Sentencia de Tribunal Apelativo de 31 de Marzo de 2021, número de resolución KLAN201900490
| Emisor | Tribunal Apelativo |
| Número de resolución | KLAN201900490 |
| Tipo de recurso | KLAN |
| Fecha de Resolución | 31 de Marzo de 2021 |
Firstbank PR v. Health Distillers International
| | | Apelación procedente del Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Superior de San Juan Civil Número: K AC2012-0446 Sobre: Incumplimiento de Contrato; Cobro de Dinero Civil Número: K JV2009-2255 Sobre: Liquidación de Caudal Hereditario, sindicatura Corporativa, Daños y Perjuicios |
Panel integrado por su presidenta, la Juez Ortiz Flores, el Juez Rivera Colón y la Juez Lebrón Nieves.
Ortiz Flores, Juez Ponente
En San Juan, Puerto Rico, a 31 de marzo de 2021.
Comparece ante nosotros, FirstBank Puerto Rico, Inc. (FirstBank; apelante) mediante el presente recurso de apelación y nos solicita la revocación de una Sentencia Parcial, emitida y notificada el 13 de febrero de 2019, por el Tribunal de Primera Instancia, Sala Superior de San Juan (TPI).
Mediante el referido dictamen, el foro apelado determinó que, al excluir el nombre de la señora Marian Labue Foti (Sra. Labue Foti; apelada) de la definición de los garantizadores bajo el acuerdo o contrato enmendado, esto tuvo el efecto de extinguir su garantía personal y, en consecuencia, la misma dejó de tener eficacia. Por consiguiente, dispuso que sólo debía responder como heredera y bajo los límites de la responsabilidad de la Sucesión Foti.
Adelantamos que se confirma la Sentencia Parcial apelada.
El 31 de agosto de 2016, se emitió una Sentencia en los casos consolidados KLAN201501974, KLAN201501970 y KLAN201501982 (Sentencia de 2016), la cual expone el trasfondo de los hechos, las controversias y los trámites judiciales entre las partes ante el TPI, que acogemos por referencia como sigue:
El 1 de mayo de 2012, FirstBank Puerto Rico, Inc. presentó una demanda por incumplimiento de contrato, cobro de dinero, ejecución de colateral y garantías contra Health Distillers International, Inc., el señor Andrew Bert Foti, su esposa Eva Pagán Burgos, la sociedad legal de gananciales que ambos conforman, así como contra la sucesión de Andrew Anthony Foti (padre) y la señora Marian Labue Foti. FirstBank reclamó el pago de $40,992,608.02 por concepto de un contrato de préstamo suscrito el 16 de enero de 2001 y enmendado en 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 y 2009.
El préstamo había sido avalado mediante varias garantías hipotecarias. Además, el 14 y 21 de diciembre de 2000, el señor Andrew Anthony Foti (padre) y su cónyuge, la señora Marian Labue Foti, así como el señor Andrew Bert Foti y su esposa, la señora Eva Pagán Burgos, suscribieron, respectivamente, ante un notario público sendas garantías personales, las cuales rezan en parte:
IN CONSIDERATION OF FIRSTBANK PUERTO RICO (herein called the Bank)
agreeing to deal with or to continue to deal with INTERNATIONAL HOME PRODUCTS, INC. and HEALTH DISTILLERS INTERNATIONAL, INC. (herein collectively called the Customer) the undersigned and each of them, if more than one, hereby jointly and severally guarantees payment to the Bank of all debts and liabilities, present or future, direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or not, at any time owing by the Customer to the Bank or remaining unpaid by the Customer to the Bank, whether arising from dealings between the Bank and the Customer or from other dealings or proceedings by which the Bank may be or become in any manner whatever a creditor of the Customer, and wherever incurred, and whether incurred by the Customer alone or with another or others and whether as principal or surety, including all interest, commissions, legal and other costs, charges and expenses (such debts and liabilities being herein called the guaranteed liabilities), the liability of each of the, undersigned, if more than one, hereunder being UNLIMITED.
[...]
2. This guarantee shall be continuing guarantee of all the guaranteed liabilities and shall apply to and secure any ultimate balance due or remaining unpaid to the Bank; and this guarantee shall not be considered as wholly or partially satisfied by the payment or liquidation at any time of any sum of money for the time being due or remaining unpaid to the Bank.
