Title
Pastor vs. Nicasio
Case
G.R. No. 2334
Decision Date
Apr 18, 1906
Partnership borrowed funds, sold vessels; plaintiff ratified attorney-in-fact's actions, accepted proceeds, and failed to prove fraud or errors in accounting.

Case Summary (G.R. No. 2334)

Financial Arrangements and Mortgages

The partnership sought to buy six vessels with an overall value of 46,500 pesos but only had 18,500 pesos available. They acquired loans totaling 28,000 pesos, with Pastor providing 8,500 pesos among the other creditors. Upon executing a public instrument on November 24, 1900, a condition was established where the vessels would be mortgaged to secure the repayment of these loans.

Authority and Agency

On July 22, 1901, Pastor granted Nicasio a power of attorney to administer his property, upon which Nicasio acted on Pastor's behalf in partnership matters. A meeting on July 12, 1901, led to the decision to sell the vessels to Manuel Gaspar for 30,000 pesos. Notably, Nicasio represented Pastor in this transaction, leading to contention regarding the appropriateness of his dual roles.

Dispute Over Agent's Authority

Pastor argued that Nicasio, acting as an agent and simultaneously benefiting as a partner, could not validly discharge the partnership's debt to him, claiming a conflict of interest. He insisted that he was owed the difference between his full entitlement and what he received after the vessels were sold, asserting that Nicasio’s dual capacity invalidated the transaction.

Evidence of Ratification

The court reviewed evidence indicating that Pastor ratified Nicasio’s actions through his approval of the partnership’s decisions and the eventual disbursement of earnings. Letters from Pastor acknowledged the transactions and indicated his satisfaction with the outcomes, pointing to implicit acceptance of Nicasio’s management of the partnership’s affairs.

Approval of Distribution of Earnings

The case further involved Pastor's contention that he had not received adequate accounting for the earnings derived from the vessels. However, it was established that he had previously accepted his share of the profits—2,020.95 pesos as per a signed document, which contradicted his claims and demonstrated ratification of Nicasio's actions regarding financial distributions.

Lack of Fraud or Mistake

Ultimately, the court noted that absent any evidence of fraud, deceit, or mistake during the account

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