Professional Documents
Culture Documents
excepted and thereafter filed the record on appeal which was certified and
approved.
for
PABLO
G.
appellant.
IMPERIAL, J.:
This is an appeal taken by the oppositor from the order of the Court of First
Instance of the Province of Tarlac appointing the applicant as judicial
administrator of the property left by the deceased Luz Garcia.
Juan Garcia Sanchez died intestate, and in the proceedings instituted in the
Court of First Instance of Tarlac for the administration of his property
(special proceedings No. 3475), Leona Pasion Vda. de Garcia, the surviving
spouse and the herein oppositor, was appointed judicial administratrix. The
said deceased left legitimate children, named Juan Garcia, jr., Patrocinio
Garcia and Luz Garcia who, with the widow, are the presumptive forced
heirs. Luz Garcia married the applicant Pablo G. Utulo and during the
pendency of the administration proceedings of the said deceased, she died
in the province without any legitimate descendants, her only forced heirs
being her mother and her husband. The latter commenced in the same
court the judicial administration of the property of his deceased wife
(special proceedings No. 4188), stating in his petition that her only heirs
were he himself and his mother-in-law, the oppositor, and that the only
property left by the deceased consisted in the share due her from the
intestate of her father, Juan Garcia Sanchez, and asking that he be named
administrator of the property of said deceased. The oppositor objected to
the petition, opposing the judicial administration of the property of her
daughter and the appointment of the applicant as administrator. She
alleged that inasmuch as the said deceased left no indebtedness, there was
no occasion for the said judicial administration; but she stated that should
the court grant the administration of the property, she should be appointed
the administratrix thereof inasmuch as she had a better right than the
applicant. After the required publications, trial was had and the court, on
August 28, 1936, finally issued the appealed order to which the oppositor
to all the property left by the deceased from the time of his death. In the
case of Ilustre vs. Alaras Frondosa, supra, it was said:
Under the provisions of the Civil Code (arts. 657 to 661), the rights
to the succession of a person are transmitted from the moment of
his death; in other words, the heirs succeeded immediately to all of
the property of the deceased ancestor. The property belongs to the
heirs at the moment of the death of the ancestor as completely as if
the ancestor had executed and delivered to them a deed for the
same before his death. In the absence of debts existing against the
estate, the heirs may enter upon the administration of the said
property immediately. If they desire to administer it jointly, they
may do so. If they desire to partition it among themselves and can
do this by mutual agreement, they also have that privilege. The
Code of Procedure in Civil Actions provides how an estate may be
divided by a petition for partition in case they can not mutually
agree in the division. When there are no debts existing against the
estate, there is certainly no occasion for the intervention of an
administrator in the settlement and partition of the estate among
the heirs. When the heirs are all of lawful age and there are no
debts, there is no reason why the estate should be burdened with
the costs and expenses of an administrator. The property belonging
absolutely to the heirs, in the absence of existing debts against the
estate, the administrator has no right to intervene in any way
whatever in the division of the estate among the heirs. They are coowners of an undivided estate and the law offers them a remedy for
the division of the same among themselves. There is nothing in the
present case to show that the heirs requested the appointment of
the administrator, or that they intervened in any way whatever in
the present actions. If there are any heirs of the estate who have
not received their participation, they have their remedy by petition
for partition of the said estate.
In the cases of Malahacan vs. Ignacio, supra, Bondad vs. Bondad, supra,
and Baldemor vs. Malangyaon, supra, the same doctrine was reiterated.
And in the case of Fule vs. Fule, supra, this court amplified and ratified the
same doctrine in the following language:
Upon the second question Did the court a quo commit an error in
refusing to appoint an administrator for the estate of Saturnino
Fule? it may be said (a) that it is admitted by all of the parties to
the present action, that at the time of his death no debts existed
against his estate and (b) that all of the heirs of Saturnino Fule
were of age.
In this jurisdiction and by virtue of the provisions of articles 657,
659 and 661 of the Civil Code, all of the property, real and
personal, of a deceased person who dies intestate, is transmitted
immediately to his heirs. (To Guioc-Co vs. Del Rosario, 8 Phil., 546;
Ilustre vs. Alaras Frondosa, 17 Phil., 321; Marin vs.Nacianceno, 19
Phil.,
238;
Malahacan vs. Ignacio,
19
Phil.,
434;
Nable
Jose vs. Uson, 27 Phil., 73; Bondad vs. Bondad, 34 Phil., 232;
Baldemor vs. Malangyaon, 34 Phil., 367.)
If then the property of the deceased, who dies intestate, passes
immediately to his heirs, as owners, and there are no debts, what
reason can there be for the appointment of a judicial administrator
to administer the estate for them and to deprive the real owners of
their possession to which they are immediately entitled? In the case
of Bondad vs. Bondad (34 Phil., 232), Chief Justice Cayetano
Arellano, discussing this question, said: Under the provisions of the
Civil Code (articles 657 to 661), the rights to the succession of a
person are transmitted from the moment of his death; in other
words, the heirs succeed immediately to all of the property of the
deceased ancestor. The property belongs to the heirs at the
moment of the death of the ancestor as completely as if the
ancestor had executed and delivered to them a deed for the same
before his death. In the absence of debts existing against the
estate, the heirs may enter upon the administration of the said
property immediately. If they desire to administer it jointly, they
may do so. If they desire to partition it among themselves and can
do this by mutual agreement, they also have that privilege. The
Code of Procedure in Civil Actions provides how an estate may be
divided by a petition for partition in case they cannot mutually
agree in the division. (Sections 182-184, 196, and 596 of Act No.
190.)
When the heirs are all of lawful age and there are no debts there is
no reason why the estate should be burdened with the cost and
expenses of an administrator. The administrator has no right to
intervene in any way whatsoever in the division of the estate
among the heirs when they are adults and when there are no debts
against
the
estate.
(Ilustre vs. Alaras
Frondosa, supra;
Bondad vs. Bondad, supra; Baldemor vs.Malangyaon, supra.)
When there are no debts and the heirs are all adults, their relation
to the property left by their ancestor is the same as that of any
other coowners or owners in common, and they may recover their
individual rights, the same as any other coowners of undivided
property.
(Succession
of
Story,
3
La.
Ann.,
502;
Mcintyre vs.Chappell, 4 Tex., 187; Wood et ux. vs. Ford, 29 Miss.,
57.)
xxx
xxx
xxx
The right of the heirs in cases like the one we are discussing, also
exist in the divisions of personal as well as the real property. If they
cannot agree as to the division, then a suit for partition of such
personal property among the heirs of the deceased owner is
maintenable where the estate is not in debts, the heirs are all of
age, and there is no administration upon the estate and no
necessity thereof. (Jordan vs. Jordan, 4 Tex. Civ. App. Rep., 559.)
