SECOND DIVISION
[ G.R. No. 72593, April 30, 1987 ]
CONSOLIDATED PLYWOOD INDUSTRIES, INC.,
HENRY WEE, AND RODOLFO T. VERGARA, PETITIONERS, VS. IFC LEASING
AND ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION, RESPONDENT.
D E C I S I O N
GUTIERREZ, JR., J.:
This is a petition for certiorari under Rule 45 of the
Rules of Court which assails on questions of law a decision of the Intermediate
Appellate Court in AC-G.R. CV No. 68609 dated July 17, 1985, as well as its resolution dated October 17, 1985, denying the motion
for reconsideration.
The antecedent facts culled from the petition are as follows:
The petitioner is a corporation engaged in the logging
business. It had for its program of
logging activities for the year 1978 the opening of additional roads, and
simultaneous logging operations along the route of said roads, in its logging
concession area at Baganga, Manay,
and Caraga, Davao
Oriental. For this purpose, it needed
two (2) additional units of tractors.
Cognizant of petitioner-corporation's need and purpose, Atlantic
Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila, through its sister company and marketing
arm, Industrial Products Marketing (the "seller-assignor"), a
corporation dealing in tractors and other heavy equipment business, offered to
sell to petitioner-corporation two (2) "Used" Allis Crawler Tractors,
one (1) an HD-21-B and the other an HD-16-B.
In order to ascertain the extent of work to which the tractors
were to be exposed, (t.s.n., May 28, 1980, p. 44) and to determine the
capability of the "Used" tractors being offered, petitioner-corporation
requested the seller-assignor to inspect the jobsite. After conducting said inspection, the seller-assignor
assured petitioner-corporation that the "Used" Allis Crawler Tractors
which were being offered were fit for the job, and gave the corresponding
warranty of ninety (90) days performance of the machines and availability of
parts. (t.s.n., May 28, 1980, pp. 59-66).
With said assurance and warranty, and relying on the
seller-assignor's skill and judgment, petitioner-corporation through
petitioners Wee and Vergara, president and
vice-president, respectively, agreed to purchase on installment said two (2)
units of "Used" Allis Crawler Tractors. It also paid the down payment of Two Hundred
Ten Thousand Pesos (P210,000.00).
On April 5, 1978,
the seller-assignor issued the sales invoice for the two (2) units of tractors
(Exh. "3-A"). At the same time, the deed of sale with
chattel mortgage with promissory note was executed (Exh.
"2").
Simultaneously with the execution of the deed of sale with
chattel mortgage with promissory note, the seller-assignor, by means of a deed
of assignment (Exh. "1"), assigned its
rights and interest in the chattel mortgage in favor of the respondent.
Immediately thereafter, the seller-assignor delivered said two
(2) units of "Used" tractors to the petitioner-corporation's jobsite
and as agreed, the seller-assignor stationed its own mechanics to supervise the
operations of the machines.
Barely fourteen (14) days had elapsed after their delivery when
one of the tractors broke down and after another nine (9) days, the other
tractor likewise broke down (t.s.n., May 28, 1980, pp. 68-69).
On April 25, 1978,
petitioner Rodolfo T. Vergara formally advised the
seller-assignor of the fact that the tractors broke down and requested for the
seller-assignor's usual prompt attention under the warranty (Exh. "5").
In response to the formal advice by petitioner Rodolfo T. Vergara, Exhibit "5", the seller-assignor sent to
the jobsite its mechanics to conduct the necessary repairs (Exhs.
"6", "6-A", "6-B", "6-C",
"6-C-1", "6-D", and "6-E"), but the tractors did
not come out to be what they should be after the repairs were undertaken
because the units were no longer serviceable (t.s.n.,
May 28, 1980, p. 78).
Because of the breaking down of the tractors, the road building
and simultaneous logging operations of petitioner-corporation were delayed and
petitioner Vergara advised the seller-assignor that
the payments of the installments as listed in the promissory note would
likewise be delayed until the seller-assignor completely fulfills its
obligation under its warranty (t.s.n., May 28, 1980, p. 79).
Since the tractors were no longer serviceable, on April 7, 1979, petitioner Wee asked
the seller-assignor to pull out the units and have them reconditioned, and
thereafter to offer them for sale. The
proceeds were to be given to the respondent and the excess, if any, to be
divided between the seller-assignor and petitioner-corporation which offered to
bear one-half (1/2) of the reconditioning cost (Exh.
"7").
