Spouses Francisco A. Padilla v. Court of Appeals

Summary

The Supreme Court denied petitioners' claim to compel payment of land purchase price due to invalid title. Spouses Padilla sold land to spouses Añonuevo for P875,680, receiving two installments totaling P250,272 before payments stopped due to title dispute. Carmel Subdivision homeowners claimed the same property as open space registered under their subdivision's title since 1960. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's ruling that sellers could not compel payment due to failure to deliver clear title and lack of tradition under Article 1498. The Supreme Court noted its prior ruling in a related case that declared Padillas' title null and void, making the property an open space for public use. Since petitioners had nothing valid to sell, they could not demand payment and were ordered to return the P250,272 received with 6% annual interest to prevent unjust enrichment.