Philippine Supreme Court Jurisprudence


Philippine Supreme Court Jurisprudence > Year 1935 > May 1935 Decisions > G.R. No. 42109 May 13, 1935 - PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK v. JOSE BENARES FERNANDEZ, ET AL.

061 Phil 448:




PHILIPPINE SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

EN BANC

[G.R. No. 42109. May 13, 1935.]

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JOSE BENARES FERNANDEZ ET AL., Defendants. JOSE BENARES FERNANDEZ, Appellant.

Simeon Bitanga for Appellant.

Roman J. Lacson for Appellee.

SYLLABUS


1. LAND; OWNERSHIP AND TITLE; INSUFFICIENCY OF TITLE. — Appellant’s deed of September 26, 1923 from U. V. and L. V. was of no force or effect with respect to the one-half interest which U. V. formerly had in the lot in question, because prior to that time he had already conveyed his interest to S. F., and a new transfer certificate of title had been issued in favor of S. F. and L. V. on September 6, 1920 (Exhibit B).

2. ID.; ID.; FAILURE TO PRESENT OWNER’S DUPLICATE OF CERTIFICATE OF TITLE TO REGISTER OF DEEDS. — As to the share of L. V., appellant’s deed from her could not prejudice third persons, because it was not registered on transfer certificate of title No. 2207 in the office of the register of deeds, and the reason therefor was the failure of the appellant to present the owner’s duplicate of said certificate to the register of deeds, as required by section 55 of Act No. 496. The appellant did not therefore acquire any right to the issuance of a new transfer certificate of title in his favor with respect to the interest of L. V. (Fidelity and Surety Co. v. Conegero Vda. de Lizarraga, 41 Phil., 396; Director of Lands v. Addison, 49 Phil., 19.)

3. ID.; ID.; ATTACHMENT AND SALE OF LAND FOR NON-PAYMENT OF TAXES. — When S. F. executed the document, Exhibit 3, on October 17, 1928, conveying her interest in the land to the appellant, her interest therein had already been attached by the provincial sheriff and sold by him at public auction to the Philippine National Bank, and the certificate of sale file in the office of the register of deeds in accordance with the law (sections 429 and 450 of the Code of Civil Procedure). It was not necessary for the sheriff to present the owner’s duplicate of the certificate of title when he filed notice of the attachment with the register of deeds, nor was it necessary for the Philippine National Bank to present the owner’s duplicate when the bank filed its certificate of sale for registration (sections 71 and 72 of Act No. 496).


D E C I S I O N


VICKERS, J.:


Jose Benares Fernandez, one of the defendants, appeals from a decision of the Court of First Instance of Occidental Negros, declaring the plaintiff to be the absolute owner of Lot No. 971 of the cadastral survey of Murcia and ordering the register of deeds of Occidental Negros to issue a new transfer certificate of title to said lot in favor of the plaintiff, and condemning the appellant to pay the costs.

Appellant’s attorney alleges that the lower court erred:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph

"1. Al no resolver en su sentencia que tan pronto se consiguio el segundo duplicado del certificado de transferencia de titulo No. 2207 del Lote No. 971 en cuestion, el Registrador de Titulos demandado tenia la obligacion legal y ministerial de expedir nuevo certificado de transferencia de titutlo a favor del primero que haya presentado su documento en el registro, o sea a favor del demandado Jose Benares Fernandez, en virtud de los contratos de compraventa anexos C y E del convenio de hechos, exhibitos 1 y 3 Benares.

"2. Al resolver en su sentencia que el Anexo L del parrafo 10 del convenio de hechos, es mas preferente que el Anexo C del parrafo 3. � del mismo convenio de hechos, debiendo aplicar la disposicion del articulo 1473 del Codigo Civil y teniendo en cuenta que Benares Fernandez estuvo en posesion del terreno desde el ano 1920 segun parrafo 6. � del citado convenio hasta la fecha, y fue el primero en presentar sus documentos en el registro de la propiedad, pagando los derechos de su inscripcion y registro.

