CALTEX (PHILIPPINES), INC., petitioner, vs.

COURT OF APPEALS and SECURITY

BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, respondents.

1992-08-10 | G.R. No. 97753

DECISION

REGALADO, J.:

This petition for review on certiorari impugns and seeks the reversal of the decision promulgated by
respondent court on March 8, 1991 in CA-G.R. CV No. 23615 1 affirming, with modifications, the earlier
decision of the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch XLII, 2 which dismissed the complaint filed therein
by herein petitioner against private respondent bank.

The undisputed background of this case, as found by the court a quo and adopted by respondent court,
appears of record:

"1. On various dates, defendant, a commercial banking institution, through its Sucat Branch issued 280
certificates of time deposit (CTDs) in favor of one Angel dela Cruz who deposited with herein defendant
the aggregate amount of P1,120,000.00, as follows: (Joint Partial Stipulation of Facts and Statement of
Issues, Original Records, p. 207; Defendant's Exhibits 1 to 280):

TD TD
Dates Serial Nos. Quantity Amount

22 Feb. 82 90101 to 90120 20 P80,000

26 Feb. 82 74602 to 74691 90 360,000
2 Mar. 82 74701 to 74740 40 160,000
4 Mar. 82 90127 to 90146 20 80,000
5 Mar. 82 74797 to 94800 4 16,000
5 Mar. 82 89965 to 89986 22 88,000
5 Mar. 82 70147 to 90150 4 16,000
8 Mar. 82 90001 to 90020 20 80,000
9 Mar. 82 90023 to 90050 28 112,000
9 Mar. 82 89991 to 90000 10 40,000
9 Mar. 82 90251 to 90272 22 88,000

Total 280 P1,120,000

==== ==========

"2. Angel dela Cruz delivered the said certificates of time deposit (CTDs) to herein plaintiff in connection
with his purchase of fuel products from the latter (Original Record, p. 208).

"3. Sometime in March 1982, Angel dela Cruz informed Mr. Timoteo Tiangco, the Sucat Branch Manager,
that he lost all the certificates of time deposit in dispute. Mr. Tiangco advised said depositor to execute
and submit a notarized Affidavit of Loss, as required by defendant bank's procedure, if he desired
replacement of said lost CTDs (TSN, February 9, 1987. pp. 48-50).

"4. On March 18, 1982, Angel dela Cruz executed and delivered to defendant bank the required Affidavit
of Loss (Defendant's Exhibit 281). On the basis of said affidavit of loss, 280 replacement CTDs were
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issued in favor of said depositor (Defendant's Exhibits 282-561).

"5. On March 25, 1982, Angel dela Cruz negotiated and obtained a loan from defendant bank in the
amount of Eight Hundred Seventy Five Thousand Pesos (P875,000.00). On the same date, said
depositor executed a notarized Deed of Assignment of Time Deposit (Exhibit 562) which stated, among
others, that he (dela Cruz) surrenders to defendant bank `full control of the indicated time deposits from
and after date of the assignment and further authorizes said bank to pre-terminate, set-off and 'apply the
said time deposits to the payment of whatever amount or amounts may be due' on the loan upon its
maturity (TSN, February 9, 1987, pp. 60-62).

"6. Sometime in November, 1982, Mr. Aranas, Credit Manager of plaintiff

Caltex (Phils.) Inc. went to the defendant bank's Sucat branch and presented for verification the CTDs
declared lost by Angel dela Cruz alleging that the same were delivered to herein plaintiff `as security for
purchases made with Caltex Philippines, Inc.' by said depositor (TSN, February 9, 1987, pp. 54-68).

"7. On November 26, 1982, defendant received a letter (Defendant's Exhibit 563) from herein plaintiff
formally informing it of its possession of the CTDs in question and of its decision to preterminate the
same.

"8. On December 8, 1982, plaintiff was requested by herein defendant to furnish the former 'a copy of the
document evidencing the guarantee agreement with Mr. Angel dela Cruz' as well as 'the details of Mr.
Angel dela Cruz' obligations against which' plaintiff proposed to apply the time deposits (Defendant's
Exhibit 564).

"9. No copy of the requested documents was furnished herein defendant.

