50. Urrutia and Co vs.

Moreno

FACTS: Mendezona & Co., (creditor) obtained a judgment on a bond in the

Court of First Instance of Manila against Mariano Moreno, as principal
debtor, and against Amalia Moreno, Camilo Moreno, and Rafael Serra, as
sureties. Mendezona & Co. later sold and transferred said judgment to G.
Urrutia & Co.

Later, Doña Amalia Moreno, as surety of said Mariano Moreno, paid the
sheriff in order to redeem certain parcels of lands of the debtor. G. Urritia
& Co. refused to receive the sum delivered by Amalia Moreno and refuses
to recognize the validity of such redemption and alleges that Amalia
Moreno (as a surety to the debtor) had and has no right to redeem nor to
retain possession of the said lands of Mariano Moreno (debtor), and not to
be subrogated in the rights of Mendozona & Co. and its successor in
interest.

ISSUE: Whether or not a surety, against whom a judgment has been

obtained jointly with the principal, can redeem the real estate belonging to
the principal which was sold by virtue of an execution of a judgment.

HELD: Section 464 of the Code of Civil Procedure reads:

Who may redeem. — Property sold subject to redemption, as provided in

the last section, or any part sold separately, may be redeemed in the
manner hereinafter provided, by the following persons, or their successors
in interest:

1. The judgment debtor, or his successor in interest in the whole or any

part of the property;

2. A creditor having a lien by attachment, judgment, or mortgage on the

property sold, or on some part thereof, subsequent to that on which the
property was sold.

The right of redemption is a right belonging to the debtor and cannot be

taken away from him without authorization of law. If the surety upon
payment of the judgment were to be substituted in his place and allowed
to redeem as such, the right of the judgment-debtor would be thereby
destroyed or, better said, would be exercised by another and he would be
unable to exercise it thereafter himself. The surety has no right directly to
take the property of his principal whose debt he has paid or assisted in
paying unless he is expressly authorized to do so by law or has pursued
the courses necessary under the law to that end.

Therefore, defendant Amalia Moreno attempt to redeem certain real

property are without force or effect against the creditor Urrutia.