioner categorically restricts or prohibits the issuance a duplicate or replacement instrument sans compliance with the procedure outlined therein, and none establishes a mandatory precedent requirement therefor. WHEREFORE, on the modified premises above set forth, the petition is DENIED and the appealed decision is hereby AFFIRMED. SO ORDERED. Narvasa, C.J., Padilla and Nocon, JJ., concur. Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC G.R. No. L-2516

September 25, 1950

ANG TEK LIAN, petitioner, vs. THE COURT OF APPEALS, respondent. Laurel, Sabido, Almario and Laurel for petitioner. Office of the Solicitor General Felix Bautista Angelo and Solicitor Manuel Tomacruz for respondent.

BENGZON, J.: For having issued a rubber check, Ang Tek Lian was convicted of estafa in the Court of First Instance of Manila. The Court of Appeals affirmed the verdict. It appears that, knowing he had no funds therefor, Ang Tek Lian drew on Saturday, November 16, 1946, the check Exhibits A upon the China Banking Corporation for the sum of P4,000, payable to the order of "cash". He delivered it to Lee Hua Hong in exchange for money which the latter handed in act. On November 18, 1946, the next business day, the check was presented by Lee Hua Hong to the drawee bank for payment, but it was dishonored for insufficiency of funds, the balance of the deposit of Ang Tek Lian on both dates being P335 only. The Court of Appeals believed the version of Lee Huan Hong who testified that "on November 16, 1946, appellant went to his (complainant's) office, at 1217 Herran, Paco, Manila, and asked him to exchange Exhibit A — which he (appellant) then brought with him — with cash alleging that he needed badly the sum of P4,000 represented by the check, but could not withdraw it from the bank, it being then already closed; that in view of this request and relying upon appellant's assurance that he had sufficient funds in the blank to meet Exhibit A, and because they used to borrow money from each other, even before the war, and appellant owns a hotel and restaurant known as the North Bay Hotel, said complainant delivered to him, on the same date, the sum of P4,000 in cash; that despite repeated efforts to notify him that the check had been dishonored by the bank, appellant could not be located any-where, until he was summoned in the City Fiscal's Office in view of the complaint for estafa filed in connection therewith; and that appellant has not paid as yet the amount of the check, or any part thereof." Inasmuch as the findings of fact of the Court of Appeals are final, the only question of law for decision is whether under the facts found, estafa had been accomplished. Article 315, paragraph (d), subsection 2 of the Revised Penal Code, punishes swindling committed "By post dating a check, or issuing such check in payment of an obligation the offender knowing that at the time he had no funds in the bank, or the funds deposited by him in the bank were not sufficient to cover the amount of the check, and without informing the payee of such circumstances". We believe that under this provision of law Ang Tek Lian was properly held liable. In this connection, it must be stated that, as explained in People vs. Fernandez (59 Phil., 615), estafa is committed by issuing either a postdated check or an ordinary check to accomplish the deceit. It is argued, however, that as the check had been made payable to "cash" and had not been endorsed by Ang Tek Lian, the defendant is not guilty of the offense charged. Based on the proposition that "by uniform practice of all banks in the Philippines a check so drawn is invariably dishonored," the following line of reasoning is advanced in support of the argument:

. . . When, therefore, he (the offended party ) accepted the check (Exhibit A) from the appellant, he did so with full knowledge that it would be dishonored upon presentment. In that sense, the appellant could not be said to have acted fraudulently because the complainant, in so accepting the check as it was drawn, must be considered, by every rational consideration, to have done so fully aware of the risk he was running thereby." (Brief for the appellant, p. 11.) We are not aware of the uniformity of such practice. Instances have undoubtedly occurred wherein the Bank required the indorsement of the drawer before honoring a check payable to "cash." But cases there are too, where no such requirement had been made . It depends upon the circumstances of each transaction. Under the Negotiable Instruments Law (sec. 9 [d], a check drawn payable to the order of "cash" is a check payable to bearer, and the bank may pay it to the person presenting it for payment without the drawer's indorsement. A check payable to the order of cash is a bearer instrument. Bacal vs. National City Bank of New York (1933), 146 Misc., 732; 262 N. Y. S., 839; Cleary vs. De Beck Plate Glass Co. (1907), 54 Misc., 537; 104 N. Y. S., 831; Massachusetts Bonding & Insurance Co. vs. Pittsburgh Pipe & Supply Co. (Tex. Civ. App., 1939), 135 S. W. (2d), 818. See also H. Cook & Son vs. Moody (1916), 17 Ga. App., 465; 87 S. E., 713. Where a check is made payable to the order of "cash", the word cash "does not purport to be the name of any person", and hence the instrument is payable to bearer. The drawee bank need not obtain any indorsement of the check, but may pay it to the person presenting it without any indorsement. . . . (Zollmann, Banks and Banking, Permanent Edition, Vol. 6, p. 494.) Of course, if the bank is not sure of the bearer's identity or financial solvency, it has the right to demand identification and /or assurance against possible complications, — for instance, (a) forgery of drawer's signature, (b) loss of the check by the rightful owner, (c) raising of the amount payable, etc. The bank may therefore require, for its protection, that the indorsement of the drawer — or of some other person known to it — be obtained. But where the Bank is satisfied of the identity and /or the economic standing of the bearer who tenders the check for collection, it will pay the instrument without further question; and it would incur no liability to the drawer in thus acting. A check payable to bearer is authority for payment to holder. Where a check is in the ordinary form, and is payable to bearer, so that no indorsement is required, a bank, to which it is presented for payment, need not have the holder identified, and is not negligent in falling to do so. . . . (Michie on Banks and Banking, Permanent Edition, Vol. 5, p. 343.) . . . Consequently, a drawee bank to which a bearer check is presented for payment need not necessarily have the holder identified and ordinarily may not be charged

with negligence in failing to do so. See Opinions 6C:2 and 6C:3 If the bank has no reasonable cause for suspecting any irregularity, it will be protected in paying a bearer check, "no matter what facts unknown to it may have occurred prior to the presentment." 1 Morse, Banks and Banking, sec. 393. Although a bank is entitled to pay the amount of a bearer check without further inquiry, it is entirely reasonable for the bank to insist that holder give satisfactory proof of his identity. . . . (Paton's Digest, Vol. I, p. 1089.) Anyway, it is significant, and conclusive, that the form of the check Exhibit A was totally unconnected with its dishonor. The Court of Appeals declared that it was returned unsatisfied because the drawer had insufficient funds— not because the drawer's indorsement was lacking. Wherefore, there being no question as to the correctness of the penalty imposed on the appellant, the writ of certiorari is denied and the decision of the Court of Appeals is hereby affirmed, with costs. Moran, C. J., Ozaeta, Paras, Pablo, Tuason, and Reyes, JJ., concur.

Republic of the Philippines Supreme Court Manila THIRD DIVISION

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK, G.R. No. 170325 Petitioner, Present: YNARES-SANTIAGO, J., Chairperson,

- versus - AUSTRIA-MARTINEZ, CHICO-NAZARIO, NACHURA, and REYES, JJ. ERLANDO T. RODRIGUEZ Promulgated: and NORMA RODRIGUEZ, Respondents. September 26, 2008 x--------------------------------------------------x DECISION

REYES, R.T., J.:

WHEN the payee of the check is not intended to be the true recipient of its proceeds, is it payable to order or bearer? What is the fictitious-payee rule and who is liable under it?Is there any exception? These questions seek answers in this petition for review on certiorari of the Amended Decision[1] of the Court of Appeals (CA) which affirmed with modification that of the Regional Trial Court (RTC).[2] The Facts The facts as borne by the records are as follows: Respondents-Spouses Erlando and Norma Rodriguez were clients of petitioner Philippine National Bank (PNB), Amelia Avenue Branch, Cebu City. They maintained savings and demand/checking accounts, namely, PNBig Demand Deposits (Checking/Current Account No. 810624-6 under the account name Erlando and/or Norma Rodriguez), and PNBig Demand Deposit (Checking/Current Account No. 810480-4 under the account name Erlando T. Rodriguez). The spouses were engaged in the informal lending business. In line with their business, they had a discounting[3] arrangement with the Philnabank Employees Savings and Loan Association (PEMSLA), an association of PNB employees. Naturally, PEMSLA was likewise

a client of PNB Amelia Avenue Branch. The association maintained current and savings accounts with petitioner bank. PEMSLA regularly granted loans to its members. Spouses Rodriguez would rediscount the postdated checks issued to members whenever the association was short of funds. As was customary, the spouses would replace the postdated checks with their own checks issued in the name of the members. It was PEMSLAs policy not to approve applications for loans of members with outstanding debts. To subvert this policy, some PEMSLA officers devised a scheme to obtain additional loans despite their outstanding loan accounts. They took out loans in the names of unknowing members, without the knowledge or consent of the latter. The PEMSLA checks issued for these loans were then given to the spouses for rediscounting. The officers carried this out by forging the indorsement of the named payees in the checks. In return, the spouses issued their personal checks (Rodriguez checks) in the name of the members and delivered the checks to an officer of PEMSLA. The PEMSLA checks, on the other hand, were deposited by the spouses to their account. Meanwhile, the Rodriguez checks were deposited directly by PEMSLA to its savings account without any indorsement from the named payees. This was an irregular procedure made possible through the facilitation of Edmundo Palermo, Jr., treasurer of PEMSLA and bank teller in the PNB Branch. It appears that this became the usual practice for the parties. For the period November 1998 to February 1999, the spouses issued sixty nine (69) checks, in the total amount of P2,345,804.00. These were payable to forty seven (47) individual payees who were all members of PEMSLA.[4] Petitioner PNB eventually found out about these fraudulent acts. To put a stop to this scheme, PNB closed the current account of PEMSLA. As a result, the PEMSLA checks deposited by the spouses were returned or dishonored for the reason Account Closed. The corresponding Rodriguez checks, however, were deposited as usual to the PEMSLA savings account. The amounts were duly debited from the Rodriguez account. Thus, because the PEMSLA checks given as payment were returned, spouses Rodriguez incurred losses from the rediscounting transactions.

