Title
Philippine National Bank vs. Gabino Barretto P. Po E. Jap
Case
G.R. No. 29196
Decision Date
Dec 29, 1928
Mortgage on Tacloban property secured P60,000 credit for partnership debt; Supreme Court ruled it valid but limited recovery to P60,000 plus interest, excluding other claims.
A

Case Summary (G.R. No. 29196)

Summary of the Mortgage Agreement

On May 3, 1919, Gabino Barretto P. Po E. Jap executed a real estate mortgage in favor of the Philippine National Bank concerning a parcel of land located in Tacloban. The mortgage served to secure various debts incurred by Barretto, including loans and future credits, amounting up to sixty thousand pesos (P60,000), at an interest rate of seven percent (7%) per annum.

Other Secured Indebtedness

At the time of the mortgage execution, Barretto was also liable jointly with Gabino Barretto & Co., Ltd. for debts owed to the bank. In 1924, the bank sought to foreclose another property mortgaged by Barretto in Manila to cover a debt judgment of P273,294.13 against Barretto and his partnership, resulting in a sale of that property due to insufficient payment.

Foreclosure Proceedings and Deficiency

After the sale of the Manila property, a deficiency of P319,913.05 remained that necessitated further action for foreclosure on the Tacloban property. When Barretto sold the Tacloban property to his co-defendant Po Tecsi in 1921, Tecsi subsequently transferred the title while the mortgage was noted.

Judicial Findings and Appeal

The lower court found that the mortgage only secured the amount of P60,000 and ruled that Barretto had not received that amount. As a result, the defendants were absolved from the complaint, leading the Philippine National Bank to appeal that decision.

Evidence and Interpretations

During the trial, the plaintiff had to present additional evidence to establish the intent of the mortgage, prompting an objection from the defendant’s counsel regarding the lack of allegations in the complaint about the mortgage's intent. The trial court rightly allowed this supplementary evidence, as it clarified that the mortgage was meant to secure Barretto's guarantee of the partnership's debt.

Limitation on Recovery

The court, acknowledging the mortgage’s nature

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