515 Phil. 431
SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ, J.:
(a) On contract date – P24,181,300.00 representing 26 percent of the purchase price, inclusive of the P1,000,000.00 option money;The contract contains a stipulation in paragraphs 3 and 3.1 for an "Event of Default." It provides that in case the purchaser (respondent) fails to pay any installment for any reason not attributable to the seller (petitioner), the latter has the right to assess the purchaser a late penalty interest on the unpaid installment at two (2%) percent per month, computed from the date the amount became due until full payment thereof. And if such default continues for a period of six (6) months, the seller has the right to cancel the contract without need of court declaration by giving the purchaser a written notice of cancellation. In case of such cancellation, the seller shall return to the purchaser the amount he received, less penalties, unpaid charges and dues on the property.
(b) Not later than January 6, 1996 – P3,720,200.00 representing 4 percent of the purchase price to complete 30 percent down payment; and
(c) In consecutive quarterly installments for a period of 5 years from December 22, 1995 – P65,103,500.00 representing the 70 percent balance of the purchase price.
WHEREFORE, defendant (now respondent) is hereby sentenced and ordered to pay plaintiff (now petitioner) the sum of P33,242,383.43, representing the unpaid balance of the principal amount owing under the contract, interest agreed upon, and penalties. Defendant is further ordered to pay plaintiff the sum of P200,000.00 as attorney's fees and the costs of suit.On appeal, the Court of Appeals rendered a Decision dated January 21, 2004 in CA-G.R. CV No. 74635, reversing the trial court's Decision, thus:
Upon full payment of the aforementioned amounts by defendant, plaintiff shall, as it is hereby ordered, execute the appropriate deed of absolute sale conveying and transferring full title and ownership of the parcel of land subject of the sale to and in favor of defendant.
WHEREFORE, the decision appealed from is hereby REVERSED and SET ASIDE. Ayala Life is hereby ordered to refund all sums paid under the Contract to Sell, with interest of twelve percent (12%) per annum from 12 August 1998 until fully paid, less the amount equivalent to 25% of the total amount paid as liquidated damages.The Court of Appeals ruled that the parties' transaction in question is in the nature of a contract to sell, as distinguished from a contract of sale. Under their contract, ownership of the land is retained by petitioner until respondent shall have fully paid the purchase price. Its failure to pay the price in full is not a breach of contract but merely an event that prevents petitioner from conveying the title to respondent. Under such a situation, a cause of action for specific performance does not arise. What should govern the parties' relation are the provisions of their contract on the "Event of Default" stated earlier.
SO ORDERED.
At the outset, it is significant to note that petitioner does not dispute that its December 22, 1995 transaction with respondent is a contract to sell. It bears stressing that the exact nature of the parties' contract determines whether petitioner has the remedy of specific performance.
- Whether respondent's non-payment of the balance of the purchase price gave rise to a cause of action on the part of petitioner to demand full payment of the purchase price; and
- Whether petitioner should refund respondent the amount the latter paid under the contract to sell.
As correctly stated by the Court of Appeals in its assailed Decision, "The ruling of the Supreme Court in Lim v. Court of Appeals (182 SCRA 564 [1990]) is most illuminating. In the said case, a contract to sell and a contract of sale were clearly and thoroughly distinguished from each other, with the High Tribunal stressing that in a contract of sale, the title passes to the buyer upon the delivery of the thing sold. In a contract to sell, the ownership is reserved in the seller and is not to pass until the full payment of the purchase price is made. In the first case, non-payment of the price is a negative resolutory condition; in the second case, full payment is a positive suspensive condition. In the first case, the vendor has lost and cannot recover the ownership of the property until and unless the contract of sale is itself resolved and set aside. In the second case, the title remains in the vendor if the vendee does not comply with the condition precedent of making payment at the time specified in the contract."[10]
- TITLE AND OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY. – The title to the property shall transfer to the PURCHASER upon payment of the balance of the Purchase Price and all expenses, penalties and other costs which shall be due and payable hereunder or which may have accrued thereto. Thereupon, the SELLER shall execute a Deed of Absolute Sale in favor of the PURCHASER conveying all the SELLER'S rights, title and interest in and to the Property to the PURCHASER.[9]
x x x. Under the two contracts, the petitioners bound and obliged themselves to execute a deed of absolute sale over the property and transfer title thereon to the respondents after the payment of the full purchase price of the property, inclusive of the quarterly installments due on the petitioners' loan with the PSB:Here, the provisions of the contract to sell categorically indicate that respondent's default in the payment of the purchase price is considered merely as an "event," the happening of which gives rise to the respective obligations of the parties mentioned therein, thus:
x x x
Construing the contracts together, it is evident that the parties executed a contract to sell and not a contract of sale. The petitioners retained ownership without further remedies by the respondents until the payment of the purchase price of the property in full. Such payment is a positive suspensive condition, failure of which is not really a breach, serious or otherwise, but an event that prevents the obligation of the petitioners to convey title from arising, in accordance with Article 1184 of the Civil Code (Leano v. Court of Appeals, 369 SCRA 36 [2001]; Lacanilao v. Court of Appeals, 262 SCRA 486 [1996]).
The non-fulfillment by the respondent of his obligation to pay, which is a suspensive condition to the obligation of the petitioners to sell and deliver the title to the property, rendered the contract to sell ineffective and without force and effect (Agustin v. Court of Appeals, 186 SCRA 375 [1990]). The parties stand as if the conditional obligation had never existed. Article 1191[13] of the New Civil Code will not apply because it presupposes an obligation already extant (Padilla v. Posadas, 328 SCRA 434 [2001]. There can be no rescission of an obligation that is still non-existing, the suspensive condition not having happened (Rillo v. Court of Appeals, 274 SCRA 461 [1997]). (Underscoring supplied)
3. EVENT OF DEFAULT. The following event shall constitute an Event of Default under this contract: the PURCHASER fails to pay any installment on the balance, for any reason not attributable to the SELLER, on the date it is due, provided, however, that the SELLER shall have the right to charge the PURCHASER a late penalty interest on the said unpaid interest at the rate of 2% per month computed from the date the amount became due and payable until full payment thereof.Therefore, in the event of respondent's default in payment, petitioner, under the above provisions of the contract, has the right to retain an amount equivalent to 25% of the total payments. As stated by the Court of Appeals, petitioner having been informed in writing by respondent of its intention not to proceed with the contract on August 12, 1998, or prior to incurring delay in payment of succeeding installments,[15] the provisions in the contract relative to penalties and interest find no application.
3.1. If the Event of Default shall have occurred, then at any time thereafter, if any such event shall then be continuing for a period of six (6) months, the SELLER shall have the right to cancel this Contract without need of court declaration to that effect by giving the PURCHASER a written notice of cancellation sent to the address of the PURCHASER as specified herein by registered mail or personal delivery. Thereafter, the SELLER shall return to the PURCHASER the aggregate amount that the SELLER shall have received as of the cancellation of this Contract, less: (i) penalties accrued as of the date of such cancellation, (ii) an amount equivalent to twenty five percent (25%) of the total amount paid as liquidated damages, and (iii) any unpaid charges and dues on the Property. Any amount to be refunded to the PURCHASER shall be collected by the PURCHASER at the office of the SELLER. Upon notice to the PURCHASER of such cancellation, the SELLER shall be free to dispose of the Property covered hereby as if this Contract had not been executed. Notice to the PURCHASER sent by registered mail or by personal delivery to its address stated in this Contract shall be considered as sufficient compliance with all requirements of notice for purposes of this Contract.[14]