Pedro Martinez v. Antonino Ramos

Summary

This 1914 Supreme Court case involved a loan dispute where Pedro Martinez sued Antonino Ramos for repayment of 1,900 pesos borrowed in 1900. Antonino argued the debt belonged to his deceased father's estate since he received the money by his father's order and later transferred the business to coheirs. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decision holding Antonino personally liable, emphasizing that the loan contract clearly made him the debtor regardless of subsequent arrangements with family members. The case established that contractual obligations bind only the contracting parties and cannot be altered by subsequent agreements involving non-contracting parties. This decision reinforced fundamental contract law principles under the Civil Code regarding loan obligations and the binding nature of written agreements.