Onesima Belen v BPI and Milagros Belen De Olaguera • -'en Dia# died, t'e codici" (as ad$itted to )robate.
s ad$itted to )robate. 'e
October 31, 1960| Reyes, J.B.L., J. | Legacies and Devises
Digester: Anna ic!ae""a Lingat
SUMMARY: Benigno Dia# $ade a codici" na$ing %i"o$ena Dia#
as one o& t'e "egatees. Benigno died and 'is (i"" (as ad$itted &or
)robate and t'e estate (as )*t *nder t'e ad$inistration o& B+ as
tr*stee. -'en %i"o$ena died, s'e "e&t t(o c'i"dren  i"agros
Be"en v de O"ag*era /$arried (it'  "egiti$ate c'i"dren and
Onesi$a Be"en /sing"e. Onesi$a 2"ed a )etition )raying t'at B+
be ordered to de"iver to 'er one'a"& o& 'er s'are. 4'e contends
t'at t'e estate o& %i"o$ena *nder a codici" s'o*"d on"y be divided
bet(een 'er and i"agros, to t'e e5c"*sion o& t'e  c'i"dren. %
'e"d t'at t'e c'i"dren s'o*"d be i nc"*ded. Onesi$a invo!es Art
979 ('ere 8a distrib*tion $ade in genera" ter$s in &avor o& t'e
testator s'a"" be *nderstood as $ade in &avor o& t'ose nearest in
degree. 'e o*rt r*"ed t'at t'e (ords 8s*s descendientes
"egiti$os in t'e codici" o& Benigno Dia# re&er to a"" "iving
descendants and not on"y to descendants nearest in degree.
DOCTRINE: 'e (ord 8descendant $*st be inter)reted, in t'e
absence o& ot'er indications o& contrary intent, in t'at t'e )ro)er
r*"e to a))"y is t'at t'e testator, by designating a c"ass or gro*) o&  o
"egatees, intended a"" $e$bers to s*cceed )er ca)ita.
FACTS:
• On 4e)te$ber ;9, 19<<, Benigno Dia# e5ec*ted a codici" ('ic'
)rovides t'at:
(Loose google translation HUHUHELP)
o 9.0  n case o& deat' o& so$e or a"" "egatees a))ointed/=
by $e, bene2ciaries or "egacies in &avor on"y "egiti$ate
descendants and ascendants, s)o*ses b*t not (ido(ers.
o 10.0  en or 2&teen years a&ter $y deat' a"" $y )ro)erties,
$ovab"e or i$$ovab"e, rig'ts and advantageo*s, t'ey can
)roceed (it' t'e sa"e o& a"" giving )re&erence to t'e
"egatees and t'eir tota" a$o*nt t'o*sand )esos /+1,000 is
ded*cted &or &o*r c'i"dren o& $y "ate brot'er %abian, a""
e5)enses and reserving eno*g' and (e"" cover
ca"c*$ada/== to t'e &o""o(ing )eo)"e ('o sti"" v*iven/==
or t'eir "egiti$ate descendants distrib*te:
 sabe" . de 4antiago  /70>
 Do$ingo Legarda c'i"dren  /30>
 %i"o$ena Dia#  /10>
 ?estor . 4antiago  /10>
estate (as t'erea&ter )*t *nder t'e ad$inistration o& B+ as
tr*stee &or t'e bene2t o& t'e "egatees.
• en years "ater,
"ater, %i"o$ena Dia# died, "eaving t(o "egiti$ate
c'i"dren, i"agros Be"en de O"ag*era /$arried (it' 
"egiti$ate c'i"dren and Onesi$a Be"en /sing"e.
• Onesi$a 2"ed a )etition in 4)ecia" +roceedings contending t'at
t'e estate o& %i"o$ena *nder t'e codici" s'o*"d on"y be divided
bet(een 'er and i"agros, to t'e e5c"*sion o& t'e  "egiti$ate
c'i"dren o& i"agros. Onesi$a, as "egatee, )rayed t'at B+ be
ordered to de"iver 'er one'a"& o& ('atever s'are is d*e to
%i"o$ena Dia#.
• 'e o*rt denied t'is )etition and 'e"d t'at t'e s'are o&
%i"o$ena s'o*"d a"so be distrib*ted a$ong 'er grandc'i"dren.
 Descendientes inc"*de not on"y c'i"dren b*t a"so
grandc'i"dren. One $ay be a d escendant b*t not yet an 'eir
and vice versa.
• Onesi$a a))ea"ed to t'is o*rt and arg*ed t'at:
o 'e inter)retation o& "a*se 10 o& t'e cod ici" o& t'e (i"" o&
Benigno Dia# 'as not been a@ir$ed in t'e )revio*s case
 Arg*e""es v Be"en de O"ag*era.
