ODYSSEY PARK, INC., Petitioner, v. HONORABLE cancel and rescind this Contract and declare the same COURT OF APPEALS and UNION BANK OF THE as null, void and no further force and effect by serving PHILIPPINES, Respondents. on Odyssey a written notice of cancellation and rescission thirty (30) days in VITUG, J.: advance.chanroblesvirtual|awlibrary Facts: In the event this Contract is cancelled and rescinded Assailed in the instant petition for review on certiorari is the as provided in this Section, all the amounts which the decision, dated 07 September 1992, of the Court of Odyssey may have paid to Bancom pursuant to and in Appeals affirming that of the Regional Trial Court, Branch accordance with this Contract shall be forfeited in 152 of Pasig, Metro Manila, which has adjudged the favor of Bancom as rentals for the use and occupancy contract to sell entered into between petitioner and private of the Property and as penalty for the breach and respondent as having been validly rescinded. violation of this Contract. Furthermore, all the improvements which Odyssey may have introduced on the On November 4, 1981, Bancom Development Corporation Property shall form part thereof and belong to Bancom and plaintiff-appellant Odyssey Park, Inc., entered into a without right of reimbursements to Odyssey; Provided, that Contract to Sell, whereby the former agreed to sell to the Bancom may at its absolute discretion instead require latter the parcel of land with an area of 8,499 square Odyssey to remove such improvements from the Property meters situated in Baguio City and the structure at expense of Odyssey.’ constructed thereon identified as the Europa Clubhouse. On November 26, 1981, twenty-two (22) days after the Subsequently on February 11, 1982, in a document execution of the contract plaintiff-appellant paid the entitled ‘Separate Deed of Conveyance’ (Annex F of the amount of P100,000.00. Other payments, also beyond the Affidavit of Carmelito A. Montano), Bancom confirmed and stipulated period, (see Odyssey Park, Inc., Statement of acknowledged that it has ceded, transferred and conveyed Application of Payment, Annex A of the Supportive in favor of defendant-appellee Union Bank all the rights, Affidavit of Nicefero S. Agaton) in the total sum of title and interest it has over the property. P110,000.00 were made as follows:chanrob1es virtual 1aw library The purchase price of P3,500,000.00 was, per Section 2 of the Contract to Sell, agreed to be paid as September 22, 1982 P20,000.00 follows:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph P700,000.00as down payment, to be paid by Odyssey as April 13, 1983 10,000.00 follows:chanrob1es virtual 1aw library April 30, 1983 10,000.00 P100,000.00 upon signing of this Contract; P200,000.00, sixty (60) days from and after the date of this July 20, 1983 50,000.00 Contract. The said amount shall be covered by a check postdated sixty (60) days after the date of this Contract September 19, 1983 20,000.00 issued and delivered by Odyssey to Bancom upon the signing of this Contract; and On December 23, 1981, Mr. Vicente A. Araneta, President P400,000.00, ninety (90) days from and after the date of of Europa Condominium Villas, Inc., wrote this Contract. The said amount shall be covered by a defendant-appellee Union Bank, a letter, Exhibit E, stating check postdated ninety (90) days after the date of this that the Europa Center was reported to prospective buyers Contract issued and delivered by Odyssey to Bancom as well as government authorities as part of common upon signing of this Contract. areas and amenities under the condominium concept of selling to the public and for that reason wants to make it of The balance of P2,800,000.00 shall be paid by Odyssey to record that Europa Condominium Villas, Inc., questions Bancom within a period of three (3) years by twelve (12) the propriety of the contract to sell. equal quarterly amortizations of P298,346.08 each, inclusive of the interest and service charge set forth in On January 4, 1982, plaintiff-appellant Odyssey Park, Inc., Section 3 hereof, the first amortization to become due and through its Chairman of the Board, Mr. Carmelito A. payable four (4) months and fifteen (15) days after the date Montano, wrote Bancom Development Corp. a letter, of this Contract, and the succeeding amortizations at the Exhibit F, stating that it acknowledges receipt of a copy of end of each quarter thereafter until the balance of the the letter-protest from the Europa Condominium Villas, Inc., purchase price of the Property is paid in full.’ and that