"3. Al declarar en su sentencia que el documento Anexo E del convenio de hechos o sea el Exhibit 3 Benares, es nulo.

"4. Al declarar en su sentencia apelada (como secuela de sus anteriores errores), que el Banco Nacional Filipino es el dueno absoluto del Lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia, Negros Occidental y por consiguiente erro tambien al ordenar al Registrador de Titulos demandado que expida otro nuevo certificado de transferencia de titulo a favor de dicho banco y no a favor de Benares Fernandez.

"5. Al declarar en su sentencia que la impugnacion de la validez de la confiscacion del Lote No. 971 en cuestion por morosidad, no debe suscitarse en este procedimiento; y

"6. Al denegar la mocion de nueva vista."cralaw virtua1aw library

The defendants Leonor Villaranda, Cesareo Talam, and Urbano Villaranda did not appear or answer the complaint.

At the trial the attorneys for the plaintiff and the appellant stipulated.

"1. � Que el Lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia, estaba originariamente cubierto por el certificado original No. 8358, expedido por el Registrador de Titulos de Negros Occidental, el 15 de noviembre de 1917, a favor de Urbano Villaranda y Leonor Villaranda, esposa de Cesareo Talam, copia de cuyo certificado original de titulo se une como Anexo A;

"2. � Que con fecha 6 de septiembre de 1920, el Registrador de Titulos de Negros Occidental cancelo el certificado original de titulo No. 8358 y expidio, es su lugar, el Certificado de Transferencia de Titulo No. 2207, a nombre de Simona Fausa y Leonor Villaranda, copia de dicho certificado de transferencia No. 2207 se une como Anexo B;

"3. � Que con fecho 26 de septiembre de 1933, Urbano Villaranda y Leonor Villaranda, esta ultima acompanada de su marido Cesareo Talam, otorgaron, ante la fe del Notario Publico de Negros Occidental Sr. Ramon Frias, una escritura de venta, por la cantidad de P10,509, a favor de Jose Benares Fernandez, del Lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia, cubierto por el certificado original de titulo No. 8358, Este documento de venta fue presentado para su registro en la Oficina del Registrador de Titulos de Negros Occidental el 2 de enero de 1924, habiendose pagado los derechos de registro pero sin acompanarse al documento el duplicado para el dueno del certificado original de titulo No. 8358 o del certificado de transferencia de titulo No. 2207. Copia de la escritura de referencia se une como Anexo C;

"4. � Que con fecha 2 de mayo de 1928, el Registrador de Titulos de Negros Occidental, basandose en las disposiciones del articulo 72 de la Ley No. 496, requirio a Simona Fausa la entrega del duplicado del certificado de transferencia de titutlo No. 2207 y, con fecha 15 de mayo de 1928, Simona Fausa contesto al Registrador de Titulos diciendo que el referido certificado de transferencia No. 2207 estaba en poder de Leonor Villaranda, como una de los conduenos de dicho titulo. Copia de esta constestacion se une como Anexo D;

"5. � Que con fecha 17 de octubre de 1928, Simona Fausa, conduena de la mitad del referido Lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia, otorgo un documento publico de compraventa de su participacion a favor de Jose Benares Fernandez, por la cantidad de P2,500, y este documento se presento para su registro en la Oficina del Registrador de Titulos el 18 de octubre de 1928, habiendose pagado los derechos para su registro, pero sin acompanarse el documento la copia duplicada para el dueno del certificado de titulo correspondiente. Copia del documento de traspaso se une como Anexo E;

"6. � Que con fecha 16 de diciembre de 1920, Simona Fausa y Leonor Villaranda otorgaron un documento publico a favor de Jose Benares Montelibano, cediendole en usufructo el terreno conocido como lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia, por diez cosechas consecutivas, comenzando desde la cosecha de 1921-1922, por la cantidad de P1,000. Este documento se presento para su registro el 27 de abril de 1928, habiendose pagado los derechos para su inscripcion, pero sin acompanarse el documento la copia para el dueno del certificado de titulo que cubre el lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia;

