Antonio Ventura v. Paul A. Miller

Summary

This case involved a dispute over lease rights following the sale of leased property. A house was leased in 1899 for two years at 26 pesos monthly. When the property was sold in 1900 without mention of the lease, the new owner demanded higher rent and eviction. The tenants refused, claiming a verbal agreement to respect the lease and arguing that acceptance of rent validated the lease. The Supreme Court ruled that the new owner had the right to terminate the lease under Civil Code Article 1571, despite accepting one month's rent under protest. The decision established that property sales do not automatically bind purchasers to unregistered leases, and that accepting rent under protest does not constitute recognition of lease validity when proper termination notices have been given.