"10. Accordingly, defendant bank rejected the plaintiff's demand and claim for payment of the value of
the CTDs in a letter dated February 7, 1983 (Defendant's Exhibit 566).

"11. In April 1983, the loan of Angel dela Cruz with the defendant bank matured and fell due and on
August 5, 1983, the latter set-off and applied the time deposits in question to the payment of the matured
loan (TSN, February 9, 1987, pp. 130-131).

"12. In view of the foregoing, plaintiff filed the instant complaint, praying that defendant bank be ordered
to pay it the aggregate value of the certificates of time deposit of P1,120,000.00 plus accrued interest
and compounded interest therein at 16% per annum, moral and exemplary damages as well as
attorney's fees.

"After trial, the court a quo rendered its decision dismissing the instant complaint." 3

On appeal, as earlier stated, respondent court affirmed the lower court's dismissal of the complaint,
hence this petition wherein petitioner faults respondent court in ruling (1) that the subject certificates of
deposit are non-negotiable despite being clearly negotiable instruments; (2) that petitioner did not
become a holder in due course of the said certificates of deposit; and (3) in disregarding the pertinent
provisions of the Code of Commerce relating to lost instruments payable to bearer. 4

The instant petition is bereft of merit.

A sample text of the certificates of time deposit is reproduced below to provide a better understanding of
the issues involved in this recourse.

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"SECURITY BANK
AND TRUST COMPANY
6778 Ayala Ave., Makati
Metro Manila, Philippines
SUCAT OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT
No. 90101
P 4.000.00
Rate 16%

Date of Maturity FEB 23, 1984 FEB 22 1982, 19___

This is to Certify that BEARER has deposited in this Bank the sum of PESOS: FOUR SECURITY BANK
THOUSAND ONLY. SUCAT OFFICE P4,000 & 00 CTS Pesos, Philippine Currency, repayable to said
depositor 731 days after date, upon presentation and surrender of this certificate, with interest at the rate
of 16% per cent per annum.

(Sgd. Illegible (Sgd. Illegible)

_______________________ ______________________
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURES" 5
______________

Respondent court ruled that the CTDs in question are non-negotiable instruments, rationalizing as
follows:

" . . . While it may be true that the word `bearer' appears rather boldly in the CTDs issued, it is important
to note that after the word `BEARER' stamped on the space provided supposedly for the name of the
depositor, the words `has deposited' a certain amount follows. The document further provides that the
amount deposited shall be `repayable to said depositor' on the period indicated. Therefore, the text of the
instrument(s) themselves manifest with clarity that they are payable, not to whoever purports to be the
`bearer' but only to the specified person indicated therein, the depositor. In effect, the appellee bank
acknowledges its depositor Angel dela Cruz as the person who made the deposit and further engages
itself to pay said depositor the amount indicated thereon at the stipulated date." 6

We disagree with these findings and conclusions, and hereby hold that the CTDs in question are
negotiable instruments. Section 1 of Act No. 2031, otherwise known as the Negotiable Instruments Law,
enumerates the requisites for an instrument to become negotiable, viz:

"(a) It must be in writing and signed by the maker or drawer;

(b) Must contain an unconditional promise or order to pay a sum certain in money;
(c) Must be payable on demand, or at a fixed or determinable future time;
(d) Must be payable to order or to bearer; and
(e) Where the instrument is addressed to a drawee, he must be named or otherwise indicated therein
with reasonable certainty."

The CTDs in question undoubtedly meet the requirements of the law for negotiability. The parties' bone
of contention is with regard to requisite (d) set forth above. It is noted that Mr. Timoteo P. Tiangco,
Security Bank's Branch Manager way back in 1982, testified in open court that the depositor referred to
in the CTDs is no other than Mr. Angel de la Cruz.

xxx xxx xxx

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"Atty. Calida:
Q In other words Mr. Witness, you are saying that per books of the bank, the depositor referred (sic) in
these certificates states that it was Angel dela Cruz?
Witness:
A Yes, your Honor, and we have the record to show that Angel dela Cruz was the one who cause (sic)
the amount.

