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COMMODATUM
NATURE,PURPOSEANDCHARACTERISTICS
SimpleLoan(Mutuum)Defined
Art.1933:Byacontractofloan,oneofthepartiesdeliverstoanotherxxxmoneyorother
consumablething,upontheconditionthatthesameamountofthesamekindandqualityshallbe
paid,inwhichcasethecontractissimplycalledaloanormutuum.
Tolentinovs.GonzalezSyChiam50Phil558
TolentinopurchasedlandfromLuzonRiceMillsforPhp25,000payableinthreeinstallments.
Tolentinodefaultedonthebalancesotheownersentaletterofdemandtohim.Topay,Tolentino
appliedforloanfromGonzalezonconditionthathewouldexecuteapactoderetrosaleonthe
propertyinfavorofGonzalez.Uponmaturationofloan,TolentinodefaultedsoGonzalezis
demandingrecoveryoftheland.Tolentinocontendsthatthepactoderetrosaleisamortgageand
notanabsolutesale.
TheSupremeCourtheldthatuponitsterms,thedeedofpactoderetrosaleisanabsolutesale
withrightofrepurchaseandnotamortgage.Thus,Gonzalezistheownerofthelandand
Tolentinoisonlyholdingitasatenantbyvirtueofacontractoflease.
**LOAN:Acontractofloansignifiesthegivingofasumofmoney,goodsorcreditstoanother,
withapromisetorepay,butnotapromisetoreturnthesamething.Ithasbeendefinedasan
advancementofmoney,goods,orcreditsuponacontractorstipulationtorepay,nottoreturn,the
thingloanedatsomefuturedayinaccordancewiththetermsofthecontract.Themomentthe
contractiscompleted,themoney,goodsorchattelsgivenceasetobethepropertyoftheformer
ownerandbecomethepropertyoftheobligortobeusedaccordingtohisownwill,unlessthe
contractitselfexpresslyprovidesforaspecialorspecificuseofthesame.Atallevents,the
money,goodsorchattels,themomentthecontractisexecuted,ceasetobethepropertyofthe
formerownerandbecomethesolepropertyoftheobligor.
CommodatumDefined
Art.1933:Bythecontractofloan,oneofthepartiesdeliverstoanothersomethingnot
consumablesothatthelattermayusethesameforacertaintimeandreturnit,inwhichcasethe
contractiscalledacommodatum.xxx
thebaileeacquirestheuseofthethingloanedbutnotitsfruits(Art.1935),EXCEPTifthe
partiesstipulateuseoffruits(Art.1940)
Pajuyov.CA,G.R.No.146364,June3,2004
PajuyopurchasedtherightsoverapropertyfromPedroPerez.Thereafter,heconstructedahouse
andheandhisfamilylivedthere.Later,PajuyoagreedtoletGuevarraliveinthehouseforfree
providedthatGuevarramaintaincleanlinessandorderlinessofthehouse.Theyalsoagreedthat
Guevarrashouldleaveupondemand.ButwhenPajuyolatertoldGuevarrathatheneededthe
house,Guevarrarefused,henceanejectmentcasewasfiled.
SupremeCourtheldthatthecontractisnotacommodatum.Inacontractofcommodatum,one
ofthepartiesdeliverstoanothersomethingnotconsumablesothatthelattermayusethesame
foracertaintimeandreturnit.Anessentialfeatureofcommodatumisthatitisgratuitous.
Anotherfeatureofcommodatumisthattheuseofthethingbelongingtoanotherisforacertain
period.Thus,thebailorcannotdemandthereturnofthethingloaneduntilafterexpirationofthe
periodstipulated,orafteraccomplishmentoftheuseforwhichthecommodatumisconstituted.If
thebailorshouldhaveurgentneedofthething,hemaydemanditsreturnfortemporaryuse.If
theuseofthethingismerelytoleratedbythebailor,hecandemandthereturnofthethingatwill,
inwhichcasethecontractualrelationiscalledaprecarium.UndertheCivilCode,precariumisa
kindofcommodatum.
Distinctions
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RENTv.LOAN(Tolentinov.GonzalezSyChiam,supra):Acontractofleaseofpropertyisnot
aloan.Aloansignifiesthegivingofasumofmoney,goodsorcredittoanother,withapromise
torepay,butnotapromisetoreturnthesamething.Inacontractofrent,theownerofthe
propertydoesnotlosehisownership.Hesimplyloseshiscontroloverthepropertyrentedduring
theperiodofthecontract.Inacontractofrenttherelationbetweenthecontractorsisthatof
landlordandtenant.Inacontractofloanofmoney,goods,chattels,orcredits,therelation
betweenthepartiesisthatofobligorandobligee.
