Art. 992

1 | S u c c e s s i o n A r t .
9 9 2 f u l l t e x t
G.R. No. 28265
NATIVIDAD CENTENO, ET AL., plaintiffs-appellants,
vs.
ARTINA CENTENO, ET AL., !efen!ants-appellees.
NICOLA" CENTENO, ET AL., inte#veno#s-appellants.
VILLA-REAL, J.:
This is an appeal taken by the plaintiffs Natividad Centeno in
he o!n behalf and as ad"inistati# of the estate of he
de$eased fathe, Valentin Centeno, Jes%s Centeno &ist,
Rosalia and Rosaio Centeno, and by the intevenos Ni$olas,
E"ilio, Isaa$ and Jes%s Centeno 'e$ond, fo" the (%d)"ent of
the Co%t of &ist Instan$e of Ilo$os '%, of !hi$h the follo!in)
is the dispositive pat:
The a)ee"ent of patition in *%estion is heeby %pheld, !ith
the ad(%di$ations to the paties theeto, and theefoe the
patition payed fo in this $ivil $ase by plaintiffs and
intevenos espe$tin) the ealty des$ibed in the si#th
paa)aph of the oi)inal $o"plaint is denied. The othe
petition that said patition be held void and of no effe$t in so fa
as it efes only to the said potion ad(%$ated to defendants, is
also denied.
It is held pa$els Nos. +,, -., and /0, des$ibed in the
afoe"entioned si#th paa)aphs of the oi)inal $o"plaint, ae
held by defendants po indiviso1 and the othes, Nos. 02, 03,
00, .,, .4, and ./, !ith the "etes and bo%nds )iven in the
said si#th paa)aph, !hi$h ae in possession of the plaintiff
Jes%s Centeno &ist, as !ell as the othes, Nos. -4, -0, and
//, !hi$h ae in the possession of the defendant Telesfoo
Centeno.
The defendants5 petition that the fist 06 pa$els of land
des$ibed in the said si#th paa)aph of the oi)inal $o"plaint,
epod%$ed in the last a"endatoy $o"plaint, be patitioned in
this $ase and pa$el No. 66. des$ibed in the inventoy E#hibit
& of the plaintiffs, and . of the defendants, as !ell as the said
pa$els Nos. 02, 03, 00, .,, .4, and ./, and the $edits is
denied1 all of !hi$h ae $onsideed and de$laed to the po
indiviso 7E#hibit + of the defendants8, !itho%t pe(%di$e to said
patition bein) "ade in s%$h "anne as they "ay a)ee %pon.
It is odeed that the plaintiffs delive to defendants the t!o
pa$els of land des$ibed in the lattes5 $oss $o"plaint in thei
se$ond $a%se of a$tion, and said t!o "aes and haness
$annot be odeed deliveed, be$a%se they ae not fo"ally
detailed and diffi$%lties !o%ld aise in the e#e$%tion of s%$h an
ode.
As &abian Cabanilla and 'i"pli$io 9abeto possessos of
pa$els Nos. +., ++, 0/, and 6,, $lai"ed by plaintiffs and
intevenost, !ee not "ade defendants in this $ase, no
pono%n$e"ent is hee "ade a)ainst the", no as to pa$els
Nos. 04, .., /3, and .6, the possessos of !hi$h ae %nkno!n.
:efendants ae absolved fo" the $lai"s !ith espe$t to
pa$els Nos. 6,0, 6,., 6,+, 66, 0+, +0, /2, 6,4, 664, 660, 0.,
0-, .2, .3, .0, .+, .-, +6, +4, +2, +3, +-, +/, -,, -6, -2, -3,
-+, --, -/, /,, /6, /4, /., /+, /-, 6,6, 6,2, 6,-, 6,/, 66,, 662,
and 663 7328 des$ibed in the $o"plaint.
The pio%s le)a$y of pa$el No. 6,3 "ade by the testati#
;el$hoa Aoyo, is %pheld.
It is odeed that ea$h of the paties, plaintiffs, intevenos, and
defendants, pay a thid pat of the $osts of the tial.
It is so odeed.
<laintiffs s%ppot thei appeal by assi)nin) nineteen alle)ed
eos, and the intevenos anothe nineteen, to the tial $o%t
in its (%d)"ent, !hi$h !e shall dis$%ss heeinafte:
In thei se$ond and last a"ended $o"plaint, the plaintiffs pay
fo (%d)"ent on the $a%se of a$tion theein set foth: 7a8
=dein) the pation bet!een plaintiffs and intevenos in
a$$odan$e !ith the la! and the !ills of Isaa$ Centeno and
;el$hoa Aoyo of all popeties des$ibed in the si#th
paa)aph of the oi)inal $o"plaint, to)ethe !ith the popety
$onstit%tin) the potion then ad(%di$ated to the defendants in
the said patition1 7b8 holdin) the said pation to be void and of
no effe$t, only insofa as it efes to the potion ad(%di$ated to
the defendants and odein) the latte to delive the popety in
thei possession n%"beed fo" 04 to 660, !ith all its f%its,
and to et%n !hat they have %nd%ly e$eived in said eoneo%s
patition1 7$8 odein) the defendants to pay the $osts of the
a$tion1 and 7d8 )antin) plaintiffs s%$h f%the e"edy not
heein payed fo as "ay be (%st and e*%itable.
In thei se$ond a"ended $o"plaint the intevenos pay fo the
$a%ses of a$tion theein set foth that the vol%ntay patition of
the popety left by the de$eased spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno and
;el$hoa Aoyo be de$laed n%ll and void, in so fa as it
espe$t the potion ad(%di$ated to the defendants, odein) the
latte to et%n to said plaintiffs and intevenos !hat they have
%nd%ly e$eived in said patition.
In thei a"ended ans!e, the defendants )eneally and
spe$ifi$ally deny ea$h and evey one of the alle)ations of the
$o"plaints of the plaintiffs and the intevenos, !ith a spe$ial
defense and $oss-$o"plaint and pay the $o%t: 7a8 To absolve
the said defendants fo" the $o"plaint entiely1 7b8 to ode the
patition of the popety %nde Nos. 6 to 06, 02, 03, 00, .,, .6,
./, 66., 66/ and 64, !ith thei $oespondin) f%its o thei
e*%ivalent in "oney, and that thei espe$tive potions be
ad(%$ated and deliveed to these defendants, and that the
$edits of the de$eased so fa $olle$ted be e*%ally distib%ted
a"on) the heis1 7$8 that the plaintiff Valentin Centeno be
odeed to delive to said defendants ;atina Jose and
Telesfoo Centeno, the popety spe$ified in paa)aph 2 of the
$oss-$o"plaint, !ith all the f%its they pod%$ed o sho%ld
have pod%$e fo" 6/66 %p to pesent date, o in defa%lt
theeof, to pay the val%e of said f%its !ith the pope le)al
inteest1 7d8 that the plaintiff Valentin Centeno be odeed to
pay the $osts of this a$tion1 and 7e8 )ant said defendants all
s%$h f%the e"edies !ith espe$t to thei i)hts as "ay be
(%st and e*%itable.
The $ase havin) passed tho%)h all the pope po$eedin) and
afte heain) the eviden$e pesented by the paties in s%ppot
of thei espe$tive $lai"s, the lo!e $o%t endeed (%d)"ent,
the dispositive pat of !hi$h is *%oted above.
2 | S u c c e s s i o n A r t . 9 9 2 f u l l t e x t
The pepondean$e of the eviden$e establishes the follo!in)
petinent fa$ts ne$essay to the sol%tion of the *%estions of fa$t
and of la! aised in the pesent appeal.
Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo !ee h%sband and !ife
!ho bo%)ht no popety to the "aia)e b%t a$*%ied "%$h
popety d%in) thei "aied life.
Isaa$ Centeno died on =$tobe +, 6/,0, and !as s%vived by
his !ife ;el$hoa Aoyo, and thei thee son, Valentin,
&a%stino and Antonio Centeno. >efoe his death, that is, on
J%ne 2,, 6/,3, Isaa$ Centeno e#e$%ted a !ill, one of the
$la%ses of !hi$h $ontained the follo!in) povision: ?I heeby
na"ed and instit%te as "y sole and %nivesal heis "y thee
sons Antonio, Valentin and &a%stino Centeno o thei heis, if
any, to one-half of the above-na"ed popety, povided, that
the sa"e be divided e*%ally a"on) "y thee said sons.?
7E#hibit : of plaintiffs and E#hibit 3 of defendants.8 The !ill
havin) been ad"itted to pobate and his !ido! ;el$hoa
Aoyo, appointed ad"inistati# of the popety left by hi",
said ;el$hoa Aoyo, as s%$h ad"inistato, filed !ith the
$o%t a detailed inventoy of all the popety left by he
de$eased h%sband !hi$h had $o"e into he possession.
7E#hibit & of plaintiffs and E#hibit . of defendants.8
=n =$tobe 2,, 6/,+, Antonio Centeno died leavin) a !ido!,
9abiela &enade@, and a !ill e#e$%ted on =$tobe /, 6/,+,
$la%ses 2 and - of !hi$h ae as follo!s:
Thid. I de$lae that I !as "aied on$e, bein) still "aied to
:na. 9abiela &enande@ y >ibies$a, and d%in) o% %nion !e
had not a sin)le $hild1 I also de$laed that altho%)h I said I
have no $hild, the 9od of pity has )iven "e ei)ht, !ho ae "y
$hilden by anothe !o"an, thee of !ho" ae $alled nat%al,
!ho ae ;atina, Jose 7alias <epe8, and Telesfoo Centeno,
be$a%se they !ee bon even befoe I "aied "y afoesaid
!ife, :na. 9abiela the five ae 'isenando, Antonina, 9e)oio,
Jose 7alias <epin)8, and 9abiel Centeno, and ae $alled
ille)iti"ate, be$a%se they !ee bon afte "y "aia)e1
nevetheless I a$kno!led)e the" all fo I have had the" sin$e
theit bith s%ppotin) and bin)in) all of the", %p %ntil no!.
Ei)ht. =f "y potion fo" "y de$eased fathe Isaa$ Centeno
<%%))anan, and of "y f%t%e potion fo" "y "othe :na.
;el$hoa Aoyo, I instit%te as "y %nivesal heis "y thee
$hilden $alled nat%al, to have and to hold in fee si"ple d%in)
thei lives, %nde 9od5s blessin) and "y o!n. 7E#hibit /-b of
defendants.8
This !ill !as pobated on petition of his "othe ;el$hoa
Aoyo de Centeno, and his !ido!, 9abiela &enande@ de
Centeno.
;el$hoa Aoyo de Centeno died on :e$e"be -, 6/,/,
leavin) one son na"ed Valentin Centeno, and a !ill e#e$%ted
on Nove"be 2, 6/,/, $la%se 2 of !hi$h povides:
7$8 The thid pat shall be divided e*%ally, neithe "oe no
less, a"on) "y sons Antonio and &a%stino Centeno, "ay they
est in pea$e, and Valentin Centeno. 7E#hibit E of plaintiffs and
E#hibit 0 of defendants.8
This !ill !as pobated %pon petition of Valentin Centeno, one
of the e#e$%tos na"ed theein.
Ahile testa"entay po$eedin)s fo the settle"ent of the
estates of Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo !ee bein) had,
the heis of both, desiin) a (%st and la!f%l patition in
a$$odan$e !ith the !ills of both, s%b"itted fo its appoval to
the Co%t of &ist Instan$e of Ilo$os '%, in Nove"be, 6/6,
and a)ee"ent of patition e#e$%ted in =$tobe, 6/6, !heein
Valentin Centeno, 9abiela &enande@ de Centeno !ido! of
Antonio Centeno, and the latte5s a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden, ;atina and E"ilio A. Centeno, and As%n$ion
A$ebal, !ido! of &a%stino Centeno, fo heself and in behalf
of he "ino son Jes%s Centeno, (., intevened as paties.
7E#hibit + of defendants.8
=n ;a$h 6,, 6/66, the $o%t, a$tin) on the "otion pesented
by said heis, odeed the p%bli$ation in ne!spape of the
la)est $i$%lation in the lo$ality on$e a !eek fo thee
$onse$%tive !eeks, of a noti$e of the filin) in said $o%t of the
a)ee"ent of patition of the testate estate of the de$eased
spo%ses, Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$ho Aoyo, so that ea$h and
evey peson inteested in said popety and those !ho "i)ht
have $lai"s theeto "ay pesent the"selves befoe the $o%t
on the day appointed and sho! $a%se if any, !hy said
a)ee"ent of patition sho%ld not be appoved o !hy said
estate sho%ld not be de$laed $losed. 7E#hibit --b of
defendants.8 =n ;a$h -, 6/66 in p%s%an$e of said ode, the
$lek of the Co%t of &ist Instan$e of Ilo$os '% set the -th of
Apil 6/66 fo the heain) of the appoval of the said
a)ee"ent of patition. =n Apil 4,, 6/66, the Co%t of &ist
Instan$e of Ilo$os '% iss%ed the follo!in) ode:
All the heis in this $ase and in No. 4.3 havin) bo%nd
the"selves to ans!e fo all (%st $lai"s a)aist the estates the
s%b(e$t "atte of the afoesaid t!o $ases, and havin) $o"plied
!ith the ode of ;a$h 6,, 6/66 iss%ed in the pesent $ase
!ith espe$t to the p%bli$ation in the ne!spapes of the pope
notifi$ation to those inteested in the estate o those holdin)
any $lai" a)ainst said estate, fo the appoval of the s$he"e
of patition filed by the heis the $o%t, not!ithstandin) the
opposition of <edo Aoyo to s%$h appoval, heeby appoves
said s$he"e of patition de$lain) said t!o $ases $losed,
!itho%t pe(%di$e to the opposito, <edo Aoyo, $lai"in) his
i)hts and le)al fees fo" said heis.
It is so odeed. 7E#hibit && of plaintiffs and E#hibit --$ of
defendants.8
=n =$tobe 44, 6/62 the said Co%t of &ist Instan$e of Ilo$os
'% iss%ed also the follo!in) ode:
The pesent $ase bein) $alled fo tial fo the appoval of the
a$$o%nt pesented by the ad"inistati# 9abiela &. de
Centeno, the latte appeaed !ith the heis na"e Telesfoo and
'isenando Centeno, and the le)atee Antonina Centeno, "ino.
Inas"%$h as said ad"inistati# de$laes that the afoesaid
heis Telesfoo and 'isenando, as !ell as the othe heis not
pesent, ;atina and Jose Centeno, have aleady e$eived
thei $oespondin) shae of the inheitan$e1 and as the said
pesent heis $onfi" this de$laation of the ad"inistati#1 and
as the latte f%the de$laes that she holds the le)a$y
$oespondin) to said Antonina and he thee bothes
9e)oio, Jose 7alias <epin)8, and 9abiela, all s%na"ed
Centeno, the $o%t odes that ;. 'isenando Centeno be
appointed )%adian of the said "inos !ith his $onsent, and
!ith the a$*%ies$en$e of the "ino Antonio Centeno.
It is like!ise odeed that the said heis file a state"ent
sho!in) those !ho have aleady e$eived thei pope shae of
the inheitan$e.
The ad"inistati# is also odeed to pesent the inventoy of
the popety )iven as a le)a$y to said "inos, !hi$h !ill be
t%ned ove to the )%adian appointed %pon his )ivin) bond,
the a"o%nt of !hi$h is to be fi#ed a$$odin) to the
afoe"entioned inventoy. 'o odeed.
In the patition a)ee"ent s%b"itted by the heis to the $o%t
and appoved by the latte, the popety "entioned in plaintiffs5
a$$o%nt E#hibit 9, !as ad(%di$ated to Antonio Centeno, said
e#hibit bein) sin)ed by all the heis !ho took pat in said
a)ee"ent of patition.
>esides the popety left by the de$eased spo%ses, Isaa$
Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo, !hi$h !as patitioned a"on)
the heis, 660 pa$els of land des$ibed in the si#th paa)aph
of plaintiffs5 $o"plaint e"ained %ndistib%ted, of !hi$h fifty-
one, "aked Nos. 6 to 06, !ee in the possession of the
plaintiff Valentin Centeno and is no! held by his sons, the
heein plaintiffs, !ho took his pla$e afte his death !hi$h
o$$%ed in the $o%se of the pesent po$eedin) in the lo!e
$o%t1 t!o, desi)nated Nos. +. and ++ !ee in the po!e and
possession of &abian Cabanilla !ho has had the" in his
possession as o!ne fo "oe than ten yeas pevio%s to the
filin) of the $o"plaint havin) inheited the" fo" his fathe,
!ho, in t%n, inheited the" fo" his fathe, havin) paid the
land ta# on the sa"e1 t!o othes, desi)nated Nos. 0/ and 6,,,
ae held by 'i"pli$io 9abeto, !ho has been in possession
theeof fo" ti"e i""e"oial !itho%t any inte%ption of any
kind, havin) inheited the" fo" his fathe.
As to those "aked Nos. 04, .. and /3, thee is no eviden$e
sho!in) !ho holds and possesses the". ;oeove the t!o
alle)ed possessos na"ed ae not paties in the pesent s%it.
The pa$el of land "aked No. 6,3, ta# No. 6,26-, is the sa"e
pa$el beain) the sa"e ta# n%"be in$l%ded in the pation
"ade in =$tobe, 6/6, 7E#hibit +8, destined to pio%s p%poses
by the de$eased ;el$hoa Aoyo, a$$odin) to he !ill 7E#hibit
E of the plaintiffs8.
The fo% pa$els of land "aked Nos. 6,0, 6,., 6,+ and 666,
and identified by s!on de$laations of o!neship Nos. 6,24-,
6,24/, 6,22, and 6,220, espe$tively, ae the sa"e pa$els of
land efeed to in the said patition "ade in the "onth of
=$tobe, 6/6, 7E#hibit + of defendants, desi)nated as the
le)a$y of ;atina Centeno one of the defendants a$$odin) to
the !ill of the de$eased Isaa$ Centeno 7E#hibit : of plaintiffs8.
The pa$el of land "aked Nos. 0+, +0, /2, 6,4, 664 and 660
and identified by s!on de$laations of o!neship Nos. 6,2+3,
6,3+3, 6,022, 6,03/, 6,2-- and 6,34/, espe$tively, !ee
ad(%di$ated to the defendants in the said patition "ade in
=$tobe, 6/6, 7E#hibit 9 of defendants, !ho hold the"8.
The pa$es of land "aked Nos. 02, 03, 00, .,, .4 and ./, and
identified by s!on de$laations of o!neship Nos. 6,222,
6,22+, 6,2.+, 6,36,, 6,340 and 6,30/, espe$tively, and
"entioned in defendants5 ans!e, ae held by Jes%s Centeno
&ist.
The de$laations of o!neship in the na"e of ;el$hoa Aoyo
de Centeno of the pa$els desi)nated by Nos. -4, -0 and //,
in the $o"plaint !ee $an$elled and s%bstit%ted by those
n%"beed 2+044, 2/222 and 46,0-, espe$tively 7E#hibit 6 of
the defendants8. It does not appea in !hose posssession said
pa$els ae, b%t it is to be pes%"ed that they ae held by
Telesfoo Centeno in !hose na"e the ne! de$laations !ee
"ade. Neithe does it appea ho! the latte a$*%ied the". As
they ae not in$l%ded in the patition they sho%ld be $onsideed
as pat of the %ndivided shae of ;el$hoa Aoyo de Centeno
in the estate.
The pa$els of land desi)nated by Nos. 0., 0-, 6,6 and 6,2 in
the $o"plaint have been in possession of the heein
defendants Telesfoo and ;atina Centeno sin$e the death of
the de$eased spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno sin$e the death of the
de$eased spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo, !hi$h
took pla$e on =$tobe +, 6/,0 and :e$e"be -, 6/,/,
espe$tively, !ho have been )athein) thei pod%$ts and
en(oyin) thei f%its e#$l%sively. These fo% pa$els of land ae
not in$l%ded in the inventoy of the $on(%)al popety left by
said de$eased spo%ses, !hi$h )ives ise to the pes%"ption
that said fo% pa$els do not belon) to thei shae in the estate1
othe!ise, ;el$hoa Aoyo, !ho "%st have kno!n all the
popety of the $on(%)al patneship, !o%ld have in$l%ded the"
in said inventoy !hi$h she s%b"itted to the $o%t.
The pa$els of land beain) Nos. +,, -. and /0, ae the sa"e
ones desi)nated by Nos. 630, 624 and 620 in said inventoy,
b%t !hi$h !ee not in$l%ded in the patition a)ee"ent. These
thee pa$els of land ae in possession of the heein
defendants, b%t it does not appea that said possession "eets
all the e*%ie"ents pes$ibed by la! in ode that it "ay ipen
into title.
The pa$els of land Nos. 662 and 663, !hi$h ae also
en%"eated in the said inventoy, have been in possession of
the heein defendants sin$e the death of the spo%ses Isaa$
Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo, !ho have been )athein) thei
f%its and en(oyin) the" e#$l%sively.
The pa$els of land desi)nated in the $o"plaint by Nos. .2, .3,
.0, .-, +6, +4, +2, +3, +-, +/, -,, -6, -2, -3, -+, --, -/, /,,
/6, /4, /., /+, /-, 6,-, 6,/ and 66, also ae not "entioned in
the afoesaid inventoy and ae possessed by the defendants,
!ho have been en(oyin) thei pod%$ts e#$l%sively.
As to the pa$els of land Nos. 66., 66/ and 64,, !hi$h ae the
s%b(e$t "atte of the defendants5 $oss-$o"plaint said thee
pa$els belon)ed to the spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa
Aoyo d%in) thei lifeti"e and ae no! in the possession of
the plaintiffs. T!o of said pa$els, those desi)nated by Nos.
66. and 64, ae identified !ith Nos. 0+ and 406 in the
inventoy of the estate of Isaa$ Centeno. The pa$el of land
No. 64, is the sa"e pa$el No. ., "entioned in the $o"plaint.
The pa$el of land 66/ is the sa"e pa$el land No. 42 is the
sa"e $o"plaint. The pa$el of land No. 66. "%st be added to
the one h%nded and fifteen pa$els $lai"ed in the $o"plaint
as havin) belon)ed to the de$eased spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno
and ;el$hoa Aoyo and is po indiviso.
Thee ae t!o "oe pa$els of land !ith s!on de$laations of
o!neship Nos. 6,2+0 and 6,2-., !hi$h appea in the list of
the popeties ad(%di$ated to Antonio Centeno 7E#hibit 9 of
plaintiffs8 and !hi$h ae in the possession of the plaintiffs.
The $hattels and $attle ad(%di$ated to Antonio Centeno in the
s$he"e of patition and !hi$h !ee in the possession of
Valentin Centeno have not yet been deliveed to the
defendants.
Aith espe$t to the %n$olle$ted $edits !hi$h a"o%nt to <-,/0,
a$$odin) to the patition a)ee"ent E#hibit + of the
defendants, and the $olle$tion of !hi$h !as int%sted to
Valentin Centeno, the latte $olle$ted <2,, o!ed by <edo
>iloia, leavin) <-,.0, %n$olle$ted, !hi$h is po indiviso, as
!ell as the ho%se and lot val%ed at <2,, and ad(%di$ated in
pat pay"ent of said $edit.
To s%""ai@e, then, it appeas that the only pa$els of land
!hi$h "ay be the s%b(e$t "atte of the patition a"on) the
paties ae the follo!in): Those desi)nated in the oi)inal
$o"plaint by Nos. 6 to 06, and !hi$h ae in possession of the
plaintiffs1 those desi)nated in said oi)inal $o"plaint by Nos.
02, 03, 00, .,, .4 and ./ !hi$h ae in possession of Jes%s
Centeno &ist1 those desi)nated in said oi)inal $o"plaint by
Nos. -4, -0 and //, !hi$h ae in the possession of Telesfoo
Centeno1 those desi)nated in said oi)inal $o"plaint by Nos.
+,, -. and /0, !hi$h ae in the possession of the defendants1
and those desi)nated in the $oss-$o"plaint by Nos. 66., 66/
and 64,, !hi$h ae in the possession of the plaintiffs, the t!o
last of !hi$h ae desi)nated in the $o"plaint as Nos. 42 and
.,, espe$tively.
The $edits sho%ld also be patitioned.
>efoe entein) f%lly into a dis$%ssion of the *%estion of la!
aised by the plaintiffs and the intevenos in thei espe$tive
biefs, it is !ell to de$ide the le)al *%estion of po$ed%e aised
by said paties as to !hethe o not the tial $o%t eed in not
de$lain) the defendants in defa%lt fo not havin) ans!eed the
plaintiffs5 se$ond a"ended $o"plaint and in pe"ittin) said
defendants to pesent thei ans!e on the day of the tial, %pon
oal "otion "ade in open $o%t.
In "aintainin) the affi"ative, the plaintiffs-appellants invoke
the povisions of ati$les 6, and 66 of the R%les of Co%ts of
&ist Instan$e, !hi$h e*%ie that all "otions shall be in !itin)
and shall be filed !ith the pope $o%t "akin) it appea that
the advese paty had noti$e theeof thee days befoe the ti"e
set fo the heain) theeof, and povidin) that %nless it so
appeas, no a$tion shall be taken on the".
The p%pose of e*%iin) s%$h $onditions is do%btless to )ive
s%ffi$ient ti"e and oppot%nity to the advese paty to be$o"e
info"ed of any "otion !hi$h "ay be pesented in !hi$h he
"ay be inteested, and "ay intepose his ob(e$tion sho%ld he
so desie. Ahen a "otion is "ade in open $o%t and in the
pesen$e of all the paties, it is not ne$essay to "ake it in
!itin) no that the advese paty be notified theeof, sin$e
po$eedin)s in Co%ts of &ist Instan$e as $o%ts of e$od, ae
ed%$ed to !itin) by the offi$ial $o%t steno)aphe, and the
advese paty has an oppot%nity to be$o"e info"ed of said
"otion and of its nat%e and "ay ob(e$t to it at on$e if he so
desies, o "ay ask the $o%t fo a peiod !ithin !hi$h to file
his opposition.
'in$e the defendants "ade the "otion fo the ad"ission of
thei ans!e to the se$ond a"ended $o"plaint in open $o%t