Atty. Calida:
Q And no other person or entity or company, Mr. Witness?
Witness:
A None, your Honor." 7

xxx xxx xxx

"Atty. Calida:
q Mr. Witness, who is the depositor identified in all of these certificates of time deposit insofar as the
bank is concerned?
Witness:
A Angel dela Cruz is the depositor." 8

xxx xxx xxx

On this score, the accepted rule is that the negotiability or non-negotiability of an instrument is
determined from the writing, that is, from the face of the instrument itself. 9 In the construction of a bill or
note, the intention of the parties is to control, if it can be legally ascertained. 10 While the writing may be
read in the light of surrounding circumstances in order to more perfectly understand the intent and
meaning of the parties, yet as they have constituted the writing to be the only outward and visible
expression of their meaning, no other words are to be added to it or substituted in its stead. The duty of
the court in such case is to ascertain, not what the parties may have secretly intended as
contradistinguished from what their words express, but what is the meaning of the words they have used.
What the parties meant must be determined by what they said. 11

Contrary to what respondent court held, the CTDs are negotiable instruments. The documents provide
that the amounts deposited shall be repayable to the depositor. And who, according to the document, is
the depositor? It is the "bearer." The documents do not say that the depositor is Angel de la Cruz and
that the amounts deposited are repayable specifically to him. Rather, the amounts are to be repayable to
the bearer of the documents or, for that matter, whosoever may be the bearer at the time of presentment.

If it was really the intention of respondent bank to pay the amount to Angel de la Cruz only, it could have
with facility so expressed that fact in clear and categorical terms in the documents, instead of having the
word "BEARER" stamped on the space provided for the name of the depositor in each CTD. On the
wordings of the documents, therefore, the amounts deposited are repayable to whoever may be the
bearer thereof. Thus, petitioner's aforesaid witness merely declared that Angel de la Cruz is the
depositor "insofar as the bank is concerned," but obviously other parties not privy to the transaction
between them would not be in a position to know that the depositor is not the bearer stated in the CTDs.
Hence, the situation would require any party dealing with the CTDs to go behind the plain import of what
is written thereon to unravel the agreement of the parties thereto through facts aliunde. This need for
resort to extrinsic evidence is what is sought to be avoided by the Negotiable Instruments Law and calls
for the application of the elementary rule that the interpretation of obscure words or stipulations in a
contract shall not favor the party who caused the obscurity. 12

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The next query is whether petitioner can rightfully recover on the CTDs. This time, the answer is in the
negative. The records reveal that Angel de la Cruz, whom petitioner chose not to implead in this suit for
reasons of its own, delivered the CTDs amounting to P1,120,000.00 to petitioner without informing
respondent bank thereof at any time. Unfortunately for petitioner, although the CTDs are bearer
instruments, a valid negotiation thereof for the true purpose and agreement between it and De la Cruz,
as ultimately ascertained, requires both delivery and indorsement. For, although petitioner seeks to
deflect this fact, the CTDs were in reality delivered to it as a security for De la Cruz' purchases of its fuel
products. Any doubt as to whether the CTDs were delivered as payment for the fuel products or as a
security has been dissipated and resolved in favor of the latter by petitioner's own authorized and
responsible representative himself.

In a letter dated November 26, 1982 addressed to respondent Security Bank, J. Q. Aranas, Jr., Caltex
Credit Manager, wrote: " . . . These certificates of deposit were negotiated to us by Mr. Angel dela Cruz
to guarantee his purchases of fuel products" (Underscoring ours.) 13 This admission is conclusive upon
petitioner, its protestations notwithstanding. Under the doctrine of estoppel, an admission or
representation is rendered conclusive upon the person making it, and cannot be denied or disproved as
against the person relying thereon. 14 A party may not go back on his own acts and representations to
the prejudice of the other party who relied upon them. 15 In the law of evidence, whenever a party has,
by his own declaration, act, or omission, intentionally and deliberately led another to believe a particular
thing true, and to act upon such belief, he cannot, in any litigation arising out of such declaration, act, or
omission, be permitted to falsify it. 16

