EVANGELINE RIVERA-CALINGASAN and E.

RICAL ENTERPRISES, Petitioners,

vs.
WILFREDO RIVERA, sustituted ! "A. L#DIA S. R$VERA, FREIDA LEA% S. RIVERA and WILFREDO
S. RIVERA, .&R., Res'ondents.
D E C I S I O N
(RION, &.)
We reso$ve t*e 'etition +or revie, on -ertiorari,. +i$ed ! 'etitioners Evan/e$ine Rivera-Ca$in/asan and E. Ri-a$
Enter'rises,0 assai$in/ t*e Feruar! .1, 0112 de-ision3 o+ t*e Court o+ A''ea$s 4 CA5 in CA-G.R. SP No. 617.7.
T*e CA de-ision a++ir8ed ,it* 8odi+i-ation t*e A'ri$ 2, 0119 De-ision: and t*e &u$! ;, 0119 order9 o+ t*e
Re/iona$ Tria$ Court 4RTC5 o+ Li'a Cit!, (ran-* ;9, in Civi$ Case No. 0113-16;0.
T*e Fa-tua$ Ante-edents
Durin/ t*eir $i+eti8e, res'ondent Wi$+redo Rivera and *is ,i+e, Loreto In-ion/, a-<uired severa$ 'ar-e$s o+ $and
in Li'a Cit!, (atan/as, t,o o+ ,*i-* ,ere -overed ! Trans+er Certi+i-ate o+ Tit$e 4TCT5 Nos. T-00061 and T-
31997.2 On &u$! 06, .6;0, Loreto died, $eavin/ Wi$+redo and t*eir t,o dau/*ters, Evan/e$ine and (ri/ida Li=a,
as *er survivin/ *eirs.7
Aout e$even 4..5 !ears $ater, or on "ar-* 06, .663, Loreto>s *eirs e?e-uted an e?tra@udi-ia$ sett$e8ent o+ *er
one-*a$+ s*are o+ t*e -on@u/a$ estate, ad@udi-atin/ a$$ t*e 'ro'erties in +avor o+ Evan/e$ine and (ri/ida Li=aA
Wi$+redo ,aived *is ri/*ts to t*e 'ro'erties, ,it* a reservation o+ *is usu+ru-tuar! ri/*ts durin/ *is $i+eti8e.; On
Se'te8er 03, .663, t*e Re/ister o+ Deeds o+ Li'a Cit!, (atan/as -an-e$$ed TCT Nos. T-00061 and T-31997 and
issued TCT Nos. T-;7:6: and T-;7:69 in t*e na8es o+ Evan/e$ine and (ri/ida Li=a, ,it* an annotation o+
Wi$+redo>s usu+ru-tuar! ri/*ts.6
A$8ost a de-ade $ater, or on "ar-* .3, 0113,.1 Wi$+redo +i$ed ,it* t*e "uni-i'a$ Tria$ Court in Cities 4"TCC5
o+ Li'a Cit! a -o8'$aint +or +or-i$e entr! a/ainst t*e 'etitioners and Star %onda, In-., do-Beted as Civi$ Case
No. 11.6-13.
Wi$+redo -$ai8ed t*at *e $a,+u$$! 'ossessed and o--u'ied t*e t,o 405 'ar-e$s o+ $and $o-ated a$on/ C.". Re-to
Avenue, Li'a Cit!, (atan/as, -overed ! TCT Nos. T-;7:6: and T-;7:69, ,it* a ui$din/ used +or *is +urniture
usiness. TaBin/ advanta/e o+ *is asen-e due to *is *os'ita$ -on+ine8ent in Se'te8er 0110, t*e 'etitioners
and Star %onda, In-. tooB 'ossession and -aused t*e renovation o+ t*e ui$din/ on t*e 'ro'ert!. In De-e8er
0110, t*e 'etitioners and Star %onda, In-., ,it* t*e aid o+ ar8ed 8en, arred *i8 +ro8 enterin/ t*e 'ro'ert!...
(ot* t*e 'etitioners and Star %onda, In-. -ountered t*at Wi$+redo vo$untari$! renoun-ed *is usu+ru-tuar! ri/*ts
in a 'etition +or -an-e$$ation o+ usu+ru-tuar! ri/*ts dated "ar-* :, .662,.0 and t*at anot*er a-tion et,een t*e
sa8e 'arties is 'endin/ ,it* t*e RTC o+ Li'a Cit!, (ran-* .3 4an a-tion +or t*e annu$8ent o+ t*e 'etition +or
-an-e$$ation o+ usu+ru-tuar! ri/*ts +i$ed ! Wi$+redo5, do-Beted as Civi$ Case No. 66-1773.