It is difficult to conceive of any class or item of property susceptible
of being held in common which may not be divided by the
coowners. It may be of personal property as well as of real estate;
of several parcels as well as of a single parcel, and of noncontiguous as well as of adjacent tracts; or of part only of the lands
of the coowners as well as of the whole. (Pickering vs. Moore, 67 N.
H., 533; 31 L. R. A., 698; Pipes vs.Buckner, 51 Miss., 848;
Tewksbury vs. Provizzo, 12 Cal., 20.)
We conceive of no powerful reason which counsels the abandonment of a
doctrine so uniformly applied. We are convinced that if the courts had
followed it in all cases to which it has application, their files would not have
been replete with unnecessary administration proceedings as they are now.
There is no weight in the argument adduced by the appellee to the effect
that his appointment as judicial administrator is necessary so that he may
have legal capacity to appear in the intestate of the deceased Juan Garcia
Sanchez. As he would appear in the said intestate by the right of the
representation, it would suffice for him to allege in proof of his interest that
he is a usufructuary forced heir of his deceased wife who, in turn, would be
a forced heir and an interested and necessary party if she were living . In
Intestate
estate
of
Saturnino
Fule,
deceased.
FULE, petitioner-appellant,
vs.
ANASTASIO FULE, ET AL., opponents-appellees.
CIRIACO
Palma,
Leuterio
&
Ramon Diokno for appellees.
appellant.
JOHNSON, J.:
Yamzon
for
On the 31st day of July, 1923, the oppositors, through their attorney Mr.
Ramon Diokno, appeared and presented a motion alleging that they were
children of Saturnino Fule and that they were all of age; that they opposed
the appointment of an administrator upon the ground that the deceased
had left no debts and that his property had already been partitioned among
his children during his lifetime in conformity with article 1056 of the Civil
Code; that the special administrator had taken possession of property of
large value belonging to them, and had thereby deprived them of their
means of livelihood, and prayed that they order appointing a special
administrator be denied. To said property, personal and real, which the
special administrator had taken possession of, belonging to the oppositors.
On the 4th day of August, 1923, the oppositors, through their attorney,
presented a further opposition to the appointment of an administrator for
said estate, alleging again that the heirs of Saturnino Fule were all of age;
that the deceased had left no debts; that the property had been divided
among his heirs during his lifetime; that the special administrator had been
appointed without any notification whatever, neither personal not by
publication, to the heirs of the deceased, and that there was no necessity
for the appointment of a special administrator during the pendency of the
question, nor for the appointment of an administrator.
On the 14th day of August, 1923, the petitioner answered the motion of the
oppositors and opposed their petition for the revocation of the appointment
of a special administrator. He alleged that the oppositors had been
requested to make a partition of the property of the deceased; that no
partition of the property of the deceased had been made during the lifetime
of the deceased; that the property described in Exhibit A attached to the
motion of the oppositors was the exclusive and absolute property of the
petitioner, who had for more than forty years been in the quiet, public, and
exclusive possession of the same, as owner; and prayed that the motion of
the oppositors is denied.
Upon the issue thus presented, the Honorable Isidro Paredes, judge, on the
15th day of August, 1923, revoked the appointment of the special
administrator and ordered him to render an account. On the same day
(August 15, 1923) Judge Paredes denied the appointment of an
administrator, and suggested to the petitioner that within thirty days from
that date he should amend his petition and present an ordinary action for
the partition of the property of the estate of the deceased, and in case he
should fail to do so it would be understood that the petition for the
appointment of an administrator is denied.
On the 5th day of September, 1923, the petitioner excepted to the orders of
the court of the 15th day of August, 1923, and on the same day presented
a motion for reconsideration, or new trial, and prayed that the court declare
without effect the orders of the 15th day of August and proceed to the
appointment of an ordinary administrator who should present to the court a
project of partition of the property involved, for approval. On the 11th day
of September, 1923, the oppositors, through their attorney, opposed the
motion for reconsideration or new trial upon the ground that the judgment
of the court of the 15th day of August had become final and nonappealable.
On the 17th day of September, 1923, the court a quo, considering said
motion for reconsideration or new trial and the opposition thereto, annulled
and set aside that part of the order of the court of the 15th day of August,
which granted to the petitioner the right to amend his petition, and fixed
the 4th day of October, 1923, for a continuation of the proof upon the
question of the appointment of an administrator. On the 26th day of
October, 1923, and after hearing the respective parties, the Honorable
Isidro Paredes, denied the petition for the appointment of an administrator
upon the principal ground that all of the property of Saturnino Fule had
been in the possession of his heirs for many years before his death; and
that at the time of his death there were no debts and no property to be
administered. From that judgment the petitioner appealed.
In this court the oppositors renewed their motion to dismiss the appeal for
the reason that it had not been presented within the period of twenty days
as provided in section 783 of Act No. 190. Said section provides that: "Any
person legally interested in any other order, decree, or judgment (other
than those mentioned in sections 781 and 782) of a court of first instance
in the exercise of its jurisdiction in special proceedings in the settlement of
the estates of deceased persons or the administration of guardians and
trustees, may appeal to the Supreme Court from such order, decree, or
judgment, when such order, decree, or judgment constitutes a final
determination of the rights of the parties so appealing, and the appeal shall
be effected in the manner provided in the two preceding sections: . . ."
(within twenty days).
The appellees argue that the appeal was not perfected within twenty days
from the 15th day of August, 1923. They evidently overlooked the fact that
the decree was not a final decree for the reason that it gave the petitioner
thirty days within which to decide whether he would amend his petition
present an ordinary action. Inasmuch, therefore, as the petitioner had
thirty days within which to decide just what course he would pursue, said
decision could not become until after the expiration of thirty days or until
the petitioner had decide just what course he desired to take. That order of
the court conceding him thirty days to decide the option therein given,
continued in force until the 17th day of September, when the court decided
the motion for reconsideration and granted to the petitioner a part of his
prayer. From that date the cause proceeded to a final hearing and judgment
on the 26th day of October, 1923, and the appeal from the final judgment
of that date was perfected within the time provided for in the abovementioned provision of Act No. 190.
Our conclusion, therefore, is that the judgment of the 15th day of August,
1923, was not final; that the final judgment rendered in the cause was on
the 26th day of October, 1923; that the appeal from the final judgment was
perfected within time, and therefore, the motion to dismiss the appeal for
failure to perfect the same within the statutory period is hereby denied.
Upon the second question Did the court a quo commit an error in
refusing to appoint an administrator for the estate of Saturnino Fule? it
may be said (a) that it is admitted by all of the parties to the present
action, that at the time of his death no debts existed against his estate and
(b) that all of the heirs of Saturnino Fule were of age.