RTC Disposition Alarmed over the unexpected turn of events, the spouses Rodriguez filed a civil complaint for damages against PEMSLA, the Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Philnabankers (MCP), and petitioner PNB. They sought to recover the value of their checks that were deposited to the PEMSLA savings account amounting to P2,345,804.00. The spouses contended that because PNB credited the checks to the PEMSLA account even without indorsements, PNB violated its contractual obligation to them as depositors. PNBpaid the wrong payees, hence, it should bear the loss. PNB moved to dismiss the complaint on the ground of lack of cause of action. PNB argued that the claim for damages should come from the payees of the checks, and not from spouses Rodriguez. Since there was no demand from the said payees, the obligation should be considered as discharged. In an Order dated January 12, 2000, the RTC denied PNBs motion to dismiss. In its Answer,[5] PNB claimed it is not liable for the checks which it paid to the PEMSLA account without any indorsement from the payees. The bank contended that spouses Rodriguez, the makers, actually did not intend for the named payees to receive the proceeds of the checks. Consequently, the payees were considered as fictitious payees as defined under the Negotiable Instruments Law (NIL). Being checks made to fictitious payees which are bearer instruments, the checks were negotiable by mere delivery. PNBs Answer included its cross-claim against its co-defendants PEMSLA and the MCP, praying that in the event that judgment is rendered against the bank, the crossdefendants should be ordered to reimburse PNB the amount it shall pay. After trial, the RTC rendered judgment in favor of spouses Rodriguez (plaintiffs). It ruled that PNB (defendant) is liable to return the value of the checks. All counterclaims and cross-claims were dismissed. The dispositive portion of the RTC decision reads: WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, the Court hereby renders judgment, as follows: 1. Defendant is hereby ordered to pay the plaintiffs the total amount of P2,345,804.00 or reinstate or restore the amount of P775,337.00 in the PNBig Demand Deposit Checking/Current Account No. 810480-4 of

Erlando T. Rodriguez, and the amount of P1,570,467.00 in the PNBig Demand Deposit, Checking/Current Account No. 810624-6 of Erlando T. Rodriguez and/or Norma Rodriguez, plus legal rate of interest thereon to be computed from the filing of this complaint until fully paid; 2. The defendant PNB is hereby ordered to pay the plaintiffs the following reasonable amount of damages suffered by them taking into consideration the standing of the plaintiffs being sugarcane planters, realtors, residential subdivision owners, and other businesses: (a) Consequential damages, unearned income in the amount of P4,000,000.00, as a result of their having incurred great dificulty (sic) especially in the residential subdivision business, which was not pushed through and the contractor even threatened to file a case against the plaintiffs; (b) Moral damages in the amount of P1,000,000.00; (c) Exemplary damages in the amount of P500,000.00; (d) Attorneys fees in the amount of P150,000.00 considering that this case does not involve very complicated issues; and for the (e) Costs of suit. 3. Other claims and counterclaims are hereby dismissed.[6]

CA Disposition PNB appealed the decision of the trial court to the CA on the principal ground that the disputed checks should be considered as payable to bearer and not to order. In a Decision[7] dated July 22, 2004, the CA reversed and set aside the RTC disposition. The CA concluded that the checks were obviously meant by the spouses to be really paid to PEMSLA. The court a quo declared: We are not swayed by the contention of the plaintiffs-appellees (Spouses Rodriguez) that their cause of action arose from the alleged breach of contract by the defendant-appellant (PNB) when it paid the value of the checks to PEMSLA despite the checks being payable to order. Rather, we are more convinced by the strong and credible evidence for the defendant-appellant with

regard to the plaintiffs-appellees and PEMSLAs business arrangement that the value of the rediscounted checks of the plaintiffs-appellees would be deposited in PEMSLAs account for payment of the loans it has approved in exchange for PEMSLAs checks with the full value of the said loans. This is the only obvious explanation as to why all the disputed sixty-nine (69) checks were in the possession of PEMSLAs errand boy for presentment to the defendantappellant that led to this present controversy. It also appears that the teller who accepted the said checks was PEMSLAs officer, and that such was a regular practice by the parties until the defendant-appellant discovered the scam. The logical conclusion, therefore, is that the checks were never meant to be paid to order, but instead, to PEMSLA. We thus find no breach of contract on the part of the defendant-appellant. According to plaintiff-appellee Erlando Rodriguez testimony, PEMSLA allegedly issued post-dated checks to its qualified members who had applied for loans. However, because of PEMSLAs insufficiency of funds, PEMSLA approached the plaintiffs-appellees for the latter to issue rediscounted checks in favor of said applicant members. Based on the investigation of the defendantappellant, meanwhile, this arrangement allowed the plaintiffs-appellees to make a profit by issuing rediscounted checks, while the officers of PEMSLA and other members would be able to claim their loans, despite the fact that they were disqualified for one reason or another. They were able to achieve this conspiracy by using other members who had loaned lesser amounts of money or had not applied at all. x x x.[8] (Emphasis added)

The CA found that the checks were bearer instruments, thus they do not require indorsement for negotiation; and that spouses Rodriguez and PEMSLA conspired with each other to accomplish this money-making scheme. The payees in the checks were fictitious payees because they were not the intended payees at all. The spouses Rodriguez moved for reconsideration. They argued, inter alia, that the checks on their faces were unquestionably payable to order; and that PNB committed a breach of contract when it paid the value of the checks to PEMSLA without indorsement from the payees. They also argued that their cause of action is not only against PEMSLA but also against PNB to recover the value of the checks. On October 11, 2005, the CA reversed itself via an Amended Decision, the last paragraph and fallo of which read: In sum, we rule that the defendant-appellant PNB is liable to the plaintiffsappellees Sps. Rodriguez for the following:

1.

Actual damages in the amount of P2,345,804 with interest at 6% per annum from 14 May 1999 until fully paid;

2.

Moral damages in the amount of P200,000;

3.

Attorneys fees in the amount of P100,000; and

4.

Costs of suit.

WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing premises, judgment is hereby rendered by Us AFFIRMING WITH MODIFICATION the assailed decision rendered in Civil Case No. 99-10892, as set forth in the immediately next preceding paragraph hereof, and SETTING ASIDE Our original decision promulgated in this case on 22 July 2004. SO ORDERED.[9] The CA ruled that the checks were payable to order. According to the appellate court, PNB failed to present sufficient proof to defeat the claim of the spouses Rodriguez that they really intended the checks to be received by the specified payees. Thus, PNB is liable for the value of the checks which it paid to PEMSLA without indorsements from the named payees. The award for damages was deemed appropriate in view of the failure of PNB to treat the Rodriguez account with the highest degree of care considering the fiduciary nature of their relationship, which constrained respondents to seek legal action. Hence, the present recourse under Rule 45. Issues The issues may be compressed to whether the subject checks are payable to order or to bearer and who bears the loss? PNB argues anew that when the spouses Rodriguez issued the disputed checks, they did not intend for the named payees to receive the proceeds. Thus, they are bearer instruments that could be validly negotiated by mere delivery. Further, testimonial and documentary evidence presented during trial amply proved that spouses Rodriguez and the officers of PEMSLA conspired with each other to defraud the bank.

Our Ruling Prefatorily, amendment of decisions is more acceptable than an erroneous judgment attaining finality to the prejudice of innocent parties. A court discovering an erroneous judgment before it becomes final may, motu proprio or upon motion of the parties, correct its judgment with the singular objective of achieving justice for the litigants. [10] However, a word of caution to lower courts, the CA in Cebu in this particular case, is in order. The Court does not sanction careless disposition of cases by courts of justice.The highest degree of diligence must go into the study of every controversy submitted for decision by litigants. Every issue and factual detail must be closely scrutinized and analyzed, and all the applicable laws judiciously studied, before the promulgation of every judgment by the court. Only in this manner will errors in judgments be avoided. Now to the core of the petition. As a rule, when the payee is fictitious or not intended to be the true recipient of the proceeds, the check is considered as a bearer instrument. A check is a bill of exchange drawn on a bank payable on demand.[11] It is either an order or a bearer instrument. Sections 8 and 9 of the NIL states: SEC. 8. When payable to order. The instrument is payable to order where it is drawn payable to the order of a specified person or to him or his order. It may be drawn payable to the order of (a) A payee who is not maker, drawer, or drawee; or (b) The drawer or maker; or (c) The drawee; or (d) Two or more payees jointly; or (e) One or some of several payees; or (f) The holder of an office for the time being. Where the instrument is payable to order, the payee must be named or otherwise indicated therein with reasonable certainty. SEC. 9. When payable to bearer. The instrument is payable to bearer (a) (b)

When it is expressed to be so payable; or When it is payable to a person named therein or bearer; or

(c)

When it is payable to the order of a fictitious or non-existing person, and such fact is known to the person making it so payable; or (d) When the name of the payee does not purport to be the name of any person; or (e) Where the only or last indorsement is an indorsement in blank.[12] (Underscoring supplied) The distinction between bearer and order instruments lies in their manner of negotiation. Under Section 30 of the NIL, an order instrument requires an indorsement from the payee or holder before it may be validly negotiated. A bearer instrument, on the other hand, does not require an indorsement to be validly negotiated. It is negotiable by mere delivery. The provision reads: SEC. 30. What constitutes negotiation. An instrument is negotiated when it is transferred from one person to another in such manner as to constitute the transferee the holder thereof. If payable to bearer, it is negotiated by delivery; if payable to order, it is negotiated by the indorsement of the holder completed by delivery. A check that is payable to a specified payee is an order instrument. However, under Section 9(c) of the NIL, a check payable to a specified payee may nevertheless be considered as a bearer instrument if it is payable to the order of a fictitious or non-existing person, and such fact is known to the person making it so payable. Thus, checks issued to Prinsipe Abante or Si Malakas at si Maganda, who are well-known characters in Philippine mythology, are bearer instruments because the named payees are fictitious and non-existent. We have yet to discuss a broader meaning of the term fictitious as used in the NIL. It is for this reason that We look elsewhere for guidance. Court rulings in the United States are a logical starting point since our law on negotiable instruments was directly lifted from the Uniform Negotiable Instruments Law of the United States.[13] A review of US jurisprudence yields that an actual, existing, and living payee may also be fictitious if the maker of the check did not intend for the payee to in fact receive the proceeds of the check. This usually occurs when the maker places a name of an existing payee on the check for convenience or to cover up an illegal activity. [14] Thus, a check made expressly payable to a non-fictitious and existing person is not necessarily an order

instrument. If the payee is not the intended recipient of the proceeds of the check, the payee is considered a fictitious payee and the check is a bearer instrument. In a fictitious-payee situation, the drawee bank is absolved from liability and the drawer bears the loss. When faced with a check payable to a fictitious payee, it is treated as a bearer instrument that can be negotiated by delivery. The underlying theory is that one cannot expect a fictitious payee to negotiate the check by placing his indorsement thereon. And since the maker knew this limitation, he must have intended for the instrument to be negotiated by mere delivery. Thus, in case of controversy, the drawer of the check will bear the loss. This rule is justified for otherwise, it will be most convenient for the maker who desires to escape payment of the check to always deny the validity of the indorsement. This despite the fact that the fictitious payee was purposely named without any intention that the payee should receive the proceeds of the check.[15] The fictitious-payee rule is best illustrated in Mueller & Martin v. Liberty Insurance Bank.[16] In the said case, the corporation Mueller & Martin was defrauded by George L. Martin, one of its authorized signatories. Martin drew seven checks payable to the German Savings Fund Company Building Association (GSFCBA) amounting to $2,972.50 against the account of the corporation without authority from the latter. Martin was also an officer of the GSFCBA but did not have signing authority. At the back of the checks, Martin placed the rubber stamp of the GSFCBA and signed his own name as indorsement. He then successfully drew the funds from Liberty Insurance Bank for his own personal profit. When the corporation filed an action against the bank to recover the amount of the checks, the claim was denied. The US Supreme Court held in Mueller that when the person making the check so payable did not intend for the specified payee to have any part in the transactions, the payee is considered as a fictitious payee. The check is then considered as a bearer instrument to be validly negotiated by mere delivery. Thus, the US Supreme Court held that Liberty Insurance Bank, as drawee, was authorized to make payment to the bearer of the check, regardless of whether prior indorsements were genuine or not.[17] The more recent Getty Petroleum Corp. v. American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.[18] upheld the fictitious-payee rule. The rule protects the depositary bank and assigns the loss to the drawer of the check who was in a better position to prevent the loss in the first place. Due care is not even required from the drawee or depositary bank in accepting