and in the pesen$e of all the paties, the tial $o%t did not e
in )antin) it and ad"ittin) said ans!e and in not de$lain)
the" in defa%lt, in a$$odan$e !ith se$tion 66, of the Code of
Civil <o$ed%e.
Entein) no! %pon the dis$%ssion of the *%estion on the "eit,
!e "ay say at the o%tset that !ith espe$t to the *%estions of
fa$t aised by the plaintiffs-appellants and intevenos-
appellants in thei epe$tive biefs, !e have e#a"ined the
eviden$e, both do$%"entay and oal, add%$ed at the tial by
the espe$tive paties in s%ppot of thei espe$tive
$ontentions, and have fo%nd the pepondean$e of the
eviden$e f%lly (%stifies the findin)s of fa$t "ade by the tial
$o%t in its (%d)"ent, and they ae the sa"e as set foth above.
To%$hin) the *%estions of la! aised also by the plaintiffs-
appellants and intevenos-appellants in thei espe$tive biefs,
they "ay be ed%$ed to the follo!in):
6. Ae the defendants entitled, as a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden of Antonio Centeno, to inheit fo" his le)iti"ate fathe
Isaa$ CentenoB
4. Ae said defendants entitled, as s%$h a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden of Antonio Centeno, to the esevation of one-half of
said heeditay potion !hi$h ;el$hoa Aoyo inheited fo"
he le)iti"ate son Antonio Centeno !hi$h heeditay potion
the latte had inheited fo" his like!ise le)iti"ate fathe Isaa$
CentenoB
2. Ae the defendants entitled, as s%$h a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden of Antonio Centeno, to epesent thei nat%al fathe
Antonio Centeno in the inheitan$e of thei nat%al )and"othe
;el$hoa Aoyo, le)iti"ate "othe of Antonio CentenoB
3. Is the patition "ade a"on) the plaintiffs, intevenos and
defendants, and d%ly appoved by the $o%t, of the $on(%)al
popety left by the de$eased spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno and
;el$hoa Aoyo, validB
0. :id the defendants a$*%ie by pes$iption the o!neship of
the pa$els of land ad(%di$ated to the" in the patition, and of
the pa$els of land in$l%ded in the inventoy of the popeties
left by Isaa$ Centeno and not ad(%di$ated to the" in the
patition b%t !hi$h ae in the possession of said defendantsB
.. Ae the defendants entitled, as a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden of Antonio Centeno, to e$ove fo" the heis of
Valentin Centeno the pesonal and eal popety, $attle and
$edits !hi$h !ee ad(%di$ated to the" in said patition and
!hi$h e"ained in the possession of said Valentin CentenoB
+. Ae said defendants entitled, as s%$h a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden of Antonio Centeno, to pati$ipate in the $on(%)al
popety left by Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo in$l%ded in
the inventoy b%t not in$l%ded in the patitionB
-. ;ay the patition of the $on(%)al popety left by the spo%ses
Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo and still e"ainin) po
indiviso be odeed in these po$eedin)sB
Aith e)ad to the fist *%estion, the defendants-appellees did
not inheit fo" thei nat%al )anfathe Isaa$ Centno by
intestate s%$$ession, b%t fo" thei nat%al fathe Antonio
Centeno, !ho a$kno!led)ed the" in his !ill and na"ed the"
heis to the popety he had inheited fo" his de$eased fathe
Isaa$ Centeno, !ho had died befoe hi". The fa$t the
inheitan$e left by Isaa$ Centeno e"ained po indiviso !hen
Antonio Centeno died, did not pevent hi" fo" a$*%iin)
d%in) his lifeti"e, a i)ht to inheit fo" his de$eased fathe,
sin$e ati$le .0+ plainly povides that the i)hts to s%$$ession
of any peson ae tans"itted fo" the "o"ent of his death.
As to the se$ond *%estion, the defendants, as a$kno!led)ed
nat%al $hilden of Antonio Centeno, ae not entitled to "oe
than the half of the pat of the inheitan$e !hi$h $o%ld be feely
disposed of by thei nat%al fathe, the latte not havin) left any
le)iti"ate de$endants, b%t a le)iti"ate as$endants, !ho is his
"othe ;el$hoa Aoyo, !itho%t pe(%di$e to the le)iti"e of his
!ido! 9abiela &enande@, in a$$odan$e !ith ati$le -36 in
$onne$tion !ith ati$le -2. of the Civil Code, the othe half of
his estate )oin) to his "othe ;el$hoa Aoyo as he le)iti"e,
as povided in ati$le -,/ of the sa"e Code. ;el$hoa Aoyo
havin) died, said defendants, as a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden of Antonio Centeno, ae not entitled to the esevation
of the heeditay potion !hi$h said ;el$hoa Aoyo a$*%ied
)at%ito%sly fo" he le)iti"ate son Antonio Centeno !ho, in
t%n, also a$*%ied it )at%ito%sly, fo" his le)iti"ate fathe
Isaa$ Centeno, a$$odin) to the do$tine laid do!n and
:eo$a"po 7C6/4,D, 36 <hil., /608, as follo!s:
RE'ERVA>LE RI9ET' IN <R=<ERTF1 INEERITANCE >F
RELATIVE' AITEIN TEE TEIR: :E9REE1 ILLE9ITI;ATE
RELATIVE'. G Ati$le -66 of the Civil Code !hi$h povides
that any as$endants !ho inheits fo" his des$endants any
popety a$*%ied by the latte )at%ito%sly fo" so"e othe
as$endant, o fo" a bothe o siste, is obli)ed to eseve
s%$h of the popety as he "ay have a$*%ied by opeation of
la! fo the benefit of elatives !ithin the thid de)ee belon)in)
to the line fo" !hi$h s%$h popety $a"e,5 does not apply to
ille)iti"ate elatives. 7'ee also the de$ision of the '%pe"e
Co%t of 'pain endeed of J%ne 6,, 6/6-.8
<assin) no! to the thid *%estion, !hile it is t%e that in his !ill
Antonio Centeno na"ed the heein defendants as his heis,
not only !ith espe$t to the heeditay potion )iven hi" in the
!ill of his fathe Isaa$ Centeno, b%t also !ith espe$t to the
heeditay potion of the popety left by his "othe ;el$hoa
Aoyo, !hi$h he !o%ld inheit, nevetheless said testa"entay
disposition !ith e)ad to the popety of this "othe is void
and of no effe$t, be$a%se sin$e his "othe still lived, he had
not a$*%ied any i)ht to he inheitan$e and theefoe $o%ld
not dispose of said popety, sin$e it is a %le of la! that no one
$an dispose of anythin) that does not belon) to hi". 7'y Jo$
Lien) vs. En$ana$ion, 6. <hil., 62+.8
Altho%)h ;el$hoa Aoyo in he !ill na"ed he son Antonio
Centeno as one of he heis, sin$e he died befoe he, the
heein defendants, as a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden of said
Antonio Centeno have no i)ht to epesent thei de$eased
fathe, a$$odin) to the do$tine laid do!n by the '%pe"e
Co%t of 'pain, in the (%d)"ent endeed on J%ne 6,, 6/6-,
s%pa, !hi$h is as follo!s:
Considein) that the t%th of this do$tine, and that the
(%d)"ent appealed fo" has not violated the la!s $ited in the
fifth, si#th and seventh assi)n"ents of eos, is sho!n,
besides the te#t of ati$le -,+ aleady $ited, by that of ati$les
-2., /33 of the sa"e Code, in $o"paison !ith ati$les -,-,
-32, and /36 theeof, be$a%se !hile the fist of these, in
dealin) !ith the le)iti"e d%e to le)iti"ate $hilden in$l%des the
le)iti"ate de$endants theeof, ati$les -32 and /36 in
$onne$tion !ith nat%al $hilden spe$ifi$ally povide that the
potion $oespondin) to the" in the heeditay estate of the
paents !ho a$kno!led)ed the" is tans"itted %pon the death
of these $hilden to thei le)iti"ate o nat%al de$endants. The
latte5s i)ht, ho!eve, to epesent thei nat%al fathe in the
heeditay estate of thei )andfathe is not ad"itted be$a%se
the la! does not $all the" to pati$ipate in the latte5s estate,
and fo a like eason, in defa%lt of paents a$kno!led)in) the
nat%al $hild, the )andfathe, a$$odin) to ati$le /30, $annot
inheit fo" the )an$hild, G the do$tine laid do!n by this
$o%t in its de$ision of &eb%ay 62, 6/,2, to the effe$t that a
nat%al $hild !hose de$eased fathe !as le)iti"ate, has no
i)ht to inheit fo" his )andfathe, even if the latte sho%ld die
!itho%t any s%vivin) le)iti"ate de$endants is a ne$essay
$onse*%en$e of the afoe$ited le)al povisions, be$a%se, as
$hilden inheit in thei o!n i)ht and )and$hilden by
epesentation, it is $lea that s%$h epesentation of the
)and$hilden only efes to and in$l%des those !ho ae in the
sa"e le)al stat%s as the peson epesented, and neve those
!ho ae in a diffeent le)al stat%s. 7;. R%i@, Civil Code, vol. +,
p.6+0.8
To%$hin) the fo%th *%estion, ?the heis of the de$eased Isaa$
Centeno and his !ife ;el$hoa Aoyo de Centeno, also
de$eased, desiin) to "ake a (%st and la!f%l patition, and in
a$$od !ith the !ills of both,? s%b"itted to the $onsideation
and appoval of the Co%t of &ist Instan$e of Ilo$os '% an
a)ee"ent of patition of the po indiviso $on(%)al popety left
by the de$eased spo%ses as appeain) in inst%"ent E#hibit +
of the defendants. 'aid patition a)ee"ent havin) been
s%b"itted to the $o%t, the latte odeed the fi#in) of a day fo
the heain) of the a$$o"panyin) "otion, and the p%bli$ation of
a noti$e fo the appeaan$e of all !ho "i)ht have an inteest
theein, and the pesentation of the $lai"s and ob(e$tions they
"i)ht have. The day fo the heain) havin) aived, and all the
paties havin) been head, !ho stated that they bo%nd
the"selves to ans!e fo all the (%st $lai"s a)ainst the t!o
estates of Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo, the $o%t
appoved the patition and de$laed said t!o testa"entay
po$eedin)s $losed by its ode dated Apil 4,, 6/66.
Ahile it is t%e that the patition a)ee"ent !as "ade by all the
heis e#ta(%di$ially, in s%b"ittin) it to the $o%t fo appoval,
and in bein) appoved by the latte afte havin) anno%n$ed the
heain) tho%)h p%bli$ation in the ne!spapes, said
e#ta(%di$ial a)ee"ent of patition be$a"e (%di$ial, and the
ode of the $o%t appovin) it and de$lain) the espe$tive
testa"entay po$eedin)s involvin) the estates of the
de$eased spo%ses $losed, be$a"e final and absol%te, and
bindin) %pon all the paties !ho took pat in the said patition
a)ee"ent, and a$*%ies$ed theein. ;oe than si# yeas
havin) elapsed fo" the date the ode of the $o%t appovin)
the e#ta(%di$ial a)ee"ent of patition be$a"e final %ntil the
filin) of the fist $o"plaint payin) fo the ann%l"ent of said
patition, thee is absol%tely no le)al eason fo settin) aside
said ode !hi$h "%st theefoe be $onsideed ievo$able, and
the patition "ade in a$$odan$e !ith the a)ee"ent valid.
The fa$t that Jes%s Centeno 'e$ond !as a "ino at the ti"e
said a)ee"ent of patition !as enteed into, does not ende it
void !ith espe$t to hi", be$a%se he !as epesented by his
"othe As%n$ion A$ebal, !ho !as his nat%al )%adian by la!,
altho%)h !itho%t the i)ht to the $%stody of his popety %nless
so a%thoi@ed by the $o%t 7se$. 002, A$t No. 6/,8, and !hen
the $o%t appoved said a)ee"ent, said epesentation !as
i"pliedly appoved and the a$ts of the "othe !ee validated.
Neithe does the fa$t that the defendants !ee "ee
a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden, and theefoe !itho%t the i)ht
of e*%al pati$ipation !ith the le)iti"ate $hilden, ende said
patition void. Ati$le 6,-6 of the Civil Code povides that a
patition "ade !ith the in$l%sion of any peson !ho !as
believed, b%t !as not, and hei shall be void. The heein
defendants-appellees !ee not stan)es to the inheitan$e fo
they !ee na"ed as heis by thei nat%al fathe, !ho" they
s%$$eeded in his i)hts to the heeditay potion !hi$h sho%ld
have )one to hi" fo" the %nsettled estate left by his
de$eased fathe Isaa$ Centeno.
&%the"oe, the plaintiffs and intevenos $annot alle)e
i)noan$e of the $ondition of the defendants-appellees as
a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden, fo this $ondition appeaed
fo" the !ill of Antonio Centeno, and in "akin) the patition in
the fo" in !hi$h they "ade it, they desied to do so, in a (%st,
la!f%l "anne, in a$$odan$e !ith the !ills of the de$eased
spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo, and they "ade it
appea so in the peable to the s$he"e of patition, E#hibit + of
the defendants.
It follo!s, then, that the defendants-appellees not only !ee
not stan)es to the inheitan$e, b%t that, !ith f%ll kno!led)e of
thei stat%s of a$kno!led)e nat%al $hilden, the plaintiffs and
intevenos ad(%di$ated to the" the popety appeain) in the
a)ee"ent of patition, dee"in) it (%st, le)al, and in $onfo"ity
!ith the !ills of thei pede$essos in inteest, and said
patition is theefoe le)al and valid.
As to the fifth *%estion, havin) aived at the $on$l%sion that
the patition "ade a"on) the plaintiffs, the intevenos, and
the defendants is valid and ievo$able, it is needless to
dis$%ss !hethe, in addition, said defendants a$*%ied i)hts of
o!neship to the )oods a(%di$ated to the" and appeain) in
E#hibit 9 of the plaintiffs, by a$*%isitive pes$iption, and !e
shall li"it o%selves to $onsidein) the $on(%)al popety left by
the de$eased spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo,
in$l%ded in inventoy E#hibit & of the plaintiffs, and . of the
defendants, and not in$l%ded in the s$he"e of patition, E#hibit
+ of the defendants, b%t !hi$h is in the lattes5 possession.
It $annot be do%bted that if the defendants have been in
possession of said popety advesely, $ontin%o%sly, p%bli$ly
and as o!nes theeof fo a peiod of ten yeas, they have
a$*%ied the o!neship theof by pes$iption. 7'e$. 36, A$t
No. 6/,1 Casanas vs. Rosello C6/4+D 0, <hil., /+.8
Takin) %p no! the si#th *%estion afte the fo%th has been
solved by holdin) that the patition a"on) the plaintiffs,
intevenos, and defendants is le)al and valid, and sin$e the
pesonal and eal popety, the $attle, and $edits $lai"ed by
the defendants in thei $oss-$o"plaint ae in$l%ded in said
patition, they ae entitled to $lai" the" fo" the plaintiffs !ho
no! have the" in thei possession. Aith espe$t to the
seventh *%estion, the defendants, as nat%al $hilden of
Antonio Centeno, a$kno!led)ed by the latte as s%$h and
na"ed as his heis in his !ill, ae entitled to one-half of the the
heeditay potion belon)in) to thei nat%al fathe fo" the
estate of the de$eased Isaa$ Centeno, !hi$h !as in$l%ded in
the inventoy of the popety left by the latte and !hi$h !as
not in$l%ded in the a)ee"ent of patition, the othe half of said
heeditay potion of Antonio Centeno belon)in) to his "othe
;el$hoa Aoyo !ho s%vived hi", !ith said nat%al $hilden.
As to the ei)ht *%estion, the plaintiffs and intevenos in thei
espe$tive $o"plaints pay fo the ann%l"ent and settin) aside
of the a)ee"ent of patition enteed into by and bet!een the"
and the defendants in =$tobe, 6/6,, in so fa only as it efes
to the potion ad(%di$ated to the latte1 that it be odeed that
said defendants et%n to said plaintiffs and intevenos !hat
they have e$eived in e#$ess1 and that it be odeed like!ise
that in a$$odan$e !ith the !ills of Isaa$ Centeno and
;el$hoa Aoyo, the popety "entioned in paa)aph si# of
the oi)inal $o"plaint be patitioned bet!een the plaintiffs and
intevenos, to)ethe !ith the popety $onstit%tin) the potion
ad(%di$ated in the said patition.
The defendants in thei $oss-$o"plaint pay that the popety
desi)nated by Nos. 6 to 06, 02, .,, .4, ./, 66., 66+, 66-, 66/
and 64,, and thei $oespondin) f%its o thei e*%ivalent in
"oney, be patitioned, and that plaintiff Valentin Centeno be
odeed to delive to said defendants the popety spe$ified in
paa)aph thee of the $oss-$o"plaint, !ith all the f%its
pod%$ed, o !hi$h it sho%ld have pod%$ed fo" the yea 6/66
%p to the pesent ti"e, o in its defa%lt theeof to pay val%e of
said f%its, pl%s the pope le)al inteest theeon, and the $osts
of the a$tion.
As !ill be seen, the a$tion instit%ted by the plaintiffs and the
intevenos, espe$tively, is fo the e$ovey of popety tho%)h
the ann%l"ent of the patition, and to have anothe patition
"ade. The defendants5 $oss-$o"plaint is fo the e$ovey and
patition of %ndivided popety. The o!neship of the popety
!hi$h is the s%b(e$t "atte of the a$tion fo e$ovey havin)
been settled, and its delivey to the pope paty odeed, and
the popety belon)in) in $o""on and po indiviso to the
paties dete"ined, thee in no ba in la!, eithe positive o
ad(e$tive, to the patition theeof.
In the $ase of Afi$a vs. Afi$a 734 <hil., /238, this $o%t
en%n$iated the follo!in) do$tine:
6. <ARTITI=N1 REC=VERF =& <R=<ERTF1 ACTI=N &=R.
G An a$tion $annot be $onsideed as one fo the patition of an
inheitan$e, even tho%)h it is so entitled and the paye of the
$o"plaint is to this effe$t, if any paty to the s%it denies the po
indiviso $haa$te of the estate !hose patition is so%)ht, and
$lai"s e#$l%sive title theeto, o to any pat theeof. In s%$h
$ase the a$tion be$o"es one fo the e$ovey of popety in so
fa as the popety $lai"ed e#$l%sively by any of the paties is
$on$ened.
Ahat this $o%t "eant in sayin) that an a$tion $annot be
$onsideed as one fo the patition of an inheitan$e, even
tho%)h it is so entitled and the paye of the $o"plaint is to this
effe$t, if any paty to the s%it denies the po indiviso $haa$te
of the estate of $oo!neship is not e$o)ni@ed by all the
paties, b%t that so"e $lai" to be e#$l%sive o!nes theeof,
and it is fo%nd that thee is no popety to patition, the a$tion
fo patition loses its $haa$te as s%$h and be$o"es one fo
the e$ovey of popety1 b%t !hen the a$tion is fo the
e$ovey of popety based %pon the ann%l"ent of a patition
and at the sa"e ti"e fo the patition of the popety de$laed
to be %ndivided $o""on popety, it is not i"pope to ode
the patition of the estate !hi$h has been de$laed to be
%ndivided $o""on popety, sin$e thee is no in$o"patibility
bet!een the a$tion fo the e$ovey of popety and fo patition
of an inheitan$e, on$e the $o%t has de$laed that the
popety, the e$ovey of !hi$h is so%)ht, belon)s to the
paties in $o""on and po indiviso.
The $on(%)al popety !hi$h has (%st been de$laed to be po
indiviso, and !hi$h "%st be divided into t!o e*%al pats fo the
p%pose of as$etainin) the pati$ipation of the defendants
sepaatin) the one-half !hi$h $oesponds to Isaa$ Centeno
fo" the othe half that belon)s to ;el$ho Aoyo. The
defendants, as !e have said, ae only entitled to the one-half
of the heeditay potion !hi$h belon)ed to thei nat%al fathe
Antonio Centeno of the $on(%)al popety left by Isaa$
Centeno, and not to the $on(%)al popety left by ;el$hoa
Aoyo. Thee bein) thee $hilden !ho s%vived Isaa$
Centeno, na"ely, Valentin, &a%stino, and Antonio Centeno,
said one-half of the $on(%)al popety !hi$h still e"ains
%ndivided, left by Isaa$ Centeno, "%st be divided into thee
pats, one-thid petainin) po indiviso to the $hilden of
Valentin Centeno, and &a%stino Centeno, espe$tively. =f the
one-thid !hi$h belon)s to Antonio Centeno, one-half, that is,
one-si#th of the !hole, is !hat belon)s to the defendants, and
the othe half, o the othe si#th pat, to his le)iti"ate "othe
;el$hoa Aoyo, !ho inheited fo" he le)iti"ate son Antonio
Centeno, be$%ase he died befoe he savin) al!ays the i)hts
of 9abiela &enande@, as s%vivin) spo%se of Antonio
Centeno.
As to the one-half of the %ndivided $on(%)al popety !hi$h
belon)s to ;el$hoa Aoyo, the only ones entitled to it ae the
plaintiffs and intevenos.
'%""ai@in) all the above, !e ae of the opinion, and so hold:
768 That the defendants, as a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden and
na"ed heis of Antonio Centeno in his !ill, ae entitled to
inheit the one-half of heeditay potion !hi$h thei de$eased
nat%al fathe had inheited fo" his le)iti"ate fathe by !ill1 748
that said defendants, tho%)h they ae a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden of Antonio Centeno, ae not entiltled to the esevation
of the one-half !hi$h ;el$hoa Aoyo e$eived as he
le)iti"ate fo" the heeditay potion !hi$h he son had
e$eived fo" his fathe, Isaa$ Centeno also le)iti"ate1 728 that
the defendants, tho%)ht they ae a$kno!led)ed nat%al
$hilden of Antonio Centeno, ae not entitled to epesent the
latte in the inheitan$e of his le)iti"ate "othe ;el$hoa
Aoyo1 738 that the fa$t that defendants, as a$kno!led)ed
nat%al $hilden of Antonio Centeno, took pat, to)ethe !ith
Valentin Centeno, le)iti"ate bothe of said Antonio Centeno,
and !ith the $hilden of &a%stino Centeno, anothe le)iti"ate
bothe of said de$eased Antonio Centeno, in the patition of
the estates left by Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo, fathe
and "othe Antonio, Valentin and &a%stino Centeno, does not
"ake the patition void1 708 that the patition "ade bet!een the
heis, !hile e#ta(%di$ial at the be)innin) be$a"e (%di$ial on
bein) appoved by the $o%t afte $o"plyin) !ith the pope
e*%ie"ents pes$ibed by the la!, and on$e all the peiods
have elapsed !ithin !hi$h the la! pe"its its evo$ation fo
any eason, it be$a"e final and ievo$able1 7.8 that the fa$t
that Jes%s Centeno 'e$ond, son of &a%stino Centeno, !as a
"ino at the ti"e the a)ee"ent of patition !as enteed into,
does not "ake said a)ee"ent void, sin$e he !as epesented
by his "othe As%n$ion AR$ebal, and !hen said a)ee"ent
!as appoved by the $o%t, said epesentation !as i"plied
appoved, and all he a$ts be$a"e validated ipso fa$to1 7+8 that
in the absen$e of a pepondean$e of eviden$e to the $ontay,
the defendants ae e#$l%sive o!nes of the pa$els of land
desi)nated by Nos. 662 and 663, !hi$h ae in$l%ded in the
invento of the estate of Isaa$ Centeno, havin) a$*%ied title
theeto by pes$iption1 7-8 that the defendants, as $oss-
$o"plaint, ae entitled to the o!neship and possesion of the
t!o pa$els of land des$ibed in the thid paa)aph of the
se$ond $a%se of a$tion of the $oss-$o"plaint, as !ell as the
t!o "aes and the haness !hi$h ae in possession of the
plaintiffs1 7/8 that the defendants ae entitled to one-si#th pat
of the %ndivided $on(%)al popety left by Isaa$ Centeno, !hi$h
is yet to be patitioned1 76,8 that the a$tion fo the e$ovey of
the %ndivided popety is not in$o"patible !ith the a$tion fo
patition, on$e the e#isten$e of the $o""%nity of the popety
of the estate !hose e$ovey and patition ae so%)ht, has
been de$laed.
&o the foe)oin), and !ith the sole "odifi$ation of odeinf)
the patition of the $on(%)al popety left by the de$eased
spo%ses Isaa$ Centeno and ;el$hoa Aoyo de$laed by
lo!e $o%t to be po indiviso, the (%d)"ent appealed fo" is