If it were true that the CTDs were delivered as payment and not as security, petitioner's credit manager
could have easily said so, instead of using the words "to guarantee" in the letter aforequoted. Besides,
when respondent bank, as defendant in the court below, moved for a bill of particulars therein 17 praying,
among others, that petitioner, as plaintiff, be required to aver with sufficient definiteness or particularity (a)
the due date or dates of payment of the alleged indebtedness of Angel de la Cruz to plaintiff and (b)
whether or not it issued a receipt showing that the CTDs were delivered to it by De la Cruz as payment
of the latter's alleged indebtedness to it, plaintiff corporation opposed the motion. 18 Had it produced the
receipt prayed for, it could have proved, if such truly was the fact, that the CTDs were delivered as
payment and not as security. Having opposed the motion, petitioner now labors under the presumption
that evidence willfully suppressed would be adverse if produced. 19

Under the foregoing circumstances, this disquisition in Integrated Realty Corporation, et al. vs. Philippine
National Bank, et al. 20 is apropos:

" . . . Adverting again to the Court's pronouncements in Lopez, supra, we quote therefrom:

'The character of the transaction between the parties is to be determined by their intention, regardless of
what language was used or what the form of the transfer was. If it was intended to secure the payment of
money, it must be construed as a pledge; but if there was some other intention, it is not a pledge.
However, even though a transfer, if regarded by itself, appears to have been absolute, its object and
character might still be qualified and explained by contemporaneous writing declaring it to have been a
deposit of the property as collateral security. It has been said that a transfer of property by the debtor to
a creditor, even if sufficient on its face to make an absolute conveyance, should be treated as a pledge if
the debt continues in existence and is not discharged by the transfer, and that accordingly the use of the
terms ordinarily importing conveyance of absolute ownership will not be given that effect in such a
transaction if they are also commonly used in pledges and mortgages and therefore do not unqualifiedly
indicate a transfer of absolute ownership, in the absence of clear and unambiguous language or other
circumstances excluding an intent to pledge.'"

| Page 5 of 9
Petitioner's insistence that the CTDs were negotiated to it begs the question. Under the Negotiable
Instruments Law, an instrument is negotiated when it is transferred from one person to another in such a
manner as to constitute the transferee the holder thereof, 21 and a holder may be the payee or indorsee
of a bill or note, who is in possession of it, or the bearer thereof, 22 In the present case, however, there
was no negotiation in the sense of a transfer of the legal title to the CTDs in favor of petitioner in which
situation, for obvious reasons, mere delivery of the bearer CTDs would have sufficed. Here, the delivery
thereof only as security for the purchases of Angel de la Cruz (and we even disregard the fact that the
amount involved was not disclosed) could at the most constitute petitioner only as a holder for value by
reason of his lien. Accordingly, a negotiation for such purpose cannot be effected by mere delivery of the
instrument since, necessarily, the terms thereof and the subsequent disposition of such security, in the
event of non-payment of the principal obligation, must be contractually provided for.

The pertinent law on this point is that where the holder has a lien on the instrument arising from contract,
he is deemed a holder for value to the extent of his lien. 23 As such holder of collateral security, he
would be a pledgee but the requirements therefor and the effects thereof, not being provided for by the
Negotiable Instruments Law, shall be governed by the Civil Code provisions on pledge of incorporeal
rights, 24 which inceptively provide:

"Art. 2095. Incorporeal rights, evidenced by negotiable instruments, . . . may also be pledged. The
instrument proving the right pledged shall be delivered to the creditor, and if negotiable, must be
indorsed."

"Art. 2096. A pledge shall not take effect against third persons if a description of the thing pledged and
the date of the pledge do not appear in a public instrument."

Aside from the fact that the CTDs were only delivered but not indorsed, the factual findings of
respondent court quoted at the start of this opinion show that petitioner failed to produce any document
evidencing any contract of pledge or guarantee agreement between it and Angel de la Cruz. 25
Consequently, the mere delivery of the CTDs did not legally vest in petitioner any right effective against
and binding upon respondent bank. The requirement under Article 2096 aforementioned is not a mere
rule of adjective law prescribing the mode whereby proof may be made of the date of a pledge contract,
but a rule of substantive law prescribing a condition without which the execution of a pledge contract
cannot affect third persons adversely. 26

On the other hand, the assignment of the CTDs made by Angel de la Cruz in favor of respondent bank
was embodied in a public instrument. 27 With regard to this other mode of transfer, the Civil Code
specifically declares:

"Art. 1625. An assignment of credit, right or action shall produce no effect as against third persons,
unless it appears in a public instrument, or the instrument is recorded in the Registry of Property in case
the assignment involves real property."

