Title IV.
- ESTOPPEL (n)
Art. 1431. Through 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.
Art. 1432. The principles of estoppel are hereby adopted insofar as they are
not in conflict with the provisions of this Code, the Code of Commerce, the
Rules of Court and special laws.
Art. 1433. Estoppel may be in pais or by deed.
Art. 1434. When a person who is not the owner of a thing sells or alienates
and delivers it, and later the seller or grantor acquires title thereto, such title
passes by operation of law to the buyer or grantee.
Art. 1435. If a person in representation of another sells or alienates a thing,
the former cannot subsequently set up his own title as against the buyer or
grantee.
Art. 1436. A lessee or a bailee is estopped from asserting title to the thing
leased or received, as against the lessor or bailor.
Art. 1437. When in a contract between third persons concerning immovable
property, one of them is misled by a person with respect to the ownership or
real right over the real estate, the latter is precluded from asserting his legal
title or interest therein, provided all these requisites are present:
(1) There must be fraudulent representation or wrongful concealment of
facts known to the party estopped;
(2) The party precluded must intend that the other should act upon the facts
as misrepresented;
(3) The party misled must have been unaware of the true facts; and
(4) The party defrauded must have acted in accordance with the
misrepresentation.
Art. 1438. One who has allowed another to assume apparent ownership of
personal property for the purpose of making any transfer of it, cannot, if he
received the sum for which a pledge has been constituted, set up his own
title to defeat the pledge of the property, made by the other to a pledgee
who received the same in good faith and for value.
Art. 1439. Estoppel is effective only as between the parties thereto or their
successors in interest.
Title V. - TRUSTS (n)
CHAPTER 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Art. 1440. A person who establishes a trust is called the trustor; one in
whom confidence is reposed as regards property for the benefit of another
person is known as the trustee; and the person for whose benefit the trust
has been created is referred to as the beneficiary.
Art. 1441. Trusts are either express or implied. Express trusts are created
by the intention of the trustor or of the parties. Implied trusts come into
being by operation of law.
Art. 1442. The principles of the general law of trusts, insofar as they are not
in conflict with this Code, the Code of Commerce, the Rules of Court and
special laws are hereby adopted.
CHAPTER 2
EXPRESS TRUSTS
Art. 1443. No express trusts concerning an immovable or any interest
therein may be proved by parol evidence.
Art. 1444. No particular words are required for the creation of an express
trust, it being sufficient that a trust is clearly intended.
Art. 1445. No trust shall fail because the trustee appointed declines the
designation, unless the contrary should appear in the instrument constituting
the trust.
Art. 1446. Acceptance by the beneficiary is necessary. Nevertheless, if the
trust imposes no onerous condition upon the beneficiary, his acceptance
shall be presumed, if there is no proof to the contrary.
CHAPTER 3
IMPLIED TRUSTS
Art. 1447. The enumeration of the following cases of implied trust does not
exclude others established by the general law of trust, but the limitation laid
down in Article 1442 shall be applicable.
Art. 1448. There is an implied trust when property is sold, and the legal
estate is granted to one party but the price is paid by another for the
purpose of having the beneficial interest of the property. The former is the
trustee, while the latter is the beneficiary. However, if the person to whom
the title is conveyed is a child, legitimate or illegitimate, of the one paying
the price of the sale, no trust is implied by law, it being disputably presumed
that there is a gift in favor of the child.
Art. 1449. There is also an implied trust when a donation is made to a
person but it appears that although the legal estate is transmitted to the
donee, he nevertheless is either to have no beneficial interest or only a part
thereof.
Art. 1450. If the price of a sale of property is loaned or paid by one person
for the benefit of another and the conveyance is made to the lender or payor
to secure the payment of the debt, a trust arises by operation of law in favor
of the person to whom the money is loaned or for whom it is paid. The latter
may redeem the property and compel a conveyance thereof to him.
Art. 1451. When land passes by succession to any person and he causes
the legal title to be put in the name of another, a trust is established by
implication of law for the benefit of the true owner.
Art. 1452. If two or more persons agree to purchase property and by
common consent the legal title is taken in the name of one of them for the
benefit of all, a trust is created by force of law in favor of the others in
proportion to the interest of each.
Art. 1453. When property is conveyed to a person in reliance upon his
declared intention to hold it for, or transfer it to another or the grantor, there
is an implied trust in favor of the person whose benefit is contemplated.
Art. 1454. If an absolute conveyance of property is made in order to secure
the performance of an obligation of the grantor toward the grantee, a trust
by virtue of law is established. If the fulfillment of the obligation is offered by
the grantor when it becomes due, he may demand the reconveyance of the
property to him.
Art. 1455. When any trustee, guardian or other person holding a fiduciary
relationship uses trust funds for the purchase of property and causes the
conveyance to be made to him or to a third person, a trust is established by
operation of law in favor of the person to whom the funds belong.
Art. 1456. If property is acquired through mistake or fraud, the person
obtaining it is, by force of law, considered a trustee of an implied trust for the
benefit of the person from whom the property comes.
Art. 1457. An implied trust may be proved by oral evidence.