"7. � Que con fecha 11 de junio de 1928, el Sheriff Provincial de Negros Occidental embargo preventivamente todo derecho, interes y participacion de Simona Fausa en el lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia, cubierto por el certificado de transferencia No. 2207. Este embargo, previo pago de los derechos correspondientes, se registro en la Oficina del Registrador de Titulos en la fecha arriba memcionada, pero tampoco se acompano el duplicado para el dueno del correspondiente certificado de titulo. Copia de la notificacion de embargo se une como Anexo F;

"8. � Que con fecha 22 de agosto de 1928, se presento para su registro en la Oficina del Registrador de Titulos de Negros Occidental el certificado de venta por P2,453.20 a favor del Banco Nacional Filipino, expedido por el Sheriff Provincial de Negros Occidental, de los derechos, intereses y participaciones de simona Fausa en el Lote No. 971 de Murcia, habiendose pagado los derechos de registro pero sin acompanarse el correspondiente certificado de registro pero sin acompanarse el correspondiente certificado de titulo. Copia de este certificado de venta se une como Anexo G;

"9. � Que habiendo quedado confiscado por el Gobierno por falta de pago de la contribucion territorial, el Lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia, con fecha 26 de abril de 1930, el Banco Nacional Filipino recompro dicho lote del Director de Terrenos, copia de los documentos de transpasocon otros documentos mas se unen como Anexo H;

"10. � Que con fecha 16 de septiembre de 1931, Leonor Villaranda y Simona Fausa, en documento publico, otorgaron a favor del Banco Nacional Filipino una escritura de venta del lote No. 971 del Catastro de Murcia, cubierto por el certificado de transferencia de titulo No. 2207, se presento para su registro en la Oficina del Registrador de Titulos de Negros Occidental el 26 de septiembre de 1931, habiendose pagado los derechos correspondientes y habiendose tambien presentado los recibos del pago de las costas catastrates. Copia del documento se une como Anexo I;

"11. � Que la contribucion territorial correspondiente a los anos de 1929 a 1933 fue pagado por el Banco Nacional Filipino, siendo dicha contribucion de P98 al ano. Los recibos correspondientes se unan a este convenio como anexos I y I-1;

"12. � Que en el expediente catastral correspondiente al lote No. 971 de Murcia, en dos ocasiones, o sea en los anos de 1930 y 1932, el Banco Nacional Filipino, hoy demandante, presento mociones para la expedicion del correspondiente certificado de transferencia de titulo a su nombre, porque el Registrador de Titulos no estaba dispuesto a expedir dicho titulo, pero en vista de las oposiciones presentadas por la representacion del hoy demandado Jose Benares Fernandez, el Juzgado denego dichas mociones y dijo que no era aquella la ocasion en que debe suscitarse la validez de las escrituras, sino en una demanda civil ordinaria. Dichas oposiciones se unen como anexos J y K."cralaw virtua1aw library

The attorney for Simona Fausa did not take part in the stipulation. The plaintiff and the appellant each presented some additional evidence. The land in question is lot No. 971 of the cadastral survey of Murcia, which was originally registered in favor of Urbano Villaranda and Leonor Villaranda, the wife of Cesareo Talam, in undivided equal shares. Original certificate of title No. 8358 was issued on November 15, 1917 (Exhibit A).

Appellant claims to be the owner of the land in question for the following reasons:chanrob1es virtual 1aw library

(1) Because he bought the land from Urbano Villaranda and Leonor Villaranda on November 26, 1923, as evidenced by public document, Exhibit 1, which was filed in the office of the register of deeds of Occidental Negros on January 2, 1924

(2) Because Simona Fausa, to whom Urbano Villaranda had conveyed his share prior to selling it to the appellant, sold her interest in the land to the appellant on October 17, 1928, as appears from the public document, Exhibit 3, which was filed in the office of the register of deeds on October 18, 1928.

