Professional Documents
Culture Documents
*
G.R. No. 119347. March 17, 1999.
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* FIRST DIVISION.
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Same; Same; Same; While the complaint also prays for the
partition of the property, this is just incidental to the main action,
which is the declaration of nullity of the document; It is axiomatic
that jurisdiction over the subject matter of a case is conferred by
law and is determined by the allegations in the complaint and the
character of the relief sought, irrespective of whether the plaintiff
is entitled to all or some of the claims asserted therein.—The main
purpose of petitioners in filing the complaint is to declare null and
void the document in which private respondents declared
themselves as the only heirs of the late spouses Casimero Tautho
and Cesaria Tautho and divided his property among themselves
to the exclusion of petitioners who also claim to be legal heirs and
entitled to the property. While the complaint also prays for the
partition of the property, this is just incidental to the main action,
which is the declaration of nullity of the document above-
described. It is axiomatic that jurisdiction over the subject matter
of a case is conferred by law and is determined by the allegations
in the complaint and the character of the relief sought,
irrespective of whether the plaintiff is entitled to all or some of
the claims asserted therein.
KAPUNAN, J.:
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3
3
subject land is P5,000.00 which under Section 33(3) of4
Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as amended by R.A. No. 7691,
falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of 5
the Municipal
Circuit Trial Court of Liloan, Compostela. 6
Petitioners filed an Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss
saying that the Regional Trial Court has jurisdiction over
the case since the action is one which is incapable of
pecuniary estimation within the7
contemplation of Section
19(1) of B.P. 129, as amended.
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Sec. 33. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in civil cases.—Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:
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(3) Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which involve title to, or
possession of real property, or any interest therein where the assessed value of the
property or interest therein does not exceed Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00)
or in civil actions in Metro Manila, where such assessed value does not exceed
Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind,
attorney’s fees, litigation expenses and costs: Provided, That in cases of land not
declared for taxation purposes, the value of such property shall be determined by
the assessed value of the adjacent lots.
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3. That the plaintiffs and the defendants are the legal heirs of
spouses Casimero Tautho and Cesaria N. Tautho who died long
time ago;
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8 Id., at 24.
9 Id., at 26-28.
10 Id., at 29.
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11 Id., at 14-16.
12 88 SCRA 623 (1979).
13 See also: Raymundo v. Court of Appeals,213 SCRA 457 (1992).
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(2) In all civil actions which involve title to, or possession of real property, or
any interest therein, where the assessed value of the property involved exceeds
Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or, for civil actions in Metro Manila, where
such value exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) except actions for forcible
entry into and unlawful detainer of lands or buildings, original jurisdiction over
which is conferred upon the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts;
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