affi"ed in all othe espe$ts, !itho%t spe$ial pono%$e"ent as
to $osts. 'o odeed.
G.R. No. L-22$6%O&to'e# 2(, )%*8
TOA" COR+,", plaintiff-appellant,
vs.
ADINI"TRATOR an!-o# E.EC,TOR of t/e Estate of
Teo!o#o R. 0an1&o, RA2AEL COR+,", AALIA COR+,",
3O"E A. V. COR+,", RAON L. COR+,", ENRI4,E 3.
COR+,", ". 5. "TAGG, "OLEDAD A"+RER an!
CI+RIANO NAVARRO, !efen!ants-appellees.
AHIIN=, J.:
Teodoo R. Fan)$o died in ;anila on Apil 4,, 6/2/ at the a)e
of seventy-seven yeas. Eis !ill dated A%)%st 4/, 6/23 !as
pobated in the Co%t of &ist Instan$e of ;anila in 'pe$ial
<o$eedin) No. 03-.2. The de$ee of pobate !as affi"ed in
this Co%t5s 6/36 de$ision in Cop%s vs. Fan)$o, +2 <hil. 04+.
The $o"plete te#t of the !ill is *%oted in that de$ision.
Fan)$o had no fo$ed heis. At the ti"e of his death, his
neaest elatives !ee 768 his half bothe, L%is R. Fan)$o, 748
his half siste, <a@ Fan)$o, the !ife of ;i)%el =ssoio 728
A"alia Cop%s, Jose A. V. Cop%s, and Ra"on L. Cop%s, the
$hilden of his half bothe, <ablo Cop%s, and 738 J%ana
7J%anita8 Cop%s, the da%)hte of his half bothe Jose Cop%s.
J%anita died in =$tobe, 6/33 at <ala%i), Ja"bales.
Teodoo R. Fan)$o !as the son of L%is Rafael Fan)$o and
Ra"ona A)%elles, the !ido! of To"as Cop%s. >efoe he
%nion !ith L%is Rafael Fan)$o, Ra"ona had be)otten five
$hilden !ith To"as Cop%s, t!o of !ho" !ee the
afoena"ed <ablo Cop%s and Jose Cop%s.
<%s%ant to the ode of the pobate $o%t, a po(e$t of patition
dated Nove"be 4., 6/30 !as s%b"itted by the ad"inistato
and the le)atees na"ed in the !ill. That po(e$t of patition !as
opposed by the estate of L%is R. Fan)$o !hose $o%nsel
$ontended that an intesta$y sho%ld be de$laed >e$a%se the
!ill does not $ontain an instit%tion of hei. It !as also opposed
by Atty. Ro"an A. C%@, !ho epesented J%anita Cop%s,
<edo ;atine@ and J%liana de Casto. J%anita Cop%s !as
aleady dead !hen Atty. C%@ appeaed as he $o%nsel.
Atty. C%@ alle)ed in his opposition that the poposed pation
!as not in $onfo"ity !ith the !ill be$a%se the testato
intended that the estate. sho%ld be ?$onseved? and not
physi$ally patitioned. Atty. C%@ payed ?*%e de$lae *%e el
finado no disp%so en s% testa"ento de s%s bienes y ne)o$ios
y *%e ha l%)a a s%$ession intestado $on espe$io a los
ais"os y *%e sa"e %n dia en esta $a%sa paa la e$ep$ion de
p%ebas pevia a la de$laa$ion de *%ienes son los heedeos
le)ales o abintestato del dif%nto.?
The <obate $o%t in its ode of :e$e"be 4., 6/3. appoved
the po(e$t of patition. It held that in $etain $la%ses of the !ill
the testato intended to $onseve his popeties not in the
sense of disposin) of the" afte his death b%t fo the p%pose
of <eventin) that ?tales bienes f%esen "al)astados o desfilpa
adios po los le)ataios? and that if the testato intended a
<epet%al pohibition a)ainst alienation, that $on$h tion !o%ld
be e)aded ?$o"o no p%esta o no e#istents?. it $on$l%ded that
?no hay "otives le)ales o "oales paa *%e la s%$ession de
:on Teodoo R. Fan)$o sea de$laada intestada 7'ee >aetto
vs. T%ason, 0, <hil. ---, !hi$h $ites ati$le +-0 of the 'panish
Civil Code as pohibitin) pepet%al entails, and Rodi)%e@ vs.
Co%t of Appeals, L-4-+23, ;a$h 4-, 6/./, 4+ 'CRA 03..8
&o" that ode, <edo ;atine@, J%liana de Casto , J%anita
Cop%s 7de$eased8 and the estate of L%is R. Fan)$o aped to
this Co%t 7L-63+.8. Those appeals !ee dis"issed in tills
Co%t5s esol%tions of =$tobe 6, and 26, 6/3+ afte the
le)atees and the appellants enteed into $o"po"ise
a)ee"ents. In the $o"po"ise dated =$tobe +, 6/3+ the
le)atees a)eed to pay <20,,,, to <edo ;atine@, the heis of
<io V. Cop%s, the heis of Isabel Cop%s and the hei of
J%anita Cop%s. Eeein appellant To"as Cop%s si)ned that
$o"po"ise settle"ent as the sole hei of J%anita Cop%s. The
estate of L%is R. Fan)$o enteed into a si"ila $o"po"ise a
"ent A the esol%tion dis"issin) the appeal be$a"e, final and
e#e$%toy on =$tobe 63 and Nove"be 3, 6/3+, enties of
(%d)"ent !ee "ade on those dates.
<%s%ant to the $o"po"ise a)ee"ent, To"as Cop%s 'i)ned
a e$eipt dated =$tobe 43, 6/3+ !heein he a$kno!led)e that
he e$eived fo" the Fan)$o estate the s%" of t!o tho%sand
pesos 7<4,,,,8 ?as settle"ent in f%ll of "y shae of the
$o"po"ise a)ee"ent as pe %ndestandin) !ith J%d)e
Ro"an C%@, o% attoney in this $ase? 7E#h. : o 6+8.
=n 'epte"be 4,, 6/3/, the le)atees e#e$%ted an a)ee"ent
fo the settle"ent and physi$al patition of the Fan)$o estate.
The pobate $o%t appoved that a)ee"ent and noted that the
6/30 po(e$t of patition !as po tanto "odified. That did not
set at est the $ontovey ove the Fan)$o5s estate.
=n =$tobe 0, 6/06, To"as Cop%s, as the sole hei of J%anita
$op%s, filed an a$tion in the Co%t of &ist Instan$e of ;anila
to e$ove he s%pposed shae in Fan)$o intestate estate. Ee
alle)ed in his $o"plaint that the dispositions in his Fan)$os !ill
sin) pepet%al pohibitions %pon alienation endeed it void
%nde ati$le +-0 of the old Civil Code and that the 6/3/
patition is invalid and, theefoe, the de$edent5s estate sho%ld
be distib%ted a$$odin) to the %les on intesta$y.
The tial $o%t in its de$ision of J%ly 4, 6/0. dis"issed the
a$tion on the )o%nds of es (%di$ata and la$hes. It held that
the intinsi$ validity of Fan)$o5s !ill !as passed %pon in its
ode dated :e$e"be 4., 6/3. in 'pe$ial <o$eedin) No.
03-.2 appovin) the po(e$t of patition fo the testato5s
estate.
To"as Cop%s appealed to the Co%t of Appeals !hi$h in its
esol%tion dated Jan%ay 42, 6/.3 in CA-9. R. No. 6-+4,-R
$etified the appeal to this Co%t be$a%se it involves eal
popety val%ed at "oe than fifty tho%sand pesos 7'e$. 6+606
J%di$iay La! befoe it !as a"ended by Rep%bli$ A$t No.
4.628.
Appellant Cop%s $ontends in this appeal that the tial $o%t
eed in holdin) 768 that Teodoo R. Fan)$o !as a nat%al $hild,
748 that his !ill had been d%ly le)ali@ed and 728 that plaintiff5s
a$tion is baed by es (%di$ata and la$hes.
In the disposition of this appeal it is not ne$essay to esolve
!hethe Fan)$o5s !ill had been d%ly le)ali@ed and !hethe the
a$tion of To"as Cop%s is baed by es (%di$ata and la$hes.
The appeal "ay be esolved by de !hethe J%anita Cop%s,
the "othe of apt To"as Cop%s !as a le)al hei of Fan)$o.
Eas To"as Cop%s a $a%se of a$tion to e$ove his "othe5s
s%pposed intestate shae in Fan)$o5s estateB
To ans!e that *%estion, it is ne$essay to as$etain Fan)$o5s
filiation The tial $o%t fo%nd that Fan)$o ?a s% "%ete ta"bien
le sbevivieon L%is y <a@ appellidados Fan)$o, he"anos
nat%ales e$ono$idos po s% pade nat%al L%is R. Fan)$o?.
The basis of the tial $o%t5s $on$l%sion that Teodoo R. Fan)$o
!as an a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hild and not a le)iti"ate $hild
!as the state"ent in the !ill of his fathe, L%is Rafael Fan)$o,
dated J%ne 63, 6/,+, that Teodoo and his thee othe $hilden
!ee his a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden. Eis e#a$t !ods ae:
<i"ea. :e$lao *%e ten)o $%ato hi(os nat%ales e$ono$idos,
Ea"ados Teodoo, <a@, L%isa y L%is, los $%ales son "is
%ni$os heedeos fo@osos 7E#h. 6 in Testate Estate of Teodoo
Fan)$o8.
That !ill !as attested by Rafael del <an &an$is$o =ti)as,
;an%el Ca"%s and &loen$io 9on@ales :ie@
Appellant Cop%s assails the pobative val%e of the !ill of L%is
R. Fan)$o, Identified as E#hibit 6 heein, !hi$h he says is a
"ee $opy of E#hibit 4,, as fo%nd in the e$od on appeal in
'pe$ial <o$eedin) No. 03-.2. Ee $ontends that it sho%ld not
pevail ove the pes%"ption of le)iti"a$y fo%nd in se$tion ./,
R%le 642 of the old R%les of Co%t and ove the state"ent of
'a"%el A. 'ta)) in his bio)aphy of Teodoo R. Fan)$o, that
L%is Rafael Fan)$o "ade a se$ond "aital vent%e !ith
Vi$toia =bin i"plyin) that he had a fist "aital vent%e !ith
Ra"ona A)%elles, the "othe of Teodoo.
These $ontentions have no "eit. The a%thenti$ity of the !ill of
L%is Rafael Fan)$o, as epod%$ed in E#hibit I heein and as
$opied fo" E#hibit 4, in the po$eedin) fo the pobate of
Teodoo R. Fan)$o5s !ilt in in$ontestable. The said !ill is pat
of a p%bli$ o offi$ial (%di$ial e$od.
=n the othe hand, the $hilden of Ra"ona A)%elles and
To"as Cop%s ae pes%"ed to be le)iti"ate. A "aia)e is
pes%"ed to have taken pla$e bet!een Ra"ona and To"as.
'e"pe paes%"it% po "ati"onio. It is disp%tably
pes%"ption ?That a "an and a !o"an depotin) the"selves
as h%sband and !ife have enteed into a la!f%l $onta$t of
"aia)e?1 ?that a $hild bon in la!f%l !edlo$k, thee bein) no
divo$e, absol%te o fo" bed and boad, is le)iti"ate?, and
?that thin)s have happened a$$odin) to the odinay $o%se of
nat%e and the odinay habits of life? 7'e$. 0C@D, CbbD and $$
R%le 626, R%les of Co%t8.
'in$e Teodoo R. Fan)$o !as an a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hild
o !as ille)iti"ate and sin$e J%anita Cop%s !as the le)iti"ate
$hild of Jose Cop%s, hi"self a le)iti"ate $hild, !e hold that
appellant To"as Cop%s has no $a%se of a$tion fo the
e$ovey of the s%pposed heeditay shae of his "othe,
J%anita Cop%s, as a le)al hei, in Fan)$o5s estate. J%anita
Cop%s !as not a le)al hei of Fan)$o be$a%se thee is no
e$ipo$al s%$$ession bet!een le)iti"ate and ille)iti"ate
elatives. The tial $o%t did not e in dis"issin) the $o"plaint
of To"as Cop%s.
Ati$le /32 of the old Civil $ode povides that ?el hi(o nat%al y
el le)iti"ado no tienen dee$ho a s%$ede abintestato a los
hi(os y paientes le)iti"os del pade o "ade *%e to haya
e$ono$ido, ni ellos al hi(o nat%al ni al le)iti"ado?. Ati$le /32
?pohibits all s%$$essoy e$ipo$ity "otis $a%sa bet!een
le)iti"ate and ille)iti"ate elatives? 6. 'an$he@ Ro"an, Civil
Code, pp. //.-//+ $ited in :ie$to of Lands vs. A)%as, .2
<hil. 4+/, 4-+. 'ee 6. '$aevola Codi)o Civil, 3th Ed., 300-
.8. ...
Appellant Cop%s $on$edes that if 5Teodoo R. Fan)$o !as a
nat%al $hild, he 7To"as Cop%s8 !o%ld have no le)al
pesonality to intevene in the distib%tion of Fan)$o5s estate
7p. -, appellant5s bief8.
The %le in ati$le /32 is no! fo%nd in ati$le //4 of the Civil
Code !hi$h povides that ?an ille)iti"ate $hild has no i)ht to
inheit ab intestato fo" the le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of
his fathe o "othe1 no shall s%$h $hilden o elatives inheit
in the sa"e "anne fo" the ille)iti"ate $hild?.
That %le is based on the theoy that the ille)iti"ate $hild is
dis)a$ef%lly looked %pon by the le)iti"ate fa"ily !hile the
le)iti"ate fa"ily is, in t%n, hated by the ille)iti"ate $hild.
The la! does not e$o)ni@e the blood tie and seeks to avod
f%the )o%nds of esent"ent 7+ ;anesa, Codi)o Civil, +th
Ed., pp. 6-0- .8.
Inde ati$les /33 and /30 of the 'panish Civil Code, ?if an
a$kno!led)ed nat%al o le)iti"ated $hild sho%ld die !itho%t
iss%e, eithe le)iti"ate o a$kno!led)ed, the fathe o "othe
!ho a$kno!led)ed s%$h $hild shall s%$$eed to its entie
estate1 and if both a$kno!led)ed it and ae alive, they shall
inheit fo" it shae and shae alike. In defa%lt of nat%al
as$endants, nat%al and le)iti"ated $hilden shall be
s%$$eeded by thei nat%al bothes and sistes in a$$odan$e
!ith the %les established fo le)iti"ate bothes and sistes.?
Een$e, Teodoo R. Fan)$o5s half bothes on the Cop%s side,
!ho !ee le)iti"ate, had no i)ht to s%$$eed to his estate
%nde the %les of intesta$y.
&ollo!in) the %le in ati$le //4, fo"ely ati$le /32, it !as
held that the le)iti"ate elatives of the "othe $annot s%$$eed
he ille)iti"ate $hild 7Ca$ho vs. Idan L- 6///., Apil 2,, 6/.0,
62 'CRA ./2. 'ee :e 9%@"an vs. 'evilla, 3+ <hil. //68.
Ahee the testati#, Rosaio Table !as the le)iti"ate da%)hte
of Jose Table the t!o a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden of he
%n$le, Ra"on Table he fathe5s bothe, !ee held not to be
he le)al heis 79ey vs. Table -- <hil. 64-8.
>y eason of that sa"e %le, the nat%al $hild $annot epesent
his nat%al fathe in the s%$$ession to the estate of the
le)iti"ate )andpaent 7Lloente vs. Rodi)%e@, 6, <hil. 0-01
Centeno vs. Centeno, 04 <hil. 2441 Allade vs. Abaya, 0+ <hil.
/,/8.
The nat%al da%)hte $annot s%$$eed to the estate of he
de$eased %n$le, a le)iti"ate bothe of he nat%al "othe
7An%an vs. A*%ino and =ti@, 2- <hil. 4/8.
AEERE&=RE the lo!e $o%t5s (%d)"ent is affi"ed. No
$osts.
'= =R:ERE:.
G.R. No. L-5)26(2e'#6a#7 28, )%8(
CRE"ENCIANO LEONARDO, petitione#,
vs.
CO,RT O2 A++EAL", ARIA CAILLE", 3AE"
8RACE5ELL an! R,RAL 8AN9 O2 +ARA:A4,E, INC.,
#espon!ents.
:E CA'TR=, J.:
<etition fo evie! on $etioai of the de$ision of the Co%t of
Appeals in CA-9.R. No. 323+.-R, po"%l)ated on &eb%ay
46, 6/+/, evesin) the (%d)"ent of the Co%t of &ist Instan$e
of Ri@al in favo of petitione:
7a8 :e$lain) plaintiff Cesen$iano Leonado as the )eat
)andson and hei of de$eased &RANCI'CA REFE', entitled
to one-half shae in the estate of said de$eased, (ointly !ith
defendant ;aia Cailles1
7b8 :e$lain) the popeties, s%b(e$t of this $o"plaint, to
be the popeties of the de$eased &RANCI'CA REFE' and
not of defendants ;aia Cailles and Ja"es >a$e!en
7$8 :e$lain) n%ll and void any sale of these popeties
by defendant ;aia Cailles in so fa as the shae of
Cesen$iano Leonado ae affe$ted1
7d8 =dein) the patition !ithin 2, days fo" the finality
of this de$ision, of the popeties s%b(e$t of this liti)ation,
bet!een defendant ;aia Cailles and plaintiff Cesen$iano
Leonado, shae and shae alike1
7e8 =dein) defendants ;aia Cailles and Ja"es
>a$e!ell, !ithin 2, days fo" the finality of this de$ision, to
ende an a$$o%ntin) of the f%its of the popeties, and 2,
days theeafte to pay to plaintiff Cesen$iano Leonado his
one-half shae theeof !ith inteest of .K pe ann%"1
7f8 =dein) defendants ;aia Cailles and Ja"es to pay
(ointly and seveally plaintiff Cesen$iano Leonado the a"o%nt
of <4,,,,.,, as attoney5s fees1
7)8 =dein) defendants to pay the $osts1 and
7h8 :is"issin) defendants5 $o%nte$lai". 6
&o" the e$od, it appeas that &an$is$a Reyes !ho died
intestate on J%ly 64, 6/34 !as s%vived by t!o 748 da%)htes,
;aia and 'ilvesta Cailles and a )andson, 'oteo Leonado,
the son of he da%)hte, <as$%ala Cailles !ho pede$eased
he. 'oteo Leonado died in 6/33, !hile 'ilvesta Cailles died
in 6/3/ !itho%t any iss%e.
=n =$tobe 4/, 6/.3, petitione Cesen$iano Leonado,
$lai"in) to be the son of the late 'oteo Leonado, filed a
$o"plaint fo o!neship of popeties, s%" of "oney and
a$$o%ntin) in the Co%t of &ist Instan$e of Ri@al seekin)
(%d)"ent 768 to be de$laed one of the la!f%l heis of the
de$eased &an$is$a Reyes, entitled to one-half shae in the
estate of said de$eased (ointly !ith defendant, pivate
espondent heein, ;aia Cailles, 748 to have the popeties left
by said &an$is$a Reyes, des$ibed in the $o"plaint,
patitioned bet!een hi" and defendant ;aia Cailles, and 728
to have an a$$o%ntin) of all the in$o"e deived fo" said
popeties fo" the ti"e defendants took possession theeof
%ntil said a$$o%ntin) shall have been "ade, delivein) to hi"
his shae theein !ith le)al inteest.
Ans!ein) the $o"plaint, pivate espondent ;aia Cailles
asseted e#$l%sive o!neship ove the s%b(e$t popeties and
alle)ed that petitione is an ille)iti"ate $hild !ho $annot
s%$$eed by i)ht of epesentation. &o his pat, the othe
defendant, pivate espondent Ja"es >a$e!ell, $lai"ed that
said popeties ae no! his by vit%e of a valid and le)al deed
of sale !hi$h ;aia Cailles had s%bse*%ently e#e$%ted in his
favo. These popeties !ee alle)edly "ot)a)ed to
espondent R%al >ank of <aana*%e, In$. so"eti"e in
'epte"be 6/.2.
Afte heain) on the "eits, the tial $o%t endeed (%d)"ent in
favo of the petitione, the dispositive potion of !hi$h !as
ealie *%oted, findin) the eviden$e of the pivate espondent
ins%ffi$ient to pove o!neship of the popeties in s%it.
&o" said (%d)"ent, pivate espondents appealed to the
Co%t of Appeals !hi$h, as aleady stated, evesed the
de$ision of the tial $o%t, theeby dis"issin) petitione5s
$o"plaint, e$onsideation havin) been denied by the
appellate $o%t, this petition fo evie! !as filed of the follo!in)
assi)n"ent of eos:
I
RE'<=N:ENT C=IRT ERRE: IN E=L:IN9 TEAT
<R=<ERTIE' IN HIE'TI=N ARE TEE ELCLI'IVE
<R=<ERTIE' =& <RIVATE RE'<=N:ENT'.
II
<ETITI=NER EA' N=T E'TA>LI'EE: EI' &ILIATI=N.
III
<ETITI=NER, A' TEE 9REAT 9RAN:'=N =& &RANCI'CA
REFE', EA' N= LE9AL RI9ET T= INEERIT >F
RE<RE'ENTATI=N.
To be)in !ith, the Co%t of Appeals fo%nd the s%b(e$t
popeties to be the e#$l%sive popeties of the pivate
espondents.
Thee bein) t!o popeties in this $ase both !ill be dis$%ssed
sepaately, as ea$h has its o!n distin$t fa$t%al settin). The fist
!as bo%)ht in 6/,- by ;aia Cailles %nde a deed of sale
7E#h. 5.,58, !hi$h des$ibes it as follo!s:
. . . adi$ada en la $alle :esposoio de este di$ho ;%ni$ipio
dento de los li"ites y lindeos si*%ientes: <o la dee$ha a la
entada el sola de Teodoi$o Reyes po la i@*%ieda el sola
de ;aia Calesa 7Cailles8 aiba $itada po la espalda la via
feea del Raiload Co., y la fente la di$ha $alle :esposoio
Afte de$lain) it in he na"e, ;aia Cailles paid the ealty
ta#es statin) fo" 6/6- %p to 6/3-. Theeafte as she and he
son Na$iso >a$e!ell, left fo N%eva E$i(a, &an$is$a Reyes
"ana)ed the popety and paid the ealty ta# of the land.
Eo!eve, fo %ne#plained easons, she paid and de$laed the
sa"e in he o!n na"e. >e$a%se of this, plaintiff de$ided to %n
afte this popety, eoneo%sly thinkin) that as the )eat
)andson of &an$is$a Reyes, he had so"e popietay i)ht
ove the sa"e.
The se$ond pa$el on the othe hand, !as p%$hased by ;aia
Cailles in 6/6+ %nde a deed of sale 7E#h. 5258 !hi$h des$ibes
the popety as follo!s:
. . . %na pa$ela de teeno destinado al benefi$io de la sal, *%e
linda po Note $on la linea &eea y 'alina de Na$iso
;ay%)a, po Este $on los de Na$iso ;ay%)a y :o"in)o
Lo@ada, po '% $on los de :o"in)o Lo@ada y &%to 'ilveio y
po =este $on el de &%to 'ilveio y Linea &eea de %na
e#tension s%pefi$ial de 644/.,, "etos $%adados.
Afte de$lain) it in he na"e, ;aia Cailles like!ise paid the
ealty ta# in 6/6+ and $ontin%ed payin) the sa"e %p to 6/3-.
Theeafte !hen she and he son, Na$iso >a$e!ell,
established thei esiden$e in N%eva E$i(a, &an$is$o Reyes
ad"inisteed the popety and like in the fist $ase, de$laed in
6/3/ the popety in he o!n na"e. Thinkin) that the popety
is the popety of &an$is$a Reyes, plaintiff filed the instant
$o"plaint, $lai"in) a potion theeof as the sa"e alle)edly
epesents the shae of his fathe,
As ealie stated, the $o%t a *%o de$ided the $ase in favo of
the plaintiff pin$ipally be$a%se defendants5 eviden$e do not
s%ffi$iently sho! that the 4 popeties !hi$h they bo%)ht in
6/,- and 6/6+, ae the sa"e as the popeties so%)ht by the
plaintiff.
Caef%lly )oin) ove the eviden$e, Ae believe that the tial
(%d)e "isintepeted the eviden$e as to the identifi$ation of the
lands in *%estion.
To be)in !ith, the deed of sale 7E#h. 5.,58 of 6/,- $lealy states
that the land sold to ;aia Cailles is en la $ane :esposoio in
Las <inas Ri@al !hi$h !as bo%nded by ad(oinin) lands o!ned
by pesons livin) at the ti"e, in$l%din) the aiload ta$k of the
;anila Raiload Co. 75la via feea del Raiload Co.58
Aith the e#$eption of the aea !hi$h !as not dis$losed in the
deed, the des$iption fits the land no! bein) so%)ht by the
plaintiff, as this popety is also lo$ated in :esposoio 't. and
is bo%nded by the ;.R.R. Co.
Aith these nat%al bo%ndaies, thee is indeed an ass%an$e
that the popety des$ibed in the deed and in the ta#
de$laation is one and the sa"e popety.
The $han)e of o!nes of the ad(oinin) lands is i""ateial
sin$e seveal de$ades have aleady passed bet!een the deed
and the de$laation and 5d%in) that peiod, "any $han)es of
abode !o%ld likely have o$$%ed.
>esides, it is a fa$t that defendants have only one popety in
:esposoio 't. and they have paid the ealty ta#es of this
popety fo" ;ay 4/, 6/63 %p to ;ay 4-, 6/3-. Een$e, thee
is no eason to do%bt that this popety is the sa"e, if not
Identi$al to the popety in :esposoio 't. !hi$h is no! bein)
so%)ht afte by the plaintiff.
Aith espe$t to the othe pa$el !hi$h ;aia Cailles bo%)ht
fo" Tan*%ilino ;ateo in 6/6+, it is t%e that thee is no si"ila
bo%ndaies to be elied %pon. It is ho!eve %ndeniable that
afte de$lain) it in he na"e, ;aia Cailles be)an payin) the
ealty ta#es theeon on J%ly 43, 6/6+ %ntil 6/3-. 7Refeen$e to
E#hibits o"itted.8 4
<etitione takes iss%e !ith the appellate $o%t on the above
findin)s of fa$t, fo)ettin) that sin$e the pesent petition is one
fo evie! on $etioai, only *%estions of la! "ay be aised. It
is a !ell-established %le laid do!n by this Co%t in n%"eo%s
$ases that findin)s of fa$ts by the Co%t of Appeals ae,
)eneally, final and $on$l%sive %pon this Co%t. The e#$eptions
ae: 768 !hen the $on$l%sion is a findin) )o%nded entiely on
spe$%lation1 748 !hen the infeen$e "ade is "anifestly
"istaken, abs%d o i"possible1 728 !hen thee is a )ave
ab%se of dis$etion1 738 !hen the (%d)"ent is based on a
"isappehension of fa$ts1 and 708 !hen the Co%t of Appeals,
in "akin) its findin)s, !ent beyond the iss%es of the $ase and
the sa"e ae $ontay to the s%b"ission of both appellant and
appellee. 2 None of the above e#$eptions, ho!eve, e#ists in
the $ase at ba, hen$e, thee is no eason to dist%b the
findin)s of fa$ts of the Co%t of Appeals.
Anent the se$ond assi)n"ent of eo, the Co%t of Appeals
"ade the follo!in) findin)s:
9oin) to the iss%e of filiation, plaintiff $lai"s that he is the son
of 'oteo Leonado, the son of one of the da%)htes
7<as$%ala8 of &an$is$a Reyes. Ee f%the alle)es that sin$e
<as$%ala pede$eased &an$is$a Reyes, and that his fathe,
'oteo, !ho s%bse*%ently died in 6/33, s%vived &an$is$a
Reyes, plaintiff $an $onse*%ently s%$$eed to the estate of
&an$is$a Reyes by i)ht of epesentation.
In s%ppot of his $lai", plaintiff s%b"itted in eviden$e his
alle)ed bith $etifi$ate sho!in) that his fathe is 'oteo
Leonado, "aied to 'o$oo Ti"bol, his alle)ed "othe.
'in$e his s%pposed i)ht !ill eithe ise o fall on the pope
eval%ation of this vital eviden$e, Ae have "in%tely s$%tini@ed