No response to this letter, Exhibit "7", was received
by the petitioner-corporation and despite several follow-up calls,
the seller-assignor did nothing with regard to the request, until the complaint
in this case was filed by the respondent against the petitioners, the
corporation, Wee, and Vergara.
The complaint was filed by the respondent against the petitioners
for the recovery of the principal sum of One Million Ninety Three Thousand
Seven Hundred Eighty Nine Pesos & 71/100 (P1,093,789.71), accrued interest
of One Hundred Fifty One Thousand Six Hundred Eighteen Pesos & 86/100
(P151,618.86) as of August 15, 1979, accruing interest thereafter at the rate
of twelve (12%) percent per annum, attorney's fees of Two Hundred Forty Nine
Thousand Eighty One Pesos & 71/100 (P249,081.71) and costs of suit.
The petitioners filed their amended answer praying for the
dismissal of the complaint and asking the trial court to order the respondent
to pay the petitioners damages in an amount at the sound discretion of the
court, Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00) as and for attorney's fees, and Five
Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) for expenses of litigation. The petitioners likewise prayed for such
other and further relief as would be just under the premises.
In a decision dated April
20, 1981, the trial court rendered the following judgment:
"WHEREFORE, judgment is hereby rendered:
"1) ordering
defendants to pay jointly and severally in their official and personal
capacities the principal sum of ONE MILLION NINETY THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED
NINETY EIGHT PESOS & 71/100 (P1,093,798.71) with accrued interest of ONE
HUNDRED FIFTY ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED EIGHTEEN PESOS & 86/100
(P151,618.86) as of August 15, 1979 and accruing interest thereafter at the
rate of 12% per annum;
"2) ordering
defendants to pay jointly and severally attorney's fees equivalent to ten
percent (10%) of the principal and to pay the costs of the suit.
"Defendants' counterclaim is disallowed." (pp. 45-46, Rollo)
On June 8, 1981,
the trial court issued an order denying the motion for reconsideration filed by
the petitioners.
Thus, the petitioners appealed to the Intermediate Appellate
Court and assigned therein the following errors:
I
THAT THE LOWER COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT THE SELLER ATLANTIC GULF
AND PACIFIC COMPANY OF MANILA DID NOT APPROVE DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS CLAIM OF
WARRANTY.
II
THAT THE LOWER COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE IS A
HOLDER IN DUE COURSE OF THE PROMISSORY NOTE AND SUED UNDER SAID NOTE AS HOLDER
THEREOF IN DUE COURSE.
On July 17, 1985,
the Intermediate Appellate Court issued the challenged decision affirming in
toto the decision of the trial court. The pertinent portions of the decision are as
follows:
xxx xxx xxx
"From the evidence presented by the parties on the issue of
warranty, We are of the considered opinion that aside from the fact that no
provision of warranty appears or is provided in the Deed of Sale of the
tractors and even admitting that in a contract of sale unless a contrary
intention appears, there is an implied warranty, the defense of breach of
warranty, if there is any, as in this case, does not lie in favor of the
appellants and against the plaintiff-appellee who is
the assignee of the promissory note and a holder of the same in due
course. Warranty lies in this case only
between Industrial Products Marketing and Consolidated Plywood Industries,
Inc. The plaintiff-appellee
herein upon application by appellant corporation
granted financing for the purchase of the questioned units of Fiat-Allis
Crawler Tractors.
xxx xxx xxx
"Holding that breach of warranty, if any, is not a defense
available to appellants either to withdraw from the contract and/or demand a
proportionate reduction of the price with damages in either case (Art. 1567, New Civil Code).
We now come to the issue as to whether the plaintiff-appellee
is a holder in due course of the promissory note.
"To begin with, it is beyond arguments that the plaintiff-appellee is a financing corporation engaged in financing
and receivable discounting extending credit facilities to consumers and
industrial, commercial or agricultural enterprises by discounting or factoring
commercial papers or accounts receivable duly authorized pursuant to R.A. 5980
otherwise known as the Financing Act.
"A study of the questioned promissory note reveals that it is
a negotiable instrument which was discounted or sold to the IFC Leasing and
Acceptance Corporation for P800,000.00 (Exh.
