DEVELOPMENT BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES (DBP), petitioner,

vs.
THE HONORABLE MIDPAINTAO L. ADIL, Judge of the Seo!d B"#!h of the $ou"t of F%"&t
I!&t#!e of I'o%'o #!d SPO(SES PATRI$IO $ONFESOR #!d JOVITA VILLAF(ERTE, respondents.
G.R. No. L-48889 May 11, 1989
DO$TRINE) The husband is the administrator of the on!u"a# partnership. $s suh administrator, a## debts
and ob#i"ations ontrated by the husband for the benefit of the on!u"a# partnership, are har"eab#e to
the on!u"a# partnership.
FA$TS)
1. %pouses &atriio 'onfesor and (ovita )i##afuerte o*t#%!ed an a"riu#tura# 'o#! from the
*eve#opment of the &hi#ippines +*,&-, in the sum of &.,///.// as evidened by a promissory
note 0hereby they bound themse#ves !oint#y and severa##y to pay the aount in 1/ e1ua# year#y
amorti2ations.
.. $s the ten-year period #apsed and the ob#i"ation sti## remained unpaid, 'onfesor e3euted a .nd
promissory note e3press#y a4no0#ed"in" said #oan and promisin" to pay the same on or before
(une 15, 1961.
7. %aid spouses fai#ed to pay, the *,& f%'ed # o+,'#%!t fo" the ,#-+e!t of the 'o#! a"ainst the
spouses.
4. $%t-$ou"t) ordered the spouses to pay *,&
5. $FI) reversed the deision8
#. At%o! h#& #'"e#d- *ee! ,"e&"%*ed
b. ,ased from the %' ru#in" here, the '9: ru#ed that on#y the petitioner shou#d have been
#iab#e.
. MR by *,& 0as denied
6. S$) *,& fi#ed a &etition for revie0 on ertiorari
a. 'ontends that the ri"ht to presription an be 0aived and that both spouses shou#d be
#iab#e
ISS(E./) 0;n the ri"ht to presription may be renouned or 0aived < =>%
R(LIN0) ?hen a debt is a#ready barred by presription, it annot be enfored by the reditor. ,ut a ne0
ontrat reo"ni2in" and assumin" the presribed debt 0ou#d be va#id and enforeab#e
ISS(E.1) ?;N the si"nin" of the seond promissory note by respondent &atriio 'onfesor an bind the
on!u"a# partnership
HELD) =>%8
'9: had he#d that in si"nin" the promissory note a#one, respondent 'onfesor annot bind his 0ife,
respondent (ovita )i##afuerte, itin" $rti#e 166 of the Ne0 'ivi# 'ode 0hih provides@
$rt. 166. An#ess the 0ife has been de#ared a non compos mentis or a spend thrift, or is under ivi#
interdition or is onfined in a #eprosarium, the husband annot a#ienate or enumber any rea# property of
the on!u"a# partnership 0ithout, the 0ifeBs onsent. :f she refuses unreasonab#y to "ive her onsent, the
ourt may ompe# her to "rant the same.
%' disa"rees 0ith the '9:. Ander $rti#e 165 of the 'ivi# 'ode, the husband is the administrator of the
on!u"a# partnership. $s suh administrator, a## debts and ob#i"ations ontrated by the husband for the
benefit of the on!u"a# partnership, are har"eab#e to the on!u"a# partnership. No doubt, in this ase,
respondent 'onfesor si"ned the seond promissory note for the benefit of the on!u"a# partnership.
Cene the on!u"a# partnership is #iab#e for this ob#i"ation.
?C>R>9DR>, the deision sub!et of the petition is reversed and set aside