FELIX PLAZO URBAN POOR v. LIPAT, SR.

FELIX PLAZO URBAN POOR SETTLERS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC., Petitioner, versus ALFREDO LIPAT, SR. and Promulgated: ALFREDO LIPAT, JR., Respondents.

G.R. No. 182409
March 20, 2017

FACTS:

On December 13, 1991, Lipat Sr., as represented by Lipat Jr., executed a Contract to Sell (CTS) in favor of the petitioner, as represented by its President, Manuel Tubao (Tubao ), whereby the former agreed to sell to the latter two parcels of land in Naga City covered by Transfer Certificates of Title Nos. 12236 and 12237 (subject properties) for a consideration of P200.00 per square meter.4

As stipulated in the CTS, the petitioner had 90 days to pay in full the purchase price of the subject properties; otherwise, the CTS shall automatically expire. The period, however, elapsed without payment of the full consideration by the petitioner.5

According to the petitioner, the 90-day period provided in the CTS was subject to the condition that the subject properties be cleared of all claims from third persons considering that there were pending litigations involving the same. 6

Upon the expiry of the 90-day period, and despite the failure to clear the subject properties from the claims of third persons, the petitioner contributed financial assistance for the expenses of litigation involving the subject properties with the assurance that the CTS will still be enforced once the cases are settled.7

In the meantime, the petitioner agreed to pay rental fees for their occupation of the subject properties from 1992 to 1996.8

After the termination of the cases involving the subject properties, however, the respondents refused to enforce the CTS on the ground that the same had expired and averred that there was no agreement to extend its 9 term.

Consequently, the petitioner filed a case for Specific Performance and Damages with Prayer for the Issuance of Preliminary Injunction against the respondents on June 10, 1997 before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Naga City.10

For their defense, the respondents alleged that the CTS was not enforced due to the petitioner's failure to pay the P200.00 per sq m selling price before the expiration of its term. 11 As a result, the members of the petitioner were required to pay rental fees corresponding to the area they occupy.12

Moreover, the respondents claimed that the so called "financial assistance" they received from the petitioner's members was in the nature of a loan and that it has nothing to do with the alleged extension of their CTS.13

Considering that the CTS already expired, Lipat Jr. suggested an individual contract for each member of the petitioner. Only four members, however, were able to buy individual lots, namely, Consuelo Gomez, Edna Estioko, Gina Villar, and Pablo Calubad.14 Also, Rosemarie Buenaventura, who is not a member of the petitioner, was able to buy two lots on the subject properties. Consequently, she filed an urgent Motion for Leave to Intervene which was granted by the trial court on August 4, 1997.

On August 9, 2004, the RTC of Naga City, Branch 22, in Civil Case No. RTC '97-3777, rendered a Decision16 in favor of the petitioner directing the respondent to enforce the CTS after payment by the petitioner of the selling price in the amount of P200.00 per sq m.

Aggrieved, the respondents filed an appeal to the CA to assail the RTC decision.

In a Decision19 dated April 30, 2007, the CA granted the appeal of the respondents. Accordingly, it dismissed the action for Specific Performance and Damages with Prayer for Preliminary Injunction filed by the petitioner for being premature.

A Motion for Reconsideration was filed by the petitioner, but the same was denied.

ISSUES:

1. Whether or not the ca erred in reversing the trial court's decision that the petitioner can oblige the respondents to sell the properties covered by the cts, the contract being still effective;

2. Whether or not the ca erred in declaring that the cause of action is premature and in disregarding the payments and expenses made by the petitioner over the properties in question; and

3. Whether or not the ca erred in not granting the motion for reconsideration despite the fact that the petitioner showed proof of

RULING:

To begin with, it bears stressing that the scope of the Court's judicial review under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court is confined only to errors of law. It does not extend to questions of fact.25 This rule, however, admits of exceptions, such as in the present case, where the factual findings of the CA and the trial court are contradictory.

After a careful review of the records of the case, however, the Court upholds the findings of the CA in dismissing the complaint for specific performance filed by the petitioner against the respondents for lack of merit.

Here, the pertinent provisions of the CTS, denominated as Contract/ Agreement, between the parties read:

1. The Parties hereby agree that for and in consideration of the amount of TWO HUNDRED (P200.00) Pesos, [Philippine] Currency per square meter, the VENDOR shall sell, cede, convey and transfer unto the VENDEE, its assigns, or representative the above mentioned property;

3. The registration fee for the mortgage to secure the loan to be obtained by the vendee to finance the acquisition of the land shall be for the account of the VENDEE; [and]

4. This Contract/ Agreement shall automatically expire on the Ninetyth (90)  [sic] day commencing from the aforesaid date.

In the present case, as correctly observed by the CA, the suspensive condition is the payment in full of the purchase price by the petitioner prior to the expiration of the 90-day period stipulated in their CTS, which the latter failed to do so.

As a rule, proof of verbal agreement that tends to vary the terms of a written agreement, is inadmissible under the parol evidence rule.

Payments made by the petitioner for the subject properties, however, must be refunded. In Pilipino Telephone Corporation v. Radiomarine Network (Smartnet) Philippines, Inc.,39 the Court ordered the refund to the buyer of all sums previously made, after terminating the CTS for failure to pay the purchase price, based on the principle against unjust enrichment.

The contract executed by the parties is the law between them. Consequently, from the time the contract is perfected, all parties privy to it are bound not only to the fulfillment of what has been expressly stipulated but likewise to all consequences which, according to their nature, may be in keeping with good faith, usage and law

In the present case, however, since the records are insufficient to use as bases to properly compute all payments previously made by the petitioner to the respondents in connection with the CTS they executed dated December 13, 1991, the case should be remanded to the RTC for a detailed computation of the refund and to include the imposition of an interest at the rate of six percent ( 6%) per annum pursuant to the Court's ruling in Na car v. Gallery Frames, et al .

WHEREFORE, the petition is DENIED. The Decision dated April 30, 2007 and Resolution dated March 17, 2008 of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No. 85684 are hereby AFFIRMED with the MODIFICATION that the case is REMANDED to the Regional Trial Court of Naga City, Branch 22, for the computation of all payments previously made by petitioner Felix Plazo Urban Poor Settlers Community Association, Inc. to respondents Alfredo Lipat, Sr. and Alfredo Lipat, Jr. in connection with the Contract to Sell they executed which the respondents should refund without delay. Also, the Regional Trial Court is directed to include the imposition of an interest at the rate of six percent ( 6%) per annum pursuant to prevailing jurisprudence.