"A") considering the following:
it is in writing and signed by the maker; it contains an unconditional
promise to pay a certain sum of money payable at a fixed or determinable future
time; it is payable to order (Sec. 1, NIL); the promissory note was negotiated
when it was transferred and delivered by IPM to the appellee
and duly endorsed to the latter (Sec. 30, NIL); it was taken in the conditions
that the note was complete and regular upon its face before the same was
overdue and without notice, that it had been previously dishonored and that the
note is in good faith and for value without notice of any infirmity or defect
in the title of IPM (Sec. 52, NIL); that IFC Leasing and Acceptance Corporation
held the instrument free from any defect of title of prior parties and free
from defenses available to prior parties among themselves and may enforce
payment of the instrument for the full amount thereof against all parties
liable thereon (Sec. 57, NIL); the appellants engaged that they would pay the
note according to its tenor, and admit the existence of the payee IPM and its
capacity to endorse (Sec. 60, NIL).
"In view of the essential elements found in the questioned
promissory note, We opine that the same is legally and
conclusively enforceable against the defendants-appellants.
"WHEREFORE, finding the decision appealed from according to
law and evidence, We find the appeal without merit and
thus affirm the decision in toto. With costs against the
appellants." (pp. 50-55, Rollo)
The petitioners' motion for reconsideration of the decision of
July 17, 1985 was denied by the Intermediate Appellate Court in its resolution
dated October 17, 1985, a copy of which was received by the petitioners on
October 21, 1985.
Hence, this petition was filed on the following grounds:
I.
ON ITS FACE, THE PROMISSORY NOTE IS CLEARLY
NOT A NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENT AS DEFINED UNDER THE LAW SINCE IT IS NEITHER
PAYABLE TO ORDER NOR TO BEARER.
II.
THE RESPONDENT IS NOT A HOLDER IN DUE
COURSE: AT BEST, IT IS A MERE ASSIGNEE
OF THE SUBJECT PROMISSORY NOTE.
III.
SINCE THE INSTANT CASE INVOLVES A
NON-NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENT AND THE TRANSFER OF RIGHTS WAS THROUGH A MERE
ASSIGNMENT, THE PETITIONERS MAY RAISE AGAINST THE RESPONDENT ALL DEFENSES THAT
ARE AVAILABLE TO IT AS AGAINST THE SELLER-ASSIGNOR, INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
MARKETING.
IV.
THE PETITIONERS ARE NOT LIABLE FOR THE
PAYMENT OF THE PROMISSORY NOTE BECAUSE:
A) THE SELLER-ASSIGNOR IS
GUILTY OF BREACH OF WARRANTY UNDER THE LAW;
B) IF AT ALL, THE RESPONDENT
MAY RECOVER ONLY FROM THE SELLER-ASSIGNOR OF THE PROMISSORY NOTE.
V.
THE ASSIGNMENT OF THE CHATTEL MORTGAGE BY
THE SELLER-ASSIGNOR IN FAVOR OF THE RESPONDENT DOES NOT CHANGE THE NATURE OF
THE TRANSACTION FROM BEING A SALE
ON INSTALLMENTS TO A PURE LOAN.
VI.
THE PROMISSORY NOTE CANNOT BE ADMITTED OR
USED IN EVIDENCE IN ANY COURT BECAUSE THE REQUISITE DOCUMENTARY STAMPS HAVE NOT
BEEN AFFIXED THEREON OR CANCELLED.
The petitioners prayed that judgment be rendered setting aside
the decision dated July 17, 1985,
as well as the resolution dated October
17, 1985 and dismissing the complaint but granting petitioners'
counterclaims before the court of origin.
On the other hand, the respondent corporation in its comment to
the petition filed on February 20, 1986, contended that the petition was filed
out of time; that the promissory note is a negotiable instrument and respondent
a holder in due course; that respondent is not liable for any breach of
warranty; and finally, that the promissory note is admissible in evidence.
The core issue herein is whether or not the promissory note in question
is a negotiable instrument so as to bar completely all the available defenses
of the petitioner against the respondent-assignee.
Preliminarily, it must be established at the outset that we
consider the instant petition to have been filed on time because the
petitioners' motion for reconsideration actually raised new issues. It cannot, therefore, be considered
pro-forma.
The petition is impressed with merit.
First, there is no question that the seller-assignor breached its
express 90-day warranty because the findings of the trial court, adopted by the
respondent appellate court, that "14 days after
delivery, the first tractor broke down and 9 days, thereafter, the second
tractor became inoperable" are sustained by the records. The petitioner was clearly a victim of a
warranty not honored by the maker.
