Civil Law Reviewer-jurado

CIVIL LAW REVIEWER PRELIMINARY TITLE EFFECT AND APPLICATION OF LAWS (Arts. 1-18) 1.

Dene law.

ANS: The term law, in its general sense (derecho), is dened as the science of moral laws based on the rational nature of man, which governs his free activity for the realization of his individual and social ends, and which by its very nature is demandable and reciprocal. (1 Sanchez Roman 3.) In its specic sense (ley), it is dened as a rule of conduct, just, obligatory, promulgated by legitimate authority, and of common observance and benet. (Ibid.) 2.

Dene Civil Law. (1977)

ANS: Civil law is dened as the mass of precepts which determines and regulates those relations of assistance, authority and obedience existing among members of a family as well as among members of a society for the protection of private interests. (1 Sanchez Roman 70.) 3.

Dene Civil Code.

ANS: A Civil Code may be dened as a collection of laws, which regulates the private relations of the members of civil society, determining their respective rights and obligations, with reference to persons, things, and civil acts. (1 Tolentino, Civil Code, p. 10.) 4. What is the physical or mechanical composition of the Civil Code of the Philippines? (1977) ANS: The Civil Code of the Philippines consists of 2,270 articles which are divided as follows: (1)

Preliminary Title — Arts. 1-36. 1

Arts. 1-18

PRELIMINARY TITLE Effect and Application of Laws

(2) Book 1 — Persons — Arts. 37-51, NCC; Arts. 1-257, FC; Arts. 305-310, NCC; Arts. 356-396, NCC; and Arts. 407-413, NCC. (3) Book II — Property, Ownership, and its Modications — Arts. 414-711. (4) 1155.

Book III — Modes of Acquiring Ownership — Arts. 712-

(5) 2251.

Book IV — Obligations and Contracts — Arts. 1156-

(6)

Transitional Provisions — Arts. 2252-2269.

(7)

Repealing Clause — Art. 2270.

5. What are the sources of the Civil Code of the Philippines? (1977) ANS: The sources of the Civil Code of the Philippines are: (1)

Civil Code of Spain of 1889;

(2) Codes and laws of other countries, such as Spain, the various states of the United States — especially California and Louisiana, France, Argentina, Germany, Mexico, Switzerland, England, and Italy; (3) Judicial decisions of the Supreme Courts of the Philippines, of various states of the United States, of Spain, and of other countries; (4) Philippine laws or statutes, such as the Code of Civil Procedure (Act No. 190), the Rules of Court, the Marriage Law (Act No. 3613), and the Divorce Law (Act No. 2710); (5)

Works of jurists and commentators of various nations;

(6)

Filipino customs and traditions; and

(7)

The Code Commission itself.

(Report of the Code Commission, pp. 2-3.) 6.

When do laws in the Philippines take effect?

ANS: Laws shall take effect after 15 days following the completion of their publication either in the Ofcial Gazette or in 2

PRELIMINARY TITLE Effect and Application of Laws

Arts. 1-18

a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, unless it is otherwise provided. (Exec. Order No. 200, dated June 18, 1987, which repealed Art. 2, NCC.) 7. When did the Spanish Civil Code take effect in the Philippines? ANS: The Spanish Civil Code took effect 20 days (“a los veinte dias’’) after publication in the ofcial newspaper in the Philippines. As to actual date of effectivity, there are two (2) views. According to the majority view, since it was published in the Gaceta de Manila on Nov. 17, 1889, therefore, it took effect on December 7, 1889. (Mijares vs. Nery, 3 Phil. 196; Cosio vs. Pili, 10 Phil. 72; Insular Government vs. Aldecoa, 19 Phil. 505; Barretto vs. Tuazon, 59 Phil. 845.) According to the minority view, the date of effectivity is Dec. 8, 1889. (Benedicto vs. De la Rama, 3 Phil. 43; Veloso vs. Fontanosa, 13 Phil. 79.) It is submitted that the rst view is more in accordance with the rules of statutory construction. 8. When did the Civil Code of the Philippines take effect? Discuss. ANS: According to several cases decided by the Supreme Court (SC), the date of effectivity of the Civil Code of the Philippines is Aug. 30, 1950, which is one year after its publication in the Ofcial Gazette as required by Art. 2 of the said Code. (Lara vs. Del Rosario, 94 Phil. 778; Raymundo vs. Peñas, 96 Phil. 311; Camporedondo vs. Aznar, 102 Phil. 1055.) The above date of effectivity of the New Civil Code (NCC), as pinpointed by the SC, has been the subject of criticism by some of our leading commentators. It is, of course, clear that Art. 2 of the NCC expressly provides that the NCC of the Philippines shall take effect “one year after the completion of its publication in the Ofcial Gazette.” Actually, it was published in a Supplement dated June, 1949, which accompanied the June, 1949 issue. However, the Editor of the said Ofcial Gazette certied that “the June, 1949 issue of the Ofcial Gazette with the Supplement thereto, was released for circulation on August 30, 1949.” Consequently, if the basis for computing the one-year period is the date of publication, then the date of effectivity would be June 30, 1950. This was the view upheld by the majority of commentators. (See 1 Tolentino, Civil Code, p. 17.) 3

