Title
Tan vs. Valdehueza
Case
G.R. No. L-38745
Decision Date
Aug 6, 1975
Lucia Tan sued Valdehuezas over land ownership and pacto de retro sales; court ruled equitable mortgages, no res judicata, and invalidated legal interest.

Case Digest (G.R. No. L-38745)
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model

Facts:

  • Parties and Subject Matter
    • Plaintiff-Appellee: Lucia Tan. Defendants-Appellants: Arador and Rediculo Valdehueza (also joined by Pacita, Concepcion, Rosario Valdehueza).
    • First Cause of Action:
      • Parcel sold at public auction on May 6, 1955 in Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental; plaintiff was highest bidder.
      • Certificate of Sale (Annex B) and, after failure to redeem within one year, Absolute Deed of Sale (Annex C) executed in plaintiff’s favor.
    • Second Cause of Action:
      • Two portions of unregistered land allegedly sold to plaintiff under Deeds of Pacto de Retro for P1,500 total.
      • Annex D (dated August 5, 1955) unregistered; Annex E (dated March 15, 1955) registered.
  • Procedural History and Stipulations
    • Identity and capacity of parties admitted; defendants’ answer in Civil Case No. 2002 incorporated.
    • Civil Case No. 2002 (filed July 24, 1957) for injunction against defendants entering and harvesting nuts was dismissed May 22, 1963 for failure to prosecute.
    • Defendants remained in possession of the pacto de retro lands and paid realty taxes thereon.
    • Parties submitted Annexes A–E as integral to the stipulation of facts.

Issues:

  • Whether the dismissal of Civil Case No. 2002 operates as res judicata to bar the first cause of action in Civil Case No. 2574.
  • Whether the transactions under the two Deeds of Pacto de Retro are simple loans or constitute equitable mortgages.

Ruling:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Ratio:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Doctrine:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

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