7. Without prejudice to or in any way limiting or lessening the Guarantors liability and without obtaining the consent of or giving notice to the Guarantor, the Bank may discontinue, reduce, increase or otherwise vary the credit of the Customer, may grant time, renewals, extensions, indulgences, releases and discharges to and accept compositions from or otherwise deal with the Customer and others, including the Guarantor and any other guarantor as the Bank may see fit, and the Blank may take, abstain from taking or perfecting, vary, exchange, renew, discharge, give up, realize on or otherwise deal with securities and guarantees in such manner as the Bank may see fit, and the Bank may apply all moneys received from the Customer or others or from securities or guarantees upon such parts of the guaranteed liabilities as the Bank may see fit and change any such application in whole or in part from time to time.
[ ]
10. All advances, renewals and credits made or granted by the Bank purportedly to or for the Customer after the death, loss of capacity, bankruptcy or insolvency of the Customer, but before the Bank has received notice thereof shall be deemed to form part of the guaranteed liabilities; and all advances, renewals and credits obtained from the Bank purportedly by or on behalf of the Customer shall be deemed to form part of the guaranteed liabilities, notwithstanding any lack or limitation of power, incapacity or disability of the Customer or of directors, partners or agents thereof, or that the Customer may not be a legal or suable entity, or any irregularity, defect or informality in the obtaining of such advances, renewals or credits, whether or not the Bank had knowledge thereof.
[...]
15. This guarantee shall not be discharged or affected by the death of the undersigned in respect of any guaranteed liabilities incurred or arising on or before the date of such death; and if there is more than one signatory to this guarantee, the death of any of them shall have no effect on the obligations of the others hereunder. This guarantee shall insure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Bank, its successors and assigns, and the Guarantor, his heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns.
(Énfasis en el original y subrayado nuestro).
El préstamo original, Credit Agreement, concedido el 16 de enero de 2001 a International Home Products, Inc. (en adelante IHP) y a Home Distillers International, Inc. (en adelante, HDI) ascendió a $22,500,000.00.
Esto es, una línea de crédito rotativa por $15,000,000.00 y un préstamo de término de $7,500,000.00. Este acuerdo fue enmendado sucesivamente de la siguiente forma:
1. Primera Enmienda, el 1 de agosto de 2001, se aumentó la línea de crédito a $18,500,000.00.
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El contrato denominado FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
dispone: SEVENTH: CONFIRMATION OF CREDIT AGREEMENT AND SECURITY. BORROWER and BANK ratify and confirm the lien on the SECURITY heretofore constituted as security for the LOAN; restate the CREDIT AGREEMENT, as amended, in its entirety, including but without limitation, the representations and warranties therein provided, without modification or amendment, except as herein specifically modified and amended.
2. Segunda Enmienda, el 4 de mayo de 2004, se aumentaron la línea de crédito a $20,000,000.00 y el balance pendiente del préstamo a $8,000,000.00.
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El contrato denominado SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
dispone: SEVENTH: CONFIRMATION OF CREDIT AGREEMENT AND SECURITY. BORROWER and BANK ratify and confirm the lien on the SECURITY heretofore constituted as security for the LOAN; restate the CREDIT AGREEMENT, as amended, in its entirety, including but without limitation, the representations and warranties therein provided, without modification or amendment, except as herein specifically modified and amended.
3. Tercera Enmienda, el 21 de diciembre de 2005, se aumentó la línea de crédito a $25,000,000.00.
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El contrato denominado THIRD AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
dispone: SEVENTH: CONFIRMATION OF CREDIT AGREEMENT AND SECURITY. BORROWER and BANK ratify and confirm the lien on the SECURITY heretofore constituted as security for the LOAN; restate the CREDIT AGREEMENT, as amended by the FIRST, SECOND and THIRD AMENDMENT in its entirety, including but without limitation, the representations and warranties therein provided, without modification or amendment, except as herein specifically modified and amended.
4. Cuarta Enmienda, el 21 de diciembre de 2007, se aumentaron la línea de crédito a $26,000,000.00 y el balance pendiente del préstamo a $13,000,000.00.
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El contrato denominado FOURTH AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
dispone: SEVENTH: CONFIRMATION OF CREDIT AGREEMENT AND SECURITY. BORROWER and BANK ratify and confirm the lien on the SECURITY heretofore constituted as security for the LOAN; restate the CREDIT AGREEMENT, as amended by the FIRST, SECOND, THIRD and FOURTH AMENDMENTS in its entirety, including but without limitation, the representations and warranties therein provided, without modification or amendment, except as herein specifically modified and amended.
5. Quinta Enmienda, el 2 de abril de 2008, se reconoció y confirmó un acuerdo adicional de $1,000,000.00 y se enmendó la línea de crédito para incluir un sublímite de $500,000.00.
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El contrato denominado FIFTH AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
dispone:SEVENTH: CONFIRMATION OF CREDIT AGREEMENT AND SECURITY. BORROWER and BANK ratify and confirm the lien on the SECURITY heretofore constituted as security...
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