AGUNOY - Pacto de Retro
AGUNOY - Pacto de Retro
AGUNOY - Pacto de Retro
2C Land Titles
Pacto de Retro sale or simply sale with the right to repurchase is a type of
sale that automatically transfers the legal title to the vendee a retro with the
stipulation that vendor shall have the right to buy back or redeem the property
within an agreed period. Failure of the vendor to repurchase the property vests
upon the vendor by operation of law the absolute title and ownership over the
property sold. 1
Generally, the right to register rests in the vendee. The right of the vendee stems
from the fact that upon entering the contract of sale, the legal title automatically
transfers to him, subject to the resolutory condition of redemption. Pending the
repurchase of the property, the vendee may alienate, mortgage or encumber the
same but such alienation is as revocable as his right. 2 The legal title of the vendee
gives him the right to register the land under his name but the vendor may also
register his right to repurchase with the LRA. 3
On the other hand, title Sec.14 of the Property Registration says that the
vendor a retro may also file an application for the original registration of the land. 4
1Cruzvs.Leis,327SCRA570(2000).
2 Vda. De Rigonan v. Derecho, 463 SCRA 627 (2005).
3 OSWALDO D. AGACOILI, PROPERTY REGISTRATION DECREE AND OTHER LAWS 61 (2015).
4AmendingandCodifyingtheLawsRelativetoRegistrationofPropertyandforOtherPurposes
[PropertyRegistrationDecree],PresidentialDecreeNo.1529,14(1978).
The right to register the land given to the vendor a retro is premised on the fact that
he has a certain period to repurchase the land sold and thus, he still has a legal right
to regain ownership conditioned on his payment of the sale price and other
expenses provided for in art.1616. However, the right given to the vendor a retro is
qualified by the same provision. Once the vendor fails to repurchase the property
and the ownership has been judicially consolidated to the vendee a retro, the
vendor should be substituted by the vendee and it is the latter who has the right to
continue the proceedings.