and paying the checks. The effect is that a showing of negligence on the part of the depositary bank will not defeat the protection that is derived from this rule. However, there is a commercial bad faith exception to the fictitious-payee rule. A showing of commercial bad faith on the part of the drawee bank, or any transfereeof the check for that matter, will work to strip it of this defense. The exception will cause it to bear the loss. Commercial bad faith is present if the transferee of the check acts dishonestly, and is a party to the fraudulent scheme. Said the US Supreme Court in Getty: Consequently, a transferees lapse of wary vigilance, disregard of suspicious circumstances which might have well induced a prudent banker to investigate and other permutations of negligence are not relevant considerations under Section 3-405 x x x. Rather, there is a commercial bad faith exception to UCC 3-405, applicable when the transferee acts dishonestly where it has actual knowledge of facts and circumstances that amount to bad faith, thus itself becoming a participant in a fraudulent scheme. x x x Such a test finds support in the text of the Code, which omits a standard of care requirement from UCC 3-405 but imposes on all parties an obligation to act with honesty in fact. x x x[19] (Emphasis added) Getty also laid the principle that the fictitious-payee rule extends protection even to non-bank transferees of the checks. In the case under review, the Rodriguez checks were payable to specified payees. It is unrefuted that the 69 checks were payable to specific persons. Likewise, it is uncontroverted that the payees were actual, existing, and living persons who were members of PEMSLA that had a rediscounting arrangement with spouses Rodriguez. What remains to be determined is if the payees, though existing persons, were fictitious in its broader context. For the fictitious-payee rule to be available as a defense, PNB must show that the makers did not intend for the named payees to be part of the transaction involving the checks. At most, the banks thesis shows that the payees did not have knowledge of the existence of the checks. This lack of knowledge on the part of the payees, however, was not tantamount to a lack of intention on the part of respondents-spouses that the payees would not receive the checks proceeds. Considering that respondents-spouses were transacting with PEMSLA and not the individual payees, it is understandable that they

relied on the information given by the officers of PEMSLA that the payees would be receiving the checks.

Verily, the subject checks are presumed order instruments. This is because, as found by both lower courts, PNB failed to present sufficient evidence to defeat the claim of respondents-spouses that the named payees were the intended recipients of the checks proceeds. The bank failed to satisfy a requisite condition of a fictitious-payee situation that the maker of the check intended for the payee to have no interest in the transaction. Because of a failure to show that the payees were fictitious in its broader sense, the fictitious-payee rule does not apply. Thus, the checks are to be deemed payable to order. Consequently, the drawee bank bears the loss.[20] PNB was remiss in its duty as the drawee bank. It does not dispute the fact that its teller or tellers accepted the 69 checks for deposit to the PEMSLA account even without any indorsement from the named payees. It bears stressing that order instruments can only be negotiated with a valid indorsement. A bank that regularly processes checks that are neither payable to the customer nor duly indorsed by the payee is apparently grossly negligent in its operations.[21] This Court has recognized the unique public interest possessed by the banking industry and the need for the people to have full trust and confidence in their banks.[22] For this reason, banks are minded to treat their customers accounts with utmost care, confidence, and honesty. [23] In a checking transaction, the drawee bank has the duty to verify the genuineness of the signature of the drawer and to pay the check strictly in accordance with the drawers instructions, i.e., to the named payee in the check. It should charge to the drawers accounts only the payables authorized by the latter. Otherwise, the drawee will be violating the instructions of the drawer and it shall be liable for the amount charged to the drawers account.[24] In the case at bar, respondents-spouses were the banks depositors. The checks were drawn against respondents-spouses accounts. PNB, as the drawee bank, had the responsibility to ascertain the regularity of the indorsements, and the genuineness of the signatures on the checks before accepting them for deposit. Lastly, PNB was obligated to pay

the checks in strict accordance with the instructions of the drawers. Petitioner miserably failed to discharge this burden. The checks were presented to PNB for deposit by a representative of PEMSLA absent any type of indorsement, forged or otherwise. The facts clearly show that the bank did not pay the checks in strict accordance with the instructions of the drawers, respondentsspouses. Instead, it paid the values of the checks not to the named payees or their order, but to PEMSLA, a third party to the transaction between the drawers and the payees. Moreover, PNB was negligent in the selection and supervision of its employees. The trustworthiness of bank employees is indispensable to maintain the stability of the banking industry. Thus, banks are enjoined to be extra vigilant in the management and supervision of their employees. In Bank of the Philippine Islands v. Court of Appeals,[25]this Court cautioned thus: Banks handle daily transactions involving millions of pesos. By the very nature of their work the degree of responsibility, care and trustworthiness expected of their employees and officials is far greater than those of ordinary clerks and employees. For obvious reasons, the banks are expected to exercise the highest degree of diligence in the selection and supervision of their employees.[26] PNBs tellers and officers, in violation of banking rules of procedure, permitted the invalid deposits of checks to the PEMSLA account. Indeed, when it is the gross negligence of the bank employees that caused the loss, the bank should be held liable.[27] PNBs argument that there is no loss to compensate since no demand for payment has been made by the payees must also fail. Damage was caused to respondents-spouses when the PEMSLA checks they deposited were returned for the reason Account Closed. These PEMSLA checks were the corresponding payments to the Rodriguez checks. Since they could not encash the PEMSLA checks, respondents-spouses were unable to collect payments for the amounts they had advanced. A bank that has been remiss in its duty must suffer the consequences of its negligence. Being issued to named payees, PNB was duty-bound by law and by banking rules and procedure to require that the checks be properly indorsed before accepting them for deposit and payment. In fine, PNB should be held liable for the amounts of the checks.

One Last Note We note that the RTC failed to thresh out the merits of PNBs cross-claim against its co-defendants PEMSLA and MPC. The records are bereft of any pleading filed by these two defendants in answer to the complaint of respondents-spouses and cross-claim of PNB. The Rules expressly provide that failure to file an answer is a ground for a declaration that defendant is in default.[28] Yet, the RTC failed to sanction the failure of both PEMSLA and MPC to file responsive pleadings. Verily, the RTC dismissal of PNBs cross-claim has no basis. Thus, this judgment shall be without prejudice to whatever action the bank might take against its codefendants in the trial court. To PNBs credit, it became involved in the controversial transaction not of its own volition but due to the actions of some of its employees. Considering that moral damages must be understood to be in concept of grants, not punitive or corrective in nature, We resolve to reduce the award of moral damages to P50,000.00.[29] WHEREFORE,

the

appealed

Amended

Decision

is AFFIRMED

with

the

MODIFICATION that the award for moral damages is reduced to P50,000.00, and that this is without prejudice to whatever civil, criminal, or administrative action PNB might take against PEMSLA, MPC, and the employees involved. SO ORDERED. RUBEN T. REYES Associate Justice

WE CONCUR:

CONSUELO YNARES-SANTIAGO Associate Justice Chairperson

MA. ALICIA AUSTRIA-MARTINEZ MINITA V. CHICO-NAZARIO Associate Justice Associate Justice

ANTONIO EDUARDO B. NACHURA Associate Justice

ATTESTATION

I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Courts Division.

CONSUELO YNARES-SANTIAGO Associate Justice Chairperson

Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC G.R. No. L-18103

June 8, 1922

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK, plaintiff-appellee, vs. MANILA OIL REFINING & BY-PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC., defendant-appellant. Antonio Gonzalez for appellant. Roman J. Lacson for appellee. Hartigan and Welch; Fisher and De Witt; Perkins and Kincaid; Gibbs, Mc Donough and Johnson; Julian Wolfson; Ross and Lawrence; Francis B. Mahoney, and Jose A. Espiritu, amici curiae. MALCOLM, J.: The question of first impression raised in this case concerns the validity in this jurisdiction of a provision in a promissory note whereby in case the same is not paid at maturity, the maker authorizes any attorney to appear and confess judgment thereon for the principal amount, with interest, costs, and attorney's fees, and waives all errors, rights to inquisition, and appeal, and all property exceptions. On May 8, 1920, the manager and the treasurer of the Manila Oil Refining & By-Products Company, Inc., executed and delivered to the Philippine National Bank, a written instrument reading as follows: RENEWAL. P61,000.00 MANILA, P.I., May 8, 1920. On demand after date we promise to pay to the order of the Philippine National Bank sixty-one thousand only pesos at Philippine National Bank, Manila, P.I. Without defalcation, value received; and to hereby authorize any attorney in the Philippine Islands, in case this note be not paid at maturity, to appear in my name and confess judgment for the above sum with interest, cost of suit and attorney's fees of ten (10) per cent for collection, a release of all errors and waiver of all rights to inquisition and appeal, and to the benefit of all laws exempting property, real or personal, from levy or sale. Value received. No. ____ Due ____ MANILA OIL REFINING & BY-PRODUCTS CO., INC.,

