Session Seven
I.
Rights and Obligations of the Vendor - Art. 1495 A.
To transfer ownership Who can transfer ownership? General Rule - Arts. 1505-1506, 1547
Article 1505. Subject
to the provisions of this Title, where goods are sold by a person who is not the owner thereof, and who does not sell them under authority or with the consent of the owner, the buyer acquires no better title to the goods than the seller had, unless the owner of the goods is by his conduct precluded from denying the seller's authority to sell. Nothing in this Title, however, shall affect: (1) The provisions of any factors' act, recording laws, or any other provision of law enabling the apparent owner of goods to dispose of them as if he were the true owner thereof; (2) The validity of any contract of sale under statutory power of sale or under the order of a court of competent jurisdiction; (3) Purchases made in a merchant's store, or in fairs, or markets, in accordance with the Code of Commerce and special laws. (n) Article 1506. Where
the seller of goods has a voidable title thereto, but his title has not been avoided at the time of the sale, the buyer acquires a good title to the goods, provided he buys them in good faith, for value, and without notice of the seller's defect of title. (n) Article 1547. In
a contract of sale, unless a contrary intention appears, there is:
(1) An implied warranty on the part of the seller that he has a right to sell the thing at the time when the ownership is to pass, and that the buyer shall from that time have and enjoy the legal and peaceful possession of the thing; (2) An implied warranty that the thing shall be free from any hidden faults or defects, or any charge or encumbrance not declared or known to the buyer. This article shall not, however, be held to render liable a sheriff, auctioneer, mortgagee, pledgee, or other person professing to sell by virtue of authority in fact or law, for the sale of a thing in which a third person has a legal or equitable interest. (n)
Cuison v. Remoto, 472 SCRA 274, October 11, 2005
Exceptions: Art. 1505 Article 1505. Subject
to the provisions of this Title, where goods are sold by a person who is not the owner thereof, and who does not sell them under authority or with the consent of the owner, the buyer acquires no better title to the goods than the seller had, unless the owner of the goods
is by his conduct precluded from denying the seller's authority to sell. Nothing in this Title, however, shall affect: (1) The provisions of any factors' act, recording laws, or any other provision of law enabling the apparent owner of goods to dispose of them as if he were the true owner thereof; (2) The validity of any contract of sale under statutory power of sale or under the order of a court of competent jurisdiction; (3) Purchases made in a merchant's store, or in fairs, or markets, in accordance with the Code of Commerce and special laws. (n)
1.
Estoppel- Arts. 1431, 1433-1434
Article 1431. Through
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. Article 1433. Estoppel
may in pais or by deed.
Article 1434. When
a person who is not the owner of a thing sells or alienates and delivers it, and later the seller or grantor acquires title thereto, such title passes by operation of law to the buyer or grantee.
2. 3.
Sale by an apparent owner Purchase at Merchant’s Store, Market or Fair – Art. 559
Article 559. The
possession of movable property acquired in good faith is equivalent to a title. Nevertheless, one who has lost any movable or has been unlawfully deprived thereof, may recover it from the person in possession of the same. If the possessor of a movable lost or which the owner has been unlawfully deprived, has acquired it in good faith at a public sale, the owner cannot obtain its return without reimbursing the price paid therefor. (464a)
Sun Bros. v. Velasco, 54 O.G. 5143, August 11, 1958 Salonga v. Concepcion, 470 SCRA 291, September 20, 2005 Sigaya v. Mayuga, 467 SCRA 341, August 18, 2005 Premiere Dev’t Bank v. Court of Appeals, 453 SCRA 630, March 18, 2005 Siy Cong Bieng and Co. v. HSBC, 56 Phil 598 [ 1932] Masiclat v. Centeno, May 31, 1956
When/How transfer is effected? - Arts. 1477, 1459, 1496, 1547, 1588 Article 1477. The
ownership of the thing sold shall be transferred to the vendee upon the actual or constructive delivery thereof. (n) Article 1459. The
thing must be licit and the vendor must have a right to transfer the ownership thereof at the time it is delivered. (n) Article 1496. The
ownership of the thing sold is acquired by the vendee from the moment it is
delivered to him in any of the ways specified in articles 1497 to 1501, or in any other manner signifying an agreement that the possession is transferred from the vendor to the vendee. (n) Article 1547. In
a contract of sale, unless a contrary intention appears, there is:
(1) An implied warranty on the part of the seller that he has a right to sell the thing at the time when the ownership is to pass, and that the buyer shall from that time have and enjoy the legal and peaceful possession of the thing; (2) An implied warranty that the thing shall be free from any hidden faults or defects, or any charge or encumbrance not declared or known to the buyer. This article shall not, however, be held to render liable a sheriff, auctioneer, mortgagee, pledgee, or other person professing to sell by virtue of authority in fact or law, for the sale of a thing in which a third person has a legal or equitable interest. (n) Article 1588. If