T*e "TCC Ru$in/
In its De-e8er 0, 0113 de-ision,.3 t*e "TCC dis8issed t*e -o8'$aint. It +ound no eviden-e o+ Wi$+redo>s
'rior 'ossession and suse<uent dis'ossession o+ t*e 'ro'ert!. It noted t*at Wi$+redo ad8itted t*at ot* E. Ri-a$
Enter'rises and Star %onda, In-. o--u'ied t*e 'ro'ert! t*rou/* $ease -ontra-ts +ro8 Evan/e$ine and *er *usand
Ferdinand.
Wi$+redo a''ea$ed to t*e RTC.
T*e RTC Ru$in/
In its Nove8er 31, 011: de-ision,.: t*e RTC a++ir8ed t*e "TCC>s +indin/s. It *e$d t*at Wi$+redo $a-Bed a
-ause o+ a-tion to evi-t t*e 'etitioners and Star %onda, In-. sin-e Evan/e$ine is t*e re/istered o,ner o+ t*e
'ro'ert! and Wi$+redo *ad vo$untari$! renoun-ed *is usu+ru-tuar! ri/*ts.
Wi$+redo sou/*t re-onsideration o+ t*e RTC>s de-ision and, in due -ourse, attained t*is o@e-tiveA t*e RTC set
aside its ori/ina$ de-ision and entered anot*er, ,*i-* ordered t*e evi-tion o+ t*e 'etitioners and Star %onda, In-.
In its A'ri$ 2, 0119 de-ision,.9 t*e RTC *e$d t*at Wi$+redo>s renun-iation o+ *is usu+ru-tuar! ri/*ts -ou$d not e
t*e asis o+ t*e -o8'$aint>s dis8issa$ sin-e it is t*e su@e-t o+ $iti/ation 'endin/ ,it* t*e RTC o+ Li'a Cit!,
(ran-* .3. T*e RTC +ound t*at t*e "TCC over$ooBed t*e eviden-e 'rovin/ Wi$+redo>s 'rior 'ossession and
suse<uent dis'ossession o+ t*e 'ro'ert!, na8e$!) 4a5 Evan/e$ine>s @udi-ia$ ad8ission o+ C&. (e$en Street,
Rosario, (atan/asC as *er residen-e sin-e "a! 0110A 45 t*e Li'a Cit! Prose-utor>s +indin/s, in a -ri8ina$ -ase
+or <ua$i+ied tres'ass to d,e$$in/, t*at t*e 'etitioners are not residents o+ t*e 'ro'ert!A 4-5 t*e a++idavit o+ Ri-B!
(riones, (aran/a! Ca'tain o+ (aran/a! 6, Li'a Cit! ,*ere t*e 'ro'ert! is $o-ated, attestin/ to Wi$+redo>s 'rior
'ossession and t*e 'etitioners> entr! to t*e 'ro'ert! durin/ Wi$+redo>s *os'ita$ -on+ine8entA and 4d5 t*e
'etitioners, ,it* t*e aid o+ ar8ed 8en, destro!ed t*e 'ad$o-B o+ t*e ui$din/ on t*e 'ro'ert!. T*e RTC ordered
t*e 'etitioners and Star %onda, In-. to 'a! P201,111.11 as reasona$e -o8'ensation +or t*e use and o--u'ation
o+ t*e 'ro'ert!, andP01,111.11 as attorne!>s +ees.
T*e 'etitioners and Star %onda, In-. +i$ed se'arate 8otions +or re-onsideration.
In its &u$! ;, 0119 order,.2 t*e RTC 8odi+ied its A'ri$ 2, 0119 de-ision ! aso$vin/ Star %onda, In-. +ro8 an!
$iai$it!. It +ound no eviden-e t*at Star %onda, In-. 'arti-i'ated in t*e dis'ossession.
T*e 'etitioners t*en +i$ed a Ru$e :0 'etition +or revie, ,it* t*e CA.
T*e CA Ru$in/
In its Feruar! .1, 0112 de-ision,.7 t*e CA a++ir8ed ,it* 8odi+i-ation t*e RTC>s +indin/s, notin/ t*at) 4a5
Evan/e$ine>s ad8ission o+ C&. (e$en Street, Rosario, (atan/asC as *er residen-e 4a '$a-e di++erent and distin-t
+ro8 t*e 'ro'ert!5 rendered i8'roa$e *er -$ai8 o+ 'ossession and o--u'ationA and 45 Evan/e$ine>s entr! to
t*e 'ro'ert! 4on t*e 'rete?t o+ re'airin/ t*e ui$din/5 durin/ Wi$+redo>s *os'ita$ -on+ine8ent *ad een done
,it*out Wi$+redo>s 'rior -onsent and ,as done t*rou/* strate/! and stea$t*. T*e CA, *o,ever, de$eted t*e a,ard
o+P01,111.11 as attorne!>s +ees sin-e t*e RTC de-ision did not -ontain an! dis-ussion or @usti+i-ation +or t*e
a,ard.
