SOFIA TORRES, FRUCTOSA TORRES, HEIRS OF MARIO TORRES and SOLAR RESOURCES, INC.

,
Petitioners, vs. NICANOR SATSATIN, EMILINDAAUSTRIA SATSATIN, NIKKI NORMEL SATSATIN and
NIKKI NORLIN SATSATIN, Respondents.
[G.R. No. 166759, November 25, 2009, PERALTA, J.:]
TOPIC: REMREV - X. Rules 57 - 61 - Preliminary Attachment
DOCTRINE: A writ o preliminary attachment is deined as a provisional remedy iss!ed !pon order o the
co!rt where an action is pendin" to be levied !pon the property or properties o the deendant therein, the
same to be held thereater by the sheri as sec!rity or the satisaction o whatever #!d"ment that mi"ht
be sec!red in the said action by the attachin" creditor a"ainst the deendant.
$n acceptin" a s!rety bond, it is necessary that all the re%!isites or its approval are met&
otherwise, the bond sho!ld be re#ected.
$n provisional remedies, partic!larly that o preliminary attachment, the distinction between the
iss!ance and the implementation o the writ o attachment is o !tmost importance to the validity o the
writ. '!risdiction over the person m!st be ac%!ired beore the implementation o the writ o attachment,
even i the writ o attachment was validly iss!ed, it was improperly or irre"!larly enorced and, thereore,
cannot bind and aect the respondents.
FACTS:
(. )iblin"s )oia *orres, +r!ctosa *orres, and ,ario *orres -Petitioners. each own ad#acent 20,000
s%. m. trac/ o land sit!ated at 0arrio 1an/aan, 2asmari3as, 4avite
2. Nicanor )atsatin -Nicanor. as/ed petitioners5 mother, A"ripina Aledia, i she wanted to sell their
lands.
a. A"ripina a"reed ater cons!ltin" her relatives
b. A )PA was e6ec!ted a!thori7in" Nicanor to ne"otiate or the sale o the propertie
8. Nicanor oered to sell the properties to )olar Reso!rces, $nc. -)olar..
a. )olar alle"edly a"reed to p!rchase the three parcels o land, to"ether with the (0,0009
s%!are9meter property owned by a certain R!stica Aledia, or P85,
b. Petitioners alle"ed that Nicanor was s!pposed to remit P2:,.
. *hey !rther alle"ed that )olar paid the !ll p!rchase price o P85, in 82 post9
dated chec/s and was already encashed;deposited on their respective d!e dates
. *hey also o!nd o!t that Nicanor alle"edly ac%!ired a ho!se and lot in 1as Pinas
4ity and a car re"istred in the names o his children.
. Nicanor alle"edly remitted P9, leavin" P(9, !nremitted balance
<. Petitioners iled a complaint or s!m o money and dama"es beore the R*4 o 2asmari3as
4avite a"ainst the Nicanor and his children -)atsatins.
5. Petitioners then iled an Ex-Parte ,otion or the $ss!ance o a =rit o Attachment, alle"in" the
ollowin">
a. )atsatins are abo!t to depart the Philippines
b. they have properties, real and personal in ,etro ,anila and in the nearby provinces&
c. the amo!nt d!e them is P(9, above all other claims&
d. there is no other s!icient sec!rity or the claim so!"ht to be enorced&
e. !"#$ a%# &''n( !o )o*! a +ond ,-#d +$ !"# .o/%! !o an*&#% ,o% a'' .o*!* &"." 0a$
+# ad1/d(#d !o !"# Sa!*a!n* and a'' da0a(#* &"." !"# 'a!!#% 0a$ */*!an +$
%#a*on o, !"# a!!a."0#n! )%a$#d ,o%, , ! *"a'' +# ,na''$ ad1/d(#d !"a! )#!!on#%*
a%# no! #n!!'#d !"#%#!o
?. R*4 ordered or the petitioners to post a bond in the amo!nt o P@m beore it iss!es a writ o
attachment.
@. Ater payment o the bon, petitioners iled a ,otion or 2ep!tation o )heri, inormin" the co!rt
that they have already iled an attachment bond.
a. R*4 "ranted the motion and dep!ti7ed the sheri to serve writ o attachment
b. No2#0+#% 15, 3443: RTC **/#d a &%! o, a!!a."0#n!