In this jurisdiction and by virtue of the provisions of articles 657, 659 and
661 of the Civil Code, all of the property, real and personal, of a deceased
person who dies intestate, is transmitted immediately to his heirs. (To
Guioc-Co vs. Del Rosario, 8 Phil., 546; Ilustre vs. Alaras Frondosa, 17 Phil.,
321; Marin vs. Nacianceno, 19 Phil., 238; Malahacan vs. Ignacio, 19 Phil.,
434; Nable Jose vs. Uson, 17 Phil., 73; Bondad vs. Bondad, 34 Phil., 232;
Baldemor vs. Malangyaon, 34 Phil., 367.)
If then the property of the deceased, who dies intestate, passes
immediately to his heirs, as owners, and there are no debts, what reason
can there be for the appointment of a judicial administrator to administer
the estate for them and to deprive the real owners of their possession to
which they are immediately entitled? In the case of Bondad vs. Bondad (34
Phil., 232), Chief Justice Cayetano Arellano, discussing this question, said: "
'Under the provisions of the Civil Code (articles 657 to 661), the rights to
the succession of a person are transmitted from the moment of his death;
in other words, the heirs succeed immediately to all of the property of the
deceased ancestor. The property belongs to the heirs at the moment of the
death of the ancestor as completely as if the ancestor had executed and
delivered to them a deed for the same before his death. In the absence of
debts existing against the estate, the heirs may enter upon the
administration of the said property immediately. If they desire to administer
it jointly, they may do so. If they desire to partition it among themselves
and can do this by mutual agreement, they also have that privilege. The
Code of Procedure in Civil Actions provides how an estate may be divided
by a petition for partition in case they cannot mutually agree in the
division.' " (Sections 182-184, 196, and 596 of Act No. 190.)
When the heirs are all of lawful age and there are no debts there is no
reason why the estate should be burdened with the cost and expenses of an
administrator. The administrator has no right to intervene in any way
whatsoever in the division of the estate among the heirs when they are
adults and when there are no debts against the estate. (Ilustre vs. Alaras
Frondosa, supra;
Bondad vs. Bondad, supra;
Baldemor vs. Malangyaon, supra.)
When there are no debts and the heirs are all adults, their relation to the
property left by their ancestor is the same as that of any other coowners in
common, and they may recover their individual rights, the same as any
other coowners of undivided property. (Succession of Story, 3 La. Ann.,
502; McIntyre vs. Chappell, 4 Tex., 187; Wood et ux., vs. Ford, 29 Miss.,
57.)
And even when there are debts against the estate, the heirs, all being of
age, may pay the debts and divide the property among themselves
according to their respective rights, as heirs or as legatees in case of a will,
without probating the same, and the effect of such division is to invest each
party with a complete equitable title to their particular share of the estate.
(Carter vs. Owens, 41 Ala., 217.) The right of the heirs in cases like the one
we are discussing, also exists in the division of personal as well as the real
property. If they cannot agree as to the division, then a suit for partition of
such personal property among the heirs of the deceased owner is
maintainable where the estate is not in debt, the heirs are all of age, and
there is no administration upon the estate and no necessity thereof.
(Jordan vs. Jordan, 4 Tex., Civ. App. Rep., 559.)
It is difficult to conceived of any one class or item of property susceptible of
being held in common which may not be divided by the coowners. It may
be of personal property as well as of real estate; of several parcels as well
as of a single parcel, and of non-contiguous as well as of adjacent tracts; or
of part only of the lands of the co-owners as well as of the whole.
(Pickering vs. Moore, 67 N. H., 553; 31 L. R. A., 698; Pipes vs. Buckner, 51
Miss., 848; Tewsbury vs. Provizzo, 12 Cal., 20.)
Therefore, and for all of the foregoing reasons, the judgment appealed from
is hereby affirmed, without any findings as to costs, and without prejudice
to the right of the petitioner to commence a new action for a partition of
any property left by Saturnino Fule which had not already been partitioned
among his heirs. So ordered.
PEREIRA, petitioner,
and
RITA
PEREIRA
GANCAYCO, J.:
Is a judicial administration proceeding necessary when the decedent dies
intestate without leaving any debts? May the probate court appoint the
surviving sister of the deceased as the administratrix of the estate of the
deceased instead of the surviving spouse? These are the main questions
which need to be resolved in this case.
Andres de Guzman Pereira, an employee of the Philippine Air Lines, passed
away on January 3, 1983 at Bacoor, Cavite without a will. He was survived
by his legitimate spouse of ten months, the herein petitioner Victoria
Bringas Pereira, and his sister Rita Pereira Nagac, the herein private
respondent.
On March 1, 1983, private respondent instituted before Branch 19 of the
Regional Trial Court of Bacoor, Cavite, Special Proceeding No. RTC-BSP-83-4
for the issuance of letters of administration in her favor pertaining to the
Anent the first issue, petitioner contends that there exists no estate of the
deceased for purposes of administration for the following reasons: firstly,
the death benefits from PAL, PALEA, PESALA and the SSS belong exclusively
to her, being the sole beneficiary and in support of this claim she submitted
letter-replies from these institutions showing that she is the exclusive
beneficiary of said death benefits; secondly, the savings deposits in the
name of her deceased husband with the PNB and the PCIB had been used
to defray the funeral expenses as supported by several receipts; and,
finally, the only real property of the deceased has been extrajudicially
settled between the petitioner and the private respondent as the only
surviving heirs of the deceased.
Private respondent, on the other hand, argues that it is not for petitioner to
decide what properties form part of the estate of the deceased and to
appropriate them for herself. She points out that this function is vested in
the court in charge of the intestate proceedings.
Petitioner asks this Court to declare that the properties specified do not
belong to the estate of the deceased on the basis of her bare allegations as
aforestated and a handful of documents. Inasmuch as this Court is not a
trier of facts, We cannot order an unqualified and final exclusion or nonexclusion of the property involved from the estate of the deceased. 5
The resolution of this issue is better left to the probate court before which
the administration proceedings are pending. The trial court is in the best
position to receive evidence on the discordant contentions of the parties as
to the assets of the decedent's estate, the valuations thereof and the rights
of the transferees of some of the assets, if any. 6 The function of resolving
whether or not a certain property should be included in the inventory or list
of properties to be administered by the administrator is one clearly within
the competence of the probate court. However, the court's determination is
only provisional in character, not conclusive, and is subject to the final
decision in a separate action which may be instituted by the parties. 7
Assuming, however, that there exist assets of the deceased Andres de
Guzman Pereira for purposes of administration, We nonetheless find the
administration proceedings instituted by private respondent to be
unnecessary as contended by petitioner for the reasons herein below
discussed.
The general rule is that when a person dies leaving property, the same
should be judicially administered and the competent court should appoint a
qualified administrator, in the order established in Section 6, Rule 78, in
case the deceased left no will, or in case he had left one, should he fail to
name an executor therein. 8 An exception to this rule is established in
Section 1 of Rule 74. 9 Under this exception, when all the heirs are of lawful
age and there are no debts due from the estate, they may agree in writing
to partition the property without instituting the judicial administration or
applying for the appointment of an administrator.