T*e 'etitioners t*en +i$ed t*e 'resent 'etition.
Wi$+redo died on De-e8er 07, 0112 and *as een sustituted ! *is se-ond ,i+e, "a. L!dia S. Rivera, and t*eir
-*i$dren, Freida Lea* S. Rivera and Wi$+redo S. Rivera, &r. 4res'ondents5..;
T*e Petition
T*e 'etitioners su8it t*at t*e CA erred in e<uatin/ 'ossession ,it* residen-e sin-e 'ossession in +or-i$e entr!
-ases 8eans '*!si-a$ 'ossession ,it*out <ua$i+i-ation as to t*e nature o+ 'ossession, i.e., ,*et*er residin/ or not
in a 'arti-u$ar '$a-e. T*e! -ontend t*at t*e 'ronoun-e8ents o+ t*e RTC o+ Li'a Cit!, (ran-* .3, in Civi$ Case
No. 66-1773, in t*e "ar-* .., 0113 order,.6 t*at t*e! *ave een Co--u'!in/ t*e 're8ises sin-e .667C01 and
Wi$+redo>s o,n ad8ission t*at *e 'ad$o-Bed t*e doors o+ t*e ui$din/ -ontradi-t Wi$+redo>s -$ai8 o+ 'rior
'ossession.
T*e Case +or t*e Res'ondents
T*e res'ondents -ounter t*at t*e 'etitioners 8istaBen$! re$ied on t*e state8ents o+ t*e RTC o+ Li'a Cit!, (ran-*
.3, in Civi$ Case No. 66-1773 on t*e 'etitioners> o--u'ation sin-e .667A su-* state8ents *ad een rendered in an
inter$o-utor! order, and s*ou$d not 'revai$ over Evan/e$ine>s ad8ission in *er ans,er o+ CPo$a-ion, Rosario,
(atan/asC0. as *er residen-e, -o8'ared to Wi$+redo>s ad8ission in *is -o8'$aint o+ CC.". Re-to Avenue, Li'a
Cit!, (atan/asC as *is residen-e, t*e e?a-t address o+ t*e dis'uted 'ro'ert!.00
T*e Issue
T*e -ase 'resents to us t*e issue o+ ,*o, et,een t*e 'etitioners and Wi$+redo, *ad een in 'rior '*!si-a$
'ossession o+ t*e 'ro'ert!.
Our Ru$in/
T*e 'etition $a-Bs 8erit.
E@e-t8ent -ases invo$ve on$! '*!si-a$ 'ossession or 'ossession de +a-to.
CE@e-t8ent -ases - +or-i$e entr! and un$a,+u$ detainer - are su88ar! 'ro-eedin/s desi/ned to 'rovide
e?'editious 8eans to 'rote-t a-tua$ 'ossession or t*e ri/*t to 'ossession o+ t*e 'ro'ert! invo$ved. T*e on$!
<uestion t*at t*e -ourts reso$ve in e@e-t8ent 'ro-eedin/s is) ,*o is entit$ed to t*e '*!si-a$ 'ossession o+ t*e
're8ises, t*at is, to t*e 'ossession de +a-to and not to t*e 'ossession de @ure. It does not even 8atter i+ a 'art!Ds
tit$e to t*e 'ro'ert! is <uestiona$e.C03 T*us, Can e@e-t8ent -ase ,i$$ not ne-essari$! e de-ided in +avor o+ one
,*o *as 'resented 'roo+ o+ o,ners*i' o+ t*e su@e-t 'ro'ert!.C0:
Indeed, 'ossession in e@e-t8ent -ases C8eans not*in/ 8ore t*an a-tua$ '*!si-a$ 'ossession, not $e/a$ 'ossession
in t*e sense -onte8'$ated in -ivi$ $a,.C09 In a +or-i$e entr! -ase, C'rior '*!si-a$ 'ossession is t*e 'ri8ar!
