the complaint of plaintiff-appellant republic of the philippines was filed on january 17 , 1963 alleging that defendant-appellee , as the registered owner of two hundred thirty eight ( 238 ) motor vehicles , paid to the motor vehicles office in baguio the amount of p78,636.17 , corresponding to the second installment of registration fees for 1959 , not in cash but in the form of negotiable certificate of indebtedness , the defendant being merely an assignee and not the backpay holder itself .