13
We said:
Again the petitioner argues that only when the heirs do not have any
dispute as to the bulk of the hereditary estate but only in the manner of
partition does section 1, Rule 74 of the Rules of Court apply and that in this
case the parties are at loggerheads as to the corpus of the hereditary
The Court, in its Order dated February 7, 1967, authorized the sale "in the
interest of the parties" and since majority of the heirs were in favor of the
sale "to avoid unnecessary additional burden of about P2,000.00 every
month. 1 On February 8, 1967, the Administrator moved for the approval of
the conditional sale of the Agdao property to Alfonso L. Angliongto for a
total consideration of P146,820.00 payable in six installments including the
MELENCIO-HERRERA, J.:
down payment. 2 The document of sale stipulated that the vendor was to
A review of the Decision of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. No. 42507-R, cause the ejectment of all occupants in the property on or before July 31,
entitled Filomena Pizarro, et al. vs. Hon. Manases G. Reyes, et al., 1967, otherwise, the vendee was to have the right to rescind the sale and
dismissing the petition for certiorari and mandamus with Prohibition and demand reimbursement of the price already paid. The heirs filed a Motion,
Preliminary Injunction which sought to nullify the Order of the Court of First also dated February 8, 1967, to set aside or hold in abeyance the Order
Instance of Davao, Branch III, dated April 10, 1968, dismissing Civil Case authorizing the sale on the ground that they were negotiating for the sale of
said lot to Mr. Benjamin Gonzales, whose theatre was being constructed on
No. 5762.
a 1,187 square meter portion thereof. 3
The controversy stemmed from the following facts:
Petitioner Filomena G. Pizarro, is the surviving spouse of the late Aurelio
Pizarro, Sr., while the other petitioners, Misael, Aurelio, Jr., Luzminda, DeliaThelma, Rogelio, Virgilio, Rosalinda, Jose Elvin and Maria Evelyn, all
surnamed Pizarro, as well as respondents Alicia P. Ladisla and Lydia P.
Gudani, are their children. Upon the death of Aurelio Pizarro, Sr., Special
Proceedings No. 1421 entitled "In the Intestate Estate of the Deceased
Aurelio Pizarro, Sr.," was instituted by petitioners through Atty. Regalado C.
Salvador on September 21, 1965 in the Court of First Instance of Davao,
Branch I, presided by Judge Vicente P. Bullecer. Listed among the properties
of the estate were parcels of land situated in Agdao, J. Palma Gill, and Claro
M. Recto Streets, Davao City. On December 23, 1965, the Court, upon
agreement of the parties, appointed Gaudencio A. Corias, Clerk of Court of
said Court, as Administrator of the estate.
The Court, in its Order dated February 9, 1967, denied the "Motion to Set
Aside" stating that the grounds relied upon by the heirs were "nothing but
speculations and had no legal basis." 4 The heirs moved for reconsideration
alleging that they were being deprived of the right to a more beneficial
sale. 5 On February 11, 1967, a hearing was held on the Motion for approval
of the sale of the Agdao lot to Alfonso Angliongto. 6 The heirs maintained
their objection on the grounds that 1) the sale would be improvident and
greatly prejudicial; 2) there has been no determination of the debts or
obligations of the estate as yet; and 3) the terms of the sale were very
prejudicial to them. The Court denied reconsideration on February 20,
1967, 7 and approved the sale on the same date stating that "the sale
sought to be approved was more beneficial."
On February 22, 1967, the Administrator presented another Motion for
Authority to Sell the Claro M. Recto lot stating that the proceeds from the
sale of the Agdao lot were not sufficient to settle the obligations of the
estate and that the sale of the property on J. Palma Gil Street was
unanimously opposed by the heirs. Authority was granted by the Court o
March 6, 1967. 8
Prior to this, the heirs, in a Motion dated February 27, 1967 prayed that
Administrator Gaudencio A. Corias be asked to resign or be removed for
having abused his powers and duties is such and that, Letters of
Administration be granted instead to Filomena Pizarro. 9 They also
terminated the services of Atty. Regalado C. Salvador, who had acted
likewise as counsel for the Administrator.
On March 11, 1967, the Administrator moved that he be allowed to resign.
On June 22, 1967, the heirs, except Alicia P. Ladisla and Lydia P. Gudani,
filed a "Motion for Cancellation or Rescission of Conditional Contract of Sale"
of the Agdao lot in favor of Alfonso L. Angliongto reiterating that it was
unnecessary and prejudicial to their interests, that the sale of the lot in
Claro M. Recto Street for P370.000.00 was more than sufficient to settle the
obligations of the estate, that it was impossible to eject all nineteen
tenants, not later than July 31, 1967, and that the vendee had failed to pay
the last four installments due despite repeated demands. 10 Angliongto's
counsel countered that the condition of the sale requiring the prior
ejectment of squatters had not been complied with so that the vendee
would hold in abeyance payment of the balance of the purchase price until
all the squatters were ejected. 11 The Court denied rescission of the sale in
its Order, dated July 3, 1967, stating that the relief prayed for is not within
its power to grant, and that the heirs "should file the necessary action
before a competent Court not before this Court, and much less by mere
motion." 12 The heirs moved to reconsider the said Order. In the meantime,
Judge Bullecer was transferred to the Court of First Instance at Mati, Davao
Oriental.
On July 6, 1967, the Administrator presented a "Motion to Approve Final
Sale" of the Agdao lot to spouses Angliongtos stating that the latter had
paid the full balance of P58,728.00. On the same date, the Court approved
the same. 13 It appears that Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-19342 was
issued in favor of Alfonso Angliongto on July 10, 1967. 14
On July 13, 1967, Gaudencio Corias ceased to be Administrator.
15
Without waiting for the resolution of their Motion for Reconsideration of the
Order denying rescission of the sale, the heirs, except Alicia P. Ladisla and
Lydia P. Gudani, filed on October 5, 1967, a verified Complaint for
"Cancellation of Authority to Sell and Rescission and Annulment of Deed of
Sale and Damages with Preliminary Injunction" (Civil Case No. 5762,
hereinafter called the Rescission Case) in the Court of First Instance of
Davao (raffled to Branch III), against the Angliongto spouses, Administrator
Gaudencio A. Corias, Judge Vicente P. Bullecer, Atty. Regalado C. Salvador,
Alicia P. Ladisla and Lydia P. Gudani, 16 the latter two having refused to join
as plaintiffs. Petitioners contended inter alia that despite all their efforts to
block the sale "the Administrator taking advantage of the name and
influence of the presiding Judge" succeeded in inducing Angliongto to
purchase the lot at a price allegedly much higher than the reported P12.00
per square meter; that the sale contained an impossible condition which
was the ejectment of the tenants before a certain date; that there was
connivance between the Administrator and the vendee with the knowledge
of the Judge and Atty. Regalado Salvador; and that they had suffered actual
and moral damages by reason of the sale. They also prayed that since the
vendees had entered the lot and destroyed improvements thereon, that
they be enjoined from doing so. Attached to the Complaint was a
letter 17 addressed to the surviving spouse, Filomena G. Pizarro, from Atty.