the sa"e, lookin) fo that vital link $onne$tin) hi" to the fa"ily
tee of the de$eased &an$is$a Reyes. Eo!eve, this pie$e of
eviden$e does not in any !ay lend $eden$e to his tale.
This is be$a%se the na"e of the $hild des$ibed in the bith
$etifi$ate is not that of the plaintiff b%t a $etain 5Alfedo
Leonado5 !ho !as bon on 'epte"be 62, 6/2- to 'oteo
Leonado and 'o$oo Ti"bol. =the than his bae alle)ation,
plaintiff did not s%b"it any d%able eviden$e sho!in) that the
5Alfedo Leonado5 "entioned in the bith $etifi$ate is no othe
than he hi"self. Th%s, even !itho%t takin) ti"e and spa$e to
)o into f%the details, Ae "ay safely $on$l%de that plaintiff
failed to pove his filiation !hi$h is a f%nda"ental e*%isite in
this a$tion !hee he is $lai"in) to be an hei in the inheitan$e
in *%estion. 3
That is like!ise a fa$t%al findin) !hi$h "ay not be dist%bed in
this petition fo evie! in the absen$e of a $lea sho!in) that
said findin) is not s%ppoted by s%bstantial eviden$e, o that
thee !as a )ave ab%se of dis$etion on the pat of the $o%t
"akin) the findin) of fa$t.
Refein) to the thid assi)n"ent of eo, even if it is t%e that
petitione is the $hild of 'oteo Leonado, still he $annot, by
i)ht of epesentation, $lai" a shae of the estate left by the
de$eased &an$is$a Reyes $onsidein) that, as fo%nd a)ain by
the Co%t of Appeals, he !as bon o%tside !edlo$k as sho!n
by the fa$t that !hen he !as bon on 'epte"be 62, 6/2-, his
alle)ed p%tative fathe and "othe !ee not yet "aied, and
!hat is "oe, his alle)ed fathe5s fist "aia)e !as still
s%bsistin). At "ost, petitione !o%ld be an ille)iti"ate $hild
!ho has no i)ht to inheit ab intestato fo" the le)iti"ate
$hilden and elatives of his fathe, like the de$eased &an$is$a
Reyes. 7Ati$le //4, Civil Code of the <hilippines.8
AEERE&=RE, the de$ision of the Co%t of Appeals so%)ht to
be evie!ed in this petition is heeby affi"ed, !ith $osts
a)ainst the petitione.
'= =R:ERE:.
G.R. No. **86* 2e'#6a#7 6, )%%;
I"A8EL DE LA +,ERTA, petitione#,
vs.
T<E <ONORA8LE CO,RT O2 A++EAL" an! CARELITA
DE LA +,ERTA, #espon!ents.
CRIJ, J.:
The basi$ iss%e involved in this $ase is the filiation of pivate
espondent Ca"elita de la <%eta, !ho $lai"s s%$$essional
li)hts to the estate of he alle)ed )and"othe.
:o"in)a Rev%elta died on J%ly 2, 6/.., at the a)e of /4, !ith
a !ill leavin) he popeties to he thee s%vivin) $hilden,
na"ely, Alfedo, Vi$ente and Isabel, all s%na"ed de la <%eta.
Isabel !as )iven the fee potion in addition to he le)iti"e and
!as appointed e#e$%ti# of the !ill. 6
The petition fo the pobate of the !ill filed by Isabel !as
opposed by he bothes, !ho aveed that thei "othe !as
aleady senile at the ti"e of the e#e$%tion of the !ill and did
not f%lly $o"pehend its "eanin). ;oeove, so"e of the
popeties listed in the inventoy of he estate belon)ed to the"
e#$l%sively. 4
;eanti"e, Isabel !as appointed spe$ial ad"inistati# by the
pobate $o%t. 2 Alfedo s%bse*%ently died, leavin) Vi$ente the
lone opposito. 3
=n A%)%st 6, 6/+3, Vi$ente de la <%eta filed !ith the Co%t of
&ist Instan$e of H%e@on a petition to adopt Ca"elita de la
<%eta. Afte heain), the petition !as )anted. 0 Eo!eve, the
de$ision !as appealed by Isabel to the Co%t of Appeals.
:%in) the penden$y of the appeal, Vi$ente died, po"ptin)
he to "ove fo the dis"issal of the $ase .
=n Nove"be 4,, 6/-6, Ca"elita, havin) been allo!ed to
intevene in the pobate po$eedin)s, filed a "otion fo the
pay"ent to he of a "onthly allo!an$e as the a$kno!led)ed
nat%al $hild of Vi$ente de la <%eta. + At the heain) on he
"otion, Ca"elita pesented eviden$e to pove he $lai"ed
stat%s to !hi$h Isabel !as allo!ed to s%b"it $o%nte-eviden$e.
=n Nove"be 64,6/-4, the pobate $o%t )anted the "otion,
de$lain) that it !as satisfied fo" the eviden$e at hand that
Ca"elita !as a nat%al $hild of Vi$ente de la <%eta and !as
entitled to the a"o%nts $lai"ed fo he s%ppot. The $o%t
added that ?the eviden$e pesented by the petitione a)ainst it
7!as8 too !eak to dis$edit the sa"e. -
=n appeal, the ode of the lo!e $o%t !as affi"ed by the
espondent $o%t, / !hi$h is no! in t%n bein) $hallen)ed in
this petition befoe %s.
The petitione5s "ain a)%"ent is that Ca"elita !as not the
nat%al $hild of Vi$ente de la <%eta, !ho !as "aied to
9enoveva de la <%eta in 6/2- and e"ained his !ife %ntil his
death in 6/+-. Ca"elita5s eal paents ae J%anita A%stial and
9loia Jodan.
Invokin) the pes%"ption of le)iti"a$y, she a)%es that
Ca"elita !as the le)iti"ate $hild of J%anita A%stial and 9loia
Jodan, !ho !ee le)ally o pes%"ably "aied. ;oeove,
Ca"elita $o%ld not have been a nat%al $hild of Vi$ente de la
<%eta be$a%se he !as aleady "aied at the ti"e of he bith
in 6/.4.
To pove he point, Isabel pesented A"ado ;a)pantay, !ho
testified that he !as a nei)hbo of A%stial and Jodan.
A$$odin) to hi", the t!o !ee livin) as h%sband and !ife and
had thee $hilden, in$l%din) a )il na"ed ?<%ti,? pes%"ably
Ca"elita. Ee said tho%)h that he !as not s%e if the $o%ple
!as le)ally "aied. 6,
Anothe !itness, 9enoveva de la <%eta, Identified heself as
Vi$ente de la <%eta5s !ife b%t said they sepaated t!o yeas
afte thei "aia)e in 6/2- and !ee neve e$on$iled. In
6/.4, 9loia Jodan stated livin) !ith Vi$ente de la <%eta in
his ho%se, !hi$h !as only five o si# ho%ses a!ay fo" !hee
she heself !as stayin). 9enoveva said that the elationship
bet!een he h%sband and 9loia !as !ell kno!n in the
$o""%nity. 66
In findin) fo Ca"elita, the lo!e $o%t de$laed that:
. . . >y he eviden$e, it !as sho!n to the satisfa$tion of the
Co%t that she !as bon on :e$e"be 6-, 6/.4 pe he bith
$etifi$ate 7E#h. A81 that he fathe !as Vi$ente de la <%eta
and he "othe is 9loia Jodan !ho !ee livin) as $o""on
la! h%sband and !ife %ntil his death on J%ne 63, 6/+-1 that
Vi$ente de la <%eta !as "aied to, b%t !as sepaated fo",
his le)al !ife 9enoveva de la <%eta1 that %pon the death of
Vi$ente de la <%eta on J%ne 63, 6/+- !itho%t leavin) a last
!ill and testa"ent, she !as the only $hild !ho s%vived hi"
to)ethe !ith his spo%se 9enoveva de la <%eta !ith !ho" he
did not be)et any $hild1 that she !as teated by Vi$ente de la
<%eta as a t%e $hild fo" the ti"e of he bith %ntil his fathe
died1 that the fa$t that she !as teated as a $hild of Vi$ente de
la <%eta is sho!n by the fa"ily pi$t%es sho!in) "ovant !ith
Vi$ente de la <%eta 7E#hs. :, :-6 and :-48 and s$hool
e$ods !heein he si)ned the epot $ads as he paent 7E#h.
E and E-681 that d%in) the heain) of he adoption $ase in
'pe$ial <o$eedin) No. ,,36 in >an$h V of this Co%t at
;a%ban, H%e@on, Vi$ente de la <%eta $ate)oi$ally stated in
$o%t that Ca"elita de la <%eta is his da%)hte !ith 9loia
Jodan 7E#hs. > and >-681 that it !as Vi$ente de la <%eta
d%in) his lifeti"e !ho spent fo he s%bsisten$e, s%ppot and
ed%$ation1 . . . 64
This is a fa$t%al findin) that !e do not see fit to dist%b, absent
any of those $i$%"stan$es !e have laid do!n in a lon) line of
de$isions that !ill (%stify evesal. 62 A"on) these
$i$%"stan$es ae: 768 the $on$l%sion is a findin) )o%nded
entiely on spe$%lation, s%"ise and $on(e$t%e1 748 the
infeen$e "ade is "anifestly "istaken1 728 thee is )ave
ab%se of dis$etion1 738 the (%d)"ent is based on a
"isappehension of fa$ts1 708 the findin)s of fa$t ae
$onfli$tin)1 7.8 the Co%t of Appeals !ent beyond the iss%es of
the $ase and its findin)s ae $ontay to the ad"issions of both
appellant and appellees1 7+8 the findin)s of fa$t of the Co%t of
Appeals ae $ontay to those of the tial $o%t1 7-8 said findin)s
of fa$ts ae $on$l%sions !itho%t $itation of spe$ifi$ eviden$e on
!hi$h they ae based1 7/8 the fa$ts set foth in the petition as
!ell as in the petitione5s "ain and eply biefs ae not disp%ted
by the espondents1 and 76,8 the findin)s of fa$t of the Co%t of
Appeals ae pe"ised on the s%pposed absen$e of eviden$e
and $ontadi$ted by the eviden$e on e$od.
The petitione insists on the appli$ation of the follo!in)
povisions of the Civil Code to s%ppot he thesis that Ca"elita
is not the nat%al $hild of Vi$ente de la <%eta b%t the
le)iti"ate $hild of J%anito A%stial and 9loia Jodan:
At. 400. Childen bon afte one h%nded and ei)hty days
follo!in) the $elebation of the "aia)e, and befoe thee
h%nded days follo!in) its dissol%tion o the sepaation of the
spo%ses shall be pes%"ed to be le)iti"ate.
A)ainst this pes%"ption no eviden$e shall be ad"itted othe
than that of the physi$al i"possibility of the h%sband5s havin)
a$$ess to his !ife !ithin the fist one h%nded and t!enty days
of the thee h%nded !hi$h pe$eded the bith of the $hild.
This physi$al i"possibility "ay be $a%sed:
768 >y the i"poten$e of the h%sband1
748 >y the fa$t that the h%sband and !ife !ee livin)
sepaately in s%$h a !ay that a$$ess !as not possible1
728 >y the seio%s illness of the h%sband.
At. 40.. The $hild shall be pes%"ed le)iti"ate, altho%)h the
"othe "ay have de$laed a)ainst its le)iti"a$y o "ay have
been senten$ed as an ad%lteess.
These %les ae in t%n based on the pes%"ption that J%anito
and 9loia !ee "aied at the ti"e of Ca"elita5s bith in
6/.4, p%s%ant to R%le 626, 'e$. 07bb8 of the R%les of Co%t,
povidin) that:
'e$. 0. :isp%table pes%"ptions.GThe follo!in)
pes%"ptions ae satisfa$toy if %n$ontadi$ted, b%t "ay be
$ontadi$ted and ove$o"e by othe eviden$e:
### ### ###
7bb8 That a "an and !o"an depotin) the"selves as
h%sband and !ife have enteed into a la!f%l $onta$t of
"aia)e1
>%t this last-*%oted pes%"ption is "eely disp%table and "ay
be ef%ted !ith eviden$e to the $ontay. As the Co%t sees it,
s%$h eviden$e has been s%ffi$iently established in the $ase at
ba.
The $ases 63 $ited by the petitione ae not e#a$tly in point
be$a%se they involve sit%ations !hee the $o%ples lived
$ontin%o%sly as h%sband and !ife and so $o%ld be easonably
pes%"ed to be "aied. In the $ase befoe %s, thee !as
testi"ony fo" Vi$ente5s o!n !ife that he h%sband and 9loia
lived to)ethe as a "aied $o%ple, theeby eb%ttin) the
pes%"ption that 9loia !as heself the la!f%l !ife of J%anita
A%stial.
'%$h testi"ony !o%ld fo one thin) sho! that J%anito and
9loia did not $ontin%o%sly live to)ethe as a "aied $o%ple.
;oeove, it is not e#plained !hy, if he !as eally "aied to
he, J%anito did not ob(e$t !hen 9loia left the $on(%)al ho"e
and stated openly $onsotin) !ith Vi$ente, and in the sa"e
nei)hbohood at that. That !as %nnat%al, to say the least. It
!as diffeent !ith 9enoveva fo she heself s!oe that she had
sepaated fo" Vi$ente t!o yeas afte thei "aia)e and had
lon) lost inteest in he h%sband. In fa$t, she even eno%n$ed
in open $o%t any $lai" to Vi$ente5s estate. 60
The pes%"ption of "aia)e bet!een J%anito and 9loia
havin) been destoyed, it be$a"e ne$essay fo the petitione
to s%b"it additional poof to sho! that the t!o !ee le)ally
"aied. 'he did not.
T%nin) no! to the eviden$e e*%ied to pove the pivate
espondent5s filiation, !e e(e$t the petitione5s $ontention that
Ati$le 4+- of the Civil Code is not available to Ca"elita. It is
eo to $ontend that as she is not a nat%al $hild b%t a sp%io%s
$hild 7if at all8 she $annot pove he stat%s by the e$od of
bith, a !ill, a state"ent befoe a $o%t of e$od, o any
a%thenti$ !itin). =n the $ontay, it has lon) been settled that:
The so-$alled sp%io%s $hilden o ille)iti"ate $hilden othe
than nat%al $hilden, $o""only kno!n as bastads, in$l%de
ad%lteo%s $hilden o those bon o%t of !edlo$k to a "aied
!o"an $ohabitin) !ith a "an othe than he h%sband o to a
"aied "an $ohabitin) !ith a !o"an othe than his !ife.
They ae entitled to s%ppot and s%$$essional i)hts 7At. 4-+,
CC8. >%t thei filiation "%st be d%ly poven.7Ibid, At. --+8
Eo! sho%ld thei filiation be povenB Ati$le 4-/ of the Civil
Code allo!s the investi)ation of the patenity o "atenity of
sp%io%s $hilden %nde the $i$%"stan$es spe$ified in Ati$les
4-2 and 4-3 of the Civil Code. The i"pli$ation is that the %les
on $o"p%lsoy e$o)nition of nat%al $hilden ae appli$able to
sp%io%s $hilden.
'p%io%s $hilden sho%ld not be in a bette position than
nat%al $hilden. The %les on poof of filiation of nat%al
$hilden o the %le on vol%ntay and $o"p%lsoy
a$kno!led)"ent fo nat%al $hilden "ay be applied to
sp%io%s $hilden. 6.
This bein) so, !e need not %le no! on the ad"issibility of the
pivate espondent5s $etifi$ate of bith as poof of he filiation.
That stat%s !as s%ffi$iently established by the s!on testi"ony
of Vi$ente de la <%eta at the heain) of the petition fo
adoption on 'epte"be ., 6/+., !hee he $ate)oi$ally
de$laed as follo!s:
H Ahat elation if any do yo% have !ith Ca"elita de la
<%etaB
A 'he is "y da%)hte. 6+
&inally, !e "ove to the "ost $%$ial *%estion, to !it: ;ay
Ca"elita de la <%eta $lai" s%ppot and s%$$essional i)hts to
the estate of :o"in)a Rev%eltaB
A$$odin) to Ati$le /+, of the Civil Code:
At. /+,. Repesentation is a i)ht $eated by fi$tion of la!, by
vit%e of !hi$h the epesentative is aised to the pla$e and the
de)ee of the peson epesented, and a$*%ies the i)hts
!hi$h the latte !o%ld have if he !ee livin) o if he $o%ld have
inheited.
The ans!e to the *%estion posed "%st be in the ne)ative. The
fist eason is that Vi$ente de la <%eta did not pede$ease his
"othe1 and the se$ond is that Ca"elita is a sp%io%s $hild.
It is settled that G
In testa"entay s%$$ession, the i)ht of epesentation $an
take pla$e only in the follo!in) $ases: fist, !hen the peson
epesented dies befoe the testato1 se$ond, !hen the peson
epesented is in$apable of s%$$eedin) the testato1 and thid,
!hen the peson epesented is disinheited by the testato. In
all of these $ases, sin$e thee is a va$an$y in the inheitan$e,
the la! $alls the $hilden o des$endants of the peson
epesented to s%$$eed by i)ht of epesentation. 6-
### ### ###
The la! is $lea that thee is epesentation only !hen elatives
of a de$eased peson ty to s%$$eed hi" in his i)hts !hi$h he
!o%ld have had if still livin). In the pesent $ase, ho!eve, said
de$eased had aleady s%$$eeded his a%nt, the testati# heein.
. . . It is a fa$t that at the ti"e of the death of the testati#,
Reynaldo C%ison !as still alive. Ee died t!o "onths afte he
7testati#5s8 death. And %pon his death, he tans"itted to his
heis, the petitiones heein Elisa C%ison et al., the le)a$y o
the i)ht to s%$$eed to the le)a$y. . . . In othe !ods, the
heein petitiones-appellants ae not tyin) to s%$$eed to the
i)ht to the popety of the testati#, b%t athe to the i)ht of the
le)atee Reynaldo C%ison in said popety. 6/
Not havin) pede$eased :o"in)a Rev%elta, he son Vi$ente
had the i)ht to inheit fo" he die$tly o in his o!n i)ht. No
i)ht of epesentation !as involved, no $o%ld it be invoked by
Ca"elita %pon he fathe5s death, !hi$h $a"e afte his o!n
"othe5s death. It !o%ld have been diffeent if Vi$ente !as
aleady dead !hen :o"in)a Rev%elta died. Ca"elita $o%ld
then have inheited fo" he in epesentation of he fathe
Vi$ente, ass%"in) the pivate espondent !as a la!f%l hei.
>%t heein lies the $%#, fo she is not. As a sp%io%s $hild of
Vi$ente, Ca"elita is baed fo" inheitin) fo" :o"in)a
be$a%se of Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code, !hi$h lays do!n the
baie bet!een the le)iti"ate and ille)iti"ate fa"ilies. This
ati$le povides *%ite $lealy:
At. //4. An ille)iti"ate $hild has no i)ht to inheit ab intestato
fo" the le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of his fathe o
"othe1 no shall s%$h $hilden o elatives inheit in the sa"e
"anne fo" the ille)iti"ate $hild.
Applyin) this %le in Leonado v. Co%t of Appeals, 4, this
Co%t de$laed:
. . . even if it is t%e that petitione is the $hild of 'oteo
Leonado, still he $annot, by i)ht of epesentation, $lai" a
shae of the estate left by the de$eased &an$is$a Reyes
$onsidein) that, as fo%nd a)ain by the Co%t of Appeals, he
!as bon o%tside !edlo$k as sho!n by the fa$t that !hen he
!as bon, his alle)ed p%tative fathe and "othe !ee not yet
"aied, and !hat is "oe, his alle)ed fathe5s fist "aia)e
!as still s%bsistin). At "ost, petitione !o%ld be an ille)iti"ate
$hild !ho has no i)ht to inheit ab intestato fo" the le)iti"ate
$hilden and elatives of his fathe, like the de$eased &an$is$a
Reyes.
The eason fo this %le !as e#plained in the e$ent $ase of
:ia@ v. Inte"ediate Appellate Co%t, 46 th%s:
Ati$le //4 of the Ne! Civil Code povides a baie o ion
$%tain in that it pohibits absol%tely a s%$$ession ab intestato
bet!een the ille)iti"ate $hild and the le)iti"ate $hilden and
elatives of the fathe o "othe of said le)iti"ate $hild. They
"ay have a nat%al tie of blood, b%t this is not e$o)ni@ed by
la! fo the p%pose of Ati$le //4. >et!een the le)iti"ate
fa"ily and the ille)iti"ate fa"ily thee is pes%"ed to be an
intevenin) anta)onis" and in$o"patibility. The ille)iti"ate
$hild is dis)a$ef%lly looked do!n %pon by the le)iti"ate
fa"ily1 the fa"ily is in t%n, hated by the ille)iti"ate $hild the
latte $onsides the pivile)ed $ondition of the fo"e, and the
eso%$es of !hi$h it is theeby depived1 the fo"e in t%n
sees in the ille)iti"ate $hild nothin) b%t the pod%$t of sin,
palpable eviden$e of a ble"ish boken in life1 the la! does no
"oe than e$o)ni@e this t%th, by avoidin) f%the )o%nd of
esent"ent. 44
Indeed, even as an adopted $hild, Ca"elita !o%ld still be
baed fo" inheitin) fo" :o"in)a Rev%elta fo thee !o%ld
be no nat%al kinded ties bet!een the" and $onse*%ently, no
le)al ties to bind the" eithe. As aptly pointed o%t by :. At%o
;. Tolentino:
If the adoptin) paent sho%ld die befoe the adopted $hild, the
latte $annot epesent the fo"e in the inheitan$e fo" the
paents o as$endants of the adopte. The adopted $hild is not
elated to the de$eased in that $ase, be$a%se the filiation
$eated by fi$tion of la! is e#$l%sively bet!een the adopte and
the adopted. ?>y adoption, the adoptes $an "ake fo
the"selves an hei, b%t they $annot th%s "ake one fo thei
kinded. 42
The es%lt is that Ca"elita, as the sp%io%s da%)hte of
Vi$ente de la <%eta, has s%$$essional i)hts to the intestate
estate of he fathe b%t not to the estate of :o"in)a Rev%elta.
Ee $lai"s fo s%ppot and inheitan$e sho%ld theefoe be filed
in the po$eedin)s fo the settle"ent of he o!n fathe5s
estate 43 and $annot be $onsideed in the pobate of :o"in)a
Rev%elta5s Aill.
AEERE&=RE, the petition is 9RANTE: and the appealed
de$ision is heeby REVER'E: and 'ET A'I:E, !ith $osts
a)ainst the pivate espondent. It is so odeed.
G.R. No. L-665*$36ne )*, )%8*
AN"ELA DIA=, 16a#!ian of VICTOR, RODRIGO,
AN"ELINA an! IG,EL, all s6#na>e! "ANTERO,
petitione#s, an! 2ELI.8ERTA +AC,R"A 16a#!ian of
2EDERICO "ANTERO, et al.,
vs.
INTEREDIATE A++ELLATE CO,RT an! 2ELI"A +A,TI
3ARDIN, #espon!ents.
<ARA', J.:
<ivate espondent filed a <etition dated Jan%ay 42, 6/+. !ith
the Co%t of &ist Instan$e of Cavite in 'p. <o$. Case No. >-
46, ?In The ;atte of the Intestate Estate of the late 'i"ona
<a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo,? payin) a"on) othe thin)s, that the
$oespondin) lettes of Ad"inistation be iss%ed in he favo
and that she be appointed as spe$ial Ad"inistati# of the
popeties of the de$eased 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo.
It is %ndisp%ted: 68 that &elisa <a"%ti Jadin is a nie$e of
'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo !ho to)ethe !ith &elisa5s
"othe J%liana !ee the only le)iti"ate $hilden of the spo%ses
&elipe <a"%ti and <etonila As%n$ion1 48 that J%liana "aied
'i"on Jadin and o%t of thei %nion !ee bon &elisa <a"%ti
and anothe $hild !ho died d%in) infan$y1 28 that 'i"ona
<a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo is the !ido! of <as$%al 'anteo and
the "othe of <ablo 'anteo1 38 that <ablo 'anteo !as the
only le)iti"ate son of his paents <as$%al 'anteo and 'i"ona
<a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo1 08 that <as$%al 'anteo died in 6/+,1
<ablo 'anteo in 6/+2 and 'i"ona 'anteo in 6/+.1 .8 that
<ablo 'anteo, at the ti"e of his death !as s%vived by his
"othe 'i"ona 'anteo and his si# "ino nat%al $hilden to
!it: fo% "ino $hilden !ith Ansel"a :ia@ and t!o "ino
$hilden !ith &eli#beta <a$%sa.
J%d)e Jose Raval in his =des dated :e$e"be 6, 6/+. 6 and
:e$e"be /, 6/+. 4 de$laed &elisa <a"%ti Jadin as the sole
le)iti"ate hei of 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo.
>efoe the tial $o%t, thee !ee 3 inteelated $ases filed to
!it:
a8 'p. <o$. No. >-3 G is the <etition fo the Lettes of
Ad"inistation of the intestate Estate of <ablo 'anteo1
b8 'p. <o$. No. >-0 G is the <etition fo the Lettes of
Ad"inistation of the Intestate Estate of <as$%al 'anteo1
$8 'p. <o$. No. >-+ G is the <etition fo 9%adianship
ove the popeties of an In$o"petent <eson, 'i"ona <a"%ti
Vda. de 'anteo1
d8 'p. <o$. No. >-46 G is the <etition fo 'ettle"ent of
the Intestate Estate of 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo.
&elisa Jadin %pon he ;otion to Intevene in 'p. <o$eedin)s
Nos. >-3 and >-0, !as allo!ed to intevene in the intestate
estates of <ablo 'anteo and <as$%al 'anteo by =de of the
Co%t dated A%)%st 43, 6/++.
<etitione Ansel"a :ia@, as )%adian of he "ino $hilden,
filed he ?=pposition and ;otion to E#$l%de &elisa <a"%ti
Jadin dated ;a$h 62, 6/-,, fo" f%the takin) pat o
intevenin) in the settle"ent of the intestate estate of 'i"ona
<a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo, as !ell as in the intestate estate of
<as$%al 'anteo and <ablo 'anteo.
&eli#beta <a$%sa )%adian fo he "ino $hilden, filed th%
$o%nsel, he ;anifestation of ;a$h 63, 6/-, adoptin) the
=pposition and ;otion to E#$l%de &elisa <a"%ti, filed by
Ansel"a :ia@.
=n ;ay 4,, 6/-,, J%d)e Ildefonso ;. >le@a iss%ed an ode
e#$l%din) &elisa Jadin ?fo" f%the takin) pat o intevenin)
in the settle"ent of the intestate estate of 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda.
de 'anteo, as !ell as in the intestate estates of <as$%al
'anteo and <ablo 'anteo and de$laed he to be, not an hei
of the de$eased 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo.? 2