(Sgd.) VICENTE SOTELO, Manager. MANILA OIL REFINING & BY-PRODUCTS CO., INC., (Sgd.) RAFAEL LOPEZ, Treasurer The Manila Oil Refining and By-Products Company, Inc. failed to pay the promissory note on demand. The Philippine National Bank brought action in the Court of First Instance of Manila, to recover P61,000, the amount of the note, together with interest and costs. Mr. Elias N. Rector, an attorney associated with the Philippine National Bank, entered his appearance in representation of the defendant, and filed a motion confessing judgment. The defendant, however, in a sworn declaration, objected strongly to the unsolicited representation of attorney Recto. Later, attorney Antonio Gonzalez appeared for the defendant and filed a demurrer, and when this was overruled, presented an answer. The trial judge rendered judgment on the motion of attorney Recto in the terms of the complaint. The foregoing facts, and appellant's three assignments of error, raise squarely the question which was suggested in the beginning of this opinion. In view of the importance of the subject to the business community, the advice of prominent attorneys-at-law with banking connections, was solicited. These members of the bar responded promptly to the request of the court, and their memoranda have proved highly useful in the solution of the question. It is to the credit of the bar that although the sanction of judgement notes in the Philippines might prove of immediate value to clients, every one of the attorneys has looked upon the matter in a big way, with the result that out of their independent investigations has come a practically unanimous protest against the recognition in this jurisdiction of judgment notes. 1 Neither the Code of Civil Procedure nor any other remedial statute expressly or tacitly recognizes a confession of judgment commonly called a judgment note. On the contrary, the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, in relation to constitutional safeguards relating to the right to take a man's property only after a day in court and after due process of law, contemplate that all defendants shall have an opportunity to be heard. Further, the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure pertaining to counter claims argue against judgment notes, especially as the Code provides that in case the defendant or his assignee omits to set up a counterclaim, he cannot afterwards maintain an action against the plaintiff therefor. (Secs. 95, 96, 97.) At least one provision of the substantive law, namely, that the validity and fulfillment of contracts cannot be left to the will of one of the contracting parties (Civil Code, art. 1356), constitutes another indication of fundamental legal purposes. The attorney for the appellee contends that the Negotiable Instruments Law (Act No. 2031) expressly recognizes judgment notes, and that they are enforcible under the regular procedure. The Negotiable Instruments Law, in section 5, provides that "The negotiable character of an instrument otherwise negotiable is not affected by a provision which ". . . (b) Authorizes a confession of judgment if the instrument be not paid at maturity." We do not believe, however, that this provision of law can be taken to sanction judgments by

confession, because it is a portion of a uniform law which merely provides that, in jurisdiction where judgment notes are recognized, such clauses shall not affect the negotiable character of the instrument. Moreover, the same section of the Negotiable Instruments. Law concludes with these words: "But nothing in this section shall validate any provision or stipulation otherwise illegal." The court is thus put in the position of having to determine the validity in the absence of statute of a provision in a note authorizing an attorney to appear and confess judgment against the maker. This situation, in reality, has its advantages for it permits us to reach that solution which is best grounded in the solid principles of the law, and which will best advance the public interest. The practice of entering judgments in debt on warrants of attorney is of ancient origin. In the course of time a warrant of attorney to confess judgement became a familiar common law security. At common law, there were two kinds of judgments by confession; the one a judgment by cognovit actionem, and the other by confession relicta verificatione. A number of jurisdictions in the United States have accepted the common law view of judgments by confession, while still other jurisdictions have refused to sanction them. In some States, statutes have been passed which have either expressly authorized confession of judgment on warrant of attorney, without antecedent process, or have forbidden judgments of this character. In the absence of statute, there is a conflict of authority as to the validity of a warrant of attorney for the confession of judgement. The weight of opinion is that, unless authorized by statute, warrants of attorney to confess judgment are void, as against public policy. Possibly the leading case on the subject is First National Bank of Kansas City vs. White ([1909], 220 Mo., 717; 16 Ann. Cas., 889; 120 S. W., 36; 132 Am. St. Rep., 612). The record in this case discloses that on October 4, 1990, the defendant executed and delivered to the plaintiff an obligation in which the defendant authorized any attorney-at-law to appear for him in an action on the note at any time after the note became due in any court of record in the State of Missouri, or elsewhere, to waive the issuing and service of process, and to confess judgement in favor of the First National Bank of Kansas City for the amount that might then be due thereon, with interest at the rate therein mentioned and the costs of suit, together with an attorney's fee of 10 per cent and also to waive and release all errors in said proceedings and judgment, and all proceedings, appeals, or writs of error thereon. Plaintiff filed a petition in the Circuit Court to which was attached the above-mentioned instrument. An attorney named Denham appeared pursuant to the authority given by the note sued on, entered the appearance of the defendant, and consented that judgement be rendered in favor of the plaintiff as prayed in the petition. After the Circuit Court had entered a judgement, the defendants, through counsel, appeared specially and filed a motion to set it aside. The Supreme Court of Missouri, speaking through Mr. Justice Graves, in part said: But going beyond the mere technical question in our preceding paragraph discussed, we come to a question urged which goes to the very root of this case, and whilst new and novel in this state, we do not feel that the case should be disposed of without discussing and passing upon that question.

xxx

xxx

xxx

And if this instrument be considered as security for a debt, as it was by the common law, it has never so found recognition in this state. The policy of our law has been against such hidden securities for debt. Our Recorder's Act is such that instruments intended as security for debt should find a place in the public records, and if not, they have often been viewed with suspicion, and their bona fides often questioned. Nor do we thing that the policy of our law is such as to thus place a debtor in the absolute power of his creditor. The field for fraud is too far enlarged by such an instrument. Oppression and tyranny would follow the footsteps of such a diversion in the way of security for debt. Such instruments procured by duress could shortly be placed in judgment in a foreign court and much distress result therefrom. Again, under the law the right to appeal to this court or some other appellate court is granted to all persons against whom an adverse judgment is rendered, and this statutory right is by the instrument stricken down. True it is that such right is not claimed in this case, but it is a part of the bond and we hardly know why this pound of flesh has not been demanded. Courts guard with jealous eye any contract innovations upon their jurisdiction. The instrument before us, considered in the light of a contract, actually reduces the courts to mere clerks to enter and record the judgment called for therein. By our statute (Rev. St. 1899, sec. 645) a party to a written instrument of this character has the right to show a failure of consideration, but this right is brushed to the wind by this instrument and the jurisdiction of the court to hear that controversy is by the whose object is to oust the jurisdiction of the courts are contrary to public policy and will not be enforced. Thus it is held that any stipulation between parties to a contract distinguishing between the different courts of the country is contrary to public policy. The principle has also been applied to a stipulation in a contract that a party who breaks it may not be sued, to an agreement designating a person to be sued for its breach who is nowise liable and prohibiting action against any but him, to a provision in a lease that the landlord shall have the right to take immediate judgment against the tenant in case of a default on his part, without giving the notice and demand for possession and filing the complaint required by statute, to a by-law of a benefit association that the decisions of its officers on claim shall be final and conclusive, and to many other agreements of a similar tendency. In some courts, any agreement as to the time for suing different from time allowed by the statute of limitations within which suit shall be brought or the right to sue be barred is held void. xxx

xxx

xxx

We shall not pursue this question further. This contract, in so far as it goes beyond the usual provisions of a note, is void as against the public policy of the state, as such public policy is found expressed in our laws and decisions. Such agreements are iniquitous to the uttermost and should be promptly condemned by the courts, until

such time as they may receive express statutory recognition, as they have in some states. xxx

xxx

xxx

From what has been said, it follows that the Circuit Court never had jurisdiction of the defendant, and the judgement is reversed. The case of Farquhar and Co. vs. Dehaven ([1912], 70 W. Va., 738; 40 L.R.A. [N. S.], 956; 75 S.E., 65; Ann. Cas. [1914-A], 640), is another well-considered authority. The notes referred to in the record contained waiver of presentment and protest, homestead and exemption rights real and personal, and other rights, and also the following material provision: "And we do hereby empower and authorize the said A. B. Farquhar Co. Limited, or agent, or any prothonotary or attorney of any Court of Record to appear for us and in our name to confess judgement against us and in favor of said A. B. Farquhar Co., Limited, for the above named sum with costs of suit and release of all errors and without stay of execution after the maturity of this note." The Supreme Court of West Virginia, on consideration of the validity of the judgment note above described, speaking through Mr. Justice Miller, in part said: As both sides agree the question presented is one of first impression in this State. We have no statutes, as has Pennsylvania and many other states, regulating the subject. In the decision we are called upon to render, we must have recourse to the rules and principles of the common law, in force here, and to our statute law, applicable, and to such judicial decisions and practices in Virginia, in force at the time of the separation, as are properly binding on us. It is pertinent to remark in this connection, that after nearly fifty years of judicial history this question, strong evidence, we think, that such notes, if at all, have never been in very general use in this commonwealth. And in most states where they are current the use of them has grown up under statutes authorizing them, and regulating the practice of employing them in commercial transactions. xxx

xxx

xxx

It is contended, however, that the old legal maxim, qui facit per alium, facit per se, is as applicable here as in other cases. We do not think so. Strong reasons exist, as we have shown, for denying its application, when holders of contracts of this character seek the aid of the courts and of their execution process to enforce them, defendant having had no day in court or opportunity to be heard. We need not say in this case that a debtor may not, by proper power of attorney duly executed, authorize another to appear in court, and by proper endorsement upon the writ waive service of process, and confess judgement. But we do not wish to be understood as approving or intending to countenance the practice employing in this state commercial paper of the character here involved. Such paper has heretofore had little if any currency here. If the practice is adopted into this state it ought to be, we think, by act of the Legislature, with all proper safeguards thrown around it, to prevent fraud and

imposition. The policy of our law is, that no man shall suffer judgment at the hands of our courts without proper process and a day to be heard. To give currency to such paper by judicial pronouncement would be to open the door to fraud and imposition, and to subject the people to wrongs and injuries not heretofore contemplated. This we are unwilling to do. A case typical of those authorities which lend support to judgment notes is First National Bank of Las Cruces vs. Baker ([1919], 180 Pac., 291). The Supreme Court of New Mexico, in a per curiam decision, in part, said: In some of the states the judgments upon warrants of attorney are condemned as being against public policy. (Farquhar and Co. vs. Dahaven, 70 W. Va., 738; 75 S.E., 65; 40 L.R.A. [N. S.], 956; Ann. Cas. [1914 A]. 640, and First National Bank of Kansas City vs. White, 220 Mo., 717; 120 S. W., 36; 132 Am. St. Rep., 612; 16 Ann. Cas., 889, are examples of such holding.) By just what course of reasoning it can be said by the courts that such judgments are against public policy we are unable to understand. It was a practice from time immemorial at common law, and the common law comes down to us sanctioned as justified by the reason and experience of English-speaking peoples. If conditions have arisen in this country which make the application of the common law undesirable, it is for the Legislature to so announce, and to prohibit the taking of judgments can be declared as against the public policy of the state. We are aware that the argument against them is that they enable the unconscionable creditor to take advantage of the necessities of the poor debtor and cut him off from his ordinary day in court. On the other hand, it may be said in their favor that it frequently enables a debtor to obtain money which he could by no possibility otherwise obtain. It strengthens his credit, and may be most highly beneficial to him at times. In some of the states there judgments have been condemned by statute and of course in that case are not allowed. Our conclusion in this case is that a warrant of attorney given as security to a creditor accompanying a promissory note confers a valid power, and authorizes a confession of judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction in an action to be brought upon said note; that our cognovit statute does not cover the same field as that occupied by the common-law practice of taking judgments upon warrant of attorney, and does not impliedly or otherwise abrogate such practice; and that the practice of taking judgments upon warrants of attorney as it was pursued in this case is not against any public policy of the state, as declared by its laws. With reference to the conclusiveness of the decisions here mentioned, it may be said that they are based on the practice of the English-American common law, and that the doctrines of the common law are binding upon Philippine courts only in so far as they are founded on sound principles applicable to local conditions. Judgments by confession as appeared at common law were considered an amicable, easy, and cheap way to settle and secure debts. They are a quick remedy and serve to save the court's time. They also save the time and money of the litigants and the government the

expenses that a long litigation entails. In one sense, instruments of this character may be considered as special agreements, with power to enter up judgments on them, binding the parties to the result as they themselves viewed it. On the other hand, are disadvantages to the commercial world which outweigh the considerations just mentioned. Such warrants of attorney are void as against public policy, because they enlarge the field for fraud, because under these instruments the promissor bargains away his right to a day in court, and because the effect of the instrument is to strike down the right of appeal accorded by statute. The recognition of such a form of obligation would bring about a complete reorganization of commercial customs and practices, with reference to short-term obligations. It can readily be seen that judgement notes, instead of resulting to the advantage of commercial life in the Philippines might be the source of abuse and oppression, and make the courts involuntary parties thereto. If the bank has a meritorious case, the judgement is ultimately certain in the courts. We are of the opinion that warrants of attorney to confess judgment are not authorized nor contemplated by our law. We are further of the opinion that provisions in notes authorizing attorneys to appear and confess judgments against makers should not be recognized in this jurisdiction by implication and should only be considered as valid when given express legislative sanction. The judgment appealed from is set aside, and the case is remanded to the lower court for further proceedings in accordance with this decision. Without special finding as to costs in this instance, it is so ordered. Araullo, C.J., Avanceña, Villamor, Ostrand, Johns and Romualdez, JJ., concur. Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila SECOND DIVISION G.R. No. 93073 December 21, 1992 REPUBLIC PLANTERS BANK, petitioner, vs. COURT OF APPEALS and FERMIN CANLAS, respondents.