'e ter$ 8s*s descendeintes "egiti$os as *sed in t'e
codici", s'o*"d be inter)reted to $ean descendants nearest
in t'e degree to t'e origina" "egatee %i"o$ena. n t'is case,
t'ey are 'er t(o da*g'ters /i"agros and Onesi$a
t'ereby e5c"*ding t'e seven grandc'i"dren o& said "egatee.
RUIN!:  J*dg$ent is a@ir$ed
 "#e$#er $#e %ords &sus des'endien$es legi$imos( (their
legitimate descendants) re)er
descendants) re)er 'on*oin$l+ $o all living
des'endan$ ,'#ildren and grand'#ildren- o) $#e lega$ee. as a
'lass ,or do $#e+ re)er $o $#e des'endan$s neares$ in
degree-/ 0 YES. i$ re)ers $o all living des'endan$s1
• Onesi$a arg*es: t'e )'rase s'o*"d be ta!en to $ean t'e
re"atives nearest in degree. 4'e invo!es Artic"e 979 o& t'e ivi"
ode o& t'e +'i"i))ines: A distrib*tion $ade in genera" ter$s
in &avor o& t'e testators re"atives s'a"" be *nderstood as $ade
in &avor o& t'ose nearest in degree.
•  Art 979 is s)eci2ca""y "i$ited in its a))"ication to t'e case
('ere t'e bene2ciaries are re"atives o& t'e testator, not t'ose
o& t'e "egatee.
• n s*c' an event, t'e "a( ass*$es t'at t'e testator intended to
re&er to t'e r*"es o& intestacy, in order to bene2t t'e re"atives
c"osest to 'i$.
• anresa: "a ra#on y "a "ogica 'a cen &*ndada$ente s*)oner
C*e, a" )roc*rar este &avorecer a s*s )arientes, 'abria de
a*starse $as a "igadas a" $is$o /testador )or "os vinc*"os de
"a sanger y de "a &a$i"ia
o rans"ated: by reason and "ogic, (e can reasonab"y ass*$e
t'at, in see!ing t'is &avor t'eir re"atives, (o*"d 'ave to
con&or$ $ore to co$e (it' it /testator by t'e ties o& &a$i"y
and sanger/=
• 'ere is no "ogica" reason in t'is case to )res*$e t'at t'e
testator intended to re&er to t'e r*"es o& intestacy, &or 'e
)recise"y $ade a testa$ent and )rovided s*bstit*tes &or eac'
"egatee nor can it be said t'at 'is a@ections (o*"d )re&er t'e
nearest re"atives o& t'e "egatee to t'ose $ore distant, since 'e
envisages a"" o& t'e$ in a gro*), and on"y as $ere s*bstit*tes
&or a )re&erred bene2ciary.
• 'ere are vario*s reasons against a))"y ing Art 979 by ana"ogy.
o Ender t'is artic"e, t'e nearest o& e5c"*de a"" t'e &art'er
re"atives and rig't o& re)resentation does not o)erate.
o 'e 'istory o& Art 71 /o& 1FF9 ode s'o(n t'at t'e rig't
o& re)resentation (as de"iberate"y s*))ressed.
• 'e res*"t (o*"d be t'at by a))"ying to t'e descendants o&
%i"ore$a Dia# t'e Gnearest re"ativesG r*"e o& Ar tic"e 979, t'e
in'eritance (o*"d be "i$ited to 'er c'i"dren, or anyone o&
t'e$, e5c"*ding t'e grandc'i"dr en a"toget'er. 'is co*"d
'ard"y be t'e intention o& t'e testator ('o, in t'e sa$e c"a*se
10 o& 'is co*nci" /ante, s)ea!s o& Gc*atro 'ios de $i di&*nto
'er$ano %abianG and o& G"os 'ios de Do$ingo Legarda,G as
(e"" as o& Gdescendientes "egiti$osG o& t'e ot'er "egates, to *s
indicating c"ear"y t'at 'e *nderstood (e"" t'at 'ios and
descendientes are not synony$o*s ter$s.
• t is s*ggested t'at Gdescendientes "egiti$osG co*"d $ean t'e
nearest descendant b*t (it' t'e rig't o& re)resentation i n
&avor o& t'e $ore distant re"atives. 'e testator (as at "iberty
to )rovide a series o& s*ccessive s*bstit*tions in t'e order o&
)ro5i$ity o& re"ations'i) to t'e origina" "egatee. And 'e,
"i!e(ise, (as &ree to ordain t'at t'e $ore distant descendants
s'o*"d enoy t'e rig't o& re)resentation as in intestate
s*ccession.
• Ho(ever, it is necessary t'at t'e testator 'ad:
o /a Reected, or intended to reect, t'e rig 't o& accretion
a$ong co'eirs and co"egatees, as estab"is'ed &or
testa$entary s*ccessions by Artic"es 1016 /o"d Art. 9F;
and 1019, and intended to r e)"ace s*c' accretion (