in the meantime that there is a question on the propriety of the sale, it is stopping/withholding payments of It was also agreed in Section 5 of the Contract to Sell the amortization. that:jgc:chanrobles.com.phSection 5: In the event Odyssey fails to pay any portion of the purchase price On the same date, January 4, 1982, Bancom, through its of the Property or the interest and service charge Senior Vice-President, wrote Europa Condominium Villas, thereon as and when it falls due, or otherwise fails to Inc. a letter, Exhibit H, explaining that the Europa Center comply with or violate any of the provisions of this and the parcel of land on which it is built are not part of the Europa Condominium Villas, Inc. and sales to tenants under R.A. No. 3844.” The appellate court has thus aptly said: On March 29, 1983, defendant-appellee Union Bank wrote “While the law applies to all transactions or contracts plaintiff-appellant Odyssey Park, Inc., a letter (Annexes F, involving the sale or financing of real estate on installment F-1 of the Supportive Affidavit of Nicefero S. Agaton, pp. payments, including residential condominium apartments, 317-318 of the record) demanding payment of the overdue excluded are industrial lots, commercial buildings and account of P2,193,720.91, inclusive of interest and service sales to tenants under R.A. 3844 as amended. The charges, otherwise the contract to sell would be cancelled property subject of the contract to sell is not a residential and rescinded; condominium apartment. Even on the basis of the letter of Mr. Vicente A. Araneta, Exhibit E, the building is merely On April 12, 1983, plaintiff-appellant Odyssey wrote `part of common areas and amenities under the defendant-appellee Union Bank a letter (Annex F-2 of the Condominium concept of selling to the public’. The Supportive Affidavit of Nicefero S. Agaton, pp. 319-320 of property subject of the contract to sell is more of a the record) proposing a manner of settlement which commercial building.” defendant-appellee Union Bank answered (Annex F-3, p. 321 of the record) asking for more details of the proposal. The series of communications led to the drafting of a Memorandum of Agreement (Exhibit N) which was not, however, signed by the parties. "First, the title of Union Bank over the property (TCT No. On January 6, 1984, defendant-appellee Union Bank, T-33725) is clear without any encumbrance or adverse through counsel, wrote plaintiff-appellant Odyssey Park, claim. Second, Europa Condominium Villas, Inc. has not Inc., a letter (Exhibit O) formally rescinding and/or earnestly questioned Bancom’s right to sell. If Europa is in cancelling the contract to sell and demanding that earnest, it should have filed the necessary action in Court plaintiff-appellant vacate and peaceably surrender to protect its right to a valuable property. Third, Europa possession of the premises. would not have offered to buy the property from Bancom for P6 Million if it was claiming ownership over it. Fourth, On or about August 20, 1984, for failure of the letters which plaintiff claim to be proof of Europa’s plaintiff-appellant to vacate, defendant-appellee filed a persistence in questioning Bancom’s right to sell the case for illegal detainer and damages (Exhibit P). property do not really question Bancom’s right to do so but are actually money claims of Europa Condominium Villas, On July 5, 1988, plaintiff-appellant filed this case for Inc. against Odyssey for unpaid water bills and other ‘Declaration of the Nullity of the Rescission of the services rendered by Europa." 3 Contract to Sell With Damages’." The only real legal issue, it appears to the Court, is After the trial, the lower court rendered judgment in whether or not the rescission of the contract to sell by favor of private respondent, declaring the Contract to private respondent accords with the requirements of Sell of 04 November 1981 to have been properly Republic Act ("R.A.") No. 6552, also known as "An Act rescinded; dismissing the complaint for being to Protect Buyers of Real Estate on Installment frivolous and unfounded; and ordering the plaintiff to pay Payments" which, petitioner insists, requires a the defendant P300,000.00 by way of attorney’s fees and cancellation or rescission of the contract by means of litigation expenses. The judgment was affirmed by a notarial act. A mere letter (dated 06 January 1984), or respondent appellate court. short of such a notarial act, according to petitioner, would be utterly deficient. The Court rules for affirmance of the appealed decision. Unfortunately