Raul Tolentino to the effect that the sum of P58,728.00 issued by Alfonso
Angliongto in favor of the estate and which was deposited by virtue of a
Court Order had been dishonored by the Bank because of a stop-payment
order of Angliongto.
All the defendants except Judge Bullecer and Atty. Corias who filed a Motion
to Dismiss, presented their respective Answers. Eventually, however, they
all adopted the same Motion predicated mainly on plaintiffs' lack of legal
capacity to sue and lack of cause of action. 18 In addition, the Angliongtos
pleaded res judicata, the sale having been approved by the Court as far
back as February 20, 1967 and the final deed on July 6, 1967, and the
corresponding title issued in the name of Alfonso Angliongto on July 10,
1967. Plaintiffs filed an Opposition 19 as well as a supplemental
Opposition. 20
On October 17, 1967, Judge Alfredo I. Gonzales, as Executive Judge, issued
an Order enjoining the Angliongtos, their agents, laborers, representatives,
from further cutting and destroying coconuts, other fruits and
improvements on the property pending the final termination of the action or
until a contrary order is issued by the Court, upon the filing of a bond in the
amount of P25,000.00. 21
On April 10, 1968, the trial Court (respondent Judge Manases G. Reyes
presiding) dismissed the Rescission Case (Civil Case No. 5762) on the
ground that it could not review the actuations of a coordinate Branch of the
Court besides the fact that a Motion for Reconsideration was still pending
resolution before the Probate Court. 22Plaintiffs' Motion for Reconsideration
of the dismissal Order was denied on October 10, 1968.
While the Rescission Case was pending, the Angliongtos filed Civil Case No.
5849 for Damages (the Angliongtos Case) against the heirs.
On November 25, 1968, petitioners elevated their cause to the Court of
Appeals on "Certiorari and mandamus with Prohibition and Injunction,"
charging that respondent Judge Manases G. Reyes gravely abused his
discretion in dismissing the Rescission Case and prayed that he be required
to take cognizance thereof and that the Angliongtos be enjoined from
exercising rights of ownership over the property.
On February 11, 1970, the Court of Appeals dismissed the Petition opining
that the Court of First Instance of Davao, Branch IV, did not abuse its
discretion in approving the sale in the Intestate Case (Sp. Proc. No. 1421),
and even granting that it did, the proper remedy was appeal not Certiorari;
that the Court of First Instance, Branch III, neither abused its discretion in
dismissing the Rescission Case (Civil Case No. 5762) as that case sought to
review the actuations of a coordinate Branch which is beyond its judicial
competence; and that since said dismissal was final, the proper remedy was
appeal. It also observed that copies of the Orders sought to be reviewed
were not certified true copies and, therefore, violative of Section 1, Rule 65
of the Rules of Court.
The present Petition before us seeks a reversal of the aforestated findings
of the Appellate Court anchored on the principal contentions that the sale of
the Agdao property should be rescinded for failure of the vendees to pay
the purchase price, and that actually no review of the actuations of a coequal Branch of the Court is being sought. We gave due course to the
Petition on June 8, 1970.
But, what petitioners sought to achieve in filing the Rescission Case was to
rescind the sale mainly for failure of the vendees to pay the full
consideration thereof, 26 which is a valid ground for rescission. That cause
of action was within the judicial competence and authority of the trial Court
(Branch III) as a Court of First Instance with exclusive original jurisdiction
over civil cases the subject matter of which is not capable of pecuniary
estimation. It was beyond the jurisdictional bounds of the Probate Court
(Branch IV) whose main province was the settlement of the estate. As a
matter of fact, the Rescission Case was instituted after the Probate Court
itself had stated that petitioners' cause of action was not within its authority
to resolve but should be filed with the competent Court. The cause of action
in one is different from that obtaining in the other. It behooved the trial
Court, therefore, to have taken cognizance of and to have heard the
Rescission Case on the merits and it was reversible error for the Court of
Appeals to have upheld its dismissal.
In the hearing held on January 30, 1973, both parties together with their
respective counsels appeared. Both counsels manifested that the parties
had come to an agreement to settle their case. The trial court on even date
issued an Order5 appointing Gloria as administratrix of the estate. The
dispositive portion reads:
WHEREFORE, letters of administration of the estate of the late Evaristo
Cuyos and including the undivided half accruing to his spouse Agatona
Arrogante who recently died is hereby issued in favor of Mrs. Gloria Cuyos
Talian who may qualify as such administratrix after posting a nominal bond
of P1,000.00.6
Subsequently, in the Order7 dated December 12, 1975, the CFI stated that
when the Intestate Estate hearing was called on that date, respondent
Gloria and her brother, oppositor Francisco, together with their respective
counsels, appeared; that Atty. Yray, Franciscos counsel, manifested that
the parties had come to an agreement to settle the case amicably; that
both counsels suggested that the Clerk of Court, Atty. Andres C. Taneo
(Atty. Taneo), be appointed to act as Commissioner to effect the agreement
of the parties and to prepare the project of partition for the approval of the
court. In the same Order, the Court of First Instance (CFI) appointed Atty.
Taneo and ordered him to make a project of partition within 30 days from
December 12, 1975 for submission and approval of the court.
In his Commissioner's Report8 dated July 29, 1976, Atty. Taneo stated that
he issued subpoenae supplemented by telegrams to all the heirs to cause
their appearance on February 28 and 29, 1976 in Tapilon, Daanbantayan,
Cebu, where the properties are located, for a conference or meeting to
arrive at an agreement; that out of the nine heirs, only respondents Gloria,
Salud and Enrique Cuyos failed to attend; that per return of the service,
these three heirs could not be located in their respective given addresses;
that since some of the heirs present resided outside the province of Cebu,
they decided to go ahead with the scheduled meeting.
the rest of the eight (8) heirs will just receive only Four Thousand Pesos
(P4,000.00) each.
5. Agreed to equally divide the administration expenses to be deducted
from their respective share of P4,000.00.9
The Report further stated that Columba Cuyos-Benatiro (Columba), one of
the heirs, informed all those present in the conference of her desire to buy
the properties of the estate, to which everybody present agreed, and
considered her the buyer. Atty. Taneo explained that the delay in the
submission of the Report was due to the request of respondent Gloria that
she be given enough time to make some consultations on what was already
agreed upon by the majority of the heirs; that it was only on July 11, 1976
that the letter of respondent Gloria was handed to Atty. Taneo, with the
information that respondent Gloria was amenable to what had been agreed
upon, provided she be given the sum of P5,570.00 as her share of the
estate, since one of properties of the estate was mortgaged to her in order
to defray their father's hospitalization.