CAMPOS, JR., J.: This is an appeal by way of a Petition for Review on Certiorari from the decision * of the Court of Appeals in CA G.R. CV No. 07302, entitled "Republic Planters Bank.PlaintiffAppellee vs. Pinch Manufacturing Corporation, et al., Defendants, and Fermin Canlas,

Defendant-Appellant", which affirmed the decision ** in Civil Case No. 82-5448 except that it completely absolved Fermin Canlas from liability under the promissory notes and reduced the award for damages and attorney's fees. The RTC decision, rendered on June 20, 1985, is quoted hereunder: WHEREFORE, premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered in favor of the plaintiff Republic Planters Bank, ordering defendant Pinch Manufacturing Corporation (formerly Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc.) and defendants Shozo Yamaguchi and Fermin Canlas to pay, jointly and severally, the plaintiff bank the following sums with interest thereon at 16% per annum from the dates indicated, to wit: Under the promissory note (Exhibit "A"), the sum of P300,000.00 with interest from January 29, 1981 until fully paid; under promissory note (Exhibit "B"), the sum of P40,000.00 with interest from November 27, 1980; under the promissory note (Exhibit "C"), the sum of P166,466.00 which interest from January 29, 1981; under the promissory note (Exhibit "E"), the sum of P86,130.31 with interest from January 29, 1981; under the promissory note (Exhibit "G"), the sum of P12,703.70 with interest from November 27, 1980; under the promissory note (Exhibit "H"), the sum of P281,875.91 with interest from January 29, 1981; and under the promissory note (Exhibit "I"), the sum of P200,000.00 with interest from January 29, 1981. Under the promissory note (Exhibit "D") defendants Pinch Manufacturing Corporation (formerly named Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc.), and Shozo Yamaguchi are ordered to pay jointly and severally, the plaintiff bank the sum of P367,000.00 with interest of 16% per annum from January 29, 1980 until fully paid Under the promissory note (Exhibit "F") defendant corporation Pinch (formerly Worldwide) is ordered to pay the plaintiff bank the sum of P140,000.00 with interest at 16% per annum from November 27, 1980 until fully paid. Defendant Pinch (formely Worldwide) is hereby ordered to pay the plaintiff the sum of P231,120.81 with interest at 12% per annum from July 1, 1981, until fully paid and the sum of P331,870.97 with interest from March 28, 1981, until fully paid. All the defendants are also ordered to pay, jointly and severally, the plaintiff the sum of P100,000.00 as and for reasonable attorney's fee and the further sum equivalent to 3% per annum of the respective principal sums from the dates above stated as penalty charge until fully paid, plus one percent (1%) of the principal sums as service charge. With costs against the defendants.

SO ORDERED. 1 From the above decision only defendant Fermin Canlas appealed to the then Intermediate Court (now the Court Appeals). His contention was that inasmuch as he signed the promissory notes in his capacity as officer of the defunct Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc, he should not be held personally liable for such authorized corporate acts that he performed. It is now the contention of the petitioner Republic Planters Bank that having unconditionally signed the nine (9) promissory notes with Shozo Yamaguchi, jointly and severally, defendant Fermin Canlas is solidarity liable with Shozo Yamaguchi on each of the nine notes. We find merit in this appeal. From the records, these facts are established: Defendant Shozo Yamaguchi and private respondent Fermin Canlas were President/Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer respectively, of Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc.. By virtue of Board Resolution No.1 dated August 1, 1979, defendant Shozo Yamaguchi and private respondent Fermin Canlas were authorized to apply for credit facilities with the petitioner Republic Planters Bank in the forms of export advances and letters of credit/trust receipts accommodations. Petitioner bank issued nine promissory notes, marked as Exhibits A to I inclusive, each of which were uniformly worded in the following manner: ___________, after date, for value received, I/we, jointly and severaIly promise to pay to the ORDER of the REPUBLIC PLANTERS BANK, at its office in Manila, Philippines, the sum of ___________ PESOS(....) Philippine Currency... On the right bottom margin of the promissory notes appeared the signatures of Shozo Yamaguchi and Fermin Canlas above their printed names with the phrase "and (in) his personal capacity" typewritten below. At the bottom of the promissory notes appeared: "Please credit proceeds of this note to: ________ Savings Account ______XX Current Account No. 1372-00257-6 of WORLDWIDE GARMENT MFG. CORP. These entries were separated from the text of the notes with a bold line which ran horizontally across the pages. In the promissory notes marked as Exhibits C, D and F, the name Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc. was apparently rubber stamped above the signatures of defendant and private respondent.

On December 20, 1982, Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc. noted to change its corporate name to Pinch Manufacturing Corporation. On February 5, 1982, petitioner bank filed a complaint for the recovery of sums of money covered among others, by the nine promissory notes with interest thereon, plus attorney's fees and penalty charges. The complainant was originally brought against Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc. inter alia, but it was later amended to drop Worldwide Manufacturing, Inc. as defendant and substitute Pinch Manufacturing Corporation it its place. Defendants Pinch Manufacturing Corporation and Shozo Yamaguchi did not file an Amended Answer and failed to appear at the scheduled pre-trial conference despite due notice. Only private respondent Fermin Canlas filed an Amended Answer wherein he, denied having issued the promissory notes in question since according to him, he was not an officer of Pinch Manufacturing Corporation, but instead of Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc., and that when he issued said promissory notes in behalf of Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc., the same were in blank, the typewritten entries not appearing therein prior to the time he affixed his signature. In the mind of this Court, the only issue material to the resolution of this appeal is whether private respondent Fermin Canlas is solidarily liable with the other defendants, namely Pinch Manufacturing Corporation and Shozo Yamaguchi, on the nine promissory notes. We hold that private respondent Fermin Canlas is solidarily liable on each of the promissory notes bearing his signature for the following reasons: The promissory motes are negotiable instruments and must be governed by the Negotiable Instruments Law. 2 Under the Negotiable lnstruments Law, persons who write their names on the face of promissory notes are makers and are liable as such.3 By signing the notes, the maker promises to pay to the order of the payee or any holder 4according to the tenor thereof.5 Based on the above provisions of law, there is no denying that private respondent Fermin Canlas is one of the co-makers of the promissory notes. As such, he cannot escape liability arising therefrom. Where an instrument containing the words "I promise to pay" is signed by two or more persons, they are deemed to be jointly and severally liable thereon.6 An instrument which begins" with "I" ,We" , or "Either of us" promise to, pay, when signed by two or more persons, makes them solidarily liable. 7 The fact that the singular pronoun is used indicates that the promise is individual as to each other; meaning that each of the co-signers is deemed to have made an independent singular promise to pay the notes in full. In the case at bar, the solidary liability of private respondent Fermin Canlas is made clearer and certain, without reason for ambiguity, by the presence of the phrase "joint and several" as describing the unconditional promise to pay to the order of Republic Planters Bank. A joint and several note is one in which the makers bind themselves both jointly and individually to the payee so that all may be sued together for its enforcement, or the creditor

may select one or more as the object of the suit. 8 A joint and several obligation in common law corresponds to a civil law solidary obligation; that is, one of several debtors bound in such wise that each is liable for the entire amount, and not merely for his proportionate share. 9 By making a joint and several promise to pay to the order of Republic Planters Bank, private respondent Fermin Canlas assumed the solidary liability of a debtor and the payee may choose to enforce the notes against him alone or jointly with Yamaguchi and Pinch Manufacturing Corporation as solidary debtors. As to whether the interpolation of the phrase "and (in) his personal capacity" below the signatures of the makers in the notes will affect the liability of the makers, We do not find it necessary to resolve and decide, because it is immaterial and will not affect to the liability of private respondent Fermin Canlas as a joint and several debtor of the notes. With or without the presence of said phrase, private respondent Fermin Canlas is primarily liable as a comaker of each of the notes and his liability is that of a solidary debtor. Finally, the respondent Court made a grave error in holding that an amendment in a corporation's Articles of Incorporation effecting a change of corporate name, in this case from Worldwide Garment manufacturing Inc to Pinch Manufacturing Corporation extinguished the personality of the original corporation. The corporation, upon such change in its name, is in no sense a new corporation, nor the successor of the original corporation. It is the same corporation with a different name, and its character is in no respect changed.10 A change in the corporate name does not make a new corporation, and whether effected by special act or under a general law, has no affect on the identity of the corporation, or on its property, rights, or liabilities. 11 The corporation continues, as before, responsible in its new name for all debts or other liabilities which it had previously contracted or incurred.12 As a general rule, officers or directors under the old corporate name bear no personal liability for acts done or contracts entered into by officers of the corporation, if duly authorized. Inasmuch as such officers acted in their capacity as agent of the old corporation and the change of name meant only the continuation of the old juridical entity, the corporation bearing the same name is still bound by the acts of its agents if authorized by the Board. Under the Negotiable Instruments Law, the liability of a person signing as an agent is specifically provided for as follows: Sec. 20. Liability of a person signing as agent and so forth. Where the instrument contains or a person adds to his signature words indicating that he signs for or on behalf of a principal , or in a representative capacity, he is not liable on the instrument if he was duly authorized; but the mere addition of words describing him as an agent, or as filling a representative character, without disclosing his principal, does not exempt him from personal liability.