for petitioner, the invocation of Republic Act No. 6552 is misplaced. This law, which normally applies to the sale or financing of real estate on Issue: installment payments, excludes "industrial lots, Whether or not the rescission of the contract to sell by commercial buildings, and sales to tenants under R.A. private respondent accords with the requirements of No. 3844." The appellate court has thus aptly Republic Act (“R.A.”) No. 6552, also known as “An Act to said:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph Protect Buyers of Real Estate on Installment Payments” which, petitioner insists, requires a cancellation or "While the law applies to all transactions or contracts rescission of the contract by means of a notarial act. involving the sale or financing of real estate on installment payments, including residential condominium apartments, Held: excluded are industrial lots, commercial buildings and sales to tenants under R.A. 3844 as amended. The Contract properly rescinded, RA 6552 does not apply. property subject of the contract to sell is not a Unfortunately for petitioner, the invocation of Republic Act residential condominium apartment. Even on the basis No. 6552 is misplaced. This law, which normally applies to of the letter of Mr. Vicente A. Araneta, Exhibit E, the the sale or financing of real estate on installment building is merely ‘part of common areas and payments, excludes “industrial lots, commercial buildings, amenities under the Condominium concept of selling to the public’. The property subject of the contract to sell is more of a commercial building." "In the event this Contract is cancelled and rescinded as 4chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary:red provided in this Section, all the amounts which the Odyssey may have paid to Bancom pursuant to and in Neither would Article 1191 of the Civil Code govern. accordance with this Contract shall be forfeited in favor of Article 1191, in full, provides:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph Bancom as rentals for the use and occupancy of the Property and as penalty for the breach and violation of this "Art. 1191. The power to rescind obligations is implied Contract. Furthermore, all the improvements which in reciprocal ones, in case one of the obligors should Odyssey may have introduced on the Property shall form not comply with what is incumbent upon him. part thereof and belong to Bancom without right of "The injured party may choose between the fulfillment reimbursements to Odyssey; Provided, that Bancom may and the rescission of the obligation, with the payment at its absolute discretion instead require Odyssey to of damages in either case. He may also seek remove such improvements from the Property at expense rescission, even after he has chosen fulfillment, if the of Odyssey." latter should become impossible. "The Court shall decree the rescission claimed, unless It is a familiar doctrine in the law on contracts that the there be just cause authorizing the fixing of a period. parties are bound by the stipulations, clauses, terms and conditions they have agreed to, 8 the only "This is understood to be without prejudice to the rights of limitation being that these stipulations, clauses, terms third persons who have acquired the thing, in accordance and conditions are not contrary to law, morals, public with articles 1385 and 1388 and the Mortgage Law."cralaw order or public policy. Not being repugnant to any virtua1aw library legal proscription, the agreement entered into by the parties herein involved must be respected and held to In a contract to sell, the payment of the purchase price is a be the law between them. positive suspensive condition, the failure of which is not a breach, casual or serious, but a situation that prevents the WHEREFORE, the decision appealed from is AFFIRMED obligation of the vendor to convey title from acquiring an in toto. Costs against petitioner. obligatory force. 5 The breach contemplated in Article 1191 of the Code is the obligor’s failure to comply with an SO ORDERED. obligation already extant, not a failure of a condition to render binding that obligation. In any event, the failure of petitioner to even complete the downpayment stipulated in [G.R. No. 125531. February 12, 1997.] the contract to sell puts petitioner corporation far from good stead in urging that there has been substantial JOVAN LAND, Petitioner, v. COURT OF APPEALS and compliance with the contract to sell within the meaning of EUGENIO QUESADA, INC., Respondents. Article 1191 of the Code.
