A.3 Torres V Satsatin
A.3 Torres V Satsatin
A.3 Torres V Satsatin
DECISION
PERALTA, J : p
This is a petition for review on certiorari assailing the Decision 1(1) dated
November 23, 2004 of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. SP No. 83595, and its
Resolution 2(2) dated January 18, 2005, denying petitioners' motion for
reconsideration.
The siblings Sofia Torres (Sofia), Fructosa Torres (Fructosa), and Mario
Torres (Mario) each own adjacent 20,000 square meters tract of land situated at
Barrio Lankaan, Dasmariñas, Cavite, covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT)
Nos. 251267, 3(3) 251266, 4(4) and 251265, 5(5) respectively.
Petitioners claimed that Solar has already paid the entire purchase price of
P35,000,000.00 to Nicanor in Thirty-Two (32) post-dated checks which the latter
encashed/deposited on their respective due dates. Petitioners added that they also
learned that during the period from January 2000 to April 2002, Nicanor allegedly
acquired a house and lot at Vista Grande BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City and a car,
which he registered in the names of his unemployed children, Nikki Normel Satsatin
and Nikki Norlin Satsatin. However, notwithstanding the receipt of the entire
payment for the subject property, Nicanor only remitted the total amount of
P9,000,000.00, leaving an unremitted balance of P19,000,000.00. Despite repeated
verbal and written demands, Nicanor failed to remit to them the balance of
P19,000,000.00.
Consequently, on October 25, 2002, petitioners filed before the regional trial
court (RTC) a Complaint 7(7) for sum of money and damages, against Nicanor,
Ermilinda Satsatin, Nikki Normel Satsatin, and Nikki Norlin Satsatin. The case was
docketed as Civil Case No. 2694-02, and raffled to RTC, Branch 90, Dasmariñas,
Cavite.
On October 30, 2002, petitioners filed an Ex-Parte Motion for the Issuance of
a Writ of Attachment, 8(8) alleging among other things: that respondents are about to
depart the Philippines; * (9)that they have properties, real and personal in Metro
Manila and in the nearby provinces; that the amount due them is P19,000,000.00
above all other claims; that there is no other sufficient security for the claim sought to
be enforced; and that they are willing to post a bond fixed by the court to answer for
all costs which may be adjudged to the respondents and all damages which
respondents may sustain by reason of the attachment prayed for, if it shall be finally
adjudged that petitioners are not entitled thereto.
On October 30, 2002, the trial court issued an Order 9(10) directing the
petitioners to post a bond in the amount of P7,000,000.00 before the court issues the
writ of attachment, the dispositive portion of which reads as follows:
prayed that a sheriff be deputized to serve the writ of attachment that would be issued
by the court. cCaATD
In the Order 12(13) dated November 15, 2002, the RTC granted the above
motion and deputized the sheriff, together with police security assistance, to serve the
writ of attachment.
Thereafter, the RTC issued a Writ of Attachment 13(14) dated November 15,
2002, directing the sheriff to attach the estate, real or personal, of the respondents, the
decretal portion of which reads:
You shall return this writ with your proceedings indorsed hereon within
twenty (20) days from the date of receipt hereof.
GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL of this Court, this 15th day of
November, 2002, at Imus for Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines. 14(15)
On November 19, 2002, a copy of the writ of attachment was served upon the
respondents. On the same date, the sheriff levied the real and personal properties of
the respondent, including household appliances, cars, and a parcel of land located at
Las Piñas, Manila. 15(16)
On November 21, 2002, summons, together with a copy of the complaint, was
served upon the respondents. 16(17)
On the same day respondents filed their answer, they also filed a Motion to
Discharge Writ of Attachment 18(19) anchored on the following grounds: the bond was
issued before the issuance of the writ of attachment; the writ of attachment was issued
before the summons was received by the respondents; the sheriff did not serve copies
of the application for attachment, order of attachment, plaintiffs' affidavit, and
Copyright 1994-2016 CD Technologies Asia, Inc. Jurisprudence 1901 to 2015 3
attachment bond, to the respondents; the sheriff did not submit a sheriff's return in
violation of the Rules; and the grounds cited for the issuance of the writ are baseless
and devoid of merit. In the alternative, respondents offered to post a counter-bond for
the lifting of the writ of attachment. 19(20)
On March 11, 2003, after the parties filed their respective pleadings, the RTC
issued an Order 20(21) denying the motion, but at the same time, directing the
respondents to file a counter-bond, to wit:
SO ORDERED. 21(22)
SO ORDERED.
SO ORDERED.
Copyright 1994-2016 CD Technologies Asia, Inc. Jurisprudence 1901 to 2015 4
Respondents filed an Urgent Motion for Reconsideration, 25(26) but it was
denied in the Order 26(27) dated March 3, 2004.
Respondents argued that the subject writ was improper and irregular having
been issued and enforced without the lower court acquiring jurisdiction over the
persons of the respondents. They maintained that the writ of attachment was
implemented without serving upon them the summons together with the complaint.
