LAW ON PROPERTY | DE GARCIA VS. CA
DE GARCIA VS. CA
TOPIC/DOCTRINE
FACTS
Guevara seeks recovery of one (1)
lady's diamond ring 18 cts. white gold mounting, with one (1) 2.05 cts.
diamond-solitaire, and four (4) brills 0.10 cts. total weight' which she bought
on October 27, 1947 from R. Rebullida, Inc. She recognized the ring
on the finger of Mrs. Garcia and asked where she bought it. 3 days after, she
had Mr. Rebullida, who sold the ring and had 30 years of experience, examine
the ring with the aid of a high-power lens and confirm that it was the same
ring bought from him.
Evidence shows it was purchased by
Garcia from Mrs. Miranda who got it from Miss Angelita Hinahon who in turn got
it from the owner, Aling Petring who cannot be located. The ring now had a
diamond-solitaire 2.57 cts., or much heavier than the lost diamond weighing
2.05 cts.
ISSUE
Whether Guevara
can recover the ring from Garcia a purchaser in good faith and for value.
RULING
Yes, but with reimbursement.
The court ruled that 559 of the Civil
Code reads: "The possession of movable property acquired in good faith is
equivalent to a title. Nevertheless, one who has lost any movable or has been
unlawfully deprived thereof may recover it from the person in possession of the
same. If the possessor of a movable loss of which the owner has been unlawfully
deprived, has acquired it in good faith at a public sale, the owner cannot
obtain its return without reimbursing the price paid therefor.”
Here, the court ruled that the ring may
still be recovered by the original owner with reimbursement.