COMMODATUMv.MUTUUM
1. Astopartiescommodatum:bailorandbaileemutuum:obligorandobligee
2. Astoobjectcommodatum:nonconsumableornonfungiblethingmutuum:moneyor
anyconsumableorfungiblething
3. Astoconsiderationcommodatum:useofthethingandreturnitmutuum:useandown
thethingandpaythesameamountofthesamekindandquality
4. commodatum:gratuitousmutuum:maybegratuitousoronerous
5. commodatum:ownershipofthethingisretainedbythebailormutuum:ownershipis
transferredtotheobligee
6. commodatum:realorpersonalpropertymutuum:personalproperty
7. Astopurposecommodatum:useortemporarypossessionofthethingmutuum:
consumptionofthething
8. commodatum:bailormaydemandthereturnofthethingbeforeexpirationoftermincase
ofurgentneedorprecariummutuum:nodemandbeforelapseoftheterm
9. commodatum:bailorsuffersthelossofthethingmutuum:obligeesuffersthelossofthe
thing
Purpose
totransfereithertheuseorpossessionofthethingloanedforsafekeepingofthethingdelivered
andreturningit
CharacteristicsofCommodatum
perfectedupondeliveryofthethingloaned(realcontract)
Q:Isthereaperfectedcontractofcommodatumbeforedelivery?
A:No.Acontractofcommodatumisarealcontractandthereforerequiresdeliveryforits
perfection.Therecanbenoperfectedcontractofcommodatumbuttherecanbeabinding
acceptedpromisetodeliverbythebailor.Inwhichcase,commodatumisaunilateralcontractin
thatonlyoneparty,thebailor,hastheobligationtodelivertheobject.
acceptedpromisetodeliverbycommodatumormutuumisbinding(unilateralcontract)
purelypersonalincharacter:a)deathofbailororbaileeextinguishescontractb)bailee
cannotlendorleasetheobjectloanedtothirdpartiesEXCEPTifmembersofhis
household,UNLESSthereisastipulationagainstortheuseisprohibitedbynatureofthe
thing(art.1949)
Q:Iftherearetwoormoreborrowers,wouldthecommodatumbeextinguisheduponthe
deathofone?
A:Thecontractisnotextinguishedintheabsenceofacontrarystipulation.Theborrowersare
consideredsolidarydebtors(art.1945)andforthisreason,thebailororcreditorhastherightto
demandfromeitheroneofthemthethingloaned.Thisisanexceptionthegeneralrulethatthe
concurrenceoftwoormoredebtorsgivesriseonlytoajointobligation.Thereasonisthatina
commodatum,itispresumedthatthebailortookintoaccountthecharacterofeachofthebailees
inlendingthethingandthatthereforehewouldnothaveconstitutedthecontractiftherewere
onlyonebailee.
Q:Evenifdeathofthepartiesextinguishesacontractofcommodatum,isitpossibleforthe
heirstoacquirerightstotheobligation?
A:Ordinarilyinacontractofcommodatum,thedeathofthepartiesextinguishesthecontract.
Thatisbecausecommodatum,beingessentiallygratuitous,takesintoaccountthecharacter,
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creditandconductofthebailee.However,therecanbeavalidstipulationstatingthatthe
contractbetransmittedtotheheirsoftheparties.
bailorhastherighttodemandthethingatwillif:
1. hehasurgentneed,demandthereturnoritstemporaryuse(art.1946)
2. (art.1947)PRECARIUM:(1)ifneitherthedurationortheuseofthinghasbeenstipulated
(2)iftheuseofthethingisbymeretoleranceoftheowner
essentiallygratuitous(art.1933)
PARTIESANDREQUIREMENTSFORVALIDITYANDPERFECTION
Parties
bailorandbailee
RequirementsforValidityandPerfection
CONSENT
Art.1315:Contractsareperfectedbymereconsent,andfromthatmomentthepartiesarebound
notonlytothefulfillmentofwhathasbeenexpresslystipulatedbutalsotoalltheconsequences
which,accordingtotheirnature,maybeinkeepingwithgoodfaith,usageandlaw.