They also argued that the bond issued in favor of the petitioners was defective,
because the bonding company failed to obtain the proper clearance that it can transact
business with the RTC of Dasmariñas, Cavite. They added that the various clearances
which were issued in favor of the bonding company were applicable only in the
courts of the cities of Pasay, Pasig, Manila, and Makati, but not in the RTC, Imus,
Cavite. 29(30)
On November 23, 2003, the CA rendered the assailed Decision in favor of the
respondents, finding grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of or in excess of
jurisdiction on the part of the RTC in issuing the Orders dated December 15, 2003
and March 3, 2004. The decretal portion of the Decision reads:
Petitioners filed a Motion for Reconsideration, 31(32) but it was denied in the
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Petitioners maintain that in the case at bar, as in the case of FCY Construction
Group, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, 33(34) the only way the subject writ of attachment
can be dissolved is by a counter-bond. They claim that the respondents are not
allowed to file a motion to dissolve the attachment under Section 13, Rule 57 of the
Rules of Court. Otherwise, the hearing on the motion for the dissolution of the writ
would be tantamount to a trial on the merits, considering that the writ of preliminary
attachment was issued upon a ground which is, at the same time, the applicant's cause
of action.
In the case at bar, the CA correctly found that there was grave abuse of
discretion amounting to lack of or in excess of jurisdiction on the part of the trial
court in approving the bond posted by petitioners despite the fact that not all the
requisites for its approval were complied with. In accepting a surety bond, it is
necessary that all the requisites for its approval are met; otherwise, the bond should be
rejected. 37(38)
This Court has long put to rest the issue of when jurisdiction over the person of
the defendant should be acquired in cases where a party resorts to provisional
remedies. A party to a suit may, at any time after filing the complaint, avail of the
provisional remedies under the Rules of Court. Specifically, Rule 57 on preliminary
attachment speaks of the grant of the remedy "at the commencement of the action or
at any time before entry of judgment". 40(41) This phrase refers to the date of the filing
of the complaint, which is the moment that marks "the commencement of the action".
The reference plainly is to a time before summons is served on the defendant, or even
before summons issues. 41(42) EIcTAD
In Davao Light & Power Co., Inc. v. Court of Appeals, 42(43) this Court
clarified the actual time when jurisdiction should be had:
It goes without saying that whatever be the acts done by the Court prior
to the acquisition of jurisdiction over the person of defendant . . . issuance of
summons, order of attachment and writ of attachment . . . these do not and
cannot bind and affect the defendant until and unless jurisdiction over his
person is eventually obtained by the court, either by service on him of
summons or other coercive process or his voluntary submission to the court's
authority. Hence, when the sheriff or other proper officer commences
implementation of the writ of attachment, it is essential that he serve on the
defendant not only a copy of the applicant's affidavit and attachment bond, and
of the order of attachment, as explicitly required by Section 5 of Rule 57, but
also the summons addressed to said defendant as well as a copy of the
complaint . . . . (Emphasis supplied.)
In Cuartero v. Court of Appeals, 43(44) this Court held that the grant of the
provisional remedy of attachment involves three stages: first, the court issues the
order granting the application; second, the writ of attachment issues pursuant to the
order granting the writ; and third, the writ is implemented. For the initial two stages, it
is not necessary that jurisdiction over the person of the defendant be first obtained.
However, once the implementation of the writ commences, the court must have
acquired jurisdiction over the defendant, for without such jurisdiction, the court has
no power and authority to act in any manner against the defendant. Any order issuing
Copyright 1994-2016 CD Technologies Asia, Inc. Jurisprudence 1901 to 2015 8
from the Court will not bind the defendant. 44(45)
Thus, it is indispensable not only for the acquisition of jurisdiction over the
person of the defendant, but also upon consideration of fairness, to apprise the
defendant of the complaint against him and the issuance of a writ of preliminary
attachment and the grounds therefor that prior or contemporaneously to the serving of
the writ of attachment, service of summons, together with a copy of the complaint, the
application for attachment, the applicant's affidavit and bond, and the order must be
served upon him.
In the instant case, assuming arguendo that the trial court validly issued the
writ of attachment on November 15, 2002, which was implemented on November 19,
2002, it is to be noted that the summons, together with a copy of the complaint, was
served only on November 21, 2002.
At the time the trial court issued the writ of attachment on November 15, 2002,
it can validly to do so *(46) since the motion for its issuance can be filed "at the
commencement of the action or at any time before entry of judgment". However, at
the time the writ was implemented, the trial court has not acquired jurisdiction over
the persons of the respondents since no summons was yet served upon them. The
proper officer should have previously or simultaneously with the implementation of
the writ of attachment, served a copy of the summons upon the respondents in order
for the trial court to have acquired jurisdiction upon them and for the writ to have
binding effect. Consequently, even if the writ of attachment was validly issued, it was
improperly or irregularly enforced and, therefore, cannot bind and affect the
respondents.
