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Chapter1 – Nature and Form of the Contract Articles 1458 to • Elements of the Contract of Sale ENA

1488 1) Essential elements – those without which there can be


no valid sale
Article 1458. Sale Defined 1) Consent or meeting of the minds
2) Determinate subject matter
• Sale is a CONTRACT where one party obligates himself to transfer 3) Price certain in money or its equivalent
ownership of and to deliver a determinate thing, while the other
party obligates himself to pay for said thing a price certain in 2) Natural elements – those which are inherent in the
money or its equivalent. contract, and which in the absence of any contrary
provision, are deemed to exist in the contract
Vendor/Seller Vendee/Buyer 1) Warranty against eviction – deprivation of
→ To transfer → To pay price certain in property brought
ownership(fundamental money or its equivalent 2) Warranty against hidden defects
aim of the contract of
sale); and 3) Accidental elements – those that may be present or
absent in the stipulation, such as the place or time of
→ To deliver a determinate payment, or the presence of conditions
thing
• Stages in the Contract of Sale NPC
• Essential Characteristics of the Contract of Sale COP-CBN 1) Generation or Negotiation
2) Perfection – meeting of the minds
C Consensual Perfected by mere consent 3) Consummation – when the object is delivered and the
O Onerous To acquire the rights, valuable price is paid
consideration must be given
P Principal For the contract of sale to validly exist, • People’s Homesite v. Court of Appeals, L-61623, Dec. 26, 1984
there is no necessity for it to demand upon If subdivision lot is sold to a buyer on condition that the higher
the existence of another valid contract. authorities would approve the same, there is as yet NO perfected
C Commutative The values exchanged are almost sale.
equivalent to each other
B Bilateral Both parties are bound by obligations • Sps. VivicencioBabasa and Elena Cantos Babasa v. CA, et.al. GR
reciprocal dependent upon each other 124045, May 21, 1993
N Nominate Code refers to it by a special designation or A deed of sale is ABSOLUTE in nature although a “conditional
name sale” absent such stipulation. In such cases, ownership of the
thing sold passes to the vendee upon the constructive or actual
delivery thereof.

• Heirs of RomanaIngjutiro, et. al. v. Sps Leon Casals and Lilia C.


Casals, et. al GR 134718, Aug. 20, 2001
It is essential that the vendors be the owners of the property
sold, otherwise they cannot dispose that which does not belong
to them.Nemodat quod non habet (No one can give more than Ownership 2. Title over generally 2. Ownership is retained
what he has) passes to the buyer by the seller,
upon delivery regardless of delivery
• Sale Distinguished from Dation in Payment and is not to pass
until full payment of
Sale Dation in Payment the price.
1. There is NO pre-existing 1. There is a pre-existing Effect of 3. After delivery has 3. Despite delivery, the
credit credit delivery been made, the seller is enforcing and
2. Gives rise to obligation 2. Extinguishes obligation seller has lost not rescinding the
3. The cause or consideration 3. The cause or consideration ownership and contract if he seeks to
here is the PRICE, from here, from the viewpoint of cannot recover oust the buyer for
the viewpoint of the seller, the person offering he unless the contract is failure to pay , since
or the obtaining of the dation in payment, is the resolved or rescinded he retains the
OBJECT, from the extinguishment of his debt; ownership.
viewpoint of the buyer. from the viewpoint of the
creditor, it is the acquisition • “Sale” Distinguished from “Assignment of Property in Favor of
of the object offered in lieu Creditors (Cession)”
of the original credit
4. There is greater freedom 4. There is less freedom in Art. 1255 of the Civil Code provides the concept of cession that
in the determination of the determining the price “debtor may cede or assign his property to pay his creditors in
price. payment of hide debts. This cession, unless there is a stipulation
5. The giving of the price 5. The giving of the object in to the contrary, shall only release the debtor from responsibility
may generally end the lieu of the credit may of the net proceeds of the thing assigned. The agreements
obligation of the buyer extinguish completely or which, on the effect of cession, are made between the debtor
partially the credit and his creditors shall be governed by special laws.”