:. No2#0+#% 19, 3443: a .o)$ o, !"# &%! o, a!!a."0#n! &a* *#%2#d /)on !"# Sa!*a!n*
a. An the same date, the sheri levied the real and personal properties o the respondent,
incl!din" ho!sehold appliances, cars, and a parcel o land located at 1as Pi3as, ,anila
9. No2#0+#% 31, 3443: */00on* and a .o)$ o, !"# .o0)'an! &a* *#%2#d /)on Sa!*a!n*.
a. An the same day, )atsatins iled a ,otion to 2ischar"ed =rit o Attachment on the
ollowin" "ro!nds>
. the bond was iss!ed beore the iss!ance o the writ o attachment&
. the writ o attachment was iss!ed beore the s!mmons was received by the
)atsatins&
. the sheri did not serve copies o the application or attachment, order o
attachment, plaintis5 aidavit, and attachment bond, to the )atsatins&
2. the sheri did not s!bmit a sheri5s ret!rn in violation o the R!les&
2. the iss!ance o the writ are baseless and devoid o merit.
b. )atsatins to post a co!nter9bond or the litin" o the writ o attachment
(0. R*4 denied the ,otion to 2ischar"ed =rit o Attachment
a. ,R and;or motion or clariication o the order was iled by )atsatins, li/ewise denied !ntil
ater the )atsatins posted the co!nter9bond in the amo!nt o P@,
((. )atsatins iled beore the 4A a Petition or Certiorari, ,andam!s and Prohibition with Preliminary
$n#!nction and *emporary Restrainin" Arder !nder R!le ?5, ar"!in" that>
a. s!b#ect writ was improper and irre"!lar havin" been iss!ed and enorced witho!t the
lower co!rt ac%!irin" #!risdiction over the persons o the )atsatins.
. the writ o attachment was implemented witho!t servin" !pon them the s!mmons
to"ether with the complaint.
b. t"# +ond **/#d n ,a2o% o, !"# )#!!on#%* &a* d#,#.!2#, +#.a/*# 5#*!#%n
G/a%an!$ Co%)o%a!on, !"# +ondn( .o0)an$ ,a'#d !o o+!an !"# )%o)#% .'#a%an.#
!"a! ! .an !%an*a.! +/*n#** &!" !"# RTC o, Da*0a%6a*, Ca2!# .
. the 2a%o/* .'#a%an.#* &"." &#%# **/#d n ,a2o% o, !"# +ondn( .o0)an$
&#%# a))'.a+'# on'$ n !"# .o/%!* o, !"# .!#* o, Pa*a$ , Pa*( , Man'a ,
and Ma7a!, b!t not in the R*4, $m!s, 4avite.
(2. 4A avored the )atsatins indin" "rave ab!se o discretion amo!ntin" to lac/ o or in e6cess o
#!risdiction on the part o the R*4 in iss!in" the Arders
ISSUES: =hether the writ o attachment sho!ld be lited or the irre"!larities in its iss!ance and in the
service o the writ.
HELD: 8ES
(. A writ o preliminary attachment is deined as a provisional remedy iss!ed !pon order o the co!rt
where an action is pendin" to be levied !pon the property or properties o the deendant therein,
the same to be held thereater by the sheri as sec!rity or the satisaction o whatever #!d"ment
that mi"ht be sec!red in the said action by the attachin" creditor a"ainst the deendant.
2. $n acceptin" a s!rety bond, it is necessary that all the re%!isites or its approval are met&
otherwise, the bond sho!ld be re#ected.
a. $n the case at bar, there was "rave ab!se o discretion amo!ntin" to lac/ o or in e6cess
o #!risdiction on the part o the trial co!rt in approvin" the bond posted by petitioners
despite the act that no! a'' !"# %#9/*!#* ,o% !* a))%o2a' &#%# .o0)'#d &!".
b. $t is apparent that the 4ertiication iss!ed by the Aice o the 4o!rt Administrator -A4A.
at the time the bond was iss!ed wo!ld .'#a%'$ *"o& !"a! !"# +ond* o,,#%#d +$
5#*!#%n G/a%an!$ Co%)o%a!on 0a$ +# a..#)!#d on'$ n !"# RTC* o, !"# .!#*
o, Ma7a! , Pa*a$ , and Pa*( .
i. the s!rety bond iss!ed by the bondin" company sho!ld not have been accepted
by the R*4 o 2asmari3as, 0ranch 90
8. $n provisional remedies, partic!larly that o preliminary attachment, the d*!n.!on +#!&##n !"#
**/an.# and !"# 0)'#0#n!a!on o, !"# &%! o, a!!a."0#n! * o, /!0o*! 0)o%!an.# !o !"#
2a'd!$ o, !"# &%!.
a. distinction is indispensably necessary to determine when #!risdiction over the person o
the deendant sho!ld be ac%!ired in order to validly implement the writ o attachment
!pon his person.
