Credit Transactions Case Digest: Bonnevie v. CA (1983)

G.R. No. L-49101 October 24, 1983

Lessons Applicable: Simple Loan

Laws Applicable:

Facts:

  • December 6, 1966: Spouses Jose M. Lozano and Josefa P. Lozano secured their loan of P75K from Philippine Bank of Commerce (PBC) by mortgaging their property
  • December 8, 1966: Executed Deed of Sale with Mortgage to Honesto Bonnevie where P75K is payable to PBC and P25K is payable to Spouses Lanzano.
  • April 28, 1967 to July 12, 1968:   Honesto Bonnevie paid a total of P18,944.22 to PBC
  • May 4, 1968:  Honesto Bonnevie assigned all his rights under the Deed of Sale with Assumption of Mortgage to his brother, intervenor Raoul Bonnevie
  • June 10, 1968:  PBC applied for the foreclosure of the mortgage, and notice of sale was published 
  • January 26, 1971: Honesto Bonnevie filed in the CFI of Rizal against Philippine Bank of Commerce for the annulment of the Deed of Mortgage dated December 6, 1966 as well as the extrajudicial foreclosure made on September 4, 1968.
  • CFI: Dismissed the complaint with costs against the Bonnevies
  • CA: Affirmed
ISSUE: W/N the forclosure on the mortgage is validly executed.

HELD: YES. CA affirmed
  • A contract of loan being a consensual contract is perfected at the same time the contract of mortgage was executed. The promissory note executed on December 12, 1966 is only an evidence of indebtedness and does not indicate lack of consideration of the mortgage at the time of its execution.
  • Respondent Bank had every right to rely on the certificate of title. It was not bound to go behind the same to look for flaws in the mortgagor's title, the doctrine of innocent purchaser for value being applicable to an innocent mortgagee for value. 
  • Thru certificate of sale in favor of appellee was registered on September 2, 1968 and the one year redemption period expired on September 3, 1969. It was not until September 29, 1969 that Honesto Bonnevie first wrote respondent and offered to redeem the property. 
  • loan matured on December 26, 1967 so when respondent Bank applied for foreclosure, the loan was already six months overdue. Payment of interest on July 12, 1968 does not make the earlier act of PBC inequitous nor does it ipso facto result in the renewal of the loan. In order that a renewal of a loan may be effected, not only the payment of the accrued interest is necessary but also the payment of interest for the proposed period of renewal as well. Besides, whether or not a loan may be renewed does not solely depend on the debtor but more so on the discretion of the bank.