To the two thousand and thirteen loves of my life, Nena, my twelve children and my bar candidates, this book is affectionately dedicated.

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PREFACE TO THE 2009 EDITION With a deep sense of pride, we are once more bringing out the revised edition of this book. This edition contains the most recent Supreme Court decisions on Civil Law, as recent as 2008. It likewise contains the recent bar questions up to 2007. Through the years, this Reviewer has remained to be a handy manual on Civil Law for the bar candidates, law professors, all lawyers actively engaged in the law practice and even judges. As was observed by our father, this Reviewer can even be used as a very convenient text for the Civil Law Review classes. We hope that somehow, this Reviewer shall continue to be of help to them. Just like the other books of Justice Jurado, this book is a “product of a hard discipline – the discipline of fine, unselfish scholarship,’’ one that is to be remembered as his masterpiece...a treasured legacy.’’ In closing, we wish to acknowledge the assistance of all those who have supported us, most specially our “Manong,” Mr. Juanito F. Fontelera, owner and publisher of the REX BOOK STORE, our mother “Mama Nena” and our brother, Richard B. Jurado, for their encouragement and support. Quezon City, Philippines, August 23, 2008. By: JUSTICE ROLAND B. JURADO Associate Justice, Sandiganbayan; Former RTC Judge Branch 76, Malolos, Bulacan; Former MTC Judge, Branch 2, Malolos, Bulacan; Former Fourth Assistant City Prosecutor, Caloocan City; Professor of Law – FEU, UE, MLQU and SSC; BSC; Ll.B. (FEU) ATTY. ROSARIO JURADO-BENEDICTO Vice-President and Head, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Legal Services Division; Partner, Benedicto, Verzosa, Burkley & Associv

ates; Former Corporate Secretary/Assistant Corporate Secretary and Legal Officer of the Filinvest Group of Companies, and the Francisco V. del Rosario Group of Companies; Private Practitioner, Dizon, Paculdo, Jurado, Jurado, Vitug and Associates; Former Professor, F.E.U. School of Business; Former Professor of San Sebastian College of Law; A.B. and Ll.B. (U.P. Diliman) ATTY. RUDOLF PHILIP B. JURADO Private Practitioner, The Law Firm of R.P.B. Jurado; Former Partner, Culvera, Waytan & Jurado Law Offices; Former Trial Lawyer, Coronel Law Office; Professor, MLQU School of Law; Former Professor U.E. College of Law and Lyceum College of Law; B.S.C., Ll.B. (U.E.) and ATTY. ROBERT B. JURADO Consultant, Housing and Urban Development and Coordinating Council (HUDCC); Private Practitioner; Former Director, Legislative Bills and Index Services, Senate of the Republic of the Philippines and HUDCC; Former Consultant to the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines; Former Trial Lawyer, Marbibi Law Office, Electrical Engineering (N.U.); Ll.B. (F.E.U.)

