An Agent May Appoint A Substitute If The Principal Has Not Expressly Prohibited Him From Doing So
An Agent May Appoint A Substitute If The Principal Has Not Expressly Prohibited Him From Doing So
An Agent May Appoint A Substitute If The Principal Has Not Expressly Prohibited Him From Doing So
LAND BANK OF
THE PHILIPPINES AND THE REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR DAVAO CITY
G.R. No. 192602, January 18, 2017, J. Jardeleza
Facts:
Paula Agbisit, the mother of May Villaluz, requested the latter to provide her a
collateral for a loan. May and her husband Johnny agreed to allow Agbisit to use
their property in Davao as collateral for a loan. For such purpose, they executed an
SPA in favor of Agbisit. Notably, the SPA did not expressly prohibit Agbisit from
appointing a substitute.
Milflores Cooperative was not able to pay the loan to Land Bank. Hence, the
latter foreclosed the property. Land Bank won the auction sale of the property as the
highest bidder.
The Spouses Villaluz filed a complaint for annulment of the foreclosure sale,
claiming that Agbisit could no have validly delegated her authority as attorney-in-
fact to Milflores Cooperative. The RTC, however, ruled in favor of Land Bank and
held that the delegation of Agbisit to Milflores Cooperative was valid because the
SPA executed by the Spouses Villaluz had no specific prohibition againt Agbisit
appointing a substitute. The CA affirmed the RTC’s ruling.
Issue:
Ruling:
The law creates a presumption that an agent has the power to appoint a
substitute. The consequence of the presumption is that, upon valid appointment of
a substitute by the agent, there ipso jure arises an agency relationship between the
principal and the substitute. As a result, the principal is bound by the acts of the
substitute as if these acts had been performed by the principal's appointed agent.
Concomitantly, the substitute assumes an agent's obligations to act within the
scope of authority, to act in accordance with the principal's instructions, and to
carry out the agency, among others. In order to make the presumption inoperative
and relieve himself from its effects, it is incumbent upon the principal to expressly
prohibit the agent from appointing a substitute.
In this case, the SPA executed by the Spouses Villaluz contains no restrictive
language indicative of an intention to prohibit Agbisit from appointing a substitute
or sub-agent.