Spouses Napoleon v. Felicidad Lacostales

Summary

This case involves a conditional sale contract dispute where spouses Escuyos purchased a house and lot from the Lacostales family for P700,000.00, paying P300,000.00 down payment with P400,000.00 balance to be paid in installments. When buyers failed to pay the balance as allegedly promised by August 2009, sellers filed for contract reformation and damages. The Regional Trial Court fixed the payment period and ordered immediate payment with 6% interest plus damages. The Court of Appeals affirmed, modifying the payment timeline to September 2011 but maintaining the order for immediate payment since that period had passed. The Supreme Court denied the petition, holding that the general prayer for equitable relief justified the award, and that fixing payment periods and collecting unpaid balances can be pursued in one action. The Court modified the interest computation to run from the trial court's decision date, emphasizing that delay occurs only after judicial demand for payment.