Afte he ;otion fo Re$onsideation !as denied by the tial
$o%t in its ode dated Nove"be 6, 6/-,, &elisa <. Jadin filed
he appeal to the Inte"ediate Appellate Co%t in CA-9.R. No.
./-63-R. A de$ision 3 !as endeed by the Inte"ediate
Appellate Co%t on :e$e"be 63, 6/-2 7evesin) the de$ision
of the tial $o%t8 the dispositive potion of !hi$h eads G
AEERE&=RE, findin) the =de appealed fo" not $onsistent
!ith the fa$ts and la! appli$able, the sa"e is heeby set aside
and anothe one enteed s%stainin) the =des of :e$e"be 6
and /, 6/+. de$lain) the petitione as the sole hei of 'i"ona
<a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo and odein) oppositos-appellees not
to intefee in the po$eedin) fo the de$laation of heiship in
the estate of 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo.
Costs a)ainst the oppositos-appellees.
The ;otion fo Re$onsideation filed by oppositos-appellees
7petitiones heein8 !as denied by the sa"e espondent $o%t
in its ode dated &eb%ay 6+, 6/-3 hen$e, the pesent petition
fo Revie! !ith the follo!in):
A''I9N;ENT =& ERR=R'
I. The :e$ision eed in i)noin) the i)ht to intestate
s%$$ession of petitiones )and$hilden 'anteo as die$t
des$endin) line 7At. /+-8 andMo nat%alM?ille)iti"ate $hilden?
7At. /--8 and pefein) a nie$e, !ho is a $ollateal elative
7At. 6,,281
II. The :e$ision eed in denyin) the i)ht of
epesentation of the nat%al )and$hilden 'anteo to
epesent thei fathe <ablo 'anteo in the s%$$ession to the
intestate estate of thei )and"othe 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de
'anteo 7At. /-481
III. The :e$ision eed in "istakin) the intestate estate of
the )and"othe 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo as the estate
of ?le)iti"ate $hild o elative? of <ablo 'anteo, he son and
fathe of the petitiones5 )and$hilden 'anteo1
IV. The :e$ision eed in %lin) that petitione-appellant
&elisa <. Jadin !ho is a nie$e and theefoe a $ollateal
elative of 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo e#$l%des the
nat%al $hilden of he son <ablo 'anteo, !ho ae he die$t
des$endants andMo )and $hilden1
V. The :e$ision eed in applyin) At. //4, !hen Ats.
/--, /-/ and //, ae the appli$able povisions of la! on
intestate s%$$ession1 and
VI. The :e$ision eed in $onsidein) the odes of
:e$e"be 6 and :e$e"be /, 6/+. !hi$h ae povisional and
intelo$%toy as final and e#e$%toy.
The eal iss%e in this $ase "ay be biefly stated as follo!s G
!ho ae the le)al heis of 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo G
he nie$e &elisa <a"%ti Jadin o he )and$hilden 7the
nat%al $hilden of <ablo 'anteo8B
The disp%te at ba efes only to the intestate estate of 'i"ona
<a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo and the iss%e hee is !hethe
oppositos-appellees 7petitiones heein8 as ille)iti"ate $hilden
of <ablo 'anteo $o%ld inheit fo" 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de
'anteo, by i)ht of epesentation of thei fathe <ablo 'anteo
!ho is a le)iti"ate $hild of 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda, de 'anteo.
No! then !hat is the appopiate la! on the "atteB
<etitiones $ontend in thei pleadin)s that At. //, of the Ne!
Civil Code is the appli$able la! on the $ase. They $ontend that
said povision of the Ne! Civil Code "odifies the %le in Ati$le
/36 7=ld Civil Code8 and e$o)ni@es the i)ht of epesentation
7At. /+,8 to des$endants, !hethe le)iti"ate o ille)iti"ate
and that At. /36, 'panish Civil Code denied ille)iti"ate
$hilden the i)ht to epesent thei de$eased paents and
inheit fo" thei de$eased )andpaents, b%t that R%le !as
e#pessly $han)ed andMo a"ended by At. //, Ne! Civil
Code !hi$h e#pessly )ants the ille)iti"ate $hilden the i)ht
to epesent thei de$eased fathe 7<ablo 'anteo8 in the
estate of thei )and"othe 'i"ona <a"%ti8.? 0
<etitiones5 $ontention holds no !ate. 'in$e the heidatay
$onfli$t efes solely to the intestate estate of 'i"ona <a"%ti
Vda. de 'anteo, !ho is the le)iti"ate "othe of <ablo
'anteo, the appli$able la! is the povision of At. //4 of the
Civil Code !hi$h eads as follo!s:
ART. //4. An ille)iti"ate $hild has no i)ht to inheit ab
intestato fo" the le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of his fathe
o "othe1 no shall s%$h $hilden o elatives inheit in the
sa"e "anne fo" the ille)iti"ate $hild. 7/32a8
<ablo 'anteo is a le)iti"ate $hild, he is not an ille)iti"ate
$hild. =n the othe hand, the oppositos 7petitiones heein8 ae
the ille)iti"ate $hilden of <ablo 'anteo.
Ati$le //4 of the Ne! Civil Code povides a baie o ion
$%tain in that it pohibits absol%tely a s%$$ession ab intestato
elatives of the fathe o "othe of said le)iti"ate $hild. They
"ay have a nat%al tie of blood, b%t this is not e$o)ni@ed by
la! fo the p%poses of At. //4, >et!een the le)iti"ate fa"ily
and the ille)iti"ate fa"ily thee is pes%"ed to be an
intevenin) anta)onis" and in$o"patibility. The ille)iti"ate
$hild is dis)a$ef%lly looked do!n %pon by the le)iti"ate
fa"ily1 the fa"ily is in t%n, hated by the ille)iti"ate $hild1 the
latte $onsides the pivile)ed $ondition of the fo"e, and the
eso%$es of !hi$h it is theeby depived1 the fo"e, in t%n,
"oe than e$o)ni@e this t%th, by avoidin) f%the )o%nds of
esent"ent. .
Th%s, petitiones heein $annot epesent thei fathe <ablo
'anteo in the s%$$ession of the lette to the intestate estate of
his le)iti"ate "othe 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo,
be$a%se of the baie povided fo %nde At. //4 of the Ne!
Civil Code.
In ans!e to the eoneo%s $ontention of petitiones that Ati$le
/36 of the 'panish Civil Code is $han)ed by Ati$le //, of the
Ne! Civil Code, Ae ae epod%$in) hee!ith the Refle$tions
of the Ill%stio%s Eon. J%sti$e Jose >.L. Reyes !hi$h also finds
f%ll s%ppot fo" othe $ivilists, to !it:
In the 'panish Civil Code of 6--/ the i)ht of epesentation
!as ad"itted only !ithin the le)iti"ate fa"ily1 so "%$h so that
Ati$le /32 of that Code pes$ibed that an ille)iti"ate $hild $an
iot inheit ab intestato fo" the le)iti"ate $hilden and
elatives of his fathe and "othe. The Civil Code of the
<hilippines appaently adheed to this pin$iple sin$e it
epod%$ed Ati$le /32 of the 'panish Code in its o!n At. //4,
b%t !ith fine in$onsisten$y, in s%bse*%ent ati$les 7//,, //0
and //-8 o% Code allo!s the heeditay potion of the
ille)iti"ate $hild to pass to his o!n des$endants, !hethe
le)iti"ate o ille)iti"ate. 'o that !hile At. //4 pevents the
ille)iti"ate iss%e of a le)iti"ate $hild fo" epesentin) hi" in
the intestate s%$$ession of the )andpaent, the ille)iti"ates of
an ille)iti"ate $hild $an no! do so. This diffeen$e bein)
indefensible and %n!aanted, in the f%t%e evision of the Civil
Code !e shall have to "ake a $hoi$e and de$ide eithe that
the ille)iti"ate iss%e en(oys in all $ases the i)ht of
epesentation, in !hi$h $ase At. //4 "%st be s%ppessed1 o
$ontai!ise "aintain said ati$le and "odify Ati$les //0 and
//-. The fist sol%tion !o%ld be "oe in a$$od !ith an
enli)htened attit%de vis-a-vis ille)iti"ate $hilden. 7Refle$tions
on the Refo" of Eeeditay '%$$ession, J=IRNAL of the
Inte)ated >a of the <hilippines, &ist H%ate, 6/+., Vol%"e 3,
N%"be 6, pp. 3,-368.
It is theefoe $lea fo" Ati$le //4 of the Ne! Civil Code that
the phase ?le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of his fathe o
"othe? in$l%des 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo as the !od
?elative? in$l%des all the kinded of the peson spoken of. +
The e$od sho!s that fo" the $o""en$e"ent of this $ase
the only paties !ho $lai"ed to be the le)iti"ate heis of the
late 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo ae &elisa <a"%ti Jadin
and the si# "ino nat%al o ille)iti"ate $hilden of <ablo
'anteo. 'in$e petitiones heein ae baed by the povisions
of Ati$le //4, the espondent Inte"ediate Appellate Co%t did
not $o""it any eo in holdin) &elisa <a"%ti-Jadin to be the
sole le)iti"ate hei to the intestate estate of the late 'i"ona
<a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo.
Lastly, petitiones $lai" that the espondent Inte"ediate
Appellate Co%t eed in %lin) that the =des of the Co%t a
*%o dated :e$e"be 6, 6/+. and :e$e"be /, 6/+. ae final
and e#e$%toy. '%$h $ontention is !itho%t "eit. The Eon.
J%d)e Jose Raval in his ode dated :e$e"be 6, 6/+. held
that the oppositos 7petitiones heein8 ae not entitled to
intevene and hen$e not allo!ed to intevene in the
po$eedin)s fo the de$laation of the heiship in the intestate
estate of 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo. '%bse*%ently,
J%d)e Jose Raval iss%ed an ode, dated :e$e"be /, 6/+.,
!hi$h de$laed &elisa <a"%ti-Jadin to be the sole le)iti"ate
hei of 'i"ona <a"%ti. The said =des !ee neve "ade the
s%b(e$ts of eithe a "otion fo e$onsideation o a pefe$ted
appeal. Een$e, said odes !hi$h lon) be$a"e final and
e#e$%toy ae aleady e"oved fo" the po!e of (%isdi$tion of
the lo!e $o%t to de$ide ane!. The only po!e etained by the
lo!e $o%t, afte a (%d)"ent has be$o"e final and e#e$%toy
is to ode its e#e$%tion. The espondent Co%t did not e
theefoe in %lin) that the =de of the Co%t a *%o dated ;ay
2,, 6/-, e#$l%din) &elisa <a"%ti Jadin as intestate hei of the
de$eased 'i"ona <a"%ti Vda. de 'anteo ?is $lealy a total
evesal of an =de !hi$h has be$o"e final and e#e$%toy,
hen$e n%ll and void. ?
AEERE&=RE, this petition is heeby :I';I''E:, and the
assailed de$ision is heeby A&&IR;E:.
'= =R:ERE:.
G.R. No. 8$2$; a#&/ 25, )%%2
OLIVIA ". +A"C,AL an! <ERE" ". +A"C,AL,
petitione#s,
vs.
E"+ERAN=A C. +A"C,AL-8A,TI"TA, AN,EL C.
+A"C,AL, 3O"E C. +A"C,AL, ","ANA C. +A"C,AL-
8A,TI"TA, ERLINDA C. +A"C,AL, 5ENCE"LAO C.
+A"C,AL, 3R., INTE"TATE E"TATE O2 ELE,TERIO T.
+A"C,AL, AVELINO +A"C,AL, I"OCELE" +A"C,AL,
LEIDA +A"C,AL-ARTINE", VIRGINIA +A"C,AL-NER,
NONA +A"C,AL-2ERNANDO, OCTAVIO +A"C,AL,
GERANAIA +A"C,AL-D,8ERT, an! T<E <ONORA8LE
+RE"IDING 3,DGE AN,EL ". +ADOLINA of 8#. )62,
RTC, +asi1, et#o anila, #espon!ents.
<ARA', J.:
This is a petition fo evie! on $etioai !hi$h seeks to evese
and set aside: 7a8 the de$ision of the Co%t of Appeals 6 dated
Apil 4/, 6/-- in CA-9.R. '<. No. 63,6, entitled ?=livia '.
<as$%al and Ee"es '. <as$%al v. Espean@a C. <as$%al-
>a%tista, ;an%el C. <as$%al, Jose <as$%al, '%sana C.
<as$%al->a%tista, Elinda C. <as$%al, Aen$eslao C. <as$%al,
J., et al.? !hi$h dis"issed the petition and in effe$t affi"ed
the de$ision of the tial $o%t and 7b8 the esol%tion dated J%ly
63, 6/-- denyin) petitiones5 "otion fo e$onsideation.
The %ndisp%ted fa$ts of the $ase ae as follo!s:
<etitiones =livia and Ee"es both s%na"ed <as$%al ae the
a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden of the late Eli)io <as$%al, the
latte bein) the f%ll blood bothe of the de$edent :on Andes
<as$%al 7Rollo, petition, p. 6+8.
:on Andes <as$%al died intestate on =$tobe 64, 6/+2
!itho%t any iss%e, le)iti"ate, a$kno!led)ed nat%al, adopted
o sp%io%s $hilden and !as s%vived by the follo!in):
7a8 Adela 'oldevilla de <as$%al, s%vivin) spo%ses1
7b8 Childen of Aen$eslao <as$%al, '., a bothe of the
f%ll blood of the de$eased, to !it:
Espean@a C. <as$%al->a%tista
;an%el C. <as$%al
Jose C. <as$%al
'%sana C. <as$%al->a%tista
Elinda C. <as$%al
Aen$eslao C. <as$%al, J.
7$8 Childen of <edo->a%tista, bothe of the half blood of
the de$eased, to !it:
Avelino <as$%al
Iso$eles <as$%al
Loida <as$%al-;atine@
Vi)inia <as$%al-Ne
Nona <as$%al-&enando
=$tavio <as$%al
9eanaia <as$%al-:%bet1
7d8 A$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden of Eli)io <as$%al,
bothe of the f%ll blood of the de$eased, to !it:
=livia '. <as$%al
Ee"es '. <as$%al
7e8 Intestate of Ele%teio T. <as$%al, a bothe of the half
blood of the de$eased and epesented by the follo!in):
:o"in)a ;. <as$%al
;a"eta <. &%)oso
Abaha" '. 'a"iento, III
Re)ina 'a"iento-;a$aibay
Ele%teio <. 'a"iento
:o"i)a <. 'an :ie)o
Nelia <. ;a*%e@
'ilveste ;. <as$%al
Ele%teio ;. <as$%al
7Rollo, pp. 3.-3+8
Adela 'oldevilla de <as$%al, the s%vivin) spo%se of the late
:on Andes <as$%al, filed !ith the Re)ional Tial Co%t 7RTC8,
>an$h 6.4 7C&I of Ri@al, >. LLIII8, a 'pe$ial <o$eedin),
Case No. +003, fo ad"inistation of the intestate estate of he
late h%sband 7Rollo, p. 3+8.
=n :e$e"be 6-, 6/+2, Adela soldevilla de <as$%al filed a
'%pple"ental <etition to the <etition fo lettes of
Ad"inistation, !hee she e#pessly stated that =livia <as$%al
and Ee"es <as$%al, ae a"on) the heis of :on Andes
<as$%al 7Rollo, pp. //-6,68.
=n &eb%ay 4+, 6/+3, a)ain Adela 'oldevilla de <as$%al
e#e$%ted an affidavit, to the effe$t that of he o!n kno!led)e,
Eli)io <as$%al is the yo%n)e f%ll blood bothe of he late
h%sband :on Andes <as$%al, to belie the state"ent "ade by
the oppositos, that they !ee ae not a"on) the kno!n heis
of the de$eased :on Andes <as$%al 7Rollo, p. 6,48.
=n =$tobe 6., 6/-0, all the above-"entioned heis enteed
into a C=;<R=;I'E A9REE;ENT, ove the vehe"ent
ob(e$tions of the heein petitiones =livia '. <as$%al and
Ee"es '. <as$%al, altho%)h paa)aph V of s%$h $o"po"ise
a)ee"ent povides, to !it:
This Co"po"ise A)ee"ent shall be !itho%t pe(%di$e to the
$ontin%ation of the above-entitled po$eedin)s %ntil the final
dete"ination theeof by the $o%t, o by anothe $o"po"ise
a)ee"ent, as e)ads the $lai"s of =livia <as$%al and
Ee"es <as$%al as le)al heis of the de$eased, :on Andes
<as$%al. 7Rollo, p. 6,-8
The said Co"po"ise A)ee"ent had been enteed into
despite the ;anifestationM;otion of the petitiones =livia
<as$%al and Ee"es <as$%al, "anifestin) thei heeditay
i)hts in the intestate estate of :on Andes <as$%al, thei %n$le
7Rollo, pp. 666-6648.
=n 'epte"be 2,, 6/-+, petitiones filed thei ;otion to
Reiteate Eeeditay Ri)hts 7Rollo, pp. 662-6638 and the
;e"oand%" in '%ppot of ;otion to eiteate Eeeditay
Ri)hts 7Rollo, pp. 66.-62,8.
=n :e$e"be 6-, 6/-+, the Re)ional Tial Co%t, pesided
ove by J%d)e ;an%el '. <adolina iss%ed an ode, the
dispositive potion of !hi$h eads:
AEERE&=RE, pe"ises $onsideed, this Co%t esolves as it
is heeby esolved to :eny this "otion eiteatin) the
heeditay i)hts of =livia and Ee"es <as$%al 7Rollo, p. 62.8.
=n Jan%ay 62, 6/--, petitiones filed thei "otion fo
e$onsideation 7Rollo, pp. 060-04.8. and s%$h "otion !as
denied.
<etitione appealed thei $ase to the Co%t of Appeals
do$keted as CA-9.R. No. 63,6, 7Rollo, p. 60.8.
=n Ail 4/, 6/--, the espondent Co%t of Appeals endeed its
de$ision the de$ision the dispositive pat of !hi$h eads:
AEERE&=RE, the petition is :I';I''E:. Costs a)ainst the
petitiones.
'= =R:ERE:. 7Rollo, p. 2-8
<etitiones filed thei "otion fo e$onsideation of said
de$ision and on J%ly 63, 6/--, the Co%t of Appeals iss%ed its
esol%tion denyin) the "otion fo e$onsideation 7Rollo, p. 348.
Een$e, this petition fo evie! on $etioai.
Afte all the e*%ie"ents had been filed, the $ase !as )iven
d%e $o%se.
The "ain iss%e to be esolved in the $ase at ba is !hethe o
not Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code of the <hilippines, $an be
intepeted to e#$l%de e$o)ni@ed nat%al $hilden fo" the
inheitan$e of the de$eased.
<etitiones $ontend that they do not fall s*%aely !ithin the
p%vie! of Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code of the <hilippines, $an
be intepeted to e#$l%de e$o)ni@ed and of the do$tine laid
do!n in :ia@ v. IAC 760, 'CRA .30 C6/-+D8 be$a%se bein)
a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden, thei ille)iti"a$y is not d%e to
the s%bsisten$e of a pio "aia)e !hen s%$h $hilden !ee
%nde $on$eption 7Rollo, p. 36-8.
=the!ise stated they say the te" ?ille)iti"ate? $hilden as
povided in Ati$le //4 "%st be sti$tly $onst%ed to efe only
to sp%io%s $hilden 7Rollo, p. 36/8.
=n the othe hand, pivate espondents "aintain that heein
petitiones ae !ithin the pohibition of Ati$le //4 of the Civil
Code and the do$tine laid do!n in :ia@ v. IAC is appli$able to
the".
The petition is devoid of "eit.
<etinent theeto, Ati$le //4 of the $ivil Code, povides:
An ille)iti"ate $hild has no i)ht to inheit ab intestato fo" the
le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of his fathe o "othe1 no
shall s%$h $hilden o elatives inheit in the sa"e "anne fo"
the ille)iti"ate $hild.
The iss%e in the $ase at ba, had aleady been laid to est in
:ia@ v. IAC, s%pa, !hee this Co%t %led that:
Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code povides a baie o ion $%tain in
that it pohibits absol%tely a s%$$ession ab intestato bet!een
the ille)iti"ate $hild and the le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of
the fathe o "othe of said le)iti"ate $hild. They "ay have a
nat%al tie of blood, b%t this is not e$o)ni@ed by la! fo the
p%poses of Ati$le //4. >et!een the le)iti"ate fa"ily and
ille)iti"ate fa"ily thee is pes%"ed to be an intevenin)
anta)onis" and in$o"patibility. The ille)iti"ate $hild is
dis)a$ef%lly looked do!n %pon by the le)iti"ate fa"ily1 the
fa"ily is in t%n hated by the ille)iti"ate $hild1 the latte
$onsides the pivile)ed $ondition of the fo"e, and the
eso%$es of !hi$h it is theeby depived1 the fo"e, in t%n,
"oe than e$o)ni@e this t%th, by avoidin) f%the )o%nds of
esent"ent.
Eli)io <as$%al is a le)iti"ate $hild b%t petitiones ae his
ille)iti"ate $hilden.
Applyin) the above do$tine to the $ase at ba, espondent IAC
did not e in holdin) that petitiones heein $annot epesent
thei fathe Eli)io <as$%al in the s%$$ession of the latte to the
intestate estate of the de$edent Andes <as$%al, f%ll blood
bothe of thei fathe.
In thei "e"oand%", petitiones insisted that Ati$le //4 in the
li)ht of Ati$les /,4 and /-/ of the Civil Code allo!s the"
7=livia and Ee"es8 to epesent Eli)io <as$%al in the intestate
estate of :on Andes <as$%al.
=n "otion fo e$onsideation of the de$ision in :ia@ v. IAC,
this Co%t f%the el%$idated the s%$$essional i)hts of
ille)iti"ate $hilden, !hi$h s*%aely ans!es the *%estions
aised by the petitione on this point.
The Co%t held:
Ati$le /,4, /-/, and //, $lealy speaks of s%$$essional i)hts
of ille)iti"ate $hilden, !hi$h i)hts ae tans"itted to thei
des$endants %pon thei death. The des$endants 7of these
ille)iti"ate $hilden8 !ho "ay inheit by vit%e of the i)ht of
epesentation "ay be le)iti"ate o ille)iti"ate. In !hateve
"anne, one sho%ld not ovelook the fa$t that the pesons to
be epesented ae the"selves ille)iti"ate. The thee na"ed
povisions ae vey $lea on this "atte. The i)ht of
epesentation is not available to ille)iti"ate des$endants of
le)iti"ate $hilden in the inheitan$e of a le)iti"ate
)andpaent. It "ay be a)%ed, as done by petitiones, that the
ille)iti"ate des$endant of a le)iti"ate $hild is entitled to
epesent by vit%e of the povisions of Ati$le /-4, !hi$h
povides that ?the )and$hilden and othe des$endants shall
inheit by i)ht of epesentation.? '%$h a $on$l%sion is
eoneo%s. It !o%ld allo! intestate s%$$ession by an
ille)iti"ate $hild to the le)iti"ate paent of his fathe o "othe,
a sit%ation !hi$h !o%ld set at na%)ht the povisions of Ati$le
//4. Ati$le /-4 is inappli$able to the instant $ase be$a%se
Ati$le //4 pohibits absol%tely a s%$$ession ab intestato
elatives of the fathe o "othe. It "ay not be a"iss to state
Ati$le /-4 is the )eneal %le and Ati$le //4 the e#$eption.
The %les laid do!n in Ati$le /-4 that ?)and$hilden and othe
des$endants shall inheit by i)ht of epesentation? and in
Ati$le /,4 that the i)hts of ille)iti"ate $hilden . . . ae
tans"itted %pon thei death to thei des$endants, !hethe
le)iti"ate o ille)iti"ate ae s%b(e$t to the li"itation pes$ibed
by Ati$le //4 to the end that an ille)iti"ate $hild has no i)ht
to inheit ab intestato fo" the le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives
of his fathe o "othe. 7A"i$%s C%iae5s =pinion by fo"e
J%sti$e ;iniste Ri$ado C. <%no, p. 648. :ia@ v. Inte"ediate
Appellate Co%t, 6-4 'CRA 34+1 pp. 326-3241 C6//,D8.
Veily, the intepetation of the la! desied by the petitione
"ay be "oe h%"ane b%t it is also an ele"entay %le in
stat%toy $onst%$tion that !hen the !ods and phases of the
stat%te ae $lea and %ne*%ivo$al, thei "eanin) "%st be
dete"ined fo" the lan)%a)e e"ployed and the stat%te "%st
be taken to "ean e#a$tly !hat is says. 7>aanda v. 9%stilo,
6.0 'CRA +0--+0/ C6/--D8. The $o%ts "ay not spe$%late as
to the pobable intent of the le)islat%e apat fo" the !ods
7Apai v. CA, 64+ 'CRA 422 C6/-3D8. Ahen the la! is $lea, it
is not s%s$eptible of intepetation. It "%st be applied
e)adless of !ho "ay be affe$ted, even if the la! "ay be
hash o oneo%s. 7Nepo"%$eno, et al. v. &C, 66, <hil. 348.
And even )antin) that e#$eptions "ay be $on$eded, the sa"e
as a )eneal %le, sho%ld be sti$tly b%t easonably $onst%ed1
they e#tend only so fa as thei lan)%a)e faily !aants, and
all do%bts sho%ld be esolved in favo of the )eneal povisions
athe than the e#$eption. Th%s, !hee a )eneal %le is
established by stat%te, the $o%t !ill not $%tail the fo"e no
add to the latte by i"pli$ation 7'a"son v. C.A., 630 'CRA .03
C6/-.D8.
Clealy the te" ?ille)iti"ate? efes to both nat%al and
sp%io%s.
&inally %nde Ati$le 6+. of the &a"ily Code, all ille)iti"ate
$hilden ae )eneally pla$ed %nde one $ate)oy, !hi$h
%ndo%btedly settles the iss%e as to !hethe o not
a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hilden sho%ld be teated diffeently, in
the ne)ative.
It "ay be said that the la! "ay be hash b%t that is the la!
7:IRA LEL 'E: LEL8.
<RE;I'E' C=N'I:ERE:, the petition is :I';I''E: fo la$k
of "eit and the assailed de$ision of the espondent Co%t of
Appeals dated Apil 4/, 6/-- is A&&IR;E:.
'= =R:ERE:.
G.R. No. )26*;* 2e'#6a#7 25, )%%%
8LAN4,ITA E. DELA ERCED, L,I"ITO E. DELA
ERCED, 8LAN4,TIA . ACATANGA0, A. OLIVIA .
+AREDE", TERE"ITA +. R,+I"AN, R,8EN . ADRIANO,
<ERINIO . ADRIANO, 3O"ELITO . ADRIANO,
ROGELIO . ADRIANO, 5IL2REDO . ADRIANO, VICTOR
. ADRIANO, CORA=ON A. ONGOCO, 3A"IN A.
ENDO=A an! CON"TANTINO . ADRIANO, petitione#s,
vs.
3O"ELITO +. DELA ERCED, #espon!ent.