<. =hen #!risdiction over the person o the deendant sho!ld be ac%!ired in cases where a party
resorts to provisional remedies>
a. Davao Light & Power Co., Inc. v. Court of Appeals: acts done by the 4o!rt prior to the
ac%!isition o #!risdiction over the person o deendant 6 6 6 iss!ance o s!mmons, o%d#%
o, a!!a."0#n! and &%! o, a!!a."0#n! 6 6 6 these do not and cannot bind and affect
the defendant until and unless jurisdiction over his person is eventually obtained
by the court, either by service on him o s!mmons or other coercive process or his
vol!ntary s!bmission to the co!rt5s a!thority. Bence, when the sheri or other proper
oicer commences ipleentation o the writ o attachment, it is essential that he
serve on the defendant not only a copy of the applicants affidavit and attachment
bond, and of the order of attachment, as explicitly required by Section 5 of Rule 5 ,
+/! a'*o !"# */00on* add%#**#d !o *ad d#,#ndan! a* &#'' a* a .o)$ o, !"#
.o0)'an!
b. Cuartero v. Court of Appeals: the "rant o the provisional remedy o attachment involves 8
sta"es
i. the co!rt iss!es the order "rantin" the application&
ii. the writ o attachment iss!es p!rs!ant to the order "rantin" the writ&
iii. the writ is implemented.
Fo% !"# n!a' !&o *!a(#*, ! * no! n#.#**a%$ !"a! 1/%*d.!on o2#% !"# )#%*on o, !"#
d#,#ndan! +# ,%*! o+!an#d. Ho&#2#%,on.# !"# 0)'#0#n!a!on o, !"# &%!
.o00#n.#*, !"# .o/%! 0/*! "a2# a.9/%#d 1/%*d.!on o2#% !"# d#,#ndan!, ,o%
&!"o/! */." 1/%*d.!on, !"# .o/%! "a* no )o&#% and a/!"o%!$ !o a.! n an$
0ann#% a(an*! !"# d#,#ndan!. An$ o%d#% **/n( ,%o0 !"# Co/%! &'' no! +nd !"#
d#,#ndan!.
c. it is indispensable not only or the ac%!isition o #!risdiction over the person o the
deendant, b!t also !pon consideration o airness, to apprise the deendant o the
complaint a"ainst him and the iss!ance o a writ o preliminary attachment and the
"ro!nds thereor that prior or contemporaneo!sly to the servin" o the writ o attachment,
service o s!mmons, to"ether with a copy o the complaint, the application or
attachment, the applicant5s aidavit and bond, and the order m!st be served !pon him.
5. $n the present case> a! !"# !0# !"# &%! &a* 0)'#0#n!#d, !"# !%a' .o/%! "a* no! a.9/%#d
1/%*d.!on o2#% !"# )#%*on* o, !"# %#*)ond#n! *n.# no */00on* &a* $#! *#%2#d /)on
!"#0.
a. *he proper oicer sho!ld have previo!sly or sim!ltaneo!sly with the implementation o
the writ o attachment, served a copy o the s!mmons !pon the respondents in order or
the trial co!rt to have ac%!ired #!risdiction !pon them and or the writ to have bindin"
eect. 4onse%!ently, #2#n , !"# &%! o, a!!a."0#n! &a* 2a'd'$ **/#d, ! &a*
0)%o)#%'$ o% %%#(/'a%'$ #n,o%.#d and, !"#%#,o%#, .anno! +nd and a,,#.! !"#
Sa!*a!n*.
?. 2 ways o dischar"in" the attachment>
a. to ile a co!nter9bond in accordance with )ection (2 o R!le 5@.
b. *o %!ash the attachment on the "ro!nd that it was irre"!larly or improvidently iss!ed, as
provided or in )ection (8 o the same r!le.
@. =hether the attachment was dischar"ed by either o the two ways indicated in the law, the
attachment debtor cannot be deemed to have waived any deect in the iss!ance o the
attachment writ by simply availin" himsel o one way o dischar"in" the attachment writ, instead
o the other. T"# ,'n( o, a .o/n!#%:+ond * 0#%#'$ a *)##d#% &a$ o, d*."a%(n( !"#
a!!a."0#n! &%! n*!#ad o, !"# o!"#% &a$