-onsideration.C02 CA 'art! ,*o -an 'rove 'rior 'ossession -an re-over su-* 'ossession even a/ainst t*e o,ner
*i8se$+. W*atever 8a! e t*e -*ara-ter o+ *is 'ossession, i+ *e *as in *is +avor 'rior 'ossession in ti8e, *e *as
t*e se-urit! t*at entit$es *i8 to re8ain on t*e 'ro'ert! unti$ a 'erson ,it* a etter ri/*t $a,+u$$! e@e-ts
*i8.C07 CT*e 'art! in 'ea-ea$e, <uiet 'ossession s*a$$ not e t*ro,n out ! a stron/ *and, vio$en-e, or
terror.C0;
T*e res'ondents *ave 'roven 'rior '*!si-a$ 'ossession o+ t*e 'ro'ert!.
In t*is -ase, ,e are -onvin-ed t*at Wi$+redo *ad een in 'rior 'ossession o+ t*e 'ro'ert! and t*at t*e 'etitioners
de'rived *i8 o+ su-* 'ossession ! 8eans o+ +or-e, strate/! and stea$t*.
T*e CA did not err in e<uatin/ residen-e ,it* '*!si-a$ 'ossession sin-e residen-e is a 8ani+estation o+
'ossession and o--u'ation. Wi$+redo *ad -onsistent$! a$$e/ed t*at *e resided on CC.". Re-to Avenue, Li'a Cit!,
(atan/as,C t*e $o-ation o+ t*e 'ro'ert!, ,*ereas Evan/e$ine *as a$,a!s ad8itted t*at s*e *as een a resident o+
C&. (e$en Street, Rosario, (atan/as.C T*e 'etitioners +ai$ed to 'rove t*at t*e! *ave o--u'ied t*e 'ro'ert! t*rou/*
so8e ot*er 'erson, even i+ t*e! *ave de-$ared t*eir residen-e in anot*er area.
We note t*at in anot*er 'ro-eedin/, a -ri8ina$ -o8'$aint +or <ua$i+ied tres'ass to d,e$$in/, t*e Li'a Cit!
Prose-utor a$so oserved t*at t*e 'etitioners did not reside on or o--u'! t*e 'ro'ert! on De-e8er .2,
0110,06aout t*ree 435 8ont*s e+ore Wi$+redo +i$ed t*e -o8'$aint +or +or-i$e entr! on "ar-* .3, 0113. T*e
'etitioners a$so a$$e/ed t*erein t*at t*e! are residents o+ C&. (e$en St., Rosario, (atan/asC and not CNo. 31 C.".
Re-to Ave., Li'a Cit!.C31
Furt*er8ore, t*e 'etitioners +ai$ed to reut t*e a++idavit o+ (aran/a! Ca'tain (riones attestin/ to Wi$+redo>s
'rior 'ossession and t*e 'etitioners> un$a,+u$ entr! to t*e 'ro'ert! durin/ Wi$+redo>s *os'ita$ -on+ine8ent.3.
T*e 'etitioners> -$ai8 o+ '*!si-a$ 'ossession -annot +ind su''ort in t*e "ar-* .., 0113 order30 o+ t*e RTC o+
Li'a Cit!, (ran-* .3, in Civi$ Case No. 66-1773 statin/ t*at t*e 'etitioners C*ave een o--u'!in/ t*e 're8ises
sin-e .667.C We note t*at t*e order ,as a 8ere inter$o-utor! order on Wi$+redo>s 8otion +or t*e issuan-e o+ a
-ease and desist order. An inter$o-utor! order does not end t*e tasB o+ t*e -ourt in ad@udi-atin/ t*e 'artiesD
-ontentions and deter8inin/ t*eir ri/*ts and $iai$ities a/ainst ea-* ot*er. CIt is asi-a$$! 'rovisiona$ in its
a''$i-ation.C33 It is t*e nature o+ an inter$o-utor! order t*at it is su@e-t to 8odi+i-ation or reversa$ t*at t*e resu$t
o+ +urt*er 'ro-eedin/s 8a! ,arrant. T*us, t*e RTC>s 'ronoun-e8ent on t*e 'etitioners> o--u'ation Csin-e .667C
is not res @udi-ata on t*e issue o+ a-tua$ '*!si-a$ 'ossession.
In su8, ,e +ind no reversi$e error in t*e de-ision a''ea$ed +ro8 and, t*ere+ore, a++ir8 it.
Wi$+redo>s deat* did not render 8oot t*e +or-i$e entr! -ase.