The Philippine National Bank bases its claim on the following grounds:chanrob1es virtual 1aw library

(1) That the interest of Urbano Villaranda in lot No. 971 was sold to Simona Fausa, and transfer certificate of title No. 2207 was issued in favor of Simona Fausa and Leonor Villaranda on September 6, 1920; that the interest of Simona Fausa was attached on May 21, 1928 by the provincial sheriff of Occidental Negros and notice thereof filed in the office of the register of deeds on June 11, 1928; that on August 22, 1928 the provincial sheriff of Occidental Negros, by virtue of an order of execution issued in civil case No. 3413 of the Court of First Instance of Occidental Negros between the Philippine National Bank as plaintiff and Simona Fausa as defendant, sold the interest of Simona Fausa in said lot at public auction to the Philippine National Bank for P2,433.20 and the certificate of sale was filed in the office of the register of deeds on August 22, 1928;

(2) That the taxes on lot No. 971 were not paid for the years 1921 to 1928, and the land was confiscated by the Government of the Philippine Islands and became the property thereof, and on April 26, 1930 the Government of the Philippine Islands sold the land to the Philippine National Bank for P1,205.80;

(3) That on September 16, 1931 Simona Fausa and Leonor Villaranda sold and conveyed to the Philippine National Bank all their interest in said land by means of a public document, which was filed in the office of the register of deeds, together with transfer certificate of title No. 2207, on September 26, 1931 (Exhibit L).

Appellant’s deed of September 26, 1923 from Urbano Villaranda and Leonor Villaranda was of no force or effect with respect to the one- half interest which Urbano Villaranda formerly had in the lot in question, because prior to that time he had already conveyed his interest to Simona Fausa, and a new transfer certificate of title had been issued in favor of Simona Fausa and Leonor Villaranda on September 6, 1920 (Exhibit B).

As to the share of Leonor Villaranda, appellant’s deed from her could not prejudice third persons, because it was not registered on transfer certificate of title No. 2207 in the office of the register of deeds, and the reason therefor was the failure of the appellant to present the owner’s duplicate of said certificate to the register of deeds, as required by section 55 of Act No. 496. The appellant did not therefore acquire any right to the issuance of a new transfer certificate of title in his favor with respect to the interest of Leonor Villaranda (Fidelity and Surety Co. v. Conegero Vda. de Lizarraga, 41 Phil., 396; Director of Lands v. Addison, 49 Phil., 19).

Coming now to the second ground on which the appellant bases his claims, we find that when Simona Fausa executed the document, Exhibit 3, on October 17, 1928, conveying her interest in the land to the appellant, her interest therein had already been attached by the provincial sheriff and sold by him at public auction to the Philippine National Bank, and the certificate of sale filed in the office of the register of deeds in accordance with the law (sections 429 and 450 of the Code of Civil Procedure). It was not necessary for the sheriff to present the owner’s duplicate of the certificate of title when he filed notice of the attachment with the register of deeds, nor was it necessary for the Philippine National Bank to present the owner’s duplicate when the bank filed its certificate of sale for registration (sections 71 and 72 of Act No. 496).

Simona Fausa could not therefore convey to the appellant on October 17, 1928 anything more than her right of redemption. There is no contention that she or the appellant redeemed her share of the land.

The appellant cannot maintain his claim to the share of Leonor Villaranda, because the evidence shows that lot No. 971 was confiscated by the Government of the Philippine Islands for the non-payment of the taxes for eight years, and that it was sold by the provincial treasurer of Occidental Negros, with the approval of the Director of Lands, to the Philippine National Bank for P1,205.80 on April 26, 1930. There is no contention that the land was repurchased by Leonor Villaranda or the appellant. The Philippine National Bank is therefore the owner of the property in question, and appellant’s claims are devoid or merit.

The decision appealed from is affirmed with the costs against the Appellant.

Malcolm, Abad Santos, Hull and Diaz, JJ., concur.




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