Manresa Definition: “consists in the abandonment of all the


• “Contract of Sale” Distinguished from “Contract to Sell” property of the debtor for the benefit of his creditors in order that
the latter may apply the proceeds thereof to the satisfaction of
Contract of Sale Contract to Sell heir credits.
Non- 1. Non-payment of 1. The payment of the
payment price is a resolutory price is a positive Dation in Payment Cession
of price condition; contract of suspensive condition. 1. One creditor is sufficient 1. There must be 2 or more
sale put an end to a Hence, if the price is creditors
transaction that once not paid, it is as if the 2. Not all properties of the 2. All the debtor’s properties
upon a time existed obligation of the debtor are conveyed are conveyed
seller to deliver and 3. Debtor may be solvent or 3. Cession takes place only if
to transfer ownership insolvent the debtor is insolvent
never became 4. The creditor becomes the 4. The creditors do not
effective and binding owner of the thing become owners of the thing
conveyed conveyed. • Artates and Pojas v. Urbi, et. al. L-29421, January 30, 1971
Under Section 118 of the Public Land Act (Com. Act 141), such
• Sale Distinguished from Lease homestead generally cannot be sold, cannot be encumbered and
In a sale, the seller transfers ownership; in a lease, the lessor or cannot be held liable for the satisfaction of any debt
landlord transfers merely the temporary possession and use of CONTRACTED prior to the expiration of the period of 5 years
the property. from and after the date of the issuance of the patent or grant.
The sale, therefore of a homestead patent which was made less
• Kinds of Extrajudicial Foreclosure Sale than 4 years after the acquisition of the couple of the land is NOT
1) Ordinary execution sale – governed by the pertinent VALID.
provisions of Rule 39 of the Rules of Court
2) Judicial foreclosure sale – governed by the pertinent
provisions of Rule 68 of the Rules of Court • Transfer of ownership
3) Extrajudicial foreclosure sale – governed by Act 3135, a) It is essential for a seller to transfer ownership (Art.
amended by Act 4118, “An Act to Regulate the Sale of 1458) and, therefore, the seller must be the owner of the
Property Under Special Powers Inserted In or Annexed to subject sold. (Nobody can dispose of that which does not
Real Estate Mortgages.” belong to him – nemodat quad non habet)
b) Although the seller must be the owner, he need not be
the owner at the time that he is the owner at the time of
the perfection of the contract. It is sufficient that he is he
Article 1459. Lawfulness of the Object and Right to Transfer Ownership owner at the time the object is delivered.
c) The seller need not be the owner at the time of
The thing must be licit and the vendor must have a right to transfer the perfection because, after all, “future things or goods,”
ownership thereof at the time it is delivered. inter alia, may be sold.
→ There can be a sale of future property, there can
• 2 rules: generally be no donation of future property. (Aer.
a) The object must be LICIT 751, CC)
b) The vendor must have the RIGHT to transfer OWNERSHIP d) A person who has a right over a thing (although he is not
at the time the object is delivered the owner of the thing itself) may sell such right. Hence,
a usufructuary may generally sell his usufructuary right.
• Licit object
a) Word licit means lawful, i.e., within the commerce of man • Santos v. Macapinlac and Pinlac, 51 Phil. 224
b) Things may be illicit: FACTS: A mortgaged his land to B, but sold the land to C. give
1) Per se (of its nature) the effect of the transaction.
2) Per accidens (made illegal by provision of the law)
c) If the object of the sale is illicit, the contract is null and HELD: A, being the owner, could sell the property to C who after
void. (Art. 1409), and cannot, therefore, be ratified. delivery became the owner, subject to B’s right to foreclose the
d) The right of redemption may be sold. So also may mortgage upon non-payment of the mortgage credit. B does not
literary, artistic, and scientific works. A usufruct may also have to give C anything, even if the mortgage is foreclosed, for
be sold. the simple reason that B did not sell the property to him. Neither
did B receive the purchase price.
Note: B has no right to nullify the contract between A and C Article 1460. Meaning of Determinate
provided that C is in good faith.
A thing is determinate when it is particularly designated or physically
• Lichauco v. Olegario and Olegario, 43 Phil. 540 segregated from all others of the same class.
FACTS: A owed B, and was declared a judgment debtor. To pay
the debt, A’s properties were attached. At the auction sale, B was The requisite that a thing be determinate is satisfied if at the time the