Where the agent signs his name but nowhere in the instrument has he disclosed the fact that he is acting in a representative capacity or the name of the third party for whom he might have acted as agent, the agent is personally liable to take holder of the instrument and cannot be permitted to prove that he was merely acting as agent of another and parol or extrinsic evidence is not admissible to avoid the agent's personal liability. 13 On the private respondent's contention that the promissory notes were delivered to him in blank for his signature, we rule otherwise. A careful examination of the notes in question shows that they are the stereotype printed form of promissory notes generally used by commercial banking institutions to be signed by their clients in obtaining loans. Such printed notes are incomplete because there are blank spaces to be filled up on material particulars such as payee's name, amount of the loan, rate of interest, date of issue and the maturity date. The terms and conditions of the loan are printed on the note for the borrower-debtor 's perusal. An incomplete instrument which has been delivered to the borrower for his signature is governed by Section 14 of the Negotiable Instruments Law which provides, in so far as relevant to this case, thus: Sec. 14. Blanks: when may be filled. — Where the instrument is wanting in any material particular, the person in possesion thereof has a prima facie authority to complete it by filling up the blanks therein. ... In order, however, that any such instrument when completed may be enforced against any person who became a party thereto prior to its completion, it must be filled up strictly in accordance with the authority given and within a reasonable time... Proof that the notes were signed in blank was only the self-serving testimony of private respondent Fermin Canlas, as determined by the trial court, so that the trial court ''doubts the defendant (Canlas) signed in blank the promissory notes". We chose to believe the bank's testimony that the notes were filled up before they were given to private respondent Fermin Canlas and defendant Shozo Yamaguchi for their signatures as joint and several promissors. For signing the notes above their typewritten names, they bound themselves as unconditional makers. We take judicial notice of the customary procedure of commercial banks of requiring their clientele to sign promissory notes prepared by the banks in printed form with blank spaces already filled up as per agreed terms of the loan, leaving the borrowers-debtors to do nothing but read the terms and conditions therein printed and to sign as makers or co-makers. When the notes were given to private respondent Fermin Canlas for his signature, the notes were complete in the sense that the spaces for the material particular had been filled up by the bank as per agreement. The notes were not incomplete instruments; neither were they given to private respondent Fermin Canlas in blank as he claims. Thus, Section 14 of the NegotiabIe Instruments Law is not applicable. The ruling in case of Reformina vs. Tomol relied upon by the appellate court in reducing the interest rate on the promissory notes from 16% to 12% per annum does not squarely apply to the instant petition. In the abovecited case, the rate of 12% was applied to forebearances of money, goods or credit and court judgemets thereon, only in the absence of any stipulation between the parties.

In the case at bar however , it was found by the trial court that the rate of interest is 9% per annum, which interest rate the plaintiff may at any time without notice, raise within the limits allowed law. And so, as of February 16, 1984 , the plaintiff had fixed the interest at 16% per annum. This Court has held that the rates under the Usury Law, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 116, are applicable only to interests by way of compensation for the use or forebearance of money. Article 2209 of the Civil Code, on the other hand, governs interests by way of damages.15 This fine distinction was not taken into consideration by the appellate court, which instead made a general statement that the interest rate be at 12% per annum. Inasmuch as this Court had declared that increases in interest rates are not subject to any ceiling prescribed by the Usury Law, the appellate court erred in limiting the interest rates at 12% per annum. Central Bank Circular No. 905, Series of 1982 removed the Usury Law ceiling on interest rates. 16 In the 1ight of the foregoing analysis and under the plain language of the statute and jurisprudence on the matter, the decision of the respondent: Court of Appeals absolving private respondent Fermin Canlas is REVERSED and SET ASIDE. Judgement is hereby rendered declaring private respondent Fermin Canlas jointly and severally liable on all the nine promissory notes with the following sums and at 16% interest per annum from the dates indicated, to wit: Under the promissory note marked as exhibit A, the sum of P300,000.00 with interest from January 29, 1981 until fully paid; under promissory note marked as Exhibit B, the sum of P40,000.00 with interest from November 27, 1980: under the promissory note denominated as Exhibit C, the amount of P166,466.00 with interest from January 29, 1981; under the promissory note denominated as Exhibit D, the amount of P367,000.00 with interest from January 29, 1981 until fully paid; under the promissory note marked as Exhibit E, the amount of P86,130.31 with interest from January 29, 1981; under the promissory note marked as Exhibit F, the sum of P140,000.00 with interest from November 27, 1980 until fully paid; under the promissory note marked as Exhibit G, the amount of P12,703.70 with interest from November 27, 1980; the promissory note marked as Exhibit H, the sum of P281,875.91 with interest from January 29, 1981; and the promissory note marked as Exhibit I, the sum of P200,000.00 with interest on January 29, 1981. The liabilities of defendants Pinch Manufacturing Corporation (formerly Worldwide Garment Manufacturing, Inc.) and Shozo Yamaguchi, for not having appealed from the decision of the trial court, shall be adjudged in accordance with the judgment rendered by the Court a quo. With respect to attorney's fees, and penalty and service charges, the private respondent Fermin Canlas is hereby held jointly and solidarity liable with defendants for the amounts found, by the Court a quo. With costs against private respondent. SO ORDERED.

Narvasa, C.J., (Chairman), Feliciano, Regalado and Nocon, JJ., concur. THIRD DIVISION

[G.R. No. 148864. August 21, 2003]

SPOUSES EDUARDO B. EVANGELISTA and EPIFANIA C. EVANGELISTA, petitioners, vs. MERCATOR FINANCE CORP., LYDIA P. SALAZAR, LAMECS**REALTY AND DEVELOPMENT CORP. and the REGISTER OF DEEDS OF BULACAN, respondents. DECISION PUNO, J.: Petitioners, Spouses Evangelista (Petitioners), are before this Court on a Petition for Review on Certiorari under Rule 45 of the Revised Rules of Court, assailing the decision of the Court of Appeals dismissing their petition. Petitioners filed a complaint[1] for annulment of titles against respondents, Mercator Finance Corporation, Lydia P. Salazar, Lamecs Realty and Development Corporation, and the Register of Deeds of Bulacan. Petitioners claimed being the registered owners of five (5) parcels of land[2] contained in the Real Estate Mortgage[3] executed by them and Embassy Farms, Inc. (Embassy Farms). They alleged that they executed the Real Estate Mortgage in favor of Mercator Financing Corporation (Mercator) only as officers of Embassy Farms. They did not receive the proceeds of the loan evidenced by a promissory note, as all of it went to Embassy Farms. Thus, they contended that the mortgage was without any consideration as to them since they did not personally obtain any loan or credit accommodations. There being no principal obligation on which the mortgage rests, the real estate mortgage is void. [4] With the void mortgage, they assailed the validity of the foreclosure proceedings conducted by Mercator, the sale to it as the highest bidder in the public auction, the issuance of the transfer certificates of title to it, the subsequent sale of the same parcels of land to respondent Lydia P. Salazar (Salazar), and the transfer of the titles to her name, and lastly, the sale and transfer of the properties to respondent Lamecs Realty & Development Corporation (Lamecs). Mercator admitted that petitioners were the owners of the subject parcels of land. It, however, contended that on February 16, 1982, plaintiffs executed a Mortgage in favor of defendant Mercator Finance Corporation for and in consideration of certain loans, and/or other forms of credit accommodations obtained from the Mortgagee (defendant Mercator Finance Corporation) amounting to EIGHT HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE & 78/100 (P844,625.78) PESOS, Philippine Currency and to secure the payment of the same and those others that the MORTGAGEE may extend to the MORTGAGOR (plaintiffs) x x x.[5] It contended that since petitioners and Embassy Farms signed the promissory note[6] as co-makers, aside from the Continuing Suretyship Agreement[7] subsequently executed to guarantee the indebtedness of Embassy Farms, and

the succeeding promissory notes[8]restructuring the loan, then petitioners are jointly and severally liable with Embassy Farms. Due to their failure to pay the obligation, the foreclosure and subsequent sale of the mortgaged properties are valid. Respondents Salazar and Lamecs asserted that they are innocent purchasers for value and in good faith, relying on the validity of the title of Mercator. Lamecs admitted the prior ownership of petitioners of the subject parcels of land, but alleged that they are the present registered owner. Both respondents likewise assailed the long silence and inaction by petitioners as it was only after a lapse of almost ten (10) years from the foreclosure of the property and the subsequent sales that they made their claim. Thus, Salazar and Lamecs averred that petitioners are in estoppel and guilty of laches.[9] During pre-trial, the parties agreed on the following issues: a. Whether or not the Real Estate Mortgage executed by the plaintiffs in favor of defendant Mercator Finance Corp. is null and void; b. Whether or not the extra-judicial foreclosure proceedings undertaken on subject parcels of land to satisfy the indebtedness of Embassy Farms, Inc. is (sic) null and void; c. Whether or not the sale made by defendant Mercator Finance Corp. in favor of Lydia Salazar and that executed by the latter in favor of defendant Lamecs Realty and Development Corp. are null and void; d. Whether or not the parties are entitled to damages.[10] After pre-trial, Mercator moved for summary judgment on the ground that except as to the amount of damages, there is no factual issue to be litigated. Mercator argued that petitioners had admitted in their pre-trial brief the existence of the promissory note, the continuing suretyship agreement and the subsequent promissory notes restructuring the loan, hence, there is no genuine issue regarding their liability. The mortgage, foreclosure proceedings and the subsequent sales are valid and the complaint must be dismissed.[11] Petitioners opposed the motion for summary judgment claiming that because their personal liability to Mercator is at issue, there is a need for a full-blown trial.[12] The RTC granted the motion for summary judgment and dismissed the complaint. It held: A reading of the promissory notes show (sic) that the liability of the signatories thereto are solidary in view of the phrase jointly and severally. On the promissory note appears (sic) the signatures of Eduardo B. Evangelista, Epifania C. Evangelista and another signature of Eduardo B. Evangelista below the words Embassy Farms, Inc. It is crystal clear then that the plaintiffs-spouses signed the promissory note not only as officers of Embassy Farms, Inc. but in their personal capacity as well(.) Plaintiffs(,) by affixing their signatures thereon in a dual capacity have bound themselves as solidary debtor(s) with Embassy Farms, Inc. to pay defendant Mercator Finance Corporation the amount of indebtedness. That the principal contract of loan is void for lack of consideration, in the light of the foregoing is untenable.[13]