The Civil Code provides that:
"ART. 1561. The
vendor shall be responsible for warranty against the hidden defects which the
thing sold may have, should they render it unfit for the use for which it is intended,
or should they diminish fitness for such use to such an extent that, had the
vendee been aware thereof, he would not have acquired it or would have given a
lower price for it; but said vendor shall not be answerable for patent defects
or those which may be visible, or for those which are not visible if the vendee
is an expert who, by reason of his trade or profession, should have known them.
"ART. 1562. In a
sale of goods, there is an implied warranty or condition as to the quality or
fitness of the goods, as follows:
"(1) Where the
buyer, expressly or by implication, makes known to the seller the particular
purpose for which the goods are acquired, and it appears that the buyer relies
on the seller's skill or judgment (whether he be the grower or manufacturer or
not), there is an implied warranty that the goods shall be reasonably fit for
such purpose;
xxx xxx xxx
"ART. 1564. An implied
warranty or condition as to the quality or fitness for a particular purpose may
be annexed by the usage of trade.
xxx xxx xxx
"ART. 1566. The
vendor is responsible to the vendee for any hidden faults or defects in the
thing sold, even though he was not aware thereof.
"This provision shall not apply if the contrary has been
stipulated, and the vendor was not aware of the hidden faults or defects in the
thing sold." (Emphasis supplied).
It is patent then, that the seller-assignor is liable for its
breach of warranty against the petitioner.
This liability as a general rule, extends to the corporation to whom it
assigned its rights and interests unless the assignee is a holder in due course
of the promissory note in question, assuming the note is negotiable, in which
case the latter's rights are based on the negotiable instrument and assuming
further that the petitioner's defenses may not prevail against it.
Secondly, it likewise cannot be denied that as soon as the
tractors broke down, the petitioner-corporation notified the seller-assignor's
sister company, AG & P, about the breakdown based on the seller-assignor's
express 90-day warranty, with which the latter complied by sending its
mechanics. However, due to the
seller-assignor's delay and its failure to comply with its warranty, the
tractors became totally unserviceable and useless for the purpose for which
they were purchased.
Thirdly, the petitioner-corporation, thereafter, unilaterally
rescinded its contract with the seller-assignor.
Articles 1191 and 1567 of the Civil Code provide that:
"ART. 1191. The
power to rescind obligations is implied in reciprocal ones, in case one of
the obligors should not comply with what is incumbent upon him.
"The injured party may choose between the fulfillment and
the rescission of the obligation, with the payment of damages in either case. He may also seek rescission, even after he
has chosen fulfillment, if the latter should become impossible.
xxx xxx xxx
"ART. 1567. In the cases of articles 1561, 1562,
1564, 1565 and 1566, the vendee may elect between withdrawing from the
contract and demanding a proportionate reduction of the price, with damages in
either case."
(Emphasis supplied)
Petitioner, having unilaterally and extrajudicially
rescinded its contract with the seller-assignor, necessarily can no longer sue
the seller-assignor except by way of counterclaim if the seller-assignor sues
it because of the rescission.
In the case of the University of the Philippines
v. De los
Angeles (35 SCRA 102) we held:
"In other words, the party who
deems the contract violated may consider it resolved or rescinded, and act accordingly, without previous court action, but
it proceeds at its own risk. For it
is only the final judgment of the corresponding court that will conclusively
and finally settle whether the action taken was or was not correct in law. But the law definitely does not require
that the contracting party who believes itself injured must first file suit and
wait for a judgment before taking extrajudicial steps to protect its
interest. Otherwise, the party injured
by the other's breach will have to passively sit and watch its damages
accumulate during the pendency of the suit until the
final judgment of rescission is rendered when the law itself requires that he
should exercise due diligence to minimize its own damages (Civil Code, Article
2203)."
(Emphasis supplied)
Going back to the core issue, we rule that the promissory note in
question is not a negotiable instrument.
The pertinent portion of the note is as follows:
"FOR VALUE RECEIVED, I/we jointly and severally promise to pay
to the INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS MARKETING, the sum of ONE MILLION NINETY THREE
THOUSAND EVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE PESOS & 71/100 only (P1,093,789.71),
Philippine Currency, the said principal
sum, to be payable in 24 monthly installments starting July 15, 1978 and every
15th of the month thereafter until fully paid.
x x x."
Considering that paragraph (d), Section 1 of the Negotiable
Instruments Law requires that a promissory note "must be payable to
order or bearer", it cannot be denied that
the promissory note in question is not a negotiable instrument.
