Short answer. The writ must issue in the name of the Republic, state the court, case number and title, and the judgment's dispositive portion, and direct the sheriff to enforce it — satisfying the judgment out of the obligor's property, delivering possession, or selling property, depending on what the judgment orders.

What the law says

The writ of execution shall: issue in the name of the Republic of the Philippines from the court which granted the motion; state the name of the court, the case number and title, the dispositive part of the subject judgment or order; and require the sheriff or other proper officer to whom it is directed to enforce the writ according to its terms, in the manner hereinafter provided: (a) If the execution be against the property of the judgment obligor, to satisfy the judgment, with interest, out of the real or personal property of such judgment obligor; (b) If it be against real or personal property in the hands of personal representatives, heirs, devisees, legatees, tenants, or trustees of the judgment obligor, to satisfy the judgment, with interest, out of such property; (c) If it be for the sale of real or personal property, to sell such property, describing it, and apply the proceeds in conformity with the judgment, the material parts of which shall be recited in the writ of execution; (d) If it be for the delivery of the possession of real or personal property, to deliver the possession of the same, describing it, to the party entitled thereto, and to satisfy any costs, damages, rents, or profits covered by the judgment out of the personal property of the person against whom it was rendered, and if sufficient personal property cannot be found, then out of the real property; and (e) In all cases, the writ of execution shall specifically state the amount of the interest, costs, damages, rents, or profits due as of the date of the issuance of the writ, aside from the principal obligation under the judgment. For this purpose, the motion for execution shall specify the amounts of the foregoing reliefs sought by the movant.

Rule 39, Section 8 — Issuance, form and contents of a writ of execution. Read the full provision →

Required contents of the writ

The writ of execution must issue in the name of the Republic of the Philippines from the court that granted the motion for execution, and it must state the name of the court, the case number and title, and the dispositive part of the judgment or order being enforced. These basic elements let anyone examining the writ verify exactly which judgment it is meant to carry out.

Directing the sheriff according to the kind of judgment

Beyond those basics, the writ directs the sheriff or other proper officer to enforce it according to its terms, in whichever manner the judgment calls for: against the obligor's own property to satisfy a money judgment; against property held by representatives, heirs, tenants, or trustees where that is where the obligor's interest lies; through the sale of specific property with the proceeds applied to the judgment; or through delivering possession of real or personal property, while also satisfying any costs, damages, rents, or profits the judgment covers.

Stating the amounts due, and why this specificity matters

In every case, the writ must specifically state the amount of interest, costs, damages, rents, or profits due as of the date it is issued, apart from the principal obligation, and the motion for execution itself must specify those amounts. Spelling all of this out gives the sheriff clear authority to act and reduces the chance of disputes over exactly what is being collected and how.

Why the writ has to match the judgment so precisely

A writ of execution is only as good as its fidelity to the judgment it enforces — a sheriff acts on the writ's own terms, not on the underlying case file, so any gap between what the judgment actually ordered and what the writ directs can lead to enforcement that exceeds or falls short of what was actually adjudged. Requiring the dispositive portion, the specific enforcement directions, and the exact amounts due all to appear on the writ itself keeps the sheriff's authority tightly bound to what the court actually decided.

Related provisions

Note. Statute text quoted on this page is reproduced from the official enactment and is linked to the full provision. The explanation around it is general legal information from Vivas & Nobles Law Office, not legal advice. Whether it applies to your situation depends on facts only a lawyer reviewing them can assess.