Quoting the Commissioners Report, the CFI issued the assailed
Order10 dated December 16, 1976, the dispositive portion of which reads as
follows:
Atty. Taneo declared in his Report that the heirs who were present:
1. Agreed to consider all income of the properties of the estate during the
time that Francisco Cuyos, one of the heirs, was administering the
properties of the estate (without appointment from the Court) as having
been properly and duly accounted for.
2. Agreed to consider all income of the properties of the estate during the
administration of Gloria Cuyos Talian, (duly appointed by the Court) also
one of the heirs as having been properly and duly accounted for.
3. Agreed to consider all motions filed in this proceedings demanding an
accounting from Francisco Cuyos and Gloria Cuyos Talian, as having been
withdrawn.
4. Agreed not to partition the properties of the estate but instead agreed to
first sell it for the sum of P40,000.00 subject to the condition that should
any of the heirs would be in a position to buy the properties of the estate,
WHEREFORE, finding the terms and conditions agreed upon by the heirs to
be in order, the same being not contrary to law, said compromise
agreement as embodied in the report of the commissioner is hereby
approved. The Court hereby orders the Administratrix to execute the deed
of sale covering all the properties of the estate in favor of Columba Cuyos
Benatiro after the payment to her of the sum of P36,000.00. The said sum
of money shall remain in custodia legis, but after all the claims and
administration expenses and the estate taxes shall have been paid for, the
remainder shall, upon order of the Court, be divided equally among the
heirs. 11
The CFI disapproved the claim of respondent Gloria for the sum
of P5,570.00, as the same had been allegedly disregarded by the heirs
present during the conference.
In an Order12 dated January 11, 1978, the CFI appointed Lope Cuyos
(Cuyos) as the new administrator of the estate, purportedly on the basis of
that such report practically deprived them of due process in claiming their
share of their father's estate; that Patrocenia Cuyos-Mijares executed an
affidavit, as well as the unnotarized statement of Gloria stating that no
meeting ever took place for the purpose of discussing how to dispose of the
estate of their parents and that they never received any payment from the
supposed sale of their share in the inheritance; that the report was done in
close confederacy with their co-heir Columba, who stood to be benefited by
the Commissioner's recommendation, should the same be approved by the
probate court; that since the report was a falsity, any order proceeding
therefrom was invalid; that the issuance of the certificates of titles in favor
of respondents were tainted with fraud and irregularity, since the CFI which
issued the assailed order did not appear to have been furnished a copy of
the Deed of Absolute Sale; that the CFI was not in custodia legis of the
consideration of the sale, as directed in its Order so that it could divide the
remainder of the consideration equally among the heirs after paying all the
administration expenses and estate taxes; that the intestate case had not
yet been terminated as the last order found relative to the case was the
appointment of Lope as administrator vice Gloria; that they never received
their corresponding share in the inheritance; and that the act of petitioners
in manifest connivance with administrator Lope amounted to a denial of
their right to the property without due process of law, thus, clearly showing
that extrinsic fraud caused them to be deprived of their property.
Herein petitioners contend that respondents' allegation that they discovered
the assailed order dated December 16, 1976 only in February 1998 was
preposterous, as respondents were represented by counsel in the intestate
proceedings; thus, notice of Order to counsel was notice to client; that this
was only a ploy so that they could claim that they filed the petition for
annulment within the statutory period of four (4) years; that they have
been in possession of the six parcels of land since May 25, 1979 when the
same was sold to them pursuant to the assailed Order in the intestate
proceedings; that no extrinsic fraud attended the issuance of the assailed
order; that Numeriano executed an affidavit in which he attested to having
received his share of the sale proceeds on May 18, 1988; that respondents
were estopped from assailing the Order dated December 16, 1976, as it
had already attained the status of finality.
On July 16, 2001, Salud Cuyos, for herself and in representation 16 of the
other heirs of Evaristo Cuyos, namely: Gloria, Patrocenia, Numeriano, 17 and
Enrique, filed with the CA a petition for annulment of the Order dated
December 16, 1976 of the CFI of Cebu, Branch XI, in SP No. 24-BN under On July 18, 2003, the CA granted the petition and annulled the CFI order,
Rule 47 of the Rules of Court. They alleged that the CFI Order dated the dispositive portion of which reads:
December 16, 1976 was null and void and of no effect, the same being
based on a Commissioner's Report, which was patently false and irregular;
It bears stressing that the purpose of the conference was for the heirs to
arrive at a compromise agreement over the estate of Evaristo Cuyos. Thus,
it was imperative that all the heirs must be present in the conference and
be heard to afford them the opportunity to protect their interests.
Considering that no separate instrument of conveyance was executed
among the heirs embodying their alleged agreement, it was necessary that
the Report be signed by the heirs to prove that a conference among the
heirs was indeed held, and that they conformed to the agreement stated in
the Report.
However, there is nothing in the records that would establish that the
alleged subpoenae, supplemented by telegrams, for the heirs to appear in
the scheduled conference were indeed sent to the heirs. In fact, respondent
Patrocenia Cuyos-Mijares, one of the heirs, who was presumably present in
the conference, as she was not mentioned as among those absent, had
executed an affidavit30 dated December 8, 1998 attesting, to the fact that
she was not called to a meeting nor was there any telegram or notice of
any meeting received by her. While Patrocenia had executed on December
17, 2004 an Affidavit of Waiver and Desistance31 regarding this case, it was
only for the reason that the subject estate properties had been bought by
their late sister Columba, and that she had already received her
corresponding share of the purchase price, but there was nothing in the
affidavit that retracted her previous statement that she was not called to a
meeting. Respondent Gloria also made an unnotarized statement 32 that
there was no meeting held. Thus, the veracity of Atty. Taneos holding of a
conference with the heirs was doubtful.
Moreover, there was no evidence showing that the heirs indeed convened
for the purpose of arriving at an agreement regarding the estate properties,
since they were not even required to sign anything to show their
attendance of the alleged meeting. In fact, the Commissioner's Report,
which embodied the alleged agreement of the heirs, did not bear the
signatures of the alleged attendees to show their consent and conformity
thereto.
Petitioners point out that the Commissioner was an officer of the court and
a disinterested party and that, under Rule 133, Section 3(m) of the Rules
on Evidence, there is a presumption that official duty has been regularly
performed.
No costs.
2. A parcel of land (Lot 1896), situated at Buswang New, Kalibo, Aklan, with
the area of 2,123 square meters, bounded on the NE by Lot 1898-C; on the
SE by Lot 1897; on the SW by New Provincial Road; and on the NW by Lot
1893, covered by OCT No. (24101) RO-1570, under ARP/TD No. 01087 &
01088 in the name of Diega Regalado with assessed value of P6,910.00;
and
SO ORDERED.