Moreover, again assuming arguendo that the writ of attachment was validly
issued, although the trial court later acquired jurisdiction over the respondents by
service of the summons upon them, such belated service of summons on respondents
cannot be deemed to have cured the fatal defect in the enforcement of the writ. The
trial court cannot enforce such a coercive process on respondents without first
obtaining jurisdiction over their person. The preliminary writ of attachment must be
served after or simultaneous with the service of summons on the defendant whether
by personal service, substituted service or by publication as warranted by the
circumstances of the case. The subsequent service of summons does not confer a
retroactive acquisition of jurisdiction over her person because the law does not allow
for retroactivity of a belated service. 46(48)
SO ORDERED. cSCADE
Footnotes
1. Penned by Associate Justice Mariano C. del Castillo (now a member of this Court),
with Associate Justices Romeo A. Brawner (now deceased) and Magdangal M. de
Leon, concurring; rollo, pp. 41-59.
2. Rollo, p. 39.
3. CA rollo, pp. 54-55.
4. Id. at 56-57.
5. Id. at 58-59.
6. Id. at 60-65.
7. Records, pp. 1-14.
8. CA rollo, pp. 79-83.
9. Id. at 110-112.
Copyright 1994-2016 CD Technologies Asia, Inc. Jurisprudence 1901 to 2015 10
10. Id. at 112.
11. Id. at 127.
12. Id. at 128.
13. Id. at 129-130.
14. Id. at 130.
15. Id. at 154-156.
16. Id. at 131-132.
17. Id. at 133-145.
18. Id. at 146-153.
19. Id. at 146-149.
20. Id. at 169-170.
21. Id. at 170.
22 Id. at 171.
23. Id. at 171-178.
24. Id. at 39.
25. Id. at 184-189.
26. Id. at 36-38.
27. Id. at 2-35.
28. Rollo, p. 52.
29. Id. at 53.
30. Id. at 58.
31. Id. at 60-69.
32. Id. at 38-39.
33. G.R. No. 123358, February 1, 2000, 324 SCRA 270.
34. CA rollo, p. 354.
35. Id. at 356-365.
36. Cuartero v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 102448, August 5, 1992, 212 SCRA 260.
37. Judicial Audit and Physical Inventory of Confiscated Cash, Surety and Property
Bonds at RTC, Tarlac City, Brs. 63, 64 & 65, A.M. No. 04-7-358-RTC, July 22,
2005, 464 SCRA 21, 28.
38. Id.
39. CA rollo, p. 119.
40. Rules of Court, Rule 57, Sec. 1.
41. Mangila v. Court of Appeals, 435 Phil. 870, 880 (2002).
42. G.R. No. 93262, November 29, 1991, 204 SCRA 343, 355-356.
43. Supra note 36.
44. Id. at 266.
45. Rollo, pp. 57-58.
46. Supra note 41, at 883.
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1. Penned by Associate Justice Mariano C. del Castillo (now a member of this Court),
with Associate Justices Romeo A. Brawner (now deceased) and Magdangal M. de
Leon, concurring; rollo, pp. 41-59.
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2. Rollo, p. 39.
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3. CA rollo, pp. 54-55.
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4. Id. at 56-57.
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5. Id. at 58-59.
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6. Id. at 60-65.
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7. Records, pp. 1-14.
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8. CA rollo, pp. 79-83.
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9. Id. at 110-112.
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10. Id. at 112.
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11. Id. at 127.
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12. Id. at 128.
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13. Id. at 129-130.
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14. Id. at 130.
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15. Id. at 154-156.
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16. Id. at 131-132.
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18. Id. at 146-153.
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19. Id. at 146-149.
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20. Id. at 169-170.
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21. Id. at 170.
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22 Id. at 171.
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23. Id. at 171-178.
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24. Id. at 39.
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25. Id. at 184-189.
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26. Id. at 36-38.
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27. Id. at 2-35.
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28. Rollo, p. 52.
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29. Id. at 53.
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30. Id. at 58.
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31. Id. at 60-69.
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32. Id. at 38-39.
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33. G.R. No. 123358, February 1, 2000, 324 SCRA 270.
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34. CA rollo, p. 354.
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35. Id. at 356-365.
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37. Judicial Audit and Physical Inventory of Confiscated Cash, Surety and Property
Bonds at RTC, Tarlac City, Brs. 63, 64 & 65, A.M. No. 04-7-358-RTC, July 22,
2005, 464 SCRA 21, 28.
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38. Id.
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39. CA rollo, p. 119.
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40. Rules of Court, Rule 57, Sec. 1.
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41. Mangila v. Court of Appeals, 435 Phil. 870, 880 (2002).
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42. G.R. No. 93262, November 29, 1991, 204 SCRA 343, 355-356.
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43. Supra note 36.
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* Note from the Publisher: Copied verbatim from the official copy. The phrase "it can
validly to do so" should read as "it can validly do so."
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45. Rollo, pp. 57-58.
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46. Supra note 41, at 883.