November 12, 1919

G.R. No. L-13431

In re will of Ana Abangan.
GERTRUDIS ABANGAN, executrix-appellee,
vs.
ANASTACIA ABANGAN, ET AL., opponents-appellants.
Filemon Sotto for appellants.
M. Jesus Cuenco for appellee.
AVANCEA, J.:
On September 19, 191, t!e "ourt o# $irst %nstance o# "ebu a&mitte& to probate 'na 'ban(an)s
*ill execute& +ul,, 191-. $rom t!is &ecision t!e opponent)s appeale&.
Sai& &ocument, &ul, probate& as 'na 'ban(an)s *ill, consists o# t*o s!eets, t!e #irst o# *!ic!
contains all o# t!e &isposition o# t!e testatrix, &ul, si(ne& at t!e bottom b, .artin .ontalban /in
t!e name an& un&er t!e &irection o# t!e testatrix0 an& b, t!ree *itnesses. 1!e #ollo*in( s!eet
contains onl, t!e attestation clause &ul, si(ne& at t!e bottom b, t!e t!ree instrumental *itnesses.
Neit!er o# t!ese s!eets is si(ne& on t!e le#t mar(in b, t!e testatrix an& t!e t!ree *itnesses, nor
numbere& b, letters2 an& t!ese omissions, accor&in( to appellants) contention, are &e#ects
*!ereb, t!e probate o# t!e *ill s!oul& !ave been &enie&. 3e are o# t!e opinion t!at t!e *ill *as
&ul, a&mitte& to probate.
%n re4uirin( t!at eac! an& ever, s!eet o# t!e *ill s!oul& also be si(ne& on t!e le#t mar(in b, t!e
testator an& t!ree *itnesses in t!e presence o# eac! ot!er, 'ct No. 2-45 /*!ic! is t!e one
applicable in t!e case0 evi&entl, !as #or its ob6ect /re#errin( to t!e bo&, o# t!e *ill itsel#0 to
avoi& t!e substitution o# an, o# sai& s!eets, t!ereb, c!an(in( t!e testator)s &ispositions. 7ut
*!en t!ese &ispositions are *!oll, *ritten on onl, one s!eet si(ne& at t!e bottom b, t!e testator
an& t!ree *itnesses /as t!e instant case0, t!eir si(natures on t!e le#t mar(in o# sai& s!eet *oul&
be completel, purposeless. %n re4uirin( t!is si(nature on t!e mar(in, t!e statute too8 into
consi&eration, un&oubte&l,, t!e case o# a *ill *ritten on several s!eets an& must !ave re#erre& to
t!e s!eets *!ic! t!e testator an& t!e *itnesses &o not !ave to si(n at t!e bottom. ' &i##erent
interpretation *oul& assume t!at t!e statute re4uires t!at t!is s!eet, alrea&, si(ne& at t!e bottom,
be si(ne& t*ice. 3e cannot attribute to t!e statute suc! an intention. 's t!ese si(natures must be
*ritten b, t!e testator an& t!e *itnesses in t!e presence o# eac! ot!er, it appears t!at, i# t!e
si(natures at t!e bottom o# t!e s!eet (uaranties its aut!enticit,, anot!er si(nature on its le#t
mar(in *oul& be unneccessar,2 an& i# t!e, &o not (uarant,, same si(natures, a##ixe& on anot!er
part o# same s!eet, *oul& a&& not!in(. 3e cannot assume t!at t!e statute re(ar&s o# suc!
importance t!e place *!ere t!e testator an& t!e *itnesses must si(n on t!e s!eet t!at it *oul&
consi&er t!at t!eir si(natures *ritten on t!e bottom &o not (uarant, t!e aut!enticit, o# t!e s!eet
but, i# repeate& on t!e mar(in, (ive su##icient securit,.
%n re4uirin( t!at eac! an& ever, pa(e o# a *ill must be numbere& correlativel, in letters place&
on t!e upper part o# t!e s!eet, it is li8e*ise clear t!at t!e ob6ect o# 'ct No. 2-45 is to 8no*
*!et!er an, s!eet o# t!e *ill !as been remove&. 7ut, *!en all t!e &ispositive parts o# a *ill are
*ritten on one s!eet onl,, t!e ob6ect o# t!e statute &isappears because t!e removal o# t!is sin(le
s!eet, alt!ou(! unnumbere&, cannot be !i&&en.
3!at !as been sai& is also applicable to t!e attestation clause. 3!ere#ore, *it!out consi&erin(
*!et!er or not t!is clause is an essential part o# t!e *ill, *e !ol& t!at in t!e one accompan,in(
t!e *ill in 4uestion, t!e si(natures o# t!e testatrix an& o# t!e t!ree *itnesses on t!e mar(in an&
t!e numberin( o# t!e pa(es o# t!e s!eet are #ormalities not re4uire& b, t!e statute. .oreover,
re#errin( speciall, to t!e si(nature o# t!e testatrix, *e can a&& t!at same is not necessar, in t!e
attestation clause because t!is, as its name implies, appertains onl, to t!e *itnesses an& not to
t!e testator since t!e latter &oes not attest, but executes, t!e *ill.
S,nt!esi9in( our opinion, *e !ol& t!at in a *ill consistin( o# t*o s!eets t!e #irst o# *!ic!
contains all t!e testamentar, &ispositions an& is si(ne& at t!e bottom b, t!e testator an& t!ree
*itnesses an& t!e secon& contains onl, t!e attestation clause an& is si(ne& also at t!e bottom b,
t!e t!ree *itnesses, it is not necessar, t!at bot! s!eets be #urt!er si(ne& on t!eir mar(ins b, t!e
testator an& t!e *itnesses, or be pa(e&.
1!e ob6ect o# t!e solemnities surroun&in( t!e execution o# *ills is to close t!e &oor a(ainst ba&
#ait! an& #rau&, to avoi& substitution o# *ills an& testaments an& to (uarant, t!eir trut! an&
aut!enticit,. 1!ere#ore t!e la*s on t!is sub6ect s!oul& be interprete& in suc! a *a, as to attain
t!ese primor&al en&s. 7ut, on t!e ot!er !an&, also one must not lose si(!t o# t!e #act t!at it is not
t!e ob6ect o# t!e la* to restrain an& curtail t!e exercise o# t!e ri(!t to ma8e a *ill. So *!en an
interpretation alrea&, (iven assures suc! en&s, an, ot!er interpretation *!atsoever, t!at a&&s
not!in( but &eman&s more re4uisites entirel, unnecessar,, useless an& #rustative o# t!e testator)s
last *ill, must be &isre(ar&e&.
's anot!er (roun& #or t!is appeal, it is alle(e& t!e recor&s &o not s!o* t!at t!e testarix 8ne* t!e
&ialect in *!ic! t!e *ill is *ritten. 7ut t!e circumstance appearin( in t!e *ill itsel# t!at same
*as execute& in t!e cit, o# "ebu an& in t!e &ialect o# t!is localit, *!ere t!e testatrix *as a
nei(!bor is enou(!, in t!e absence o# an, proo# to t!e contrar,, to presume t!at s!e 8ne* t!is
&ialect in *!ic! t!is *ill is *ritten.
$or t!e #ore(oin( consi&erations, t!e 6u&(ment appeale& #rom is !ereb, a##irme& *it! costs
a(ainst t!e appellants. So or&ere&.