3. A parcel of land (Lot 2960), situated at Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan, with the
area of 4,012 square meters, bounded on the NE by Lot 2957-J; on the SE
by Lot 2961-H; on the SW by Lot 2660; and on the NW by Lot 2656,
covered by OCT No. (23813) RO-1563, under ARP/TD No. 01782 in the
name of Diega Regalado with assessed value of P4,820.00.4
Sometime in September of 1972, petitioner Francisco Tayco and his sister
Consolacion Tayco executed a document called Deed of Extrajudicial
Settlement of the Estate of the Deceased Diega Regalado with Confirmation
of Sale of Shares,5 transferring their shares on the abovementioned
properties to their sister Concepcion Tayco-Flores. The said document was
notarized and, on March 16, 1991, Concepcion Tayco-Flores and
Consolacion Tayco executed the Confirmation of Quitclaim of Shares in
Three (3) Parcels of Land.6
Consolacion Tayco died on December 25, 1996 and Concepcion Tayco-Flores
died on January 14, 1997. Thereafter, petitioner Francisco Tayco filed a case
for nullity of documents and partition with damages with the RTC of Kalibo,
Aklan claiming that the Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement of the Estate of the
Deceased Diega Regalado with Confirmation of Sale of Shares and the
Confirmation of Quitclaim of Shares in three (3) Parcels of Land are null and
void; thus, he is still entitled to his original shares in the parcels of land.
According to him, the Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement was executed at that
time, because Concepcion Tayco-Flores was in need of money and wanted
the properties to be mortgaged in a bank. He claimed that the mortgage did
not push through and that he requested his sister to cancel the said Deed,
to which the latter ensured that the same document had no effect.
However, he further claimed that without his knowledge and consent, her
sisters Concepcion and Consolacion executed another document entitled
Confirmation of Quitclaim of Shares in three (3) Parcels of Land in order to
have the tax declarations and certificates of title covering those three
parcels of land transferred in the name of Concepcion. He also alleged that
he came to know of the said facts only when he had the property surveyed
for the purpose of partition and some of the heirs of Concepcion objected to
the said survey.
The RTC ruled in favor of petitioner Francisco Tayco, the dispositive portion
of the decision reads:
WHEREFORE, the Court finds that the preponderance of evidence tilts in
favor of the plaintiff and judgment is hereby rendered:
a) Declaring the document entitled, Extrajudicial Settlement of the Estate of
the Deceased Diega Regalado with Confirmation of Sale of Shares (Annex
A, Complaint), and the document entitled Confirmation of Quitclaim of
Shares in Three (3) Parcels of Land (Annex B, Complaint), as null and void;
b) Declaring the three (3) parcels of land subject of the above documents
to be co-owned by the plaintiff ( share) and defendants ( share);
c) Ordering the parties to submit to the court a Project of Partition
indicating the specific portion allotted to them within 30 days from receipt
of this decision; in case of disagreement, the Court shall order the sale of
all the three (3) parcels with the proceeds to be divided equally between
plaintiff on the one hand and the defendants on the other;
or impossible; (3) when there is grave abuse of discretion; (4) when the
judgment is based on a misapprehension of facts; (5) when the findings of
fact are conflicting; (6) when in making its findings the Court of Appeals
went beyond the issues of the case, or its findings are contrary to the
admissions of both the appellant and the appellee; (7) when the findings
are contrary to those of the trial court; (8) when the findings are
conclusions without citation of specific evidence on which they are based;
(9) when the facts set forth in the petition as well as in the petitioners
main and reply briefs are not disputed by the respondent; and (10) when
the findings of fact are premised on the supposed absence of evidence and
contradicted by the evidence on record.
This case clearly falls under one of the exceptions and after a careful review
of the facts of the case, this Court finds the petition meritorious.
ART. 1082. Every act which is intended to put an end to indivision among
co-heirs and legatees or devisees is deemed to be a partition, although it
should purport to be a sale, an exchange, a compromise, or any other
transaction.
By this provision, it appears that when a co-owner sells his inchoate right in
the co-ownership, he expresses his intention to "put an end to indivision
among (his) co-heirs." Partition among co-owners may thus be evidenced
by the overt act of a co-owner of renouncing his right over the property
regardless of the form it takes. x x x15
The trial court, after a keen determination of the facts involved in the case,
clearly articulated its findings as to the inconclusiveness of the required
publication and the notarization of the document purportedly containing the
extrajudicial settlement in question, thus:
At the outset, the document, Exhibit A, was executed at Lezo, Aklan which
is about ten kilometers from Kalibo where all the parties are residents.
Defendant had to hire a tricycle from Kalibo to bring the parties to Lezo.
Assuming that a certain Engr. Reynaldo Lopez was helping the defendants
at that time in this transaction, he is also a resident of Kalibo, Aklan which
is the center of Aklan where almost all the lawyers have their offices. Engr.
Lopez has also his office here. Why would he still recommend the execution
of this document particularly in Lezo and before that particular alleged
Notary Public? This sounds incredible.
Defendants alleged that the document was published in a newspaper of
general circulation of Aklan but no affidavit of such publication was
presented. Only an alleged receipt from Engr. Lopez was presented (Exh. 2)
but does not prove its purpose.16
The above findings of fact of the trial court must be accorded respect. It is
a hornbook doctrine that the findings of fact of the trial court are entitled to
great weight on appeal and should not be disturbed except for strong and
valid reasons, because the trial court is in a better position to examine the
demeanor of the witnesses while testifying. It is not a function of this Court
to analyze and weigh evidence by the parties all over again. 17
RAMON
B.
BRITO,
SR., Petitioner,
vs.
SEVERINO D. DIANALA, VIOLETA DIANALA SALES, JOVITA DIANALA
DEQUINTO, ROSITA DIANALA, CONCHITA DIANALA and JOEL
DEQUINTO, Respondents.
SO ORDERED.
DECISION
PERALTA, J.:
Before the Court is a petition for review on certiorari seeking to annul and
set aside the Decision1 dated January 12, 2005 and Resolution 2 dated
February 13, 2006 of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CV No. 70009.
The assailed Decision set aside the Joint Orders 3 dated June 29, 2000 of the
Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Negros Occidental, Branch 60, Cadiz City,
while the questioned Resolution denied petitioner's Motion for
Reconsideration.
The factual and procedural antecedents of the case are as follows:
Subject of the present petition is a parcel of land located at Barrio Sicaba,
Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. The said tract of land is a portion of Lot No.
1536-B, formerly known as Lot No. 591-B, originally owned by a certain
Esteban Dichimo and his wife, Eufemia Dianala, both of whom are already
deceased.
On September 27, 1976, Margarita Dichimo, assisted by her husband,
Ramon Brito, Sr., together with Bienvenido Dichimo, Francisco Dichimo,
Edito Dichimo, Maria Dichimo, Herminia Dichimo, assisted by her husband,
Angelino Mission, Leonora Dechimo, assisted by her husband, Igmedio
Thereafter, TCT No. T-12561 was issued by the Register of Deeds of Cadiz
City in the name of Margarita, Bienvenido and Francisco.