the highest bidder. Now then, under the law, the debtor, A, has contract is entered into, the thing is capable of being made determinate
the right to redeem the property sold within a certain period. A, without the necessity of a new or further agreement between the parties.
however, sold his right of redemption to C. B now seeks a court
declaration to the effect that the sale of the right of redemption • Meaning of determinate:
to C be considered fraudulent and void. a) The object of the sale must be determinate, i.e., specific,
but it is not essential really that at the time of perfection,
HELD: The sale of the right of redemption to C is perfectly valid, the object be already specific. It is sufficient that it ne
since A, the seller, was the owner of the right. capable of being determinate without the need of any
new agreement
Note: B has no right to question the sale of the right of
redemption of A to C, unless what was sold was the property. b) However, from the viewpoint of risk or loss, not until the
object has really been made determinate can we say that
• UyPiaco v. Micking, et. al., 10 Phil. 286 the object has been lost, for as is well known, “generic
FACTS: A corporate stockholder sold his share to another, but the things cannot be lost.”
sale has not yet been recorded in the books of the corporation. Is
the sale valid? • Yu Tek v. Gonzales, 29 Phil. 384
FACTS: Seller sold 600 piculs of sugar to buyer. Because seller
HELD: As between the seller and the buyer, the sale is perfectly was not able to produce 600 piculs on his sugar plantation he
valid since the seller was the owner of the corporate shares. was not able to deliver. Is he liable?
However, as between the corporation and the buyer, the latter
has acquired only an EQUITABLE TITLE which may eventually HELD: Yes, because no specific lot of sugar can be pointed out
ripen into a legal title after he presents himself to the corporation as having been lost. Sugar here was still generic.
and performs the acts required to effectuate the transfer.
Note: Understood correctly, however, there can sometimes be
• Martin v. Reyes, et. al, 91 Phil. 666 the sale of a generic thing but the obligations till specific
HELD: The vendor need not own the property at the time of designation is made naturally different.
perfection, it is being sufficient that he be the owner at the time
he is to deliver the object. The contention that there is no sale is
rather too technical a viewpoint. The deed of sale may be placed Article 1461. Things with Potential Existence
in the same category as a promise to convey the land not yet
owned by the vendor – an obligation which nevertheless may be Things having potential existence may be the object of the contract of
enforced. sale.
The efficacy of the sale of a mere hope or expectancy is deemed subject existing goods, owned or possessed by the seller, or goods to be
to the condition that the thing will come into existence. manufactured, raised, or acquired by the seller after the perfection of the
contract of sale, in this Title called “future goods.”
The sale of a vain hope or expectancy is void.
There may be a contract of sale of goods, whose acquisition by the seller
• Sale of a “mere hope or expectancy” depends upon a contingency.
The hope or expectancy already exists; what does not yet exist is
the expected thing. Therefore, for the 2nd paragraph to have • Sale of goods may be future or existing.
some sense, it should refer to a sale of “an expected thing,” not • Future goods are those still to be:
to the “hope or expectancy” a) Manufactured or printed
b) Raised or future agricultural products
• Emptio Rei Speratae and Emptio Spei c) Acquired by the seller after the perfection of the contract
a) Emptio Rei Speratae – the sale of an expected thing → This is also referred to as the sale of “hereafter-
b) Emptio Spei – the sale of the hope itself acquired” property
d) Things whose acquisition depends upon a contingency
EmptioReiSperatae EmptioSpei which may or may not happen
If the expected thing does not materialize:
The sale is not effective It does not matter whether the Article 1463. Sale of Undivided Interest
expected thing materialize or
not; what is important is that The sole owner of a thing may sell an undivided interest therein.
the hope itself validly existed.
What it deals: • Fergusin v, Northern Bank of Ky., 14 Buck [Ky] 555, 29 Am. Rep.
Deals with a future thing – Deals with a present thing – 418)
that which is expected for certainly hope or If I own a house, I may sell an aliquot part thereof (say ½ or
expectancy already exists 1/3) to somebody, I which case he and I will become co-owners.