<IRI'I;A, J.:
This is a <etition fo Revie! on Cetioai of the :e$ision of the
Co%t of Appeals, dated =$tobe 6+, 6//., in CA-9.R. CV No.
364-2, !hi$h evesed the de$ision, dated J%ne 6,, 6//4, of
the Re)ional Tial Co%t, >an$h .+, <asi) City, in Civil Case
No. 0/+,0.
The fa$ts of the $ase ae, as follo!s:
=n ;a$h 42, 6/-+, Evaista ;. dela ;e$ed died intestate,
!itho%t iss%e. 'he left five 708 pa$els of land sit%ated in
=a"bo, <asi) City.
At the ti"e of he death, Evaista !as s%vived by thee sets of
heis, vi@: 768 &an$is$o ;. dela ;e$ed, he le)iti"ate bothe1
748 Teesita <. R%pisan, he nie$e !ho is the only da%)hte of
Rosa dela ;e$ed-<laton 7a siste !ho died in 6/3281 and 728
the le)iti"ate $hilden of E%)enia dela ;e$ed-Adiano
7anothe siste of Evaista !ho died in 6/.08, na"ely:
Ee"inio, R%ben, Joselito, Ro)elio, Ailfedo, Vi$to and
Constantino, all s%na"ed Adiano, Coa@on Adiano-=n)o$o
and Jas"in Adiano-;endo@a.
Al"ost a yea late o on ;a$h 6/, 6/--, to be pe$ise,
&an$is$o 7Evaista5s bothe8 died. Ee !as s%vived by his
!ife >lan*%ita Eea dela ;e$ed and thei thee le)iti"ate
$hilden, na"ely, L%isito E. dela ;e$ed, >lan*%ita ;.
;a$atan)ay and ;a. =livia ;. <aedes.
=n Apil 4,, 6/-/, the thee sets of heis of the de$edent,
Evaista ;. dela ;e$ed, efein) to 768 the abovena"ed heis
of &an$is$o1 748 Teesita <. R%pisan and 728 the nine C/D
le)iti"ate $hilden of E%)enia, e#e$%ted an e#ta(%di$ial
settle"ent, entitled ?E#ta(%di$ial 'ettle"ent of the Estate of
the :e$eased Evaista ;. dela ;e$ed? ad(%di$atin) the
popeties of Evaista to the", ea$h set !ith a shae of one-
thid 76M28 po-indiviso.
=n J%ly 4., 6//,, pivate espondent Joselito <. :ela ;e$ed,
ille)iti"ate son of the late &an$is$o de la ;e$ed, filed a
?<etition fo Ann%l"ent of the E#ta(%di$ial 'ettle"ent of the
Estate of the :e$eased Evaista ;. :ela ;e$ed !ith <aye
fo a Te"poay Restainin) =de?, alle)in) that he !as
fa%d%lently o"itted fo" the said settle"ent "ade by
petitiones, !ho !ee f%lly a!ae of his elation to the late
&an$is$o. Clai"in) s%$$essional i)hts, pivate espondent
Joselito payed that he be in$l%ded as one of the benefi$iaies,
to shae in the one-thid 76M28 po-indiviso shae in the estate of
the de$eased Evaista, $oespondin) to the heis of
&an$is$o.
=n A%)%st 2, 6//,, the tial $o%t iss%ed the te"poay
estainin) ode payed fo by pivate espondent Joselito,
en(oinin) the sale of any of the eal popeties of the de$eased
Evaista.
Afte tial, ho!eve, o on J%ne 6,, 6//4, to be definite, the tial
$o%t dis"issed the petition, lifted the te"poay estainin)
ode ealie iss%ed, and $an$elled the noti$e of lis pendens on
the $etifi$ates of title $ovein) the eal popeties of the
de$eased Evaista.
In dis"issin) the petition, the tial $o%t stated:
The fa$t%al settin) of the instant "otion afte $onsidein) the
$i$%"stan$es of the entie $ase and the othe evidentiay
fa$ts and do$%"ents pesented by the heein paties points
only to one iss%e !hi$h )oes into the vey skeleton of the
$ontovesy, to !it: ?Ahethe o not the plaintiff "ay pati$ipate
in the intestate estate of the late Evaista ;. :ela ;e$ed in
his $apa$ity as epesentative of his alle)ed fathe, &an$isdo
:ela ;e$ed, bothe of the de$eased, !hose s%$$ession is
%nde $onsideation.
### ### ###
It is to be noted that &an$is$o :ela ;e$ed, alle)ed fathe of
the heein plaintiff, is a le)iti"ate $hild, not an ille)iti"ate.
<laintiff, on the othe hand, is ad"ittedly an ille)iti"ate $hild of
the late &an$is$o :ela ;e$ed. Een$e, as s%$h, he $annot
epesent his alle)ed fathe in the s%$$ession of the latte in
the intestate estate of the late Evaista :ela ;e$ed, be$a%se
of the baie in At. //4 of the Ne! Civil Code !hi$h states
that:
An ille)iti"ate $hild has no i)ht to inheit ab intestato fo" the
le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of his fathe o "othe, no
shall s%$h $hilden o elatives inheit in the sa"e "anne fo"
the ille)iti"ate $hild.
The appli$ation of At. //4 $annot be i)noed in the instant
$ase, it is $lealy !oded in s%$h a !ay that thee $an be no
oo" fo any do%bts and a"bi)%ities. This povision of the la!
i"poses a baie bet!een the ille)iti"ate and the le)iti"ate
fa"ily. . . . 7Rollo, p. -+---8
Not satisfied !ith the dis"issal of his petition, the pivate
espondent appealed to the Co%t of Appeals.
In its :e$ision of =$tobe 6+, 6//., the Co%t of Appeals
evesed the de$ision of the tial $o%t of oi)in and odeed the
petitiones to e#e$%te an a"endatoy a)ee"ent !hi$h shall
fo" pat of the oi)inal settle"ent, so as to in$l%de pivate
espondent Joselito as a $o-hei to the estate of &an$is$o,
!hi$h estate in$l%des one-thid 76M28 po indiviso of the latte5s
inheitan$e fo" the de$eased Evaista.
The elevant and dispositive pat of the :e$ision of the Co%t of
Appeals, eads:
### ### ###
It is a basi$ pin$iple e"bodied in Ati$le +++, Ne! Civil Code
that the i)hts to the s%$$ession ae tans"itted fo" the
"o"ent of the death of the de$edent, so that &an$is$o dela
;e$ed inheited 6M2 of his siste5s estate at the "o"ent of the
latte5s death. 'aid 6M2 of Evaista5s estate fo"ed pat of
&an$is$o5s estate !hi$h !as s%bse*%ently tans"itted %pon
his death on ;a$h 42, 6/-+ to his le)al heis, a"on) !ho" is
appellant as his ille)iti"ate $hild. Appellant be$a"e entitled to
his shae in &an$is$o5s estate fo" the ti"e of the latte5s
death in 6/-+. The e#ta(%di$ial settle"ent theefoe is void
insofa as it depives plaintiff-appellant of his shae in the
estate of &an$is$o ;. dela ;e$ed. As a $onse*%en$e, the
$an$ellation of the noti$e of lis pendens is not in ode be$a%se
the popety is die$tly affe$ted. Appellant has the i)ht to
de"and a patition of his fathe5s estate !hi$h in$l%des 6M2 of
the popety inheited fo" Evaista dela ;e$ed.
AEERE&=RE, pe"ises $onsideed, the appealed de$ision is
heeby REVER'E: and 'ET A'I:E. :efendants-appellees
ae heeby odeed to e#e$%te an a"endatoy
a)ee"entMsettle"ent to in$l%de heein plaintiff-appellant
Joselito dela ;e$ed as $o-hei to the estate of &an$is$o dela
;e$ed !hi$h in$l%des 6M2 of the estate s%b(e$t of the
*%estioned :eed of E#ta(%di$ial 'ettle"ent of the Estate of
Evaista ;. dela ;e$ed dated Apil 4,, 6/-/. The a"endatoy
a)ee"entMsettle"ent shall fo" pat of the oi)inal
E#ta(%di$ial 'ettle"ent. Aith $osts a)ainst defendants-
appellees.
'= =R:ERE:. 7Rollo, p. 368
In the <etition %nde $onsideation, petitiones insist that bein)
an ille)iti"ate $hild, pivate espondent Joselito is baed fo"
inheitin) fo" Evaista be$a%se of the povision of Ati$le //4
of the Ne! Civil Code, !hi$h lays do!n an i"passable baie
bet!een the le)iti"ate and ille)iti"ate fa"ilies.
The <etition is devoid of "eit.
Ati$le //4 of the Ne! Civil Code is not appli$able be$a%se
involved hee is not a sit%ation !hee an ille)iti"ate $hild
!o%ld inheit ab intestato fo" a le)iti"ate siste of his fathe,
!hi$h is pohibited by the afoesaid povision of la!. Rathe, it
is a s$enaio !hee an ille)iti"ate $hild inheits fo" his fathe,
the latte5s shae in o potion of, !hat the latte aleady
inheited fo" the de$eased siste, Evaista.
As opined by the Co%t of Appeals, the la! in point in the
pesent $ase is Ati$le +++ of the Ne! Civil Code !hi$h
povides that the i)hts to s%$$ession ae tans"itted fo" the
"o"ent of death of the de$edent.
'in$e Evaista died ahead of he bothe &an$is$o, the latte
inheited a potion of the estate of the fo"e as one of he
heis. '%bse*%ently, !hen &an$is$o died, his heis, na"ely:
his spo%se, le)iti"ate $hilden, and the pivate espondent,
Joselito, an ille)iti"ate $hild, inheited his 7&an$is$o5s8 shae
in the estate of Evaista. It beas stessin) that Joselito does
not $lai" to be an hei of Evaista by i)ht of epesentation b%t
pati$ipates in his o!n i)ht, as an hei of the late &an$is$o, in
the latte5s shae 7o potion theeof8 in the estate of Evaista.
<etitiones a)%e that if Joselito desies to asset s%$$essional
i)hts to the intestate estate of his fathe, the pope fo%"
sho%ld be in the settle"ent of his o!n fathe5s intestate estate,
as this Co%t held in the $ase of 9%tiee@ vs. ;a$ando) 760,
'CRA 344 C6/-+D8
<etitiones5 elian$e on the $ase of 9%tiee@ vs. ;a$ando)
7s%pa8 is "ispla$ed. The said $ase involved a $lai" fo
s%ppot filed by one Elpedia 9%tiee@ a)ainst the estate of the
de$edent, A)%stin 9%tiee@, '., !hen she !as not even an
hei to the estate in *%estion, at the ti"e, and the de$edent
had no obli)ation !hatsoeve to )ive he s%ppot. Th%s, this
Co%t %led that Elpedia sho%ld have asked fo s%ppot
pendente lite befoe the J%venile and :o"esti$ Relations
Co%t in !hi$h $o%t he h%sband 7one of the le)al heis of the
de$edent8 had instit%ted a $ase fo le)al sepaation a)ainst he
on the )o%nd of an atte"pt a)ainst his life. Ahen ;a%i$io
7he h%sband8 died, she sho%ld have $o""en$ed an a$tion fo
the settle"ent of the estate of he h%sband, in !hi$h $ase she
$o%ld e$eive !hateve allo!an$e the intestate $o%t !o%ld
)ant he.
The pesent $ase, ho!eve, elates to the i)htf%l and
%ndisp%ted i)ht of an hei to the shae of his late fathe in the
estate of the de$edent Evaista, o!neship of !hi$h had been
tans"itted to his fathe %pon the death of Evaista. Thee is no
le)al obsta$le fo pivate espondent Joselito, ad"ittedly the
son of the late &an$is$o, to inheit in his o!n i)ht as an hei
to his fathe5s estate, !hi$h estate in$l%des a one-thid 76M28
%ndivided shae in the estate of Evaista.
AEERE&=RE, fo la$k of "eit, the <etition is heeby :ENIE:
and the Appealed :e$ision of the Co%t of Appeals A&&IR;E:
in toto.
'= =R:ERE:.
G.R. No. ))*2$6 A616st 2), )%%5
8ENIGNO AN,EL, LI8ERATO AN,EL, LOREN=O
AN,EL, +LACIDA AN,EL, ADRONA AN,EL,
E"+ERAN=A AN,EL, AGA+ITA AN,EL, 8A"ILI"A
AN,EL, EILIA AN,EL an! N,ERIANA
AN,EL, petitiones,
vs.
<ON. NICODEO T. 2ERRER, +#esi!in1 36!1e, Re1ional
T#ial Co6#t, 8#an&/ (*, Lin1a7en, +an1asinan, ODE"TA
8ALTA=AR an! E"TANI"LAOA AN,EL, espondents.
The popety involved in this petition fo evie! on certiorari is
the inheitan$e left by an ille)iti"ate $hild !ho died intestate
!itho%t any s%vivin) des$endant o as$endant.
<etitiones, the le)iti"ate $hilden of spo%ses Antonio ;an%el
and >eati@ 9%ilin), initiated this s%it. :%in) his "aia)e !ith
>eati@, Antonio had an e#ta-"aital affai !ith one Is%la
>a%tista. &o" this elationship, J%an ;an%el !as bon.
'eveal yeas passed befoe Antonio ;an%el, his !ife >eati@,
and his "istess Is%la finally $ossed the ba on, espe$tively,
,. A%)%st 6/.,, ,0 &eb%ay 6/-6 and ,3 Nove"be 6/+..
J%an ;an%el, the ille)iti"ate son of Antonio, "aied
Espean@a 9a"ba. In $onsideation of the "aia)e, a
donation propter nuptias ove a pa$el of land, !ith an aea of
4,+,, s*%ae "etes, $oveed by =i)inal Cetifi$ate of Title
7?=CT?8 No. <-4,0/3 !as e#e$%ted in favo of J%an ;an%el by
La%en$iana ;an%el. T!o othe pa$els of land, $oveed by
=CT <-6//,4 and Tansfe Cetifi$ate of Title 7?TCT?8 No.
36623, !ee late bo%)ht by J%an and e)isteed in his na"e.
The $o%ple !ee not blessed !ith a $hild of thei o!n. Thei
desie to have one i"pelled the spo%ses to take pivate
espondent ;odesta ;an%el->alta@a into thei fold and so
aised he as thei o!n ?da%)hte?.
=n ,2 J%ne 6/-,, J%an ;an%el e#e$%ted in favo of
Estanislaoa ;an%el a :eed of 'ale Con Pacto de Retro 7!ith a
6,-yea peiod of ede"ption8 ove a one-half 76M48 potion of
his land $oveed by TCT No. 36623. J%an ;an%el died
intestate on 46 &eb%ay 6//,. T!o yeas late, o on ,3
&eb%ay 6//4, Espean@a 9a"ba also passed a!ay.
=n ,0 ;a$h 6//4, a "onth afte the death of Espean@a,
;odesta e#e$%ted an Affidavit of 'elf-Ad(%di$ation $lai"in) fo
heself the thee pa$els of land $oveed by =CT <-4,0/3,
=CT <-6//,4 and TCT No. 36623 7all still in the na"e of J%an
;an%el8. &ollo!in) the e)istation of the do$%"ent of
ad(%di$ation !ith the =ffi$e of the Re)iste of :eeds, the thee
titles
7=CT <-4,0/3, =CT <-6//,4 and TCT No. 366238 in the na"e
of J%an ;an%el !ee $an$eled and ne! titles, TCT No.
6-3442, TCT No. 6-3443 and TCT No. 6-3440, !ee iss%ed in
the na"e of ;odesta ;an%el->alta@a. =n 6/ =$tobe 6//4,
;odesta e#e$%ted in favo of he $o-espondent Estanislaoa
;an%el a :eed of Ren%n$iation and H%it$lai" ove the
%nedee"ed one-half 76M48 potion of the land 7no! $oveed by
TCT No. 6-34408 that !as sold to the latte by J%an ;an%el
%nde the 6/-, :eed of 'ale Con Pacto de Retro. These a$ts
of ;odesta appaently did not sit !ell !ith petitiones. In a
$o"plaint filed befoe the Re)ional Tial Co%t of Lin)ayen,
<an)asinan, the petitiones so%)ht the de$laation of n%llity of
the afoesaid inst%"ents.
The $ase, thee bein) no "ateial disp%te on the fa$ts, !as
s%b"itted to the $o%t a quo fo s%""ay (%d)"ent.
The tial $o%t, in its no! assailed 60th A%)%st 6//3 de$ision,
dis"issed the $o"plaint holdin) that petitiones, not bein)
heis ab intestato of thei ille)iti"ate bothe J%an ;an%el,
!ee not the eal paties-in-inteest to instit%te the s%it.
<etitiones !ee also odeed to (ointly and seveally 7solidaily8
pay
7a8 espondent ;odesta ;an%el->alta@a the s%" of <0,,,,.,,
fo "oal da"a)es, <0,,,,.,, fo e#e"play da"a)es,
<0,,,,.,, fo attoney5s fees and <0,,.,, fo liti)ation
e#penses and 7b8 Estanislaoa ;an%el the s%" of <0,,,,.,, fo
"oal da"a)es, <0,,,,.,, fo e#e"play da"a)es and
<0,,.,, fo attoney5s fees.
<etitiones5 "otion fo e$onsideation !as denied by the tial
$o%t.
The petition befoe %s aises the follo!in) $ontentions: That G
6. TEE L=AER C=IRT 7EA'8 &AILE: T=
C=N'I:ER TEE LA'T <ARA9RA<E =& ARTICLE
//3 =& TEE NEA CIVIL C=:E, A' TEE
C=NTR=LLIN9 LAA A<<LICA>LE >F VIRTIE =&
TEE A:;ITTE: &ACT', AN: N=T ARTICLE //4 =&
TEE 'A;E C=:E.
4. TEE L=AER C=IRT, IN N=T ANNILLIN9 ALL
TEE ACT' =&, AN: V=I:IN9 ALL :=CI;ENT'
ELECITE: >F, RE'<=N:ENT ;=:E'TA
>ALTAJAR, AE= ARR=9ATE: INT= EER'EL&
TEE RI9ET' =& AN EEIR T= TEE E'TATE =&
:ECE:ENT JIAN ;ANIEL, 7EA'8 VIRTIALLF
9RANTE: 'AI: RE'<=N:ENT TEE 'TATI' =&
AN EEIR ;ANI&E'TLF C=NTRARF T= LAA,
;=RAL' AN: <I>LIC <=LICF.
2. T= EN&=RCE =NE5' RI9ET AEEN TEEF ARE
VI=LATE: I' NEVER A LE9AL AR=N9.
)
<etitiones a)%e that they ae the le)al heis ove one-half of
J%an5s intestate estate 7!hile the othe half !o%ld petain to
J%an5s s%vivin) spo%se8 %nde the povision of the last
paa)aph of Ati$le //3 of the Civil Code, povidin) th%sly:
At. //3. In defa%lt of the fathe o "othe, an
ille)iti"ate $hild shall be s%$$eeded by his o he
s%vivin) spo%se, !ho shall be entitled to the entie
estate.
If the !ido! o !ido!e sho%ld s%vive !ith bothes
and sistes, nephe!s and nie$es, she o he shall
inheit one-half of the estate, and the latter the other
half. 7E"phasis s%pplied8
Respondents, in t%n, s%b"it that Ati$le //3 sho%ld be ead in
$on(%n$tion !ith Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code, !hi$h eads:
At. //4. An ille)iti"ate $hild has no i)ht to inheit ab
intestato fo" the le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of
his fathe o "othe1 nor shall such children or relative
inherit in the same manner from the illegitimate child.
7E"phasis s%pplied8
Ati$le //4, a basi$ post%late, en%n$iates !hat is so $o""only
efeed to in the %les on s%$$ession as the ?pin$iple of
absol%te sepaation bet!een the le)iti"ate fa"ily and the
ille)iti"ate fa"ily.? The do$tine e(e$ts s%$$ession ab
intestato in the collateral line bet!een le)iti"ate elatives, on
the one hand, and ille)iti"ate elatives, on othe hand,
altho%)h it does not totally disavo! s%$h s%$$ession in the
die$t line. 'in$e the %le is pedi$ated on the pes%"ed !ill of
the de$edent, it has no appli$ation, ho!eve, on testa"entay
dispositions.
This ?baie? bet!een the "e"bes of the le)iti"ate and
ille)iti"ate fa"ily in intesta$y is e#plained by a noted
$ivilist.
2
Eis thesis:
Ahat is "eant by the la! !hen it speaks of bothes
and sistes, nephe!s and nie$es, as le)al o intestate
heis of an ille)iti"ate $hildB It "%st be noted that
%nde At. //4 of the Code, thee is a baie dividin)
"e"bes of the ille)iti"ate fa"ily fo" "e"bes of
the le)iti"ate fa"ily. It is $lea that by vit%e of this
baie, the le)iti"ate bothes and sistes as !ell as
the $hilden, !hethe le)iti"ate o ille)iti"ate, of s%$h
bothes and sistes, $annot inheit fo" the
ille)iti"ate $hild. Consequently, when the law speaks
of?brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces? as legal
heirs of an illegitimate child, it refers to illegitimate
brothers and sisters as well as to the children,
whether legitimate or illegitimate, of such brothers
and sisters. 7E"phasis s%pplied8
The Co%t, too, has had o$$asions to e#plain this ?ion $%tain?,
fistly, in the ealy $ase of Grey v. Fabie
(
and, then, in the
elatively e$ent $ases of ia! v. "ntermediate #ppellate
Court
$
and e la Puerta v. Court of #ppeals.
5
Inia!, !e have
said:
Ati$le //4 of the Ne! Civil Code . . . pohibits
absol%tely a s%$$ession ab intestato bet!een the
ille)iti"ate $hild and the le)iti"ate $hilden and
elatives of the fathe o "othe of said le)iti"ate
$hild. They "ay have a nat%al tie of blood, b%t this is
not e$o)ni@ed by la! fo the p%poses of Ati$le //4.
>et!een the le)iti"ate fa"ily and the ille)iti"ate
fa"ily thee is pes%"ed to be an intevenin)
anta)onis" and in$o"patibility. The ille)iti"ate $hild
is dis)a$ef%lly looked do!n %pon by the le)iti"ate
fa"ily1 the le)iti"ate fa"ily is, in t%n, hated by the
ille)iti"ate $hild1 the latte $onsides the pivile)ed
$ondition of the fo"e, and the eso%$es of !hi$h it
is theeby depived1 the fo"e, in t%n, sees in the
ille)iti"ate $hild nothin) b%t the pod%$t of sin,
palpable eviden$e of a ble"ish boken in life1 the la!
does no "oe than e$o)ni@e this t%th, by avoidin)
f%the )o%nds of esent"ent.
The %le in Ati$le //4 has $onsistently been applied by the
Co%t in seveal othe $ases. Th%s, it has %led that !hee the
ille)iti"ate $hild had
half-bothes !ho !ee le)iti"ate, the latte had no i)ht to the
fo"e5s inheitan$e1
6
that the le)iti"ate $ollateal elatives of
the "othe $annot s%$$eed fo" he ille)iti"ate $hild1
*
that a
nat%al $hild $annot epesent his nat%al fathe in the
s%$$ession to the estate of the le)iti"ate )andpaent1
8
that
the nat%al da%)hte $annot s%$$eed to the estate of he
de$eased %n$le !ho is a le)iti"ate bothe of he nat%al
fathe1
%
and that an ille)iti"ate $hild has no i)ht to inheit ab
intestato fo" the le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of his
fathe.
);
Indeed, the la! on s%$$ession is ani"ated by a
%nifo" )eneal intent, and th%s no pat sho%ld be endeed
inopeative
))
by, b%t "%st al!ays be $onst%ed in elation to,
any othe pat as to pod%$e a ha"onio%s !hole.
)2
In passin), !e "i)ht, in easy )aphi$ pesentation, $ollate the
ode of pefeen$e and $on$%en$e in intesta$y e#pessed in
Ati$le /+- tho%)h
Ati$le 6,63, in$l%sive, of the Civil Code1 vi!.:
$rder of Preference $rder of Concurrence
Le)iti"ate Childen and 7a8 Le)iti"ate Childen and
:es$endants :es$endants, Ille)iti"ate
Childen and :es$endants,
and '%vivin) 'po%se
Le)iti"ate <aents and 7b8 Le)iti"ate <aents and
As$endants As$endants Ille)iti"ate
Childen and :es$endants,
and '%vivin) 'po%se
Ille)iti"ate Childen and 7$8 Ille)iti"ate Childen and
:es$endants 7in the absen$e :es$endants and '%vivin)
of IC:s and L<As, the 'po%se
Ille)iti"ate <aents8
'%vivin) 'po%se 7d8 '%vivin) 'po%se and
Ille)iti"ate <aents
>othes and 'istesM 7e8 >othes and 'istesM
Nephe!s and Nephe!s and Nie$es
Nie$es and '%vivin) 'po%se
=the Collateal Relatives 7f8 Alone
7!ithin the fifth $ivil de)ee8
'tate 7)8 Alone
In he ans!e to the $o"plaint, ;odesta $andidly
ad"itted that she heself is not an intestate hei of
J%an ;an%el. 'he is i)ht. A !ad 7ampon8, !itho%t
the benefit of fo"al 7(%di$ial8 adoption, is neithe a
$o"p%lsoy no a le)al hei.
)(
Ae "%st hold, nevetheless, that the $o"plaint of
petitiones seekin) the n%llity of the Affidavit of 'elf-
Ad(%di$ation e#e$%ted by ;odesta, the thee 728
TCT5s iss%ed to he favo, as !ell as the :eed of
Ren%n$iation and H%it$lai" in favo of Estanislaoa
;an%el, !as popely dis"issed by the tial $o%t.
<etitiones, not bein) the eal ?paties-in-inteest?
)$
in
the $ase, had neithe the standin) no the $a%se of
a$tion to initiate the $o"plaint.
The Co%t, ho!eve, sees no s%ffi$ient eason to
s%stain the a!ad of a"o%nts fo "oal and
e#e"play da"a)es, attoney5s fees and liti)ation
e#penses. An advese es%lt of a s%it in la! does not
"ean that its advo$a$y is ne$essaily so !on)f%l as
to (%stify an assess"ent of da"a)es a)ainst the
a$to.
)5
AEERE&=RE, the appealed de$ision of the Re)ional
Tial Co%t of <an)asinan 7>an$h 2+8 is A&&IR;E:,
e#$ept insofa as it has a!aded "oal and e#e"play
da"a)es, as !ell as attoney5s fees and liti)ation
e#penses, in favo of pivate espondents, !hi$h
potion is heeby :ELETE:. No spe$ial
pono%n$e"ent on $osts.
'= =R:ERE:.
IN T<E ATTER O2 T<E INTE"TATE E"TATE O2 CRI"TINA
AG,INALDO- ",NTA0? EILIO A.. ",NTA0 III
+etitione#, vs. I"A8EL CO3,ANGCO-",NTA0,
Respon!ent.
Inlike <ope Ale#ande VIC6D !ho, fa$ed !ith the i"passe
bet!een 'pain and <ot%)al, deftly and liteally divided the
e#ploation, o "oe appopiately, the i$hes of the Ne! Aold
by iss%in) the Inte Caetea,C4D !e ae $onfonted !ith the
diffi$%lt, albeit, all too fa"ilia tale of anothe fa"ily i"bo)lio
ove the estate of a de$edent.C2D
This is a petition fo evie! on $etioai %nde R%le 30 of
the R%les of Co%t, assailin) the :e$ision of the Co%t of
Appeals 7CA8 in CA-9.R. CV No. +3/3/,C3D evesin) the
de$ision of the Re)ional Tial Co%t 7RTC8, >an$h +-, ;alolos,
>%la$an, in 'pe$ial <o$eedin) Case No. 66+-;-/0.C0D

