VDA. DE SARMIENTO v. LESACA June 30, 1960 | Bautista Angelo, J. | Topic Topic Digester: Fausto, Jaime Manuel A. SUMMARY: armiento !oug"t a parcel o# lan$ #rom %esaca. &o'e(er, &o'e(er, no $eli(er) o# actual possession as ma$e !ecause o# one Martin Deloso*s claim o# o'ners"ip o(er t"e lan$. T"e +ourt "el$ t"at t"e rescission o# t"e contract o# purc"ase an$ sale 'as (ali$, #or %esaca #aile$ to $eli(er on "er reciprocal o!ligation to $eli(er t"e lan$ to t"e (en$ee. DOCTRINE: T"e eecution o# a $ee$ o# sal e in a pu!lic $ocument is e-ui(alent to $eli(er) o# possession o# lan$s, pro(i$e$ t"at t"ere 'as no impe$iment t"e 'oul$ pre(ent t"e passing o# propert) #rom one part) to anot"er. FACTS: armiento le$ a complaint in t"e +F/ o# am!ales pra)ing #or t"e rescission o# t"e contract o# sale eecute$ 'it" t"e $e#en$ant %esaca #or #ailure o# t"e latter to place t"e #ormer in t"e actual p")sical possession o# t"e lan$s s"e !oug"t. armiento !oug"t t"e lan$ #or 2,000 an$ '"en s"e trie$ to tae actual p")sical possession, s"e 'as pre(ente$ !) one Martin Deloso '"o claime$ to ! e t"e o'ner. o'ner.1 %ater, s"e 'ent a#ter %esaca an$ ase$ #or anot"er lan$ o# t"e same in$ or t"e return o# t"e purc"ase price 'it" interest, to '"ic" %esaca re#use$. +F/: Declare$ t"at t"e sale 'as rescin$e$, or$ere$ t"e return o# t"e purc"ase price, plus t"e epenses #or t"e registration o# t"e $ee$ o# sale, plus interest. +A: +ertie$ t"e case to t"e + !ecause it in(ol(e$ -uestions o# la'.
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&o'e(er, i# t"e sale 'ere eecute$ t"roug" a pu!lic instrument, suc" 'oul$ !e e-ui(alent to $eli(er) unless the contrary appears or is clearly to be inferred from such instrument.
Whether there i# $* #ti&u%$tio i the #$%e to i!er th$t the ve"er "i" ot to ite" "e%iver &o##e##io i #&ite o! the &u'%ic "ocu(et + NONE. T"e contract pro(i$e$ t"at t"e (en$ee s"oul$ 8tae actual possession t"ereo# 'it" #ull rig"ts to $ispose, en7o) an$ mae use t"ereo# in suc" manner an$ #orm as 'oul$ !e most a$(antageous to "ersel#,8 re#erring to actual an$ not s)m!olical possession. •
Whether the ve"or co(&%ie" ,ith her ex&re## co((it(et to "e%iver &o##e##io o! the %$" #o%" - NO.
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RULING: etition grante$. Whether the executio o! the "ee" o! #$%e i $ &u'%ic "ocu(et i# e)uiv$%et to "e%iver* o! &o##e##io o! %$"# + YES. Accor$ing to Articles 1461 an$ 1465 o# t"e l$ +i(il +o$e, t"e (en$or is !oun$ ot $eli(er to t"e (en$ee t"e t"ing sol$ !) placing t"e latter in t"e cotro% an$ &o##e##io o# t"e su!7ect matter in t"e contract. •
1 %esaca later a!an$one$ t"e action against Delos o
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armiento 'as ne(er a!le to tae possession o# t"e lan$ !ecause o# t"e re#usal an$ inter#erence o# Ma rtin Deloso, '"o claime$ o'ners"ip. Despite t"e la' stating t"at t"e eecution o# a pu!lic $ocument 'as e-ui(alent to $eli(er), suc" 'oul$ onl) !e possi!le i# t"ere is o i(&e"i(et t"at ma) pre(ent t"e passing o# t"e propert) to t"e (en$ee, '"ic" in t"is case, is Martin Deloso*s claim to o'ners"ip.
Whether S$r(ieto c$ re#ci" the cotr$ct o! #$%e - YES. T"e +ourt use$ Article 1154 o# t"e l$ ci(il +o$e, re#erring to reciprocal o!ligations. T"e contract o# purc"ase an$ sale is a reciprocal o!ligation an$ #ailure to compl) 'it" t"e o!ligation means t"at t"e one pre7u$ice$ can c"oose #ulllment or rescission. %esaca #aile$ to $eli(er t"e lan$ an$ as per t"e la', armiento "a$ t"e rig"t to c"oose t"e rescission o# t"e contract o# sale. •
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NOTES: AT. AT. 1461. T"e (en$or is !oun$ to $eli(er an$ 'arrant t"e t"ing '"ic" is t"e su!7ect;matter o# t"e sale. AT. AT. 1465. T"e t"ing; sol$ s"all !e $eeme$ $eli(ere$ '"en t"e (en$ee is place$ in t"e control an$ possession t"ereo#. /# t"e sale s"oul$ !e ma$e !) means o# a pu!lic instrument, t"e eecution t"ereo# s"all !e e-ui(alent to t"e $eli( er) o# t"e t"ing '"ic" is t"e su!7ect;matter o# t"e contract unless t"e •
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contrar) appears or is clearl) to !e in#erre$ #rom suc" instrument. AT. 1154. T"e rig"t to resol(e reciprocal o!ligations, in case one o# t"e o!ligors s"oul$ #ail to compl) 'it" t"at '"ic" is incum!ent upon "im, is $eeme$ to !e implie$. T"e person
pre7u$ice$ ma) c"oose !et'een eacting t"e #ulllment o# t"e o!ligation or its resolution 'it" in$emnit) #or losses an$ pa)ment o# interest in eit"er case. &e ma) also $eman$ t"e resolution o# t"e o!ligation e(en a#ter "a(ing electe$ its #ulllment, s"oul$ t"e latter !e #oun$ impossi!le.