Note: The presumption is in favour of an emptio rei speratae. • A full owner may sell the usufruct of his land leaving the naked
ownership to himself.
• Vain Hope or Expectancy
If the hope or expectancy itself is vain, the sale is itself VOID. Be • Asian Terminals, Inc. v. Philam Insurance Co., Inc. 702 SCRA 88
it noted that this is NOT an aleatory contract for while in an A letter of credit (L/C) is a financial device developed by
aleatory contract there is an element of chance, here, there is merchants as a convenient and relatively safe mode of dealing
completely NO CHANCE. with sale of goods to satisfy the seemingly irreconcilable interests
of a seller, who refuses to part with his goods before he is paid,
Example: Sale of a losing ticket for a sweepstakes already run. and a buyer, who wants to have control of his goods before
Exception: If the ticket be a collector’s item. paying

Article 1462. Sale of Goods Article 1464. Sale of Share in a Specific MassGoods

The goods which form the subject of a contract of sale may be either In the case of fungible goods, there may be a sale of an undivided share
of specific mass, though the seller purports to sell and the buyer to buy a 1) A’s right is registered
definite number, weight or measure of the goods in the mass, and 2) Or even if not, if C had actual knowledge of the right of
though the number, weight or measure of the goods in the mass in redemption. (It has been held that actual knowledge is
undetermined. By such sale the buyer becomes owner in common of equivalent to registration)
such a share of the mass as the number, weight or measure bought
bears to the number, weight or measure of the mass. If the mass Article 1466. Distinctions Between a ‘Contract of Sale’ and an ‘Agency
contains less than the number, weight or measure bought, the buyer to Sell’ (like a Consignment for Sale)
becomes the owners of the whole mass and the seller s bound to make
good the deficiency from goods of the same kind and quality, unless a In construing a contract containing provisions characteristic of both the
contrary intent appears. contract of sale and of the contract of agency to sell, the essential
clauses of the whole instrument shall be considered.
• Example: In a stock of rice, the exact number of cavans of which
is still unknown, Jose buys 100 cavans. If there are really 150, Contract of Sale Agency to Sell
Jose becomes the co-owner of the whole lot, his own share being Price The buyer pays the price The agent delivers the price
2/3 thereof. which in turn he get from his
buyer
• Forest Hills Golf and Country Club v. Vertox Sales and Trading, Ownership The buyer after delivery The agent who is supposed
Inc., 692 SCRA 706 becomes the owner to sell does not become the
The corporation whose shares of stocks are subject of a transfer owner, even if the property
transaction (through sale, assignment, donation or any other has already been delivered to
mode of conveyance) need not be a party to the transaction. him
Warranty The seller warrants The agent who sells assumes
However, to bind the corporation as well as third parties, it is no personal liability as long
necessary that the transfer is recorded in the books of the as he acts within his
corporation. authority and in the name of
the principal.
Article 1465. Sale of Things Subject to a Resolutory Condition
• Example:
Things subject to a resolutory condition may be the object of the contract X acquired a booklet of 10 sweepstakes tickets directly from the
of sale. office of the PCSO. X paid P1,800 for the booklet, less the customary
discount. What was the legal nature of X’s act in acquiring the
Examples: tickets? Did he enter into a contract of purchase and sale? Briefly
a) A property subject to reservatroncal may be sold. explain your answer.
b) A usufruct that may end when the naked owner becomes a lawyer
may be sold ANS.: Yes, X entered into a contract of purchase and sale,
c) A sold B the former’s land a retro. After delivery to B, B becomes an notwithstanding the fact that he may be referred to as “agent” of
