Title
Bonaplata vs. Ambler
Case
G.R. No. 1278
Decision Date
Aug 1, 1903
Eugenio Bonaplata sought a writ of execution for a judgment against Fulgencio Tan Tonco, but issuance was denied due to a receiver appointed in a separate insolvency case. The Supreme Court ruled the receiver's appointment improper, granting Bonaplata's writ of execution.
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Case Digest (G.R. No. 1278)

Facts:

  1. Judgment Obtained by Plaintiff: On January 13, 1903, Eugenio Bonaplata obtained a judgment in the Court of First Instance of Manila against Fulgencio Tan Tonco for the sum of 1,541 pesos, Mexican currency. The judgment was final and in full force, as no exceptions were taken, and no motion for a new trial was filed.

  2. Refusal to Issue Writ of Execution: After the judgment was rendered, Bonaplata repeatedly requested Judge Byron S. Ambler and Clerk J. McMicking to issue a writ of execution to enforce the judgment. However, the defendants refused to issue the writ.

  3. Appointment of Receiver: The refusal was based on the fact that on December 18, 1902, Sergia Reyes filed a lawsuit against Fulgencio Tan Tonco, alleging that he was insolvent. Reyes claimed that Tan Tonco’s business, valued at approximately 200,000 pesos, Mexican currency, was at risk of being mismanaged and wasted. She requested the appointment of a receiver to manage the business.

  4. Receiver’s Appointment and Orders: On December 19, 1902, Antonio Torres was appointed as the receiver of Tan Tonco’s business and property. The court also issued an injunction restraining Tan Tonco from interfering with the property and preventing the issuance of any writs of execution against him.

  5. Plaintiff’s Position: Bonaplata, who was not a party to the Reyes vs. Tan Tonco case, argued that the appointment of a receiver was improper and that he was entitled to have his judgment enforced through a writ of execution.

Issue:

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Ruling:

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Ratio:

  1. Exhaustion of Legal Remedies: The appointment of a receiver is an equitable remedy that should only be resorted to after legal remedies have been exhausted. In this case, there was no evidence that legal remedies, such as the issuance of a writ of execution, had been exhausted or that they would be insufficient to satisfy the debt.

  2. Improper Appointment of Receiver: The court found that the appointment of a receiver in the Reyes vs. Tan Tonco case was improper. The debt owed to Reyes was only 1,500 pesos, while Tan Tonco’s assets were valued at 200,000 pesos. There was no evidence that the assets were at risk of being dissipated or that the debt could not be satisfied through ordinary legal processes.

  3. No Interest in Property Before Judgment: The court emphasized that until a judgment is rendered and execution is issued, a creditor has no interest in the debtor’s property. Reyes, as the plaintiff in the earlier case, had no legal basis to seek the appointment of a receiver before obtaining a judgment and attempting to enforce it.

  4. Plaintiff’s Right to Execution: Since Bonaplata was not a party to the Reyes vs. Tan Tonco case and did not consent to the appointment of the receiver, he was not bound by the orders issued in that case. As a judgment creditor, he had the right to have his judgment enforced through a writ of execution.

  5. Prohibition of Bankruptcy Proceedings: The court noted that bankruptcy proceedings were not allowed in the Philippines at the time, as no law had been enacted to govern such proceedings. The appointment of a receiver in this case effectively amounted to an unauthorized bankruptcy proceeding.


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