Petitioners motion for reconsideration was denied for lack of merit. [14] Thus, petitioners went up to the Court of Appeals, but again were unsuccessful. The appellate court held: The appellants insistence that the loans secured by the mortgage they executed were not personally theirs but those of Embassy Farms, Inc. is clearly self-serving and misplaced. The fact that they signed the subject promissory notes in the(ir) personal capacities and as officers of the said debtor corporation is manifest on the very face of the said documents of indebtedness (pp. 118, 128-131, Orig. Rec.). Even assuming arguendo that they did not, the appellants lose sight of the fact that third persons who are not parties to a loan may secure the latter by pledging or mortgaging their own property (Lustan vs. Court of Appeals, 266 SCRA 663, 675). x x x. In constituting a mortgage over their own property in order to secure the purported corporate debt of Embassy Farms, Inc., the appellants undeniably assumed the personality of persons interested in the fulfillment of the principal obligation who, to save the subject realities from foreclosure and with a view towards being subrogated to the rights of the creditor, were free to discharge the same by payment (Articles 1302 [3] and 1303, Civil Code of the Philippines).[15] (emphases in the original) The appellate court also observed that if the appellants really felt aggrieved by the foreclosure of the subject mortgage and the subsequent sales of the realties to other parties, why then did they commence the suit only on August 12, 1997 (when the certificate of sale was issued on January 12, 1987, and the certificates of title in the name of Mercator on September 27, 1988)? Petitioners procrastination for about nine (9) years is difficult to understand. On so flimsy a ground as lack of consideration, (w)e may even venture to say that the complaint was not worth the time of the courts.[16] A motion for reconsideration by petitioners was likewise denied for lack of merit.[17] Thus, this petition where they allege that: THE COURT A QUO ERRED AND ACTED WITH GRAVE ABUSE OF DISCRETION AMOUNTING TO LACK OR EXCESS OF JURISDICTION IN AFFIRMING IN TOTO THE MAY 4, 1998 ORDER OF THE TRIAL COURT GRANTING RESPONDENTS MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT DESPITE THE EXISTENCE OF GENUINE ISSUES AS TO MATERIAL FACTS AND ITS NON-ENTITLEMENT TO A JUDGMENT AS A MATTER OF LAW, THEREBY DECIDING THE CASE IN A WAY PROBABLY NOT IN ACCORD WITH APPLICABLE DECISIONS OF THIS HONORABLE COURT.[18] We affirm. Summary judgment is a procedural technique aimed at weeding out sham claims or defenses at an early stage of the litigation.[19] The crucial question in a motion for summary judgment is whether the issues raised in the pleadings are genuine or fictitious, as shown by affidavits, depositions or admissions accompanying the motion. A genuine issue means an issue of fact which calls for the presentation of evidence, as distinguished from an issue which is fictitious or contrived so as not to constitute a genuine issue for trial.[20] To forestall summary judgment, it is essential for the non-moving party to confirm the existence of genuine issues where he has substantial, plausible and fairly arguable defense, i.e., issues of fact calling for the presentation of evidence upon which a reasonable finding of fact could return a verdict for

the non-moving party. The proper inquiry would therefore be whether the affirmative defenses offered by petitioners constitute genuine issue of fact requiring a full-blown trial.[21] In the case at bar, there are no genuine issues raised by petitioners. Petitioners do not deny that they obtained a loan from Mercator. They merely claim that they got the loan as officers of Embassy Farms without intending to personally bind themselves or their property. However, a simple perusal of the promissory note and the continuing suretyship agreement shows otherwise. These documentary evidence prove that petitioners are solidary obligors with Embassy Farms. The promissory note[22] states: For value received, I/We jointly and severally promise to pay to the order of MERCATOR FINANCE CORPORATION at its office, the principal sum of EIGHT HUNDRED FORTYFOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE PESOS & 78/100 (P 844,625.78), Philippine currency, x x x, in installments as follows: September 16, 1982 - P154,267.87 October 16, 1982 - P154,267.87 November 16, 1982 - P154,267.87 December 16, 1982 - P154,267.87 January 16, 1983 - P154,267.87 February 16, 1983 - P154,267.87 x x x x x x x x x. The note was signed at the bottom by petitioners Eduardo B. Evangelista and Epifania C. Evangelista, and Embassy Farms, Inc. with the signature of Eduardo B. Evangelista below it. The Continuing Suretyship Agreement[23] also proves the solidary obligation of petitioners, viz: (Embassy Farms, Inc.) Principal (Eduardo B. Evangelista) Surety (Epifania C. Evangelista) Surety (Mercator Finance Corporation) Creditor To: MERCATOR FINANCE COPORATION (1) For valuable and/or other consideration, EDUARDO B. EVANGELISTA and EPIFANIA C. EVANGELISTA (hereinafter called Surety), jointly and severally unconditionally guarantees (sic) to MERCATOR FINANCE COPORATION (hereinafter called Creditor), the full, faithful and prompt payment and discharge of any and all indebtedness of EMBASSY FARMS, INC. (hereinafter called Principal) to the Creditor.

xxxxxxxxx (3) The obligations hereunder are joint and several and independent of the obligations of the Principal. A separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted against the Surety whether or not the action is also brought and prosecuted against the Principal and whether or not the Principal be joined in any such action or actions. x x x x x x x x x. The agreement was signed by petitioners on February 16, 1982. The promissory notes[24] subsequently executed by petitioners and Embassy Farms, restructuring their loan, likewise prove that petitioners are solidarily liable with Embassy Farms. Petitioners further allege that there is an ambiguity in the wording of the promissory note and claim that since it was Mercator who provided the form, then the ambiguity should be resolved against it. Courts can interpret a contract only if there is doubt in its letter.[25] But, an examination of the promissory note shows no such ambiguity. Besides, assuming arguendo that there is an ambiguity, Section 17 of the Negotiable Instruments Law states, viz: SECTION 17. Construction where instrument is ambiguous. Where the language of the instrument is ambiguous or there are omissions therein, the following rules of construction apply: xxxxxxxxx (g) Where an instrument containing the word I promise to pay is signed by two or more persons, they are deemed to be jointly and severally liable thereon. Petitioners also insist that the promissory note does not convey their true intent in executing the document. The defense is unavailing. Even if petitioners intended to sign the note merely as officers of Embassy Farms, still this does not erase the fact that they subsequently executed a continuing suretyship agreement. A surety is one who is solidarily liable with the principal.[26] Petitioners cannot claim that they did not personally receive any consideration for the contract for well-entrenched is the rule that the consideration necessary to support a surety obligation need not pass directly to the surety, a consideration moving to the principal alone being sufficient. A surety is bound by the same consideration that makes the contract effective between the principal parties thereto.[27] Having executed the suretyship agreement, there can be no dispute on the personal liability of petitioners. Lastly, the parol evidence rule does not apply in this case.[28] We held in Tarnate v. Court of Appeals,[29] that where the parties admitted the existence of the loans and the mortgage deeds and the fact of default on the due repayments but raised the contention that they were misled by respondent bank to believe that the loans were long-term accommodations, then the parties could not be allowed to introduce evidence of conditions allegedly agreed upon by them other than those stipulated in the loan documents because when they reduced their agreement in writing, it is presumed that they have made the writing the only repository and

memorial of truth, and whatever is not found in the writing must be understood to have been waived and abandoned. IN VIEW WHEREOF, the petition is dismissed. Treble costs against the petitioners. SO ORDERED. Panganiban, and Sandoval-Gutierrez, JJ., concur. Corona, and Carpio-Morales, JJ., on official leave.

THIRD DIVISION

VICTORIA J. ILANO represented by her Attorney-in-fact, MILO ANTONIO C. ILANO, Petitioners,

G.R. No. 161756 Present:

PANGANIBAN, Chairman, - versus -

SANDOVAL- GUTIERREZ, CORONA, CARPIO MORALES, and

HON. DOLORES L. ESPAOL, in her capacity as Executive Judge, RTC of Imus, Cavite, Br. 90, and, AMELIA ALONZO, EDITH CALILAP, DANILO CAMACLANG, ESTELA CAMACLANG, ALLAN CAMACLANG, LENIZA REYES, EDWIN REYES, JANE BACAREL, CHERRY CAMACLANG, FLORA CABRERA, ESTELITA LEGASPI,

GARCIA, JJ.

CARMENCITA GONZALES, NEMIA CASTRO, GLORIA DOMINGUEZ, ANNILYN C. SABALE and several JOHN DOES, Respondents.

Promulgated:

December 16, 2005 xx - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -xx DECISION CARPIO MORALES, J.: The Court of Appeals having affirmed the dismissal by Branch 20 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Cavite at Imus, for lack of cause of action, Civil Case No. 2079-00, the complaint filed by herein petitioner Victoria J. Ilano for Revocation/Cancellation of Promissory Notes and Bills of Exchange (Checks) with Damages and Prayer for Preliminary Injunction or Temporary Restraining Order (TRO),[1] against herein respondents 15 named defendants (and several John Does), a recital of the pertinent allegations in the complaint, quoted verbatim as follows, is in order: xxx 3. That defendant AMELIA O. ALONZO, is a trusted employee of [petitioner]. She has been with them for several years already, and through the years, defendant ALONZO was able to gain the trust and confidence of [petitioner] and her family; 4. That due to these trust and confidence reposed upon defendant ALONZO by [petitioner], there were occasions when defendant ALONZO was entrusted with [petitioners] METROBANK Check Book containing either signed or unsigned blank checks, especially in those times when [petitioner] left for the United States for medical check-up; 5. Sometime during the second week of December 1999, or thereabouts, defendant ALONZO by means of deceit and abuse of confidence succeeded in procuring Promissory Notes and signed blank checks from [petitioner] who was then recuperating from illness; 6. That as stated, aside from the said blank checks, defendant ALONZO likewise succeeded in inducing [petitioner] to sign the Promissory

Notes antedated June 8, 1999 in the amount of PESOS: ONE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY TWO (Php 1,428,272.00) payable to defendants EDITH CALILAP and DANILO CALILAP, and another Promissory Noted dated March 1999 in the amount of PESOS: ONE MILLION (Php 1,000,000.00) payable to the same defendants EDITH CALILAP and DANILO CALILAP, copies of said Promissory Notes are hereto attached as Annexes A and A-1 hereof; 7. That another Promissory Note antedated October 1, 1999 thru the machination of defendant ALONZO, was signed by [petitioner] in the amount of PESOS: THREE MILLION FORTY SIX THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED ONE (Php 3,046,401.00) excluding interest, in favor of her codefendants ESTELA CAMACLANG, ALLAN CAMACLANG, LENIZA REYES, EDWIN REYES, JANE BACAREL and CHERRY CAMACLANG, a copy of said Promissory Note is hereto attached as Annex B hereof; 8. That the Promissory Notes and blank checks were procured thru fraud and deceit. The consent of the [petitioner] in the issuance of the two (2) aforementioned Promissory Notes was vitiated. Furthermore, the same were issued for want of consideration, hence, the same should be cancelled, revoked or declared null and void; 9. That as clearly shown heretofore, defendant ALONZO in collusion with her codefendants, ESTELA CAMACLANG, ALLAN CAMACLANG and ESTELITA LEGASPI likewise was able to induce plaintiff to sign several undated blank checks, among which are: Metrobank Check No. 0111544 Metrobank Check No. 0111545 Metrobank Check No. 0111546 Metrobank Check No. 0111547 Metrobank Check No. 0111515 all in the total amount of Php 3,031,600.00, copies of said checks are hereto attached as Annexes C, C-1, C-2, C-3 and C-4, respectively; 10.

