Text of the provision
Art. 1200. The right of choice belongs to the debtor, unless it has been expressly granted to the creditor. The debtor shall have no right to choose those prestations which are impossible, unlawful or which could not have been the object of the obligation.
(1132)
Civil Code of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 386, approved June 18, 1949, effective August 30, 1950. Reproduced in full; verified verbatim against the LawPhil and ChanRobles official-text renderings.
What this article means
In an alternative obligation (several prestations, one to be performed), the right of choice belongs to the debtor unless expressly given to the creditor. The debtor cannot choose a prestation that is impossible, unlawful, or that could not be the object of the obligation.
Questions about this provision
Related provisions
- Article 1198 — When the Debtor Loses the Benefit of the Period.
- Article 1201 — Communication of the Choice.
Cases interpreting this article
- Authorities on this article will be added here as each is verified against primary sources.
Note. The text of the provision above is reproduced in full from the official enactment (Republic Act No. 386), verified against the LawPhil and ChanRobles renderings. The annotation and commentary around it are the work of Vivas & Nobles Law Office and are general legal information, not legal advice. How a provision applies to a particular situation depends on facts that only a lawyer reviewing your case can assess.