>efoe anythin) else, !e disentan)le the fa$ts.

=n J%ne 3, 6//,, the de$edent, Cistina A)%inaldo-'%ntay
7Cistina8, "aied to :. &edei$o '%ntay 7&edei$o8, died
intestate. In 6/+/, thei only son, E"ilio A)%inaldo '%ntay
7E"ilio I8, pede$eased both Cistina and &edei$o. At the ti"e
of he death, Cistina !as s%vived by he h%sband, &edei$o,
and seveal )and$hilden, in$l%din) heein petitione E"ilio
A.;. '%ntay III 7E"ilio III8 and espondent Isabel Co(%an)$o-
'%ntay.

:%in) his lifeti"e, E"ilio I !as "aied to Isabel Co(%an)$o,
and they be)ot thee $hilden, na"ely: heein espondent,
Isabel1 ;a)aita1 and E"ilio II, all s%na"ed Co(%an)$o-
'%ntay. E"ilio INs "aia)e to Isabel Co(%an)$o !as
s%bse*%ently ann%lled. Theeafte, E"ilio I had t!o $hilden
o%t of !edlo$k, E"ilio III and Nenita '%ntay TaOedo 7Nenita8,
by t!o diffeent !o"en, Con$ep$ion ;endo@a and Isabel
'antos, espe$tively.

:espite the ille)iti"ate stat%s of E"ilio III, he !as eaed eve
sin$e he !as a "ee baby, nine "onths old, by the spo%ses
&edei$o and Cistina and !as an a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hild
of E"ilio I. Nenita is an a$kno!led)ed nat%al $hild of E"ilio I
and !as like!ise bo%)ht %p by the spo%ses &edei$o and
Cistina.

As pevio%sly adveted to, the "aia)e bet!een E"ilio I and
Isabel !as ann%lled.C.D Conse*%ently, espondent and he
siblin)s ;a)aita and E"ilio II, lived !ith thei "othe on
>alete :ive, H%e@on City, sepaately fo" thei fathe and
patenal )andpaents.

<aentheti$ally, afte the death of E"ilio I, &edei$o filed a
petition fo visitation i)hts ove his )and$hilden: espondent
Isabel, ;a)aita, and E"ilio II. Altho%)h the J%venile and
:o"esti$ Relations Co%t in H%e@on City )anted the petition
and allo!ed &edei$o one ho% of visitation "onthly, initially
ed%$ed to thity "in%tes, it !as alto)ethe stopped be$a%se of
a "anifestation filed by espondent Isabel, ati$%latin) he
senti"ents on the %n!anted visits of he )andpaents.

'i)nifi$antly, &edei$o, afte the death of his spo%se, Cistina,
o on 'epte"be 4+, 6//2, adopted thei ille)iti"ate
)and$hilden, E"ilio III and Nenita.C+D

=n =$tobe 4., 6//0, espondent filed a petition fo the
iss%an$e of lettes of ad"inistation in he favo, $ontainin) the
follo!in) alle)ations:

CADt the ti"e of Cthe de$edentNsD death, CsheD !as a esident of
the ;%ni$ipality of Ea)onoy, <ovin$e of >%la$an1 that the
Cde$edentD left an estate of eal and pesonal popeties, !ith a
pobable )oss val%e of <4/,,,,,,,,.,,1 that the na"es, a)es
and esiden$es of the s%vivin) heis of the Cde$edentD ae: 768
&edei$o C. '%ntay, -/ yeas old, s%vivin) spo%se and a
esident of # # #1 748 Isabel Co(%an)$o-'%ntay, 2. yeas old,
le)iti"ate )andda%)hte and a esident of # # #1 728 ;a)aita
Co(%an)$o-'%ntay, 2/ yeas old, le)iti"ate )andda%)hte and
a esident of # # #1 and 738 E"ilio Co(%an)$o-'%ntay, 20 yeas
old, le)iti"ate )andson and a esident of # # #1 and that as fa
as CespondentD kne!, the de$edent left no debts o obli)ation
at the ti"e of he death.C-D

:isavo!in) the alle)ations in the petition of his
)and$hild, espondent Isabel, &edei$o filed his opposition on
:e$e"be 46, 6//0, alle)in), a"on) othes, that:

C>Dein) the s%vivin) spo%se of Cistina, he is $apable of
ad"inistein) he estate and he sho%ld be the one appointed
as its ad"inistato1 that as pat o!ne of the "ass of $on(%)al
popeties left by Cistina, he "%st be a$$oded le)al
pefeen$e in the ad"inistation theeof1 that Isabel and he
fa"ily had been alienated fo" thei )andpaents fo "oe
than thity 72,8 yeas1 that the en%"eation of heis in the
petition !as in$o"plete as it did not "ention the othe $hilden
of his sonC,D na"ely: E"ilio III and Nenita '. TaOedo1 that he is
bette sit%ated to pote$t the inte)ity of the estate of Cistina
as even befoe the death of his !ifeC,D he !as aleady the one
!ho "ana)ed thei $on(%)al popeties1 that the pobable val%e
of the estate as stated in the petition !as )ossly ovestated
7si$81 and that IsabelNs alle)ation that so"e of the popeties
ae in the hands of %s%pes is %nt%e.C/D

;ean!hile, afte a failed atte"pt by the paties to settle the
po$eedin)s a"i$ably, &edei$o filed a ;anifestation dated
;a$h 62, 6///, no"inatin) his adopted son, E"ilio III, as
ad"inistato of the de$edentNs estate on his behalf, in the
event he !o%ld be ad(%d)ed as the one !ith a bette i)ht to
the lettes of ad"inistation.