there is no stipulation as specified in the first paragraph of article 1523, when the buyer's refusal to accept the goods is without just cause, the title thereto passes to him from the moment they are placed at his disposal. (n)
General Rule:
Ilao-Quianay v. Mapile, 474 SCRA 246, October 25, 2005
Exceptions: 1. sale or return - Art. 1502(1) Article 1502. When
goods are delivered to the buyer "on sale or return" to give the buyer an option to return the goods instead of paying the price, the ownership passes to the buyer on delivery, but he may revest the ownership in the seller by returning or tendering the goods within the time fixed in the contract, or, if no time has been fixed, within a reasonable time. (n) When goods are delivered to the buyer on approval or on trial or on satisfaction, or other similar terms, the ownership therein passes to the buyer: (1) When he signifies his approval or acceptance to the seller or does any other act adopting the transaction; (2) If he does not signify his approval or acceptance to the seller, but retains the goods without giving notice of rejection, then if a time has been fixed for the return of the goods, on the expiration of such time, and, if no time has been fixed, on the expiration of a reasonable time. What is a reasonable time is a question of fact. (n)
2.
sale on approval or trial Art. 1502(2)
Article 1502. When
goods are delivered to the buyer "on sale or return" to give the buyer an option to return the goods instead of paying the price, the ownership passes to the buyer on delivery, but he may revest the ownership in the seller by returning or tendering the goods within the time fixed in the contract, or, if no time has been fixed, within a reasonable time. (n) When goods are delivered to the buyer on approval or on trial or on satisfaction, or other similar terms, the ownership therein passes to the buyer:
(1) When he signifies his approval or acceptance to the seller or does any other act adopting the transaction; (2) If he does not signify his approval or acceptance to the seller, but retains the goods without giving notice of rejection, then if a time has been fixed for the return of the goods, on the expiration of such time, and, if no time has been fixed, on the expiration of a reasonable time. What is a reasonable time is a question of fact. (n)
3.
conditional sales - Arts. 1478, 1503(1), 1458(2)
Article 1478. The
parties may stipulate that ownership in the thing shall not pass to the purchaser until he has fully paid the price. (n) Article 1503. When
there is a contract of sale of specific goods, the seller may, by the terms of the contract, reserve the right of possession or ownership in the goods until certain conditions have been fulfilled. The right of possession or ownership may be thus reserved notwithstanding the delivery of the goods to the buyer or to a carrier or other bailee for the purpose of transmission to the buyer. Where goods are shipped, and by the bill of lading the goods are deliverable to the seller or his agent, or to the order of the seller or of his agent, the seller thereby reserves the ownership in the goods. But, if except for the form of the bill of lading, the ownership would have passed to the buyer on shipment of the goods, the seller's property in the goods shall be deemed to be only for the purpose of securing performance by the buyer of his obligations under the contract. Where goods are shipped, and by the bill of lading the goods are deliverable to order of the buyer or of his agent, but possession of the bill of lading is retained by the seller or his agent, the seller thereby reserves a right to the possession of the goods as against the buyer. Where the seller of goods draws on the buyer for the price and transmits the bill of exchange and bill of lading together to the buyer to secure acceptance or payment of the bill of exchange, the buyer is bound to return the bill of lading if he does not honor the bill of exchange, and if he wrongfully retains the bill of lading he acquires no added right thereby. If, however, the bill of lading provides that the goods are deliverable to the buyer or to the order of the buyer, or is indorsed in blank, or to the buyer by the consignee named therein, one who purchases in good faith, for value, the bill of lading, or goods from the buyer will obtain the ownership in the goods, although the bill of exchange has not been honored, provided that such purchaser has received delivery of the bill of lading indorsed by the consignee named therein, or of the goods, without notice of the facts making the transfer wrongful. (n) Article 1458. By
the contract of sale one of the contracting parties obligates himself to transfer the ownership and to deliver a determinate thing, and the other to pay therefor a price certain in money or its equivalent. A contract of sale may be absolute or co nditional. (1445a)
Vallarta v. Court of Appeals, 150 SCRA 336, May 29, 1987