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PREFACE TO THE 1989 EDITION Law, including the Civil Law, is always changing. Since the last edition was published in 1986, many changes have been introduced particularly on the subject of Persons and Family Relations and Succession with the passage of the Family Code. This edition incorporates these changes in the field and accounts for its size. Assistance to bar candidates, law professors and lawyers actively engaged in the practice of law was the objective of the 1986 edition. It is still the objective of this edition. Much of the inspiration that went into this work came from our father — the hero, the Justice, the Professor and the author. Through our relationship with him, we have learned to hold the assurance that the disappointments which we experience, nay, even his departure, are actually blessings in disguise to draw us closer to God and to the ideals which our father committed himself in his lifetime, the love for the Civil Law being foremost among them. Such love shall always be remembered as a treasured legacy. We, the wife and the children of the late Justice Desiderio P. Jurado, are indebted to a number of persons for help with this edition. Preeminent among them are Justice Alicia V. Sempio-Diy of the Court of Appeals, Prof. A. Gutierrez and A. Buencamino. We are likewise thankful to all those who, in one way or the other, assisted and gave us the support in the preparation of this edition. Quezon City, Philippines, July 1989. By ROLAND (Judge, Municipal Trial Court, Branch 2, Malolos, Bulacan; Former Fourth Assistant City Prosecutor, Caloocan City; Former Legal Consultant, Metro Manila Commission; Professor, San Sebastian College of Law; BSC; Ll.B. (F.E.U.); and ROSARIO (Manager, Legal Services Division, Bank of the Philippine Islands); Attorney-at-Law, Leonen, Ramirez and Associates; Former Corporate Secretary and Legal Officer of the Filinvest Group of Companies and the Francisco V. del Rosario Group of Companies; Former Professor, F.E.U. School of Business; AB; Ll.B. (U.P.). vii

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PREFACE TO THE 1981-1982 EDITION It is with a sense of pride that we are again bringing out a new edition of this Reviewer. This edition now contains all of the most important decisions, in summarized or modified form, of the Supreme Court on Civil Law, whether landmark, illustrative, or even abandoned, up to 1981. It also contains all of the most important bar questions, whether oft-repeated or off-beat, up to 1981. It also contains the salient features of the Child and Youth Welfare Code (P.D. No. 603, as amended), the Condominium Act (Rep. Act No. 4726), the Water Code of the Philippines (P.D. No. 1067), the Decree on Intellectual Property (P.D. No. 49), the Realty Installment Buyer Protection Act (Rep. Act No. 6552), the new House Rental Law (Batas Pambansa Blg. 25) and other laws or decrees which have either repealed or modified provisions of the Civil Code of the Philippines or decisions of the Supreme Court. In the process, we have added hypothetical problems, not off-beat, which may help bar examiners in formulating reasonable and fair questions and problems which will really test the mettle of bar candidates. Additionally, we have included as appendices the bar questions of 1980 and 1981, some presidential decrees and some new decisions. With the above-mentioned additions and interpolations, this Reviewer has indeed become a handy manual on Civil Law not only for bar candidates and law professors but also for lawyers actively engaged in the practice of the law. As a matter of fact, many judges and law practitioners, who, at some time or another, once listened to our lectures on Civil Law, have told us that they are using it as a sort of guide for further research. It can even be used as a very convenient text for both Civil Law Review 1 and Civil Law Review 2 in the regular law course. In our case, we have been prescribing it as the basic text not only in our Pre-Bar review courses at the UP Law Center, Ateneo de Manila University, San Beda College of Law, Far Eastern University, University of Santo Tomas, University of Manila, Manila Review Center and others, but also in our Civil Law Review 1 & 2 courses at the Schools of Law of San ix

Beda College, Far Eastern University, University of Santo Tomas, University of Manila, Lyceum of the Philippines, Philippine Law School, Adamson University, San Sebastian College and others where we had the privilege to teach the subjects. Thus, once again we offer this Reviewer to the bar candidates who are presently reviewing for the bar examinations as well as to all lovers of Civil Law, be they judges, lawyers or students. We pray and hope that it will continue to be of help to them. Manila, Philippines, March 25, 1982 D. P. JURADO

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages PRELIMINARY TITLE ...........................................................

1

Effect and Application of Laws ...................................... Human Relations ............................................................

1 33

BOOK I. — PERSONS Title I. — CIVIL PERSONALITY .......................................... CITIZENSHIP AND DOMICILE ...................................

62 67

Title I. — MARRIAGE ............................................................

69

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Requisites of Marriage ................................ Marriages Exempt from the License Requirement ................................................. Void and Voidable Marriages .....................