OBJECT
Art.1937:Movableorimmovablepropertymaybetheobjectofcommodatum.
MOVABLE:nonconsumableornonfungibleEXCEPTthatconsumablethingmaybethe
objectifthepurposeisonlyforexhibition
Minav.Pascual,25Phil540
Franciscoistheowneroflandandheallowedhisbrother,Andres,toerectawarehouseinthat
lot.BothFranciscoandAndresdiedandtheirchildrenbecametheirrespectiveheirs:Minafor
FranciscoandPascualforAndres.Pascualsoldhisshareofthewarehouseandlot.Minaopposed
becausethelotishersbecauseherpredecessor(Francisco)neverpartedwithitsownershipwhen
heletAndresconstructawarehouse,hence,itwasacontractofcommodatum.Whatisthenature
ofthecontractbetweenFranciscoandAndres?
TheSupremeCourtheldthatitwasnotacommodatum.Itisanessentialfeatureofcommodatum
thattheuseofthethingbelongingtoanothershallbeforacertainperiod.Thepartiesneverfixed
adefiniteperiodduringwhichAndrescouldusethelotandafterwardsreturnit.
NOTABENE:ItwouldseemthattheSupremeCourtfailedtoconsiderthepossibilityofa
contractofprecardiumbetweenFranciscoandAndres.Precardiumisakindofcommodatum
whereinthebailormaydemandtheobjectatwillifthecontractdoesnotstipulateaperiodoruse
towhichthethingisdevoted.
ProducersBankofthePhilippinesv.CA,397SCRA651
Doronillaisintheprocessofincorporatinghisbusinessandtocomplywithoneofthe
requirementsofincorporation,hecausedVivestoissueacheckwhichwasthendepositedin
Doronillassavingsaccount.ItwasagreedthatVivescanwithdrawhismoneyinamonthstime.
However,whatDoronilladidwastoopenacurrentaccountandinstructedthebanktodebitfrom
thesavingsaccountanddeposititinhiscurrentaccount.SowhenVivescheckedthesavings
account,themoneywasgone.Isthecontractamutuumorcommodatum?
SupremeCourtheldthatthecontractisacommodatum.Althoughinacommodatum,theobjectis
anonconsumablething,thereareinstanceswhereaconsumablethingmaybetheobjectofa
commodatum,suchaswhenthepurposeisnotforconsumptionoftheobjectbutmerelyfor
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exhibition(Art.1936).Thus,ifconsumablegoodsareloanedonlyforpurposesofexhibition,or
whentheintentionofthepartiesistolendconsumablegoodsandtohavetheverysamegoods
returnedattheendoftheperiodagreedupon,theloanisacommodatumandnotamutuum.

CONSIDERATION
Art.1933:xxxCommodatumisessentiallygratuitous.
Art.1935:xxxifanycompensationistobepaidbyhimwhoacquirestheuse,thecontractceases
tobeacommodatum.
DELIVERY
perfectsthecontract
CentralBankofthePhilippinesv.CA,139SCRA46(1985)
TolentinomadealoanfromIslandSavingsBanksecuredbyamortgage.TheBankdidnot
releasethewholeamountbutonlyaportionthereof.Later,theBankexperiencedliquidity
problemsandtheMonetaryBoardofCentralBankprohibiteditfrommakingnewloansand
muchlater,fromdoingbusinessinthePhilippines.Thereafter,theActingSuperintendentof
CentralBanktookchargeofitsassets.Uponexpirationoftheloanterm,theBankfiled
extrajudicialforeclosureofthemortgage.Wasthereaperfectedcontractofloanwhenonlya
portionoftheamountwasdelivered?
TheSupremeCourtheldthattherewasonlypartialdelivery.Assuch,thecontractisdeemed
perfectonlyinsofaraswhathasbeendelivered.Themortgagecannotbeentirelyforeclosed,
exceptforuptotheamountoftheactualamountreleased,buttheBankcanrecovertheinterest
ofthepartialloan.Tolentinocannotanymoredemandtheremainingamountoftheloanfromthe
Bankbecausehedefaultedonhispayment.HisliabilityoffsetstheliabilityoftheBanktohim.