T*e deat* o+ Wi$+redo introdu-es a see8in/ -o8'$i-ation into t*e -ase and on t*e dis'osition ,e s*a$$ 8aBe. To
/o a-B to asi-s, t*e 'etition e+ore us invo$ves t*e re-over! o+ 'ossession o+ rea$ 'ro'ert! and is a rea$ a-tion
t*at is not e?tin/uis*ed ! t*e deat* o+ a 'art!. T*e @ud/8ent in an e@e-t8ent -ase is -on-$usive et,een t*e
'arties and t*eir su--essors-in-interest ! tit$e suse<uent to t*e -o88en-e8ent o+ t*e a-tionA *en-e, it is
en+or-ea$e ! or a/ainst t*e *eirs o+ t*e de-eased..E,'*i. T*is @ud/8ent entit$es t*e ,innin/ 'art! to) 4a5 t*e
restitution o+ t*e 're8ises, 45 t*e su8 @ust$! due as arrears o+ rent or as reasona$e -o8'ensation +or t*e use and
o--u'ation o+ t*e 're8ises, and 4-5 attorne!>s +ees and -osts.
T*e -o8'$i-atin/ +a-tor in t*e -ase is t*e nature and asis o+ Wi$+redo>s 'ossessionA *e ,as *o$din/ t*e 'ro'ert!
as usu+ru-tuar!, a$t*ou/* t*is ri/*t to de @ure 'ossession ,as a$so dis'uted e+ore *is deat*, *and in *and ,it*
t*e de +a-to 'ossession t*at is su@e-t o+ t*e 'resent -ase. Wit*out need, *o,ever, o+ an! +urt*er dis'ute or
$iti/ation, t*e ri/*t to t*e usu+ru-t is no, rendered 8oot ! t*e deat* o+ Wi$+redo sin-e deat* e?tin/uis*es a
usu+ru-t under Arti-$e 2134.5 o+ t*e Civi$ Code. T*is deve$o'8ent de'rives t*e *eirs o+ t*e usu+ru-tuar! t*e ri/*t
to retain or to rea-<uire 'ossession o+ t*e 'ro'ert! even i+ t*e e@e-t8ent @ud/8ent dire-ts its restitution.
T*us, ,*at a-tua$$! survives under t*e -ir-u8stan-es is t*e a,ard o+ da8a/es, ! ,a! o+ -o8'ensation, t*at t*e
RTC ori/ina$$! a,arded and ,*i-* t*e CA and t*is Court a++ir8ed. T*is a,ard ,as -o8'uted as o+ t*e ti8e o+
t*e RTC de-ision 4or rou/*$! aout a !ear e+ore Wi$+redo>s deat*5 ut ,i$$ no, *ave to taBe into a--ount t*e
-o8'ensation due +or t*e 'eriod et,een t*e RTC de-ision and Wi$+redo>s deat*. T*e -o8'utation is a 8atter o+
e?e-ution t*at is +or t*e RTC, as -ourt o+ ori/in, to undertaBe. T*e *eirs o+ Wi$+redo s*a$$ su--eed to t*e
-o8'uted tota$ a,ard under t*e ru$es o+ su--ession, a 8atter t*at is not ,it*in t*e aut*orit! o+ t*is Court to
deter8ine at t*is 'oint.
W%EREFORE, ,e *ere! DEN# t*e a''ea$ and a--ordin/$! AFFIR" t*e Feruar! .1, 0112 de-ision o+ t*e
Court o+ A''ea$s in CA-G.R. SP No. 617.7 ,it* t*e "ODIFICATION t*at, ,it* t*e ter8ination, u'on *is
deat*, o+ res'ondent Wi$+redo Rivera>s usu+ru-tor! over t*e dis'uted 'ro'ert!, t*e issue o+ restitution o+
'ossession *as een rendered 8oot and a-ade8i-A on t*e ot*er *and, t*e 8onetar! a,ard o+ P201,111.11, as
reasona$e -o8'ensation +or t*e use and o--u'ation o+ t*e 'ro'ert! u' to t*e ti8e o+ t*e Re/iona$ Tria$ Court
de-ision on A'ri$ 2, 0119, survives and a--rues to t*e estate o+ t*e de-eased res'ondent Wi$+redo Rivera, to e
distriuted to *is *eirs 'ursuant to t*e a''$i-a$e $a, on su--ession. Additiona$ -o8'ensation a--rues and s*a$$
e added to t*e -o8'ensation +ro8 t*e ti8e o+ t*e Re/iona$ Tria$ Court de-ision u' to res'ondent Wi$+redo
Rivera>s deat*. For 'ur'oses o+ t*e -o8'utation o+ t*is additiona$ a8ount and +or t*e e?e-ution o+ t*e tota$
a8ount due under t*is De-ision, ,e *ere! re8and t*e -ase to t*e Re/iona$ Tria$ Court, as -ourt o+ ori/in, +or
a''ro'riate a-tion. Costs a/ainst 'etitioners Evan/e$ine Rivera-Ca$in/asan and E. Ri-a$ Enter'rises.
SO ORDERED.