'%bse*%ently, the tial $o%t )anted E"ilio IIINs ;otion fo
Leave to Intevene $onsidein) his inteest in the o%t$o"e of
the $ase. E"ilio III filed his =pposition-In-Intevention, !hi$h
essentially e$hoed the alle)ations in his )andfatheNs
opposition, alle)in) that &edei$o, o in his stead, E"ilio III,
!as bette e*%ipped than espondent to ad"iniste and
"ana)e the estate of the de$edent, Cistina. Additionally,
E"ilio III aveed his o!n *%alifi$ations that: PCheD is pesently
en)a)ed in a*%a$%lt%e and bankin)1 he !as tained by the
de$edent to !ok in his ealy a)e by involvin) hi" in the
a$tivities of the E"ilio A)%inaldo &o%ndation !hi$h !as
established in 6/+/ in "e"oy of he )and"otheNs fathe1 the
si)nifi$ant !ok e#peien$es o%tside the fa"ily )o%p ae
in$l%ded in his $%i$%l%" vitae1 he !as e"ployed by the
opposito C&edei$oD afte his )ad%ation in $olle)e !ith
"ana)e"ent de)ee at &.C.E. Copoations and Ea)onoy
R%al >ank1 # # #.QC6,D

In the $o%se of the po$eedin)s, on Nove"be 62, 4,,,,
&edei$o died.

Afte the testi"onies of both patiesN !itnesses !ee head and
eviden$e on thei espe$tive alle)ations !ee add%$ed, the tial
$o%t endeed a de$ision on Nove"be /, 4,,6, appointin)
heein petitione, E"ilio III, as ad"inistato of de$edent
CistinaNs intestate estate, to !it:

AEERE&=RE, the petition of Isabel
Co(%an)$oC-D'%ntay is :ENIE: and the
=ppositionC-DinC-DIntevention is 9RANTE:.

A$$odin)ly, the Inteveno, E"ilio A.;. '%ntay, III is
heeby appointed ad"inistato of the estate of the de$edent
Cistina A)%inaldo '%ntay, !ho shall ente %pon the e#e$%tion
of his t%st %pon the filin) of a bond in the a"o%nt of
<4,,,,,,.,,, $onditioned as follo!s:

768 To "ake and et%n !ithin thee 728 "onths, a t%e
and $o"plete inventoy1

748 To ad"iniste the estate and to pay and dis$ha)e
all debts, le)atees, and $ha)e on the sa"e, o dividends
theeon1

728 To ende a t%e and (%st a$$o%nt !ithin one 768
yea, and at any othe ti"e !hen e*%ied by the $o%t, and

738 To pefo" all odes of the Co%t.

=n$e the said bond is appoved by the $o%t, let Lettes of
Ad"inistation be iss%ed in his favo.

'= =R:ERE:.C66D

A))ieved, espondent filed an appeal befoe the CA, !hi$h
evesed and set aside the de$ision of the RTC, evoked the
Lettes of Ad"inistation iss%ed to E"ilio III, and appointed
espondent as ad"inistati# of the intestate estate of the
de$edent, Cistina, to !it:

AEERE&=RE, in vie! of all the foe)oin), the assailed
de$ision dated Nove"be /, 4,,6 of >an$h +-, Re)ional Tial
Co%t of ;alolos, >%la$an in '<C No. 66+-;-/0 is REVER'E:
and 'ET A'I:E and the lettes of ad"inistation iss%ed by the
said $o%t to E"ilio A.;. '%ntay III, if any, ae $onse*%ently
evoked. <etitione Isabel Co(%an)$oC-D'%ntay is heeby
appointed ad"inistati# of the intestate estate of Cistina
A)%inaldo '%ntay. Let lettes of ad"inistation be iss%ed in he
favo %pon he filin) of a bond in the a"o%nt of T!o E%nded
Tho%sand 7<4,,,,,,.,,8 <esos.

No pono%n$e"ent as to $osts.

'= =R:ERE:.C64D

The "otion fo e$onsideation of E"ilio III havin) been
denied, he appeals by $etioai to this Co%t, aisin) the
follo!in) iss%es:

A. IN TEE A<<=INT;ENT =& AN
A:;INI'TRAT=R =& TEE E'TATE IN:ER 'ECTI=N . =&
RILE +- =& TEE RILE' =& C=IRT, AEETEER ARTICLE
//4 =& TEE CIVIL C=:E A<<LIE'1 and

>. IN:ER TEE IN:I'<ITE: &ACT' AEERE
EEREIN <ETITI=NER AA' REARE: >F TEE :ECE:ENT
AN: EER '<=I'E 'INCE IN&ANCF, AEETEER ARTICLE
//4 =& TEE NEA CIVIL C=:E A<<LIE' '= A' T= >AR EI;
&R=; >EIN9 A<<=INTE: A:;INI'TRAT=R =& TEE
:ECE:ENTN' E'TATE.C62D

In %lin) a)ainst the petition of heein espondent, the
RTC atio$inated, th%s:

Eviden$e ob(e$tively assessed and $aef%lly eval%ated,
both testi"onial and do$%"entay, the $o%t opines that it is to
the best inteest of the estate of the de$edent and all $lai"ants
theeto, that the Inteveno, E"ilio A.;. '%ntay III, be
appointed ad"inistato of the estate in the above-entitled
spe$ial po$eedin)s.

>ased on the eviden$e and de"eano of the paties in
$o%t, CespondentNs i""ediateD fa"ily and that of the de$edent
ae appaently estan)ed. The oot $a%se of !hi$h, is not fo
this $o%t to as$etain no is this the i)ht ti"e and the pope
fo%" to d!ell %pon. Ahat "attes "ost at this ti"e is the
!elfae of the estate of the de$edent in the li)ht of s%$h
%nfot%nate and bitte estan)e"ent.

The Co%t honestly believes that to appoint the
petitione !o%ld )o a)ainst the !ishes of the de$edent !ho
aised CE"ilio IIID fo" infan$y in he ho"e in >a)%io City as
he o!n $hild. Cetainly, it !o%ld )o a)ainst the !ishes of the
s%vivin) spo%se # # # !ho no"inated CE"ilio IIID fo
appoint"ent as ad"inistato.

As bet!een CespondentD and the opposito C&edei$oD,
the latte is a$$oded pefeen$e as the s%vivin) spo%se %nde
'e$ .7a8, R%le +-, R%les of Co%t. =n the basis of s%$h
pefeen$e, he vi)oo%sly opposed the appoint"ent of the
petitione and instead no"inated CE"ilio IIID, his )and$hild and
adopted $hild. '%$h no"ination, absent any valid and
(%stifiable eason, sho%ld not be i"peio%sly set aside and
inso%$iantly i)noed, even afte the opposito C&edei$oD has
passed a!ay, in ode to )ive effe$t to the ode of pefeen$e
"andated by la!. ;oeove, fo" the vie!point of the estate,
the no"ination of CE"ilio IIID appeaCsD intinsi$ally "eitoio%s.
&o the benefit of the estate and its $lai"ants, $editos, as !ell
as heis, the ad"inistato sho%ld be one !ho is pepaed,
a$ade"i$ally and by e#peien$e, fo the de"ands and
esponsibilities of the position. Ahile CespondentD, a pa$ti$in)
physi$ian, is not %n*%alified, it is $lea to the $o%t that !hen it
$o"es to "ana)e"ent of eal estate and the po$essin) and
pay"ent of debts, CE"ilio IIID, a b%siness"an !ith an
established ta$k e$od as a "ana)e has a de$ided ed)e and
theefoe, is in a position to bette handle the pesevation of
the estate.C63D

In "aked $ontast, the CA @eoed in on E"ilio IIINs stat%s as
an ille)iti"ate $hild of E"ilio I and, th%s, baed fo"
epesentin) his de$eased fathe in the estate of the latteNs
le)iti"ate "othe, the de$edent. =n the !hole, the CA
pono%n$ed that E"ilio III, !ho !as "eely no"inated by
&edei$o, and !hi$h no"ination hin)ed %pon the latteNs
appoint"ent as ad"inistato of the de$edentNs estate, $annot
be appointed as the ad"inistato of the de$edentNs estate fo
the follo!in) easons:C60D

6. The appoint"ent of E"ilio III !as s%b(e$t to a
s%spensive $ondition, i.e., &edei$oNs appoint"ent as
ad"inistato of the estate, he bein) the s%vivin) spo%se of
Cistina, the de$edent. The death of &edei$o befoe his
appoint"ent as ad"inistato of CistinaNs estate endeed his
no"ination of E"ilio III inopeative1

4. As bet!een the le)iti"ate offspin) 7espondent8 and
ille)iti"ate offspin) 7E"ilio III8 of de$edentNs son, E"ilio I,
espondent is pefeed, bein) the Pne#t of kinQ efeed to by
'e$tion ., R%le +- of the R%les of Co%t, and entitled to shae
in the distib%tion of CistinaNs estate as an hei1

2. J%isp%den$e has $onsistently held that Ati$le //4C6.D
of the Civil Code bas the ille)iti"ate $hild fo" inheitin) ab
intestato fo" the le)iti"ate $hilden and elatives of his fathe
o "othe. Th%s, E"ilio III, !ho is baed fo" inheitin) fo"
his )and"othe, $annot be pefeed ove espondent in the
ad"inistation of the estate of thei )and"othe, the de$edent1
and

3. Contay to the RTCNs findin), espondent is as "%$h
$o"petent as E"ilio III to ad"iniste and "ana)e the s%b(e$t
estate fo she possesses none of the dis*%alifi$ations spe$ified
in 'e$tion 6,C6+D R%le +- of the R%les of Co%t.

The pivotal iss%e in this $ase t%ns on !ho, as bet!een E"ilio
III and espondent, is bette *%alified to a$t as ad"inistato of
the de$edentNs estate.

Ae $annot s%bs$ibe to the appellate $o%tNs %lin) e#$l%din)
E"ilio III in the ad"inistation of the de$edentNs %ndivided
estate. ;istakenly, the CA )losses ove seveal %ndisp%ted
fa$ts and $i$%"stan$es:

6. The %ndelyin) philosophy of o% la! on intestate
s%$$ession is to )ive pefeen$e to the !ishes and pes%"ed
!ill of the de$edent, absent a valid and effe$tive !ill1

4. The basis fo Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code, efeed to as
the ion $%tain ba %le,C6-D is *%ite the opposite s$enaio in
the fa$ts obtainin) heein fo the a$t%al elationship bet!een
&edei$o and Cistina, on one hand, and E"ilio III, on the
othe, !as akin to the no"al elationship of le)iti"ate
elatives1

2. E"ilio III !as eaed fo" infan$y by the de$edent,
Cistina, and he h%sband, &edei$o, !ho both a$kno!led)ed
hi" as thei )and$hild1

3. &edei$o $lai"ed half of the popeties in$l%ded in the
estate of the de$edent, Cistina, as fo"in) pat of thei
$on(%)al patneship of )ains d%in) the s%bsisten$e of thei
"aia)e1

0. CistinaNs popeties fo"in) pat of he estate ae still
$o""in)led !ith that of he h%sband, &edei$o, be$a%se he
shae in the $on(%)al patneship, albeit te"inated %pon he
death, e"ains %ndete"ined and %nli*%idated1 and

.. E"ilio III is a le)ally adopted $hild of &edei$o, entitled to
shae in the distib%tion of the latteNs estate as a die$t hei,
one de)ee fo" &edei$o, not si"ply epesentin) his
de$eased ille)iti"ate fathe, E"ilio I.

&o" the foe)oin), it is patently $lea that the CA eed in
e#$l%din) E"ilio III fo" the ad"inistation of the de$edentNs
estate. As &edei$oNs adopted son, E"ilio IIINs inteest in the
estate of Cistina is as "%$h appaent to this Co%t as the
inteest theein of espondent, $onsidein) that the CA even
de$laed that P%nde the la!, C&edei$oD, bein) the s%vivin)
spo%se, !o%ld have the i)ht of s%$$ession ove a potion of
the e#$l%sive popety of the de$edent, aside fo" his shae in
the $on(%)al patneship.Q Th%s, !e ae p%@@led !hy the CA
esoted to a stained le)al easonin) R E"ilio IIINs no"ination
!as s%b(e$t to a s%spensive $ondition and endeed
inopeative by eason of &edei$oNs death R !holly inappli$able
to the $ase at ba.

'e$tion ., R%le +- of the R%les of Co%t lists the ode of
pefeen$e in the appoint"ent of an ad"inistato of an estate:

'EC. .. Ahen and to !ho" lettes of ad"inistation
)anted. R If no e#e$%to is na"ed in the !ill, o the e#e$%to o
e#e$%tos ae in$o"petent, ef%se the t%st, o fail to )ive
bond, o a peson dies intestate, ad"inistation shall be
)anted:

7a8 To the s%vivin) h%sband o !ife, as the $ase
"ay be, o ne#t of kin, o both, in the dis$etion of the $o%t, o
to s%$h peson as s%$h s%vivin) h%sband o !ife, o ne#t of
kin, e*%ests to have appointed, if $o"petent and !illin) to
seve1

7b8 If s%$h s%vivin) h%sband o !ife, as the $ase
"ay be, o ne#t of kin, o the peson sele$ted by the", be
in$o"petent o %n!illin), o if the h%sband o !ido!, o ne#t of
kin, ne)le$ts fo thity 72,8 days afte the death of the peson to
apply fo ad"inistation o to e*%est that ad"inistation be
)anted to so"e othe peson, it "ay be )anted to one o
"oe of the pin$ipal $editos, if $o"petent and !illin) to
seve1

7$8 If thee is no s%$h $edito $o"petent and
!illin) to seve, it "ay be )anted to s%$h othe peson as the
$o%t "ay sele$t.

Eo!eve, the ode of pefeen$e is not absol%te fo it depends
on the attendant fa$ts and $i$%"stan$es of ea$h $ase.C6/D
J%isp%den$e has lon) held that the sele$tion of an
ad"inistato lies in the so%nd dis$etion of the tial $o%t.C4,D
In the "ain, the attendant fa$ts and $i$%"stan$es of this $ase
ne$essitate, at the least, a (oint ad"inistation by both
espondent and E"ilio III of thei )and"otheNs, CistinaNs,
estate.

In the $ase of Iy v. Co%t of Appeals,C46D !e %pheld the
appoint"ent by the tial $o%t of a $o-ad"inistation bet!een
the de$edentNs son and the de$edentNs bothe, !ho !as
like!ise a $edito of the de$edentNs estate. In the sa"e vein,
!e de$laed in :el)ado Vda. de :e la Rosa v. Eeis of
;a$iana R%stia Vda. de :a"ianC44D that:

CiDn the appoint"ent of an ad"inistato, the pin$ipal
$onsideation is the inteest in the estate of the one to be
appointed. The ode of pefeen$e does not %le o%t the
appoint"ent of $o-ad"inistatos, spe$ially in $ases !hee
(%sti$e and e*%ity de"and that opposin) paties o fa$tions be
epesented in the "ana)e"ent of the estates, a sit%ation
!hi$h obtains hee.

'i"ilaly, the s%b(e$t estate in this $ase $alls to the s%$$ession
othe p%tative heis, in$l%din) anothe ille)iti"ate )and$hild of
Cistina and &edei$o, Nenita TaOedo, b%t !ho !as like!ise
adopted by &edei$o, and the t!o 748 siblin)s of espondent
Isabel, ;a)aita and E"ilio II. In all, $onsidein) the $onfli$tin)
$lai"s of the p%tative heis, and the %nli*%idated $on(%)al
patneship of Cistina and &edei$o !hi$h fo"s pat of thei
espe$tive estates, !e ae i"pelled to "ove in only one
die$tion, i.e., (oint ad"inistation of the s%b(e$t estate.

=ne final note. Co%nsel fo petitione "eti$%lo%sly a)%es that
Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code, the s%$$essional ba bet!een the
le)iti"ate and ille)iti"ate elatives of a de$edent, does not
apply in this instan$e !hee fa$ts ind%bitably de"onstate the
$ontay R E"ilio III, an ille)iti"ate )and$hild of the de$edent,
!as a$t%ally teated by the de$edent and he h%sband as thei
o!n son, eaed fo" infan$y, ed%$ated and tained in thei
b%sinesses, and event%ally le)ally adopted by de$edentNs
h%sband, the oi)inal opposito to espondentNs petition fo
lettes of ad"inistation.

Ae ae not %n"indf%l of the $iti*%es of $ivilists of a $onfli$t
and a la$%na in the la! $on$enin) the bone of $ontention that
is Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code, be)innin) !ith the e"inent
J%sti$e J.>.L. Reyes:

In the 'panish Civil Code of 6--/ the i)ht of
epesentation !as ad"itted only !ithin the le)iti"ate fa"ily1
so "%$h so that Ati$le /32 of that Code pes$ibed that an
ille)iti"ate $hild $an not inheit ab intestato fo" the le)iti"ate
$hilden and elatives of his fathe and "othe. The Civil Code
of the <hilippines appaently adheed to this pin$iple sin$e it
epod%$ed Ati$le /32 of the 'panish Code in its o!n At. //4,
b%t !ith fine in$onsisten$y, in s%bse*%ent ati$les 7//,, //0
and //-8 o% Code allo!s the heeditay potion of the
ille)iti"ate $hild to pass to his o!n des$endants, !hethe
le)iti"ate o ille)iti"ate. 'o that !hile At. //4 pevents the
ille)iti"ate iss%e of a le)iti"ate $hild fo" epesentin) hi" in
the intestate s%$$ession of the )andpaent, the ille)iti"ates of
an ille)iti"ate $hild $an no! do so. This diffeen$e bein)
indefensible and %n!aanted, in the f%t%e evision of the Civil
Code !e shall have to "ake a $hoi$e and de$ide eithe that
the ille)iti"ate iss%e en(oys in all $ases the i)ht of
epesentation, in !hi$h $ase At. //4 "%st be s%ppessed1 o
$ontai!ise "aintain said ati$le and "odify Ati$les //0 and
//-. The fist sol%tion !o%ld be "oe in a$$od !ith an
enli)htened attit%de vis-S-vis ille)iti"ate $hilden.C42D

;anesa e#plains the basis fo the %les on intestate
s%$$ession:

The la! Cof intesta$yD is fo%ndedT on the pes%"ed !ill of the
de$easedT Love, it is said, fist des$ends, then as$ends, and,
finally, speads side!ays. Th%s, the la! fist $alls the
des$endants, then the as$endants, and finally the $ollateals,
al!ays pefein) those $lose in de)ee to those of e"ote
de)ees, on the ass%"ption that the de$eased !o%ld have
done so had he "anifested his last !illT Lastly, in defa%lt of
anyone $alled to s%$$ession o bo%nd to the de$edent by ties
of blood o affe$tion, it is in a$$odan$e !ith his pes%"ed !ill
that his popety be )iven to $haitable o ed%$ational
instit%tions, and th%s $ontib%te to the !elfae of h%"anity.C43D

Indeed, the fa$t%al ante$edents of this $ase a$$%ately efle$t
the basis of intestate s%$$ession, i.e., love fist des$ends, fo
the de$edent, Cistina, did not distin)%ish bet!een he
le)iti"ate and ille)iti"ate )and$hilden. Neithe did he
h%sband, &edei$o, !ho, in fa$t, le)ally aised the stat%s of
E"ilio III fo" an ille)iti"ate )and$hild to that of a le)iti"ate
$hild. The pe$%lia $i$%"stan$es of this $ase, painstakin)ly
pointed o%t by $o%nsel fo petitione, ovetho! the le)al
pes%"ption in Ati$le //4 of the Civil Code that thee e#ist
ani"osity and anta)onis" bet!een le)iti"ate and ille)iti"ate
des$endants of a de$eased.

Nonetheless, it "%st be pointed o%t that (%di$ial estaint
i"pels %s to efain fo" "akin) a final de$laation of heiship
and distib%tin) the pes%"ptive shaes of the paties in the
estates of Cistina and &edei$o, $onsidein) that the *%estion
on !ho !ill ad"iniste the popeties of the lon) de$eased
$o%ple has yet to be settled.

=% holdin) in Capistano v. Nad%ataC40D on the sa"e iss%e
e"ains )ood la!:

CTDhe de$laation of heis "ade by the lo!e $o%t is
pe"at%e, altho%)h the eviden$e s%ffi$iently sho!s !ho ae
entitled to s%$$eed the de$eased. The estate had hadly been
(%di$ially opened, and the po$eedin) has not as yet ea$hed
the sta)e of distib%tion of the estate !hi$h "%st $o"e afte
the inheitan$e is li*%idated.

'e$tion 6, R%le /, of the R%les of Co%t does not depat fo"
the foe)oin) ad"onition:

'e$. 6. Ahen ode fo distib%tion of esid%e is "ade. R
# # #. If thee is a $ontovesy befoe the $o%t as to !ho ae
the la!f%l heis of the de$eased peson o as to the distib%tive
shaes to !hi$h ea$h peson is entitled %nde the la!, the
$ontovesy shall be head and de$ided as in odinay $ases.

No distib%tion shall be allo!ed %ntil the pay"ent of the
obli)ations above "entioned has been "ade o povided fo,
%nless the distib%tees, o any of the", )ive a bond, in a s%"
to be fi#ed by the $o%t, $onditioned fo the pay"ent of said
obli)ations !ithin s%$h ti"e as the $o%t die$ts.

AEERE&=RE, the petition is 9RANTE:. The :e$ision
of the Co%t of Appeals in CA-9.R. CV No. +3/3/ is
REVER'E: and 'ET A'I:E. Lettes of Ad"inistation ove
the estate of de$edent Cistina A)%inaldo-'%ntay shall iss%e to
both petitione E"ilio A.;. '%ntay III and espondent Isabel
Co(%an)$o-'%ntay %pon pay"ent by ea$h of a bond to be set
by the Re)ional Tial Co%t, >an$h +-, ;alolos, >%la$an, in
'pe$ial <o$eedin) Case No. 66+-;-/0. The Re)ional Tial
Co%t, >an$h +-, ;alolos, >%la$an is like!ise die$ted to
"ake a dete"ination and to de$lae the heis of de$edent
Cistina A)%inaldo-'%ntay a$$odin) to the a$t%al fa$t%al "ilie%
as poven by the paties, and all othe pesons !ith le)al
inteest in the s%b(e$t estate. It is f%the die$ted to settle the
estate of de$edent Cistina A)%inaldo-'%ntay !ith dispat$h.
No $osts.

'= =R:ERE:.

Art. 992

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