GOLDENWAY MERCHANDISING CORP., VS. EQUITABLE PCI BANK, GR. NO. 195540, 13 MARCH
GOLDENWAY MERCHANDISING CORP., VS. EQUITABLE PCI BANK,
GR. NO. 195540, 13 MARCH
TOPIC/DOCTRINE
The
right of redemption being statutory, it must be exercised in the manner
prescribed by the statute, and within the prescribed time limit, to make it
effective.
FACTS
On
November 29, 1985, Goldenway Merchandising Corporation executed a Real Estate
Mortgage in favor of Equitable PCI Bank over three parcels of land. The
mortgage secured the Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000.00) loan granted to
petitioner. Petitioner failed to settle its loan obligation, so respondent
extrajudicially foreclosed the mortgage on December 13, 2000. Accordingly, a
Certificate of Sale was issued to respondent on January 26, 2001. On February
16, 2001, the Certificate of Sale was registered.
In
a letter dated March 8, 2001, petitioner’s counsel offered to redeem the
foreclosed properties by tendering a check. However, petitioner was told that
such redemption is no longer possible because the certificate of sale had
already been registered and consolidated in favor of respondent March 9, 2001.
Petitioner
filed a complaint for specific performance and damages contending that the
1-year period of redemption under Act 3135 should apply, and not the shorter
redemption period under RA 8791 as applying RA 8791 would result in the
impairment of obligations of contracts and would violate the equal protection
clause under the constitution.
ISSUE
Whether or not the redemption period should be the 1-year
period provided under Act 3135, and not the shorter period under RA 8791 as the
parties expressly agreed that foreclosure would be in accordance with Act 3135.
RULING
The shorter period
applies.
The court held that amending Act no. 3135 is Sec 47 of RA 8791,
which stated an exception made in the case of juridical persons who are
allowed to exercise the right of redemption only “until, but not after, the
registration of the certificate of foreclosure sale” and in no case more than
three (3) months after a foreclosure, whichever comes first. The legislature
clearly intended to shorten the period of redemption for juridical persons
whose properties were foreclosed and sold in accordance with the provisions of
Act No. 3135. The right of redemption being statutory, it must be exercised in
the manner prescribed by the statute, and within the prescribed time limit, to
make it effective. Furthermore, the freedom to contract is not absolute; all
contracts and all rights are subject to the police power of the State and not
only may regulations which affect them be established by the State, but all
such regulations must be subject to change from time to time, as the general the well-being of the community may require, or as the circumstances may change, or
as experience may demonstrate the necessity.