Permanent Savings and Loan Bank v. Velarde, 439 SCRA 1 (2004)

FACTS:

In a complaint for sum of money filed before the RTC, petitioner Permanent Savings and Loan Bank sought to recover from respondent Mariano Velarde, the sum of P1,000,000.00 plus accrued interests and penalties, based on a loan obtained by respondent from petitioner bank as evidence by promissory notes. Petitioner bank sent a letter of demand to respondent on July 27, 1988, demanding full payment of the loan. Despite receipt of said demand letter, respondent failed to settle his account.

Velarde contends that he caused the preparation of the complaint and that all the allegations thereat are true and correct; that the promissory note sued upon, assuming that it exists and bears the genuine signature of herein defendant, the same does not bind him and that it did not truly express the real intention of the parties as stated in the defenses

The Bank claims, that there is no need to prove the loan and its supporting papers as Velarde has already admitted these. Velarde had in fact denied these in his responsive pleading.

ISSUE: Whether or not the defendant has really executed the Promissory Note considering the doubt as to the genuineness of the signature and as well as the non-receipt of the said amount

RULING: No. The mere presentation of supposed documents regarding the loan, but absent the testimony of a competent witness to the transaction and the documentary evidence, coupled with the denial of liability by the defendant does not suffice to meet the requisite preponderance of evidence in civil cases.

The documents, standing alone, unsupported by independent evidence of their existence, have no legal basis to stand on. They are not competent evidence. Such failure leaves this Court without ample basis to sustain the plaintiff’s cause of action and other reliefs prayed for. The loan document being challenged. Plaintiff did not exert additional effort to strengthen its case by the required preponderance of evidence. On this score, the suit must be dismissed.

The bank should have presented at least a single witness qualified to testify on the existence and execution of the documents it relied upon to prove the disputed loan obligations of Velarde. This falls short of the requirement that (B)efore any private writing may be received in evidence, its due execution and authenticity must be proved either: (a) By anyone who saw the writing executed; (b) By evidence of the genuineness of the handwriting of the maker; or (c) By a subscribing witness. (Rule 132, Sec. 21, Rules of Court)