What law governs negotiable instruments?
Act No. 2031, otherwise known as the “Negotiable Instruments Law.”
Before NIL, negotiable instruments were governed by Articles 439-566 of the Code of Commerce.
Sec. 197 repealed inconsistent acts and laws.
The New Civil Code (RA 386) has suppletory effect in case of deficiency of NIL provisions.
The provisions of the NIL are not applicable if the instrument involved is not negotiable. T or F.
True.
Where were the provisions of NIL copied from?
American Uniform Negotiable Instruments Law. This was based largely on the Bills of Exchange Act of 1882.
What law shall apply if such a case does not fall under any of the cases provided for in NIL?
Lex Mercatoria or the Law Merchant.
Functions of Negotiable Instruments
Is negotiable instrument a contract?
No, they are substitutes for money or a medium of exchange.
Were negotiable instruments used in primitive times?
Not really. Men were self-sufficient. Minimal trade was carried on by barter.
What led to the need of negotiable instruments?
Commercial demand for money
Are negotiable instruments legal tender? Why?
No. Only notes and coins issued by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas are considered legal tender.
Coins as legal tender
Are checks legal tender?
No. Even if the delivery of check is accepted by the creditor, obligation is deemed paid only when the instrument is encashed.
Does a negotiable instrument operate as money?
Not really. It is merely a substitute.
When can checks be considered to have extinguished an obligation?
Cases where the check is impaired due to the fault of the creditor (even if the cash is not encashed).
Delivery of checks may be sufficient in the exercise of certain rights or privileges. T or F.
True.
Delivery of checks is sufficient in the exercise of the right of redemption. It is a privilege and is not an ordinary obligation.
Features or Characteristics of Negotiable Instruments
Kinds of Negotiable Instruments
Are promissory notes and bills of exchange always negotiable?
No.
Other term for bill of exchange
Draft - signed order by one party, the drawer, addressed to another, the drawee, directing the drawee to pay a specified sum of money to the order of a third person, the payee (American Institute of Banking)
Types of bill of exchange
(1)
a. inland bill - both drawn and payable within the Philippines
b. foreign bill
(2)
a. time draft - one that is payable at a fixed date
b. sight or demand draft - one that is payable when the holder presents it for payment
(3)
a. trade acceptance - the seller as drawer orders the buyer (as drawee) to pay a sum certain to the same seller (payee).
b. banker’s acceptance - time draft across the face of which the drawee bank has written the word accepted
Most common form of bill of exchange
Check
A check is a bill of exchange drawn on a bank payable on demand.
Bank as drawee.
Other bills of exchange
Certificate of deposit
A form of promissory note which is a written acknowledgment of a bank of its receipt of a certain sum with a promise to repay the same.
A written acknowledgment by a bank or banker of the receipt of a sum of money on deposit which the bank or banker promises to pay to the depositor, to the order of the depositor, or to some other person or his order, whereby the relation of debtor and creditor between the bank and the depositor is created.
Bonds
*may also partake the nature of negotiable promissory note
A certificate or evidence of a debt on which the issuing company or governmental body promises to pay the bondholders a specified amount of interest for a specified length of time, and to repay the loan on the expiration date.
Debenture
A promissory note or bond backed by the general credit of a corporation and usually not secured by a mortgage or lien on any specific property.