That aside from the checks mentioned heretofore, defendant ALONZO, confederated and conspired with the following co-defendants, FLORA CABRERA, NEMIA CASTRO, EDITH CALILAP, DANILO CALILAP, GLORIA DOMINGUEZ, CARMENCITA GONZALES and ANNILYN C. SABALE and took advantage of the signature of [petitioner] in said blank checks which were later on completed by them indicated opposite their respective names and the respective amount thereof, as follows:

NAME Flora Cabrera

AMOUNT

METROBANK Check No. Php 0111460 337,584.58 98,000.00 0111514 100,000.00 0111542 150,000.00 0084078 490,000.00 0111513

Flora Cabrera Nemia Castro Nemia Castro Edith Calilap/Danilo Calilap Edith Calilap/Danilo 790,272.00 Calilap Edith Calilap/Danilo 1,220,000.00 Calilap Gloria Dominguez/ 1,046,040.00 Carmencita Gonzales Annilyn C. Sable 150,000.00 Annilyn C. Sable 250,000.00 Annilyn C. Sable 186,000.00

0111512 0111462 0111543 0085134 0085149 0085112

Copy attached as Annexes D, D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, D-5, D-6, D-7, D-8, D-9 and D10, respectively; Furthermore, defendant ALONZO colluded and conspired with defendant NEMIA CASTO in procuring the signature of [petitioner] in documents denominated as Malayang Salaysay dated July 22, 1999 in the amount of PESOS: ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND (Php 150,000.00) and another Malayang Salaysay dated November 22, 1999 in the amount of PESOS: ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND (Php 100,000.00) Annexes D-11 and D-12 hereof; 11. That said defendants took undue advantage of the signature of [petitioner] in the said blank checks and furthermore forged and or falsified the signature of [petitioner] in other unsigned checks and as it was made to appear that said [petitioner] is under the obligation to pay them several amounts of money, when in truth and in fact, said [petitioner] does not owe any of said defendant any single amount; 12. That the issuance of the aforementioned checks or Promissory Notes or the aforementioned Malayang Salaysay to herein defendants were tainted with fraud and deceit, and defendants conspired with one another to defraud herein [petitioner] as the aforementioned documents were issued for want of consideration; 13. That the aforesaid defendants conspiring and confederating together and helping one another committed acts of falsification and defraudation which they should be held accountable under law;

14. The foregoing acts, and transactions, perpetrated by herein defendants in all bad faith and malice, with malevolence and selfish intent are causing anxiety, tension, sleepless nights, wounded feelings, and embarrassment to [petitioner] entitling her to moral damages of at least in the amount of PESOS: FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND (Php 500,000.00); 15. That to avoid repetition of similar acts and as a correction for the public good, the defendants should be held liable to [petitioner] for exemplary damages in the sum of not less than the amount of PESOS: TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND (Php 200,000.00); 16. That to protect the rights and interest of the [petitioner] in the illegal actuations of the defendants, she was forced to engage the services of counsel for which she was obliged to pay the sum of PESOS: ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND (Php 100,000.00) by way of Attorneys fees plus the amount of PESOS: THREE THOUSAND (Php 3,000.00) per appearance in court; x x x (Emphasis and underscoring supplied)

The named defendants-herein respondents filed their respective Answers invoking, among other grounds for dismissal, lack of cause of action, for while the checks subject of the complaint had been issued on account and for value, some had been dishonored due to ACCOUNT CLOSED; and the allegations in the complaint are bare and general. By Order[2] dated October 12, 2000, the trial court dismissed petitioners complaint for failure to allege the ultimate facts-bases of petitioners claim that her right was violated and that she suffered damages thereby. On appeal to the Court of Appeals, petitioner contended that the trial court: A. . . . FAILED TO STATE CLEARLY AND DISTINCTLY THE FACTS AND LAW ON WHICH THE APPEALED ORDER WAS BASED, THEREBY RENDERING SAID ORDER NULL AND VOID.

B. . . . ERRED IN HOLDING THAT THE COMPLAINT FAILED TO ALLEGE ULTIMATE FACTS ON WHICH [PETITIONER] RELIES ON HER CLAIM THEREBY DISMISSING THE CASE FOR LACK OF CAUSE OF ACTION.

C. . . . ERRED IN GIVING DUE COURSE TO THE MOTION TO DISMISS THAT CONTAINED A FAULTY NOTICE OF HEARING AS THE SAME IS MERELY ADDRESSED TO THE BRANCH CLERK OF COURT.[3]

In its Decision[4] of March 21, 2003 affirming the dismissal order of the trial court, the appellate court held that the elements of a cause of action are absent in the case: xxx Such allegations in the complaint are only general averments of fraud, deceit and bad faith. There were no allegations of facts showing that the acts complained of were done in the manner alleged. The complaint did not clearly ascribe the extent of the liability of each of [respondents]. Neither did it state any right or cause of action on the part of [petitioner] to show that she is indeed entitled to the relief prayed for. In the first place, the record shows that subject checks which she sought to cancel or revoke had already been dishonored and stamped ACCOUNT CLOSED. In fact, there were already criminal charges for violation of Batas Pambansa Blg. 22 filed against [petitioner] previous to the filing of the civil case for revocation/cancellation. Such being the case, there was actually nothing more to cancel or revoke. The subject checks could no longer be negotiated. Thus, [petitioners] allegation that the [respondents] were secretly negotiating with third persons for their delivery and/or assignment, is untenable. In the second place, we find nothing on the face of the complaint to show that [petitioner] denied the genuineness or authenticity of her signature on the subject promissory notes and the allegedly signed blank checks. She merely alleged abuse of trust and confidence on the part of [Alonzo]. Even assuming arguendo that such allegations were true, then [petitioner] cannot be held totally blameless for her predicament as it was by her own negligence that subject instruments/signed blank checks fell into the hands of third persons. Contrary to [petitioners] allegations, the promissory notes show that some of the [respondents] were actually creditors of [petitioner] and who were issued the subject checks as securities for the loan/obligation incurred. Having taken the instrument in good faith and for value, the [respondents] are therefore considered holders thereof in due course and entitled to payment. x x x (Underscoring supplied)

Hence, the present petition for review on certiorari, petitioner faulting the appellate court:

1. . . . in sustaining the dismissal of the complaint upon the ground of failure to state a cause of action when there are other several causes of action which ventilate such causes of action in the complaint; 2. . . . in finding that a requirement that a Decision which should express therein clearly and distinctly the facts and the law on which it is based does not include cases which had not reached pre-trial or trial stage; 3. . . . in not finding that a notice of hearing which was addressed to the Clerk of Court is totally defective and that subsequent action of the court did not cure the flaw.[5]

In issue then is whether petitioners complaint failed to state a cause of action. A cause of action has three elements: (1) the legal right of the plaintiff, (2) the correlative obligation of the defendant, and (3) the act or omission of the defendant in violation of said legal right. In determining the presence of these elements, inquiry is confined to the four corners of the complaint[6] including its annexes, they being parts thereof.[7] If these elements are absent, the complaint becomes vulnerable to a motion to dismiss on the ground of failure to state a cause of action.[8] As reflected in the above-quoted allegations in petitioners complaint, petitioner is seeking twin reliefs, one for revocation/cancellation of promissory notes and checks, and the other for damages. Thus, petitioner alleged, among other things, that respondents, through deceit, abuse of confidence machination, fraud, falsification, forgery, defraudation, and bad faith, and with malice, malevolence and selfish intent, succeeded in inducing her to sign antedated promissory notes and some blank checks, and [by taking] undue advantage of her signature on some other blank checks, succeeded in procuring them, even if there was no consideration for all of these instruments on account of which she suffered anxiety, tension, sleepless nights, wounded feelings and embarrassment. While some of the allegations may lack particulars, and are in the form of conclusions of law, the elements of a cause of action are present. For even if some are not stated with particularity, petitioner alleged 1) her legal right not to be bound by the instruments which were bereft of consideration and to which her consent was vitiated; 2) the correlative obligation on the part of the defendants-respondents to respect said right; and 3) the act of the defendants-

respondents in procuring her signature on the instruments through deceit, abuse of confidence machination, fraud, falsification, forgery, defraudation, and bad faith, and with malice, malevolence and selfish intent. Where the allegations of a complaint are vague, indefinite, or in the form of conclusions, its dismissal is not proper for the defendant may ask for more particulars.[9] With respect to the checks subject of the complaint, it is gathered that, except for Check No. 0084078,[10] they were drawn all against petitioners Metrobank Account No. 00703-9555367. Annex D-8[11] of the complaint, a photocopy of Check No. 0085134, shows that it was dishonored on January 12, 2000 due to ACCOUNT CLOSED. When petitioner then filed her complaint on March 28, 2000, all the checks subject hereof which were drawn against the same closed account were already rendered valueless or non-negotiable, hence, petitioner had, with respect to them, no cause of action. With respect to above-said Check No. 0084078, however, which was drawn against another account of petitioner, albeit the date of issue bears only the year − 1999, its validity and negotiable character at the time the complaint was filed on March 28, 2000 was not affected. For Section 6 of the Negotiable Instruments Law provides: Section 6. Omission; seal; particular money. The validity and negotiable character of an instrument are not affected by the fact that (a) It is not dated; or (b) Does not specify the value given, or that any value had been given therefor; or (c) Does not specify the place where it is drawn or the place where it is payable; or (d) Bears a seal; or (e) Designates a particular kind of current money in which payment is to be made. x x x (Emphasis supplied)

However, even if the holder of Check No. 0084078 would have filled up the month and day of issue thereon to be December and 31, respectively, it would have, as it did, become stale six (6) months or 180 days thereafter, following current banking practice.[12] It is, however, with respect to the questioned promissory notes that the present petition assumes merit. For, petitioners allegations in the complaint relative thereto, even if lacking particularity, does not as priorly stated call for the dismissal of the complaint. WHEREFORE, the petition is PARTLY GRANTED. The March 21, 2003 decision of the appellate court affirming the October 12, 2000 Order of the trial court, Branch 20 of the RTC of Imus, Cavite, is AFFIRMED with MODIFICATION in light of the foregoing discussions. The trial court is DIRECTED to REINSTATE Civil Case No. 2079-00 to its docket and take further proceedings thereon only insofar as the complaint seeks the revocation/cancellation of the subject promissory notes and damages. Let the records of the case be then REMANDED to the trial court. SO ORDERED. CONCHITA CARPIO MORALES Associate Justice

WE CONCUR:

ARTEMIO V. PANGANIBAN Associate Justice Chairman

ANGELINA SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ Associate Justice

RENATO C. CORONA Associate Justice

CANCIO C. GARCIA Associate Justice

ATTESTATION I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision were reached in consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Courts Division.

ARTEMIO V. PANGANIBAN Associate Justice Chairman

CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to Article VIII, Section 13 of the Constitution, and the Division Chairmans Attestation, it is hereby certified that the conclusions in the above Decision were reached in consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Court.

HILARIO G. DAVIDE, JR. Chief Justice