CHAPTER IV, SEC. 3 Condonation or Remission of Debt (Articles !"#$!

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SECTION 3
CONDONATION OR REMISSION OF DEBT
(Arts. 1270-1274)
STUDY GUIDE :
1. '(at is condonation or remission)
Condonation or remission is t(e *rat+ito+s abandonment b, t(e creditor of (is
ri*(t. It is, in effect, a donation. (Art. 1270)
E-am.le / Edna o0es Reme P!#,###. '(en t(e debt mat+red, Edna told
Reme t(at s(e need not .a, t(e debt, since Edna 0as condonin* or remittin* t(e same.
Reme a*reed and e-.ressed (er a..reciation to Edna. Here, t(e debt of Reme (as
alread, been e-tin*+is(ed b, a s.ecial mode of .a,ment called condonation or remission.
2. Here are some .ractical .res+m.tions related to condonation or remission /
(a) Presumption of voluntary delivery - '(en t(e .ri1ate doc+ment in 0(ic( t(e
debt a..ears is fo+nd in t(e .ossession of t(e debtor, it s(all be .res+med t(at t(e
creditor 1ol+ntaril, deli1ered t(e doc+ment to t(e debtor. (Art. 1272)
(b) Presumption of remission of the principal obligation '(en t(e .ri1ate
doc+ment in 0(ic( t(e debt a..ears is 1ol+ntaril, deli1ered b, t(e creditor to t(e debtor, it
s(all be .res+med t(at t(e creditor is condonin* or remittin* t(e debt in fa1or of t(e
debtor. (Art. 1271, par. 1)
(c) Presumption of remission of the accessory obligation '(en t(e t(in* .led*ed,
after its deli1er, to t(e creditor, is fo+nd in t(e .ossession of t(e debtor, or of a t(ird
.erson 0(o o0ns t(e t(in*, it s(all be .res+med t(at t(e creditor (as remitted t(e
debtor2s accessor, obli*ation +nder t(e accessor, contract of .led*e. (Art. 1274)
3. Effects of t(e fore*oin* .res+m.tions /
(a) T(ese are merel, dis.+table .res+m.tions. T(e creditor can al0a,s .resent
e1idence to .ro1e t(e contrar,.
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CHAPTER IV, SEC. 3 Condonation or Remission of Debt (Articles !"#$!"%&
(b) In Art. 1274, onl, t(e accessor, obli*ation of .led*e, and not t(e .rinci.al
obli*ation, is remitted. Hence, t(e debtor is still indebted to t(e creditor b+t t(ere
is no more sec+rit,. T(is .ro1ision ad(eres to t(e r+le t(at accessory follows
the principal. T(is is f+rt(er reiterated in Art. 1273 0(ic( states t(at t(e
remission of t(e accessor, obli*ation does not remit t(e .rinci.al obli*ation, b+t
t(e remission of t(e .rinci.al obli*ation also remits t(e accessor, obli*ation.
APPLICATION/PROBLEMS :
1. 3n 4arc( 5, !#3, R,an si*ned a .romissor, note 0it( t(e follo0in* tenor/ 6I
.romise to .a, t(e amo+nt of P5#,### to 7+d, on 3ctober !, !#3.8 7+d, too9 (old of
t(e .romissor, note so t(at s(e (as e1idence of t(e +n.aid debt of R,an. 3n 4a, !5,
!#3, a b+r*lar entered t(e (o+se of 7+d,, and stole some 1al+ables. 3n t(at occasion,
7+d, lost t(e .romissor, note si*ned b, R,an. 3n 3ctober !, !#3, 7+d, t(en 0ent to
R,an to collect (is P5#,### debt. To 7+d,2s s+r.rise, R,an 0as alread, in .ossession of
t(e .romissor, note, and ref+sed to .a, (is obli*ation. R,an told 7+d, t(at since (e 0as
alread, in .ossession of t(e .romissor, note, it is .res+med t(at (e (ad alread, .aid (is
debt of P5#,###, and t(ere 0as not(in* 7+d, co+ld do abo+t it. Is R,an2s .osition
tenable)
2. 3n A.ril 5, !#3, :ic9 borro0ed P##,### from Pa+l .a,able on A+*+st 3#,
!#3. As sec+rit, for t(e loan, :ic9 .led*ed (is anti;+e coffee table 0ort( P5#,### to
Pa+l, and immediatel, deli1ered t(e table to Pa+l. 3n 7+l, 5, !#3, Pa+l recei1ed, as a
birt(da, *ift, a E+ro.ean coffee table 0it( c(airs from (is son in E+ro.e. As a
conse;+ence, Pa+l re;+ested (is ne.(e0 to deli1er bac9 to :ic9 t(e .led*ed anti;+e
coffee table to *i1e s.ace to t(e ne0 one. 3n A+*+st 3#, !#3, Pa+l 0ent to t(e (o+se of
:ic9, and demanded .a,ment of t(e P##,### debt as a*reed +.on. :ic9, (o0e1er,
ref+sed to .a, t(e P##,### on t(e *ro+nd t(at 0(en Pa+l ret+rned t(e anti;+e coffee
table 0(ic( :ic9 (ad deli1ered to (im as a .led*e, Pa+l (ad in effect condoned :ic92s
indebtedness. Is :ic92s ar*+ment correct)
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