Title II. — LEGAL SEPARATION ......................................... Title III. — RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE .................................................. Title IV. — PROPERTY RELATIONS BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE .................................................. Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

General Provisions....................................... Donations by Reason of Marriage .............. System of Absolute Community .................

Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4

Section 5

General Provisions .................................. What Constitutes Community Property ............................................. Charges Upon and Obligations of the Absolute Community ........................ Ownership, Administration, Enjoyment and Disposition of Community Property .................... Dissolution of Absolute Community Regime ............................................... xi

69 82 87 120 135 139 139 143 151 151 152 153

155 156

Section 6

Chapter 4 Section Section Section Section

Liquidation of the Absolute Community Assets and Liabilities ...........................................

158

Conjugal Partnership of Gains ...................

161

General Provisions .................................. Exclusive Property of Each Spouse........ Conjugal Partnership Property .............. Charges Upon and Obligations of the Conjugal Partnership ....................... 5 Administration of the Conjugal Partnership Property ........................ 6 Dissolution of Conjugal Partnership Regime ............................................... 7 Liquidation of the Conjugal Partnership Assets and Liabilities ........................................... Separation of Property of the Spouses and Administration of Common Property by One Spouse During the Marriage .......................................... Regime of Separation of Property .............. Property Regime of Unions Without Marriage.................................................

161 165 173

Title V. — THE FAMILY ........................................................

214

Section Section Section

Chapter 5

Chapter 6 Chapter 7

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

1 2 3 4

187 193 196

197

201 207 208

The Family as an Institution...................... Family Home ................................................

214 215

Title VI. — PATERNITY AND FILIATION ..........................

222

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Legitimate Children .................................... Proof of Filiation .......................................... Illegitimate Children ................................... Legitimated Children ..................................

222 230 238 241

Title VII. — ADOPTION ......................................................... Title VIII. — SUPPORT .......................................................... Title IX. — PARENTAL AUTHORITY ..................................

246 258 267

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

General Provisions....................................... Substitute and Special Parental Authority ................................................ Effect of Parental Authority Upon the Persons of the Children ........................ xii

267 274 277

Chapter 4 Chapter 5

Effect of Parental Authority Upon the Property of the Children ....................... Suspension or Termination of Parental Authority ................................

280 282

Title X. — EMANCIPATION AND AGE OF MAJORITY ...................................................................... Title XI. — SUMMARY JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS IN THE FAMILY LAW................................................... Title XII. — FINAL PROVISIONS ........................................

286 286

PROVISIONS OF THE CIVIL CODE AND P.D. NO. 603 AS AMENDED, WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN REPEALED BY THE FAMILY CODE..... FUNERALS .............................................................................. CARE AND EDUCATION OF CHILDREN .......................... USE OF SURNAMES.............................................................. ABSENCE ................................................................................ CIVIL REGISTER ...................................................................

287 287 288 295 299 301

284

BOOK II. — PROPERTY, OWNERSHIP, AND ITS MODIFICATIONS Title 1. — CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY .................... Title II. — OWNERSHIP ........................................................

308 327

Right of Accession ........................................................... Quieting of Title ..............................................................

332 362

III. — CO-OWNERSHIP ................................................ IV. — SOME SPECIAL PROPERTIES ........................ V. — POSSESSION ........................................................ VI. — USUFRUCT ......................................................... VII. — EASEMENTS OR SERVITUDES ..................... VIII. — NUISANCE .......................................................

364 380 385 406 415 437

Title Title Title Title Title Title

BOOK III. — DIFFERENT MODES OF ACQUIRING OWNERSHIP GENERAL PRINCIPLES ........................................................ Title I. — OCCUPATION .......................................................

442 444

Law ................................................................................. Tradition ..........................................................................

446 447

Title II. — INTELLECTUAL CREATION............................. Title III. — DONATION .........................................................

449 453

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Title IV. — SUCCESSION ...................................................... Chapter 1 Chapter 2

490

General Provisions....................................... Testamentary Succession ............................