On January 18, 1999, herein petitioner and his co-heirs filed another
Complaint for Recovery of Possession and Damages, this time against
herein respondents. The case, filed with the RTC of Cadiz City, Branch 60,
was docketed as Civil Case No. 548-C. Herein respondents, on the other
hand, filed with the same court, on August 18, 1999, a Complaint for
Reconveyance and Damages against petitioner and his co-heirs. The case
was docketed as Civil Case No. 588-C.
The parties filed their respective Motions to Dismiss. Thereafter, the cases
were consolidated.
On June 29, 2000, the RTC issued Joint Orders, disposing as follows:
WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, this Court hereby orders the
following:
1. The Motion to Dismiss Civil Case No. 548-C is hereby GRANTED and Civil
Case No. 548[-C] is hereby ordered DISMISSED for violation of the rule on
forum shopping;
2. The Motion to Dismiss Civil Case No. 588-C is likewise hereby GRANTED
and the Complaint dated August 13, 1999 is hereby DISMISSED for want of
jurisdiction.
3. All counterclaims in both cases, Civil Case No. 548-C and 588-C are
likewise ordered DISMISSED.
SO ORDERED.4
The parties filed their respective motions for reconsideration, but both were
denied by the RTC in an Order dated October 5, 2000.
Herein respondents then appealed the case to the CA praying that the
portion of the RTC Joint Orders dismissing Civil Case No. 588-C be declared
null and void and that the case be decided on the merits.
On January 12, 2005, the CA rendered judgment disposing as follows:
SEC. 43. Other civil actions; how limited.- Civil actions other than for the
recovery of real property can only be brought within the following periods
after the right of action accrues:
xxx
xxx
xxx
3. Within four years: xxx An action for relief on the ground of fraud, but the
right of action in such case shall not be deemed to have accrued until the
discovery of the fraud;
xxx
xxx
xxx
In contrast, under the present Civil Code, we find that just as an implied or
constructive trust is an offspring of the law (Art. 1456, Civil Code), so is the
corresponding obligation to reconvey the property and the title thereto in
favor of the true owner. In this context, and vis-a-vis prescription, Article
1144 of the Civil Code is applicable.
Article 1144. The following actions must be brought within ten years from
the time the right of action accrues:
(1) Upon a written contract;
(2) Upon an obligation created by law;
(3) Upon a judgment.
xxx
xxx
x x x (Italics supplied.)
The law thereby creates the obligation of the trustee to reconvey the
property and the title thereto in favor of the true owner. Correlating Section
53, paragraph 3 of Presidential Decree No. 1529 and Article 1456 of the
Civil Code with Article 1144(2) of the Civil Code, supra, the prescriptive
period for the reconveyance of fraudulently registered real property is ten
(10) years reckoned from the date of the issuance of the certificate of title.
x x x11
In the instant case, TCT No. T-12561 was obtained by petitioner and his coheirs on September 28, 1990, while respondents filed their complaint for
reconveyance on August 18, 1999. Hence, it is clear that the ten-year
prescriptive period has not yet expired.
The Court, likewise, does not agree with petitioner's contention that
respondents are guilty of laches and are already estopped from questioning
the decision of the RTC in Civil Case No. 12887 on the ground that they
slept on their rights and allowed the said decision to become final.
In the first place, respondents cannot be faulted for not appealing the
decision of the RTC in Civil Case No. 12887 simply because they are no
longer parties to the case and, as such, have no personality to assail the
said judgment.
Secondly, respondents' act of filing their action for reconveyance within the
ten-year prescriptive period does not constitute an unreasonable delay in
asserting their right. The Court has ruled that, unless reasons of inequitable
proportions are adduced, a delay within the prescriptive period is
sanctioned by law and is not considered to be a delay that would bar
relief.12 Laches is recourse in equity.13 Equity, however, is applied only in the
absence, never in contravention, of statutory law.14
Moreover, the prescriptive period applies only if there is an actual need to
reconvey the property as when the plaintiff is not in possession
thereof.15 Otherwise, if the plaintiff is in possession of the property,
prescription does not commence to run against him. 16 Thus, when an action
for reconveyance is nonetheless filed, it would be in the nature of a suit for
quieting of title, an action that is imprescriptible. 17 The reason for this is
that one who is in actual possession of a piece of land claiming to be the
owner thereof may wait until his possession is disturbed or his title is
attacked before taking steps to vindicate his right, the rationale for the rule
being, that his undisturbed possession provides him a continuing right to
seek the aid of a court of equity to ascertain and determine the nature of
the adverse claim of a third party and its effect on his own title, which right
can be claimed only by the one who is in possession. 18
In the present case, there is no dispute that respondents are in possession
of the subject property as evidenced by the fact that petitioner and his coheirs filed a separate action against respondents for recovery of possession
thereof. Thus, owing to respondents' possession of the disputed property, it
follows that their complaint for reconveyance is, in fact, imprescriptible. As
such, with more reason should respondents not be held guilty of laches as
the said doctrine, which is one in equity, cannot be set up to resist the
enforcement of an imprescriptible legal right.
In his second assignment of error, petitioner argues that the objective of
respondents in filing Civil Case No. 588-C with the RTC of Cadiz City was to
have the decision of the RTC of Bacolod City in Civil Case No. 12887
amended, which is tantamount to having the same annulled. Petitioner
avers that the RTC of Cadiz City has no jurisdiction to act on Civil Case No.
588-C, because it cannot annul the decision of the RTC of Bacolod City
which is a co-equal court.
The Court does not agree.
The action filed by respondents with the RTC of Cadiz City is for
reconveyance and damages.1awphi1 They are not seeking the amendment
nor the annulment of the Decision of the RTC of Bacolod City in Civil Case
No. 12887. They are simply after the recovery of what they claim as their
rightful share in the subject lot as heirs of Esteban Dichimo.
As earlier discussed, respondents' Answer-in-Intervention was dismissed by
the RTC of Bacolod City without prejudice. This leaves them with no other
option but to institute a separate action for the protection and enforcement
of their rights and interests. It will be the height of inequity to declare
herein petitioner and his co-heirs as exclusive owners of the disputed lot
without giving respondents the opportunity to prove their claims that they
have legal interest over the subject parcel of land, that it forms part of the
estate of their deceased predecessor and that they are in open, and
uninterrupted possession of the same for more than 30 years. Much more,
it would be tantamount to a violation of the constitutional guarantee that no
person shall be deprived of property without due process of law.19
WHEREFORE, the instant petition is DENIED. The assailed Decision dated
January 12, 2005 and Resolution dated February 13, 2006 of the Court of
Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No. 70009 are AFFIRMED.
SO ORDERED.