absolute owner subject to the right of redemption. This land may be the Sweepstakes Office, and the fact that he may be entitled to an
sold by B to C, a stranger, subject to the right of redemption; i.e., C “agent’s prize” should one of the tickets purchased win a principal
must respect the right of A to redeem the property within the prize. The truth is that he is not required to re sell the tickets, and
stipulated period if: even if he were to do so, still failure on the part of his purchasers to
pay will not allow him to recover what he himself has paid to the HELD: This was an AGENCY TO SELL despite the disclaimer in
office. Moreover, the delivery of the tickets to him transferred their the contract referring to the non-representation. What is important
ownership to him; this is not true in the case of an agency to sell. is that the US Rubber International retained ownership over the
Furthermore, it has been said that in a contract of sale, the buyer goods, and the price subject to its control, despite the delivery.
pays the price; while in agency to sell, the agent delivers the price.
The mere fact that a “discount” or so called commission has been Article 1467. Contract of Sale or a Piece of Work
given is immaterial. (Quiroga v. Parsons Hardware Co., 38 Phil. 501)
A contract for the delivery at a certain price of an article which the
• Quiroga v. Pasons Hardware Co., 38 Phil. 501 vendor in the ordinary course of his business manufactures or procures
FACTS: Plaintiff granted defendant the right to sell as an “agent” for the general market, whether the same is on hand at the time or not,
Quiroga beds in the Visayas. The defendant was obliged under the is a contract of sale, but if the goods are to be manufactures specially for
contract to pay for the beds, at a discount of 25% as commission on the customer and upon his special order, and not for the general market,
the sales. The payment had to be made whether or not the it is a contract for a piece of work.
defendant was able to sell the beds. Is this a contract of sale, or an
agency to sell? • Rules to determine if the contract is one of sale or a piece of work
a) If ordered in the ordinary course of business – SALE
ANS: This is clearly a contract of sale. There was an obligation b) If manufactured specially and not for the market – PIECE OF
to supply the beds, and a reciprocal obligation to pay their price. An WORK CONTRACT
agent does not pay the price, he merely delivers it. If he is not able
to sell, he returns the goods. This not true in the present contract,
for the price was fixed and there was a duty to pay the same • Schools of taught
regardless as to whether or not the defendant had sold the beds. a) Massachusetts Rule: If specially done at the order of another,
The phrase “commission on sales” means nothing more than a mere this is a contract for a piece of work
discount on the invoice price. The word “agent” simply means that → We follow Massachusetts Rule in the Philippines
the defendant was the only one who could sell the plaintiff’s beds in b) New York Rule: If the thing already exists, it is a SALE, if not,
the Visayas. At any rate, a contract is what the law defines it to be, WORK
and not what it is called by the contracting parties. c) English Rule: If material is more valuable, SALE; if skill is more
valuable, WORK
• Ker and Co., Ltd, v. Jose B. Lingad, L-20871, April 30, 1971
FACTS: In a contract between the US Rubber International • QUERY:
Company and Ker and Co., the former consigned to the latter certain If I ask someone to construct a house for me, is this a contract of
goods to be sold by the distributor. Prior to such sale, the Rubber sale or for a piece of work?
Company would remain the owner. The contract, however, stated
expressly that Ker and Co. was not being made an agent, and could ANS: If he will construct on his own land, and I will get both
not bind the company. the land and the house it would seem that this can be very well
treated as a sale.
ISSUE: Between the 2 entities here, was there as contract of
SALE or one of AGENCY TO SELL? Article 1468. Contract of Sale or Barter