Respondent bank duly complied with this statutory requirement Contrarily, petitioner, whether as
purchaser, assignee or lienholder of the CTDs, neither proved the amount of its credit or the extent of its
lien nor the execution of any public instrument which could affect or bind private respondent. Necessarily,
therefore, as between petitioner and respondent bank, the latter has definitely the better right over the
CTDs in question.

Finally, petitioner faults respondent court for refusing to delve into the question of whether or not private
respondent observed the requirements of the law in the case of lost negotiable instruments and the
issuance of replacement certificates therefor, on the ground that petitioner failed to raise that issue in the
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lower court. 28

On this matter, we uphold respondent court's finding that the aspect of alleged negligence of private
respondent was not included in the stipulation of the parties and in the statement of issues submitted by
them to the trial court. 29 The issues agreed upon by them for resolution in this case are:

"1. Whether or not the CTDs as worded are negotiable instruments.

2. Whether or not defendant could legally apply the amount covered by the CTDs against the depositor's
loan by virtue of the assignment (Annex 'C').

3. Whether or not there was legal compensation or set off involving the amount covered by the CTDs
and the depositor's outstanding account with defendant, if any.

4. Whether or not plaintiff could compel defendant to preterminate the CTDs before the maturity date
provided therein.

5. Whether or not plaintiff is entitled to the proceeds of the CTDs.

6. Whether or not the parties can recover damages, attorney's fees and litigation expenses from each
other."

As respondent court correctly observed, with appropriate citation of some doctrinal authorities, the
foregoing enumeration does not include the issue of negligence on the part of respondent bank. An issue
raised for the first time on appeal and not raised timely in the proceedings in the lower court is barred by
estoppel. 30 Questions raised on appeal must be within the issues framed by the parties and,
consequently, issues not raised in the trial court cannot be raised for the first time on appeal. 31

Pre-trial is primarily intended to make certain that all issues necessary to the disposition of a case are
properly raised. Thus, to obviate the element of surprise, parties are expected to disclose at a pre-trial
conference all issues of law and fact which they intend to raise at the trial, except such as may involve
privileged or impeaching matters. The determination of issues at a pre-trial conference bars the
consideration of other questions on appeal. 32

To accept petitioner's suggestion that respondent bank's supposed negligence may be considered
encompassed by the issues on its right to preterminate and receive the proceeds of the CTDs would be
tantamount to saying that petitioner could raise on appeal any issue. We agree with private respondent
that the broad ultimate issue of petitioner's entitlement to the proceeds of the questioned certificates can
be premised on a multitude of other legal reasons and causes of action, of which respondent bank's
supposed negligence is only one. Hence, petitioner's submission, if accepted, would render a pre-trial
delimitation of issues a useless exercise. 33

Still, even assuming arguendo that said issue of negligence was raised in the court below, petitioner still
cannot have the odds in its favor. A close scrutiny of the provisions of the Code of Commerce laying
down the rules to be followed in case of lost instruments payable to bearer, which it invokes, will reveal
that said provisions, even assuming their applicability to the CTDs in the case at bar, are merely
permissive and not mandatory. The very first article cited by petitioner speaks for itself:

"Art. 548. The dispossessed owner, no matter for what cause it may be, may apply to the judge or court
of competent jurisdiction, asking that the principal, interest or dividends due or about to become due, be
not paid a third person, as well as in order to prevent the ownership of the instrument that a duplicate be
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issued him." (Emphases ours.)

xxx xxx xxx

The use of the word "may" in said provision shows that it is not mandatory but discretionary on the part
of the "dispossessed owner" to apply to the judge or court of competent jurisdiction for the issuance of a
duplicate of the lost instrument. Where the provision reads "may," this word shows that it is not
mandatory but discretional. 34 The word "may" is usually permissive, not mandatory. 35 It is an auxiliary
verb indicating liberty, opportunity, permission and possibility. 36

