Hermojina Estores Vs Sps. Supangan
Hermojina Estores Vs Sps. Supangan
Hermojina Estores Vs Sps. Supangan
vs.
SPOUSES ARTURO and LAURA SUPANGAN
Black: Importante
Facts:
After almost seven years from the time of the execution of the contract and
notwithstanding payment of 3.5 million on the part of respondent-spouses,
petitioner still failed to comply with her obligation as expressly provided in
paragraphs 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 of the contract.
4. Vendee shall be informed as to the status of DAR clearance within 10 days upon
signing of the documents.
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6. Regarding the house located within the perimeter of the subject [lot] owned by
spouses [Magbago], said house shall be moved outside the perimeter of this subject
property to the 300 sq. m. area allocated for [it]. Vendor hereby accepts the
responsibility of seeing to it that such agreement is carried out before full payment of
the sale is made by vendee.
7. If and after the vendor has completed all necessary documents for registration of the
title and the vendee fails to complete payment as per agreement, a forfeiture fee of 25%
or downpayment, shall be applied. However, if the vendor fails to complete necessary
documents within thirty days without any sufficient reason, or without informing the
vendee of its status, vendee has the right to demand return of full amount of down
payment.
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9. As to the boundaries and partition of the lots (15,018 sq. m. and 300 sq. m.) Vendee
shall be informed immediately of its approval by the LRC.
Petitioner averred that they are willing to return the principal amount of 3.5
million but without any interest as the same was not agreed upon. They argued
that since the Conditional Deed of Sale provided only for the return of the
downpayment in case of breach, they cannot be held liable to pay legal interest as
well.
HELD
Interest may be imposed even in the absence of stipulation in the contract. Article
2210 of the Civil Code expressly provides that "interest may, in the discretion of
the court, be allowed upon damages awarded for breach of contract." Petitioner
enjoyed the use of the money from the time it was given to her30 until now. Thus,
she is already in default of her obligation from the date of demand, i.e., on
September 27, 2000.
The general rule is that the applicable rate of interest "shall be computed in
accordance with the stipulation of the parties."31 Absent any stipulation, the
applicable rate of interest shall be 12% per annum "when the obligation arises out
of a loan or a forbearance of money, goods or credits. In other cases, it shall be six
percent (6%) as provided in Art. 2209 If the obligation consists in the payment of a sum
of money, and the debtor incurs in delay, the indemnity for damages, there being no
stipulation to the contrary, shall be the payment of the interest agreed upon, and in the
absence of stipulation, the legal interest, which is six per cent per annum.
The contract involved in this case is admittedly not a loan but a Conditional Deed
of Sale.
(So pano naiba yung Forbearance of money sa Loan? Yung susunod na paragraph)
In this case, the respondent-spouses parted with their money even before the
conditions were fulfilled. They have therefore allowed or granted forbearance to
the seller (petitioner) to use their money pending fulfillment of the
conditions. They were deprived of the use of their money for the period
pending fulfillment of the conditions and when those conditions were breached,
they are entitled not only to the return of the principal amount paid, but also to
compensation for the use of their money. And the compensation for the use of
their money, absent any stipulation, should be the same rate of legal interest
applicable to a loan since the use or deprivation of funds is similar to a loan.
Since the date of demand which is September 27, 2000 was satisfactorily
established during trial, then the interest rate of 12% should be reckoned from
said date of demand until the principal amount and the interest thereon is fully
satisfied.
1wp h
Ang sabi ng batas pag loan OR forbearance of money, goods or credits ay 6%.