Pananagutang legal ng surety sa loan agreement

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | January 19, 2026

Dear Chief Acosta,

Lumapit sa akin ang kaibigan ko upang humingi ng pabor na ako ay maging surety sa kanyang aplikasyon para sa isang loan. Bagama’t tiwala ako sa kanya at ang loan ay para sa pamilya niya, bago ako pumasok sa ganitong uri ng transaksyon, gusto ko sanang malaman kung ano ba ang obligasyon ng isang surety? — Luc

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Dear Luc,

Ang iyong katanungan ay nasagot sa kasong Trade and Investment Development 

Corporation of the Philippines also known as Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency vs. Philippine Veterans Bank, G.R. No. 233850, 01 Hulyo 2019, sa panulat ni Honorable Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, kung saan tinalakay ng ating Korte Suprema ang katangian ng suretyship:

“As explained in Spouses Ong v. Philippine Commercial International Bank (Spouses Ong), a surety is one who directly, equally, and absolutely binds himself/herself with the principal debtor for the payment of the debt:

Thus, a creditor can go directly against the surety although the principal debtor is solvent and is able to pay or no prior demand is made on the principal debtor. A surety is directly, equally and absolutely bound with the principal debtor for the payment of the debt and is deemed as an original promissor and debtor from the beginning. 

As explained in Spouses Ong, one of the defining characteristics of a suretyship contract is that the benefit of excussion is not available to the surety as he is principally liable for the payment of the debt:

There is a sea of difference in the rights and liabilities of a guarantor and a surety. A guarantor insures the solvency of the debtor while a surety is an insurer of the debt itself. A contract of guaranty gives rise to a subsidiary obligation on the part of the guarantor. It is only after the creditor has proceeded against the properties of the principal debtor and the debt remains unsatisfied that a guarantor can be held liable to answer for any unpaid amount. This is the principle of excussion. In a suretyship contract, however, the benefit of excussion is not available to the surety as he is principally liable for the payment of the debt. As the surety insures the debt itself, he obligates himself to pay the debt if the principal debtor will not pay, regardless of whether or not the latter is financially capable to fulfill his obligation.” 

Alinsunod dito, ang surety ang nagsisilbing taga-siguro ng utang at inoobliga niya ang kanyang sarili na magbayad kung sakaling hindi makapagbayad ang pangunahing may utang (principal debtor). Hindi niya alintana kung ang nangutang ay may kakayahang pinansyal na tuparin ang kanyang obligasyon. Sa madaling salita, ang isang pinagkakautangan (creditor) ay maaaring direktang singilin ang surety, kahit na ang pangunahing may utang ay may kakayahang magbayad o walang paunang demand sa pangunahing may utang.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay. 

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.