Moreover, as correctly analyzed by private respondent, 37 Articles 548 to 558 of the Code of Commerce,
on which petitioner seeks to anchor respondent bank's supposed negligence, merely established, on the
one hand, a right of recourse in favor of a dispossessed owner or holder of a bearer instrument so that
he may obtain a duplicate of the same, and, on the other, an option in favor of the party liable thereon
who, for some valid ground, may elect to refuse to issue a replacement of the instrument, Significantly,
none of the provisions cited by petitioner categorically restricts or prohibits the issuance a duplicate or
replacement instrument sans compliance with the procedure outlined therein, and none establishes a
mandatory precedent requirement therefor.

WHEREFORE, on the modified premises above set forth, the petition is DENIED and the appealed
decision is hereby AFFIRMED.

SO ORDERED.

Narvasa (C.J., Chairman), Padilla and Nocon, JJ., concur.

Footnotes

1. Per Justice Segundino G. Chua, with the concurrence of Justices Santiago M. Kapunan and Luis L.
Victor.
2. Judge Ramon Mabutas, Jr., presiding; Rollo, 64-88.
3. Rollo, 24-26.
4. Ibid., 12.
5. Exhibit A, Documentary Evidence for the Plaintiff, 8.
6. Rollo, 28.
7. TSN, February 9, 1987, 46-47.
8. Ibid., id., 152-153.
9. 11 Am. Jur. 2d, Bills and Notes, 79.
10. Ibid., 86.
11. Ibid., 87-88.
12. Art. 1377, Civil Code.
13. Exhibit 563, Documentary Evidence for the Defendant, 442; Original Record, 211.
14. Panay Electric Co., Inc. vs. Court of Appeals, et al., 174 SCRA 500 (1989).
15. Philippine National Bank vs. Intermediate Appellate Court, et al., 189 SCRA 680 (1990).
16. Section 2(a), Rule 131, Rules of Court.
17. Original Record, 152.
18. Ibid., 154.
19. Section 3(e), Rule 131, Rules of Court.
20. 174 SCRA 295 (1989), jointly decided with Overseas Bank of Manila vs. Court of Appeals, et al., G.R.
No. 60907.
21. Sec. 30, Act No. 2031.
| Page 8 of 9
22. Sec. 191, id.
23. Sec. 27, id.; see also Art. 2118, Civil Code.
24. Commentaries and Jurisprudence on the Philippine Commercial Laws, T. C. Martin, 1985 Re. v. Ed.,
Vol. I, 134; Art. 18, Civil Code; Sec. 196, Act No. 2031.
25. Rollo, 25.
26. Tec Bi & Co. vs. Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, 41 Phil 596 (1916); Ocejo, Perez &
Co. vs. The International Banking Corporation, 37 Phil. 631 (1918); Te Pate vs. Ingersoll, 43 Phil. 394
(1922).
27. Rollo, 25.
28. Ibid., 15.
29. Joint Partial Stipulation of Facts and Statement of Issues, dated November 27, 1984; Original Record,
209.
30. Mejorada vs. Municipal Council of Dipolog, 52 SCRA 451 (1973).
31. Sec. 18, Rule 46, Rules of Court; Garcia, et al. vs. Court of Appeals, et al., 102 SCRA 597 (1981);
Matienzo vs. Servidad, 107 SCRA 276 (1981); Aguinaldo Industries Corporation, etc. vs. Commissioner
of Internal Revenue, et al., 112 SCRA 136 (1982); Dulos Realty & Development Corporation vs. Court of
Appeals, et al., 157 SCRA 425 (1988).
32. Bergado vs. Court of Appeals, et al., 173 SCRA 497 (1989).
33. Rollo, 58.
34. U.S. vs. Sanchez, 13 Phil. 336 (1909); Capati vs. Ocampo, 113 SCRA 794 (1982).
35. Luna vs. Abaya, 86 Phil. 472 (1950).
36. Philippine Law Dictionary, F. B. Moreno, Third Edition, 590.
37. Rollo, 59.

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