GR L 1538; (November, 1949) (Digest)
G.R. No. L-1538; November 29, 1949
ENGRACIO DE ASIS, petitioner, vs. THE COURT OF APPEALS and PEDRO M. MARTIRES, respondents.
FACTS
Petitioner Engracio de Asis leased a house and lot to respondent Pedro M. Martires under a contract that included an option to purchase. After Martires made rental payments, he paid the balance of the purchase price in Japanese military notes in October 1943, and de Asis executed a deed of sale. De Asis later filed an action to annul the sale, claiming he was forced to accept the payment and execute the deed due to Japanese military proclamations compelling acceptance of such notes. Both the trial court and the Court of Appeals found no evidence of duress.
ISSUE
Whether the sale is void due to threat, intimidation, or duress, and whether payment in Japanese military notes invalidates the transaction.
RULING
No. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower courts’ decisions. The findings that no threat, intimidation, or duress occurred are binding factual determinations. The evidence showed de Asis voluntarily demanded payment, accepted the Japanese notes, and executed the deed. Even assuming the Japanese notes were not legal tender or the proclamations were invalid, de Asis voluntarily accepted the payment and cannot now question it. The sale remains valid.
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