"The instrument in order to be considered negotiable must
contain the so-called 'words of negotiability'--i.e., must be payable to
'order' or 'bearer'. These words serve
as an expression of consent that the instrument may be transferred. This consent is indispensable since a maker
assumes greater risks under a negotiable instrument than under a non-negotiable
one. x x x.
xxx xxx xxx
"When instrument is payable to order.--
"SEC. 8. WHEN PAYABLE TO ORDER.--
The instrument is payable to order where it is drawn payable to the order of a
specified person or to him or his order. . . .
xxx xxx xxx
"These are the only two ways by
which an instrument may be made payable to order. There must always be a specified person named
in the instrument. It means that the
bill or note is to be paid to the person designated in the instrument or to any
person to whom he has indorsed and delivered the same. Without the words 'or order' or 'to the
order of,' the instrument is payable only to the person designated therein and
is therefore non-negotiable. Any
subsequent purchaser thereof will not enjoy the advantages of being a holder of
a negotiable instrument, but will merely 'step into the shoes' of the person
designated in the instrument and will thus be open to all defenses available
against the latter." (Campos and Campos, Notes and
Selected Cases on Negotiable Instruments Law, Third Edition, page 38).
(Emphasis supplied)
Therefore, considering that the subject promissory note is not a
negotiable instrument, it follows that the respondent can never be a holder in
due course but remains a mere assignee of the note in question. Thus, the petitioner may raise against the
respondent all defenses available to it as against the seller-assignor,
Industrial Products Marketing.
This being so, there was no need for the petitioner to implead the seller-assignor when it was sued by the
respondent-assignee because the petitioner's, defenses apply to both or either
of them.
Actually, the records show that even the respondent itself
admitted to being a mere assignee of the promissory note in question, to wit:
"ATTY. PALACA:
"Did we get it right from the counsel that what is being
assigned is the Deed of Sale with Chattel Mortgage with the promissory note
which is as testified to by the witness was indorsed? (Counsel for Plaintiff
nodding his head.) Then we have no further questions on cross.
"COURT:
"You confirm his manifestation? You are nodding your head? Do you confirm that?
"ATTY. ILAGAN:
"The Deed of Sale cannot be assigned. A deed of sale is a transaction between two
persons; what is assigned are rights, the rights of
the mortgagee were assigned to the IFC Leasing & Acceptance Corporation.
"COURT:
"He puts it in a simple way, - as one - deed of sale and
chattel mortgage were assigned; . . . you want to make
a distinction, one is an assignment of mortgage right and the other one is indorsement of the promissory note. What counsel for defendants wants is that you
stipulate that it is contained in one single transaction?
"ATTY. ILAGAN:
"We stipulate it is one single transaction." (pp. 27-29, TSN., February 13,
1980).
Secondly, even conceding for purposes of discussion that the
promissory note in question is a negotiable instrument, the respondent cannot
be a holder in due course for a more significant reason.
The evidence presented in the instant case shows that prior to
the sale on installment of the tractors, there was an arrangement between the
seller-assignor, Industrial Products Marketing, and the respondent whereby the
latter would pay the seller-assignor the entire purchase price and the
seller-assignor, in turn, would assign its rights to the respondent which
acquired the right to collect the price from the buyer, herein petitioner
Consolidated Plywood Industries, Inc.
A mere perusal of the Deed of Sale with Chattel Mortgage with
Promissory Note, the Deed of Assignment and the Disclosure of Loan/Credit
Transaction shows that said documents evidencing the sale on installment of the
tractors were all executed on the same day by and among the buyer, which is
herein petitioner Consolidated Plywood Industries, Inc.; the seller-assignor
which is the Industrial Products Marketing; and the assignee-financing company,
which is the respondent. Therefore, the
respondent had actual knowledge of the fact that the seller-assignor's right to
collect the purchase price was not unconditional, and that it was subject to
the condition that the tractors sold were not defective. The respondent knew that when the tractors
turned out to be defective, it would be subject to the defense of failure of
consideration and cannot recover the purchase price from the petitioners. Even assuming for the sake of argument that
the promissory note is negotiable, the respondent, which took the same with
actual knowledge of the foregoing facts so that its action in taking the
instrument amounted to bad faith, is not a holder in due course. As such, the respondent is subject to all
defenses which the petitioners may raise against the seller-assignor. Any other interpretation would be most inequitous to the unfortunate buyer who is not only saddled
with two useless tractors but must also face a lawsuit from the assignee for
the entire purchase price and all its incidents without being able to raise
valid defenses available as against the assignor.