RIGHTSANDOBLIGATIONSOFTHEPARTIES
ObligationsoftheBailee
toreturntheobject
payfortheordinaryexpensesfortheuseandpreservationofthethingloaned
noreimbursementforordinaryexpenses
liableforlossofthethingeveniffortuitousif:
1. hedevotesthethingforadifferentpurpose
2. hekeepsitlongerthantheperiodstipulatedoraftertheaccomplishmentoftheusefor
whichthecommodatumhasbeenconstituted
3. thingloanedhasbeendeliveredwithappraisalofitsvalue,unlessthereisastipulation
exemptingbaileefromfortuitousevent
4. lendsorleasesthethingtoathirdpersonnotamemberofthehousehold
5. beingabletosaveeitherthethingborrowedorhisownthing,hechosetosavehis
notanswerforthedeteriorationofthethingloanedduetousethereofandwithoutfault
baileecannotretainongroundthatthebailoroweshimsomething,evenifexpenses
butifbailorknewofdefectanddidnotadvisethebaileeaboutit,thenbaileehastherightof
retentionbutonlytorecoverdamages
baileeisnotentitledtothefruitsofthethingloaned,EXCEPTifthereisastipulationtothe
contrary
baileemusttakecaregoodcareofthethingwiththediligenceofagoodfatherofthe
family(art.1163)
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Q:Ifthepartiesinacommodatumcanstipulatethatthebaileemaymakeuseofthefruits,
wouldntthatmakethecontractoneofusufruct?
A:Ausufructisacontractbywhichtheusufructuaryisallowedbytheownertoenjoythefruits.
Bythat,itmeansthatthemaincauseoftheusufructistoenjoythefruits.Inacontractof
commodatum,theconsiderationistheuseofthethingandifthereisastipulationforthe
enjoymentofthefruits,itmustonlybeincidentaltotheuseofthethingitself.
Republicv.Bagtas,6SCRA262(1962)
BagtasborrowedthreebullsfromtheBureauofAnimalIndustryforaperiodofoneyearwith
breedingchargeat10%ofbookvalue.Afteroneyear,thecontractwasrenewedonlyforonebull
butBagtasdidnotreturnthetwo,oneofwhichdiedbecauseofgunshotwoundduringtheHuk
raid.IsBagtasliableforthelossofthebull?
SupremeCourtheldthatBagtaswasliableforthelossofthebulleventhoughitwascausedbya
fortuitousevent.Ifthecontractwasoneoflease,thenthe10%breedingchargeiscompensation
(rent)fortheuseofthebullandBagtas,aslessee,issubjecttotheresponsibilitiesofapossessor.
Heisalsoinbadfaithbecausehecontinuedtopossessthebulleventhoughthetermofthe
contracthasalreadyexpired.Ifthecontractwasoneofcommodatum,heisstillliablebecause:
(1)hekeptthebulllongerthantheperiodstipulatedand(2)thethingloanedhasbeendelivered
withappraisalofitsvalue(10%).
ObligationsoftheBailor
respectthedurationoftheloan,EXCEPTifthereisurgentneedorprecarium
demandimmediatereturnifthebaileecommitsactsofingratitude
Art.765:a)baileecommitsoffensesagainsttheperson,honororpropertyofthebailororthat
ofhiswifeandchildrenunderhisparentalauthorityb)baileeimputesanycriminaloffenseor
anyactinvolvingmoralturpitudeonthebailor,evenifheshouldproveit,EXCEPTiftheact
wascommittedagainstthebaileeorhisfamilyandc)baileeundulyrefusestogivesupporttothe
bailorwhenhewasmorallyboundtodoso
refundextraordinaryexpenses
providedthatthebaileeinformsthebailoraboutitbeforeincurringthem,EXCEPTiftheneed
isurgentHOWEVER,ifextraordinaryexpensesariseontheoccasionofactualuseofthething,
whetherbaileeisatfaultornot,theyshallbebornebybothbailorandbaileeEXCEPTifthereis
acontrarystipulation(art.1949)
norightofabandonmentforexpensesanddamages
becausetheexpensesanddamagesmayexceedthevalueofthethingloaned
liablefordamagesifheknewoftheflawsofthethingloanedanddidnotinformthebailee,
whoincursdamagesbyreasonthereof
REQUISITES:
1. thereisaflawordefectinthethingloaned
2. theflawordefectishidden
3. thebailorisawarethereof
4. hedoesnotadvisethebaileeofthesame
5. thebaileesuffersdamagesbyreasonofsuchflawordefect
liabilityisbyreasonofbailorsbadfaithsoifbailorisnotawareofthedefect,heisnotliable

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