So, too, must Article 1592 of the Civil Code be held
inapplicable. This law states:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph 1. CIVIL LAW; CONTRACT; CONSTRUED. — In the case of Ang Yu Asuncion v. Court of Appeals, 238 SCRA 602 "Art. 1592. In the sale of immovable property, even though (1994), this Court held that: ". . . [A] contract (Art. 1157, it may have been stipulated that upon failure to pay the Civil Code), . . . is a meeting of minds between two price at the time agreed upon the rescission of the contract persons whereby one binds himself, with respect to the shall of right take place, the vendee may pay; even after other, to give something or to render some service . . . A the expiration of the period, as long as no demand for contract undergoes various stages that include its rescission of the contract has been made upon him either negotiation or preparation, its perfection and, finally, its judicially or by a notarial act. After the demand, the court consummation. Negotiation covers the period from the may not grant him a new term."cralaw virtua1aw library time the prospective contracting parties indicate interest in the contract to the time the contract is concluded . . . The It is clear that the above provisions contemplate neither a perfection of the contract takes place upon the conditional sale nor a contract to sell but an absolute sale. concurrence of the essential elements thereof."cralaw virtua1aw library What must instead be held to rule in the case at bar is the agreement of the parties themselves. 2. ID.; ID.; SALE; REQUISITES FOR VALIDITY. — It is a "Section 5: In the event Odyssey fails to pay any portion of fundamental principle that before contract of sale can be the purchase price of the Property or the interest and valid, the following elements must be present, viz: (a) service charge thereon as and when it falls due, or consent or meeting of the minds; (b) determinate otherwise fails to comply with or violate any of the subject matter; (3) price certain in money or its provisions of this Contract, Bancom may at its absolute equivalent. Until the contract of sale is perfected, it cannot, discretion cancel and rescind this Contract and declare the as an independent source of obligations serve as a binding same as null, void and no further force and effect by juridical relation between the serving on Odyssey a written notice of cancellation and parties.chanroblesvirtual|awlibrary rescission thirty (30) days in advance. 3. ID.; ID.; ID.; REAL PROPERTY, AS THE OBJECT; encounters between Joseph Sy and Conrado Quesada REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE STATUTE OF FRAUDS; had not passed the negotiation stage relating to the NOT COMPLIED WITH IN CASE AT BAR. — Although intended sale by the defendant corporation of the there was a series of communications through letter-offers property in question. . . . As the court finds, there is and rejections as evident from the facts of this case, still it nothing in the record to point that a contract was ever is undeniable that no written agreement was reached perfected. In fact, there is nothing in writing which is between petitioner and private respondent with regard to indispensably necessary in order that the perfected the sale of the realty. Hence, the alleged transaction is contract could be enforced under the Statute of Frauds." unenforceable as the requirements under the Statute CA affirmed TC ruling. of Frauds have not been complied with. Under the said provision, an agreement for the sale of real property or of an interest therein, to be enforceable, must be in Issues:om.ph writing and subscribed by the party charged or by an The Court a quo failed to appreciate that there was agent thereof. already a perfected contract of sale between Jovan HERMOSISIMA, JR., J.: Land, Inc. and the [private respondent]; The Court a quo erred in its conclusion that there was no implied acceptance of the offer by appellants to appellee [private respondent]; This is a petition for review on certiorari to reverse and set The Court a quo was in error where it concluded that aside the decision of the Court of Appeals in C.A.-G.R. CV the contract of sale was unenforceable; No. 47515. Ruling: Petitioner Jovan Land, Inc. is a corporation engaged in the real estate business. Its President and Chairman of the Ang Yu Asuncion v. Court of Appeals, Board of Directors is one Joseph Sy. ". . . [A] contract (Art. 1157, Civil Code), . . . is a meeting of minds between two persons whereby one binds himself, Private respondent Eugenio Quesada is the owner of the with respect to the other, to give something or to render Q Building located on an 801 sq. m. lot at the corner of some service . . . . A contract undergoes various stages Mayhaligue Street and Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila. that include its negotiation or preparation, its perfection The property is covered by TCT No. 77796 of the Registry and, finally, its consummation. Negotiation