490 497

Section 1. Wills ........................................................... Wills in General...................................................... Testamentary Capacity and Intent ....................... Forms of Wills, Witnesses, and Codicils ............... Revocation, Republication and Revival of Wills..................................................... Allowance and Disallowance of Wills ................... Section 2. Institution of Heirs.................................. Section 3. Substitution of Heirs ............................... Section 4. Testamentary Dispositions ..................... Section 5. Legitime ................................................... Reserva Troncal ...................................................... Distribution of Estate if There are Donations ..... Section 6. Disinheritance ......................................... Section 7. Legacies and Devises ..............................

497 497 499 500

Chapter 3

522 530 538 547 554 558 573 592 600 607

Intestate Succession ....................................

614

Section 1. General Provisions .................................. Representation ........................................................ Section 2 Order of Intestate Succession.................

614 618 627

Chapter 4

Provisions Common to Testate and Intestate Successions ............................ Accretion ................................................................ Capacity to Succeed By Will or By Intestacy ......................................................... Acceptance and Repudiation.................................. Collation .................................................................. Partition and Distribution .....................................

655 655 667 676 679 685

Title V. — PRESCRIPTION ...................................................

691

General Provisions .......................................................... Acquisitive Prescription .................................................. Extinctive Prescription ...................................................

691 694 697

BOOK IV. — OBLIGATIONS AND CONTRACTS Title I. — OBLIGATIONS ...................................................... General Provisions .......................................................... Nature and Effect of Obligations ................................... xiv

700 700 702

Kinds of Obligations ....................................................... Pure and Conditional Obligations ......................... Obligations with a Period ...................................... Alternative and Facultative Obligations .............. Joint and Solidary Obligations .............................. Divisible and Indivisible Obligations .................... Obligations with a Penal Clause ........................... Modes of Extinguishing Obligations ..................... Payment or Performance ............................... Loss of the Thing Due ................................... Remission ....................................................... Confusion or Merger ...................................... Compensation ................................................. Novation .........................................................

718 718 729 738 742 757 759 764 765 782 786 789 790 795

Title II. — CONTRACTS ........................................................

811

General Provisions .......................................................... Essential Requisites of Contracts .................................. Consent.................................................................... Object....................................................................... Cause ....................................................................... Form of Contracts ........................................................... Reformation of Instruments ........................................... Defective Contracts ......................................................... Rescissible Contracts ...................................................... Voidable Contracts .......................................................... Unenforceable Contracts ................................................ Void or Inexistent Contracts ..........................................

811 829 829 851 854 859 863 868 870 878 887 896

III. — NATURAL OBLIGATIONS ................................ IV. — ESTOPPEL........................................................... V. — TRUSTS ................................................................. VI. — SPECIAL CONTRACTS ...................................... Sales ................................................................................. Title VII. — BARTER OR EXCHANGE ................................ Title VIII. — LEASE ...............................................................

911 913 918 929 929 1002 1003

General Provisions .......................................................... Lease of Rural and Urban Lands .................................. Work and Labor Household Service .............................. Contract of Labor ................................................... Contract for a Piece of Work ................................. Common Carriers ...................................................

1003 1004 1023 1023 1024 1026

Title IX. — PARTNERSHIP ...................................................

1041

Title Title Title Title

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Title X. — AGENCY ................................................................ Title XI. — LOAN .................................................................... Title XII. — DEPOSIT ............................................................ TItle XIII. — ALEATORY CONTRACTS .............................. Title XIV. — COMPROMISES AND ARBITRATIONS ........ Title XV. — GUARANTY ........................................................ Title XVI. — PLEDGE, MORTGAGE AND ANTICHRESIS ................................................................

1065 1091 1099 1104 1109 1111

Pledge ............................................................................... Real Estate Mortgage ..................................................... Antichresis ....................................................................... Chattel Mortgage.............................................................

1121 1127 1135 1139

Title XVII. — EXTRA-CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS ....

1147

Quasi-Contracts............................................................... Quasi-Delicts ...................................................................

1147 1152

Title XVIII. — DAMAGES ...................................................... Title XIX. — CONCURRENCE AND PREFERENCE OF CREDITS ................................................................... TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS ............................................. REPEALING CLAUSE............................................................

1183

1121

1225 1231 1233

APPENDIX A.

COMMON DISTINCTIONS IN CIVIL LAW ................

1234

B.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9523 ............................................

1239

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