Text of the provision
Art. 1236. The creditor is not bound to accept payment or performance by a third person who has no interest in the fulfillment of the obligation, unless there is a stipulation to the contrary. Whoever pays for another may demand from the debtor what he has paid, except that if he paid without the knowledge or against the will of the debtor, he can recover only insofar as the payment has been beneficial to the debtor.
(1158a)
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
The creditor need not accept payment from an uninterested third person (absent stipulation). One who pays for another may recover from the debtor — but if he paid without the debtor's knowledge or against his will, only to the extent the payment benefited the debtor.
Related provisions
- Article 1235 — Acceptance of Incomplete Performance.
- Article 1237 — No Subrogation Without the Debtor's Consent.
Cases interpreting this article
- Authorities on this article will be added here as each is verified against primary sources.