If the consideration of the contract consists partly in money, and partly in


another thing, the transaction shall be characterized by the manifest →The failure to pay the agreed price does not cancel a sale for lack
intention of the parties. If such intention does not clearly appear, it shall of consideration, for the consideration is still there, namely, the
be considered a barter if the value of the thing given as part of the price.
consideration exceeds the amount of money or its equivalent; otherwise,
it is a sale. • If the money is counterfeit, would sale be still valid?

• Rules to determine whether contract is one of sale or barter ANS: Yes, for we cannot say that the consideration or cause of
a) First rule – intent the contract is the illegal currency. The real consideration or cause is
b) If the intent does not clearly appear – still be the VALUE or price agreed upon.
1) If the thing is more valuable than money – BARTER
2) If 50-50 – SALE • Reparations Commission v Judge Morfe, GR 35796, Jan. 31, 1983
3) If thing is less valuable than he money – SALE If a contract for the acquisition of reparation goods does not specify
the conversion rate of the dollar value of the goods, the conversion
rate shall be the exchange rate of exchange prevailing in the free
Article 1469. Certainty of the Price market at the time the goods are delivered.
• If no specific amount has been agreed upon, the price is still
In order that the price may be considered certain, it shall be sufficient considered certain:
that it be so with reference to another thing certain, or that the a) if it be certain with reference t another thing certain;
determination thereof be left to the judgment of a specified person or b) if the determination of the price is left to the judgment of a
persons. specified person or persons;
c) in the case provided for under Art. 1472, Civil Code
Should such person or persons be unable or unwilling to fix it, the
contract shall be inefficacious, unless the parties subsequently agree • Robles v. LizarragaHermanos, 50 Phil. 387
upon the price. If the buyer and seller agreed on a sale and on determining the
price by a joint appraisal, the sale is still valid even if the buyer later
If the third person or persons acted in bad faith or by mistake, the courts on refuses to join the appraisal. The bad faith of the buyer holds him
may fix the price. liable for the true value of the object. The true value can be
established by competent evidence.
Where such third person or persons are prevented from fixing the price
or terms by fault of the seller or the buyer, the party not in fault may Article 1470. Gross Inadequacy of Price
have such remedies against the party in fault as are allowed the seller or
the buyer, as the case may be. Gross inadequacy of price does not affect a contract of sale, except as it
may indicate a defect in the consent, or that the parties really intended a
• The price must be certain; otherwise, there is no true consent donation or some other act or contract.
between the parties
→ There can be no sale without a price • Effect of Gross Inadequacy of Price
→If the price is fixed but is later on remitted or condoned, this is a) In ordinary sale, the sale remains valid even if the price is very
perfectly all right, for then the price would not be fictitious low. Of course, if there was vitiated consent, the contract may
be annulled but only due to such vitiated consent.
→ The fact that the bargain was a hard one is not important, • A simulated price is fictitious. There being no price, there is no cause
the sale having been made freely and voluntarily (Askay v or consideration; hence, the contract is void as a sale. However it is
Cosolan, 46 Phil. 79) enough that the price be agreed on at the time of perfection. A
→ The rule holds true even if the price seems too rescission of the price will not invalidate the sale.
inadequate as to shock the conscience of man. (Alarcon v.
Kasilag, 40 OG Sup. No. 16, p.203) • If the sale of conjugal property is FICTITIOUS and therefore non-
b) In execution of judicial sales – While mere inadequacy of price existent, the widow who has an interest in the property subject of
will not set aside a judicial sale of real property, still the price the sale may be allowed to contest the sale, even BEFORE the
is so inadequate as to shock the conscience of the Court, it will liquidation of the conjugal partnership, making the executor a party-
set aside. defendant if he refuses to do so. (Borromeo v. Borromeo, 98 Phil.
→ As a matter of fact, it may be that the extremely low price 432)
was the result not of a sale but of a contract of loan, with
the price paid as the principal and the object, given
merely as security. In case like this, the contract will be Article 1472. Certainty of Priceof Securities
interpreted to be one of loan with an equitable mortgage.
The remedy would then be the reformation of the The price of securities, grain, liquids, and other things shall also be
instrument. considered certain, when the price fixed is that which the thing sold
→ A buyer at a judicial sale is allowed to resell to others would have on a definite day, or in a particular exchange or market, or
what he has acquired. The mere fact that he demands a when an amount is fixed above or below the price on such day or in such
very high price is of no consequence. exchange or market, provided such amount be certain.

• It is possible that a donation, not a sale, was really intended. In • Example: I can sell to you today my Mont Blanc fountain pen at the
such a case, the parties may prove that the low price is sufficiently price equivalent to the stock quotation 2 days from today of 100
explained by the consideration of liberality. (Art. 1470, last shares of PLDT
paragraph)
• If the stock quotation price 2 days later cannot really be ascertained
Article 1471. Simulated Price at that time, the sale is inefficacious. Note the last clause in the
article – “provided said amounts be certain.”
If the price is simulated, the sale is void, but the act may be shown to
have been in reality a donation, or some other act or contract. Article 1473. Price Cannot be Left to One Party’s Discretion

• The price must not be fictitious. Therefore, if the price is merely The fixing of the price can never be left to the discretion of one of the
simulated, the contract as a sale is void. It may however, be valid as contracting parties. However, if the price fixed by one of the parties is
a donation or some other agreement provided the requirements of accepted by the other, the sale is perfected.
donations or other agreements have been complied with. If these
requirements do not exist, then as a sale, the contract is absolutely • Reason why price fixing cannot be left to the discretion of one of
void, not merely voidable. An action for annulment is therefore them: the other could not have consented to the price for he did not
essential. (De Belen v. Collector of Customs, 46 Phil. 241) know what it was.

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