Fidela Mananzala v. Court of Appeals

Summary

This case involved a property dispute where Corazon Arañez sought specific performance of an alleged 1960 deed of sale for land in Quezon City against registered owner Fidela Mananzala. The trial court dismissed the complaint despite finding the signature genuine, ruling there was no meeting of minds and the contract was void as petitioner was not yet the owner. The Court of Appeals reversed, finding a valid contract based on the genuine signature and NBI analysis, applying Civil Code Art. 1461 on sale of future property. The Supreme Court affirmed, noting petitioner's contradictory defenses about her signature and finding she waived other defenses by not properly raising them below. The decision establishes that property with potential existence can be validly sold and emphasizes the importance of consistent legal defenses throughout litigation.