covers the of Deeds of Manila. period from the time the prospective contracting parties indicate interest in the contract to the time the Petitioner learned from co-petitioner Consolacion P. contract is concluded . . . . The perfection of the Mendoza that private respondent was selling the aforesaid contract takes place upon the concurrence of the Mayhaligue property. Thus, petitioner through Joseph Sy essential elements thereof."cralaw virtua1aw library made a written offer, dated July 27, 1987 for P10.25 million. This first offer was not accepted by Conrado Quesada, the Moreover, it is a fundamental principle that before contract General Manager of private Respondent. Joseph Sy sent of sale can be valid, the following elements must be a second written offer dated July 31, 1989 for the same present, viz: (a) consent or meeting of the minds; (b) price but inclusive of an undertaking to pay the determinate subject matter; (3) price certain in money documentary stamp tax, transfer tax, registration fees and or its equivalent. Until the contract of sale is perfected, it notarial charges. Check No. 247048, dated July 31, 1989, cannot, as an independent source of obligation, serve as a for one million pesos drawn against the Philippine binding juridical relation between the parties. Commercial and Industrial Bank (PCIB) was enclosed therewith as earnest money. This second offer, with In the case at bench, Petitioner, anchors its main earnest money, was again rejected by Conrado Quesada. argument on the annotation on its third letter-offer of the Undaunted, Joseph Sy, on August 10, 1989, sent a third phrase "Received original, 9-4-89," beside which appears written offer for twelve million pesos with a similar check the signature of Conrado Quesada. It also contends that for one million pesos as earnest money. Annotated on this the said annotation is evidence to show that there was third letter-offer was the phrase "Received original, 9-4-89" already a perfected agreement to sell as respondent can beside which appears the signature of Conrado Quesada. be said to have accepted petitioner’s payment in the form of a check which was enclosed in the third On the basis of this annotation which petitioner insists is letter.chanrobles virtual lawlibrary the proof that there already exists a valid, perfected agreement to sell the Mayhaligue property, petitioner The court cannot believe that this notation marked as filed with the trial court, a complaint for specific Exhibit D-2 would signify the acceptance of the offer. performance and collection of sum of money with Neither does it signify, as Sy had testified that the damages. check was duly received on said date. If this were true Sy, who appears to be an intelligent businessman could have easily asked Conrado Quesada to indicate on Exhibit D the alleged fact of acceptance of said check. And better However, the trial court held still, Sy could have asked Quesada the acceptance in that:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph". . . the business writing separate of the written offer if indeed there was an agreement as to the price of the proposed sale of the property in question."
Clearly then, a punctilious examination of the receipt
reveals that the same can neither be regarded as a contract of sale nor a promise to sell. Such an annotation by Conrado Quesada amounts to neither a written nor an implied acceptance of the offer of Joseph Sy. It is merely a memorandum of the receipt by the former of the latter’s offer. The requisites of a valid contract of sale are lacking in said receipt and therefore the "sale" is neither valid nor enforceable.
Although there was a series of communications through
letter-offers and rejections as evident from the facts of this case, still it is undeniable that no written agreement was reached between petitioner and private respondent with regard to the sale of the realty. Hence, the alleged transaction is unenforceable as the requirements under the Statute of Frauds have not been complied with. Under the said provision, an agreement for the sale of real property or of an interest therein, to be enforceable, must be in writing and subscribed by the party charged or by an agent thereof.
Petitioner also asseverates that the failure of Conrado
Quesada to return the check for one million pesos, translates to implied acceptance of its third letter-offer. It, however, does not rebut the finding of the trial court that private respondent was returning the check but petitioner refused to accept the same and that when Conrado Quesada subsequently sent it back to petitioner through registered mail, the latter failed to claim its mail from the post office.
As shown elucidated above, we agree with the findings
and conclusions of the trial court and the respondent court. Neither has petitioner posited any new issues in the instant petition that warrant the further exercise by this court of its review powers.
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