Lastly, the respondent failed to present any evidence to prove
that it had no knowledge of any fact, which would justify its act of taking the
promissory note as not amounting to bad faith.
Sections 52 and 56 of the Negotiable Instruments Law provide
that:
"SEC. 52. WHAT CONSTITUTES A HOLDER IN DUE COURSE. - A holder in
due course is a holder who has taken the instrument under the following
conditions:
xxx xxx xxx
xxx xxx xxx
"(c) That
he took it in good faith and for value;
"(d) That
at the time it was negotiated to him he had no notice of any infirmity in the
instrument or defect in the title of the person negotiating it.
xxx xxx xxx
"SEC. 56. WHAT CONSTITUTES NOTICE OF DEFECT. - To
constitute notice of an infirmity in the instrument or defect in the title of
the person negotiating the same, the person to whom it is negotiated must have
had actual knowledge of the infirmity or defect, or knowledge of such facts
that his action in taking the instrument amounts to bad faith."
(Emphasis supplied)
We subscribe to the view of Campos and Campos that a
financing company is not a holder in good faith as to the buyer, to wit:
"In installment sales, the buyer usually issues a note payable
to the seller to cover the purchase price.
Many times, in pursuance of a previous arrangement with the seller, a
finance company pays the full price and the note is indorsed to it, subrogating
it to the right to collect the price from the buyer, with interest. With the increasing frequency of installment
buying in this country, it is most probable that the tendency of the courts in
the United States
to protect the buyer against the finance company will find judicial approval
here. Where the goods sold turn out to
be defective, the finance company will be subject to the defense of failure of
consideration and cannot recover the purchase price from the buyer. As against the argument that such a rule
would seriously affect 'a certain mode of transacting business adopted
throughout the State,' a court in one case stated:
"'It may be that our holding here will require some changes in
business methods and will impose a greater burden on the finance companies. We think the buyer - Mr. & Mrs. General
Public - should have some protection somewhere along the line. We believe the finance company is better able
to bear the risk of the dealer's insolvency than the buyer and in a far better
position to protect his interests against unscrupulous and insolvent dealers. .
. .
"'If this opinion imposes great burdens on finance companies
it is a potent argument in favor of a rule which will afford protection to the
general buying public against unscrupulous dealers in personal property . . . .'
(Mutual Finance Co. v. Martin, 63 So. 2d 649, 44 ALR 2d 1 [1953]) "(Campos and Campos, Notes and Selected Cases on Negotiable
Instruments Law, Third Edition, p. 128).'"
In the case of Commercial Credit Corporation v. Orange Country
Machine Works (34 Cal. 2d 766) involving similar facts, it was held that in
a very real sense, the finance company was a moving force in the transaction
from its very inception and acted as a party to it. When a finance company actively participates
in a transaction of this type from its inception, it cannot be regarded as a
holder in due course of the note given in the transaction.
In like manner, therefore, even assuming that the subject
promissory note is negotiable, the respondent, a financing company which
actively participated in the sale on installment of the subject two Allis
Crawler tractors, cannot be regarded as a holder in due course of said
note. It follows that the respondent's
rights under the promissory note involved in this case are subject to all
defenses that the petitioners have against the seller-assignor, Industrial
Products Marketing. For Section 58 of
the Negotiable Instruments Law provides that “in the hands of any holder other
than a holder in due course, a negotiable instrument is subject to the same
defenses as if it were non-negotiable. x x x."
Prescinding from the foregoing and
setting aside other peripheral issues, we find that both the trial and
respondent appellate court erred in holding the promissory note in question to
be negotiable. Such a ruling does not
only violate the law and applicable jurisprudence, but would result in unjust
enrichment on the part of both the seller-assignor and respondent assignee at
the expense of the petitioner-corporation which rightfully rescinded an inequitable
contract. We note, however, that since
the seller-assignor has not been impleaded herein,
there is no obstacle for the respondent to file a civil suit and litigate its
claims against the seller-assignor in the rather unlikely possibility that it
so desires.
WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, the decision of the
respondent appellate court dated July 17, 1985, as well as its resolution dated
October 17, 1986, are hereby ANNULLED and SET ASIDE. The complaint against the petitioner before
the trial court is DISMISSED.
SO ORDERED.
Fernan, (Chairman), Paras, Padilla, Bidin, and Cortes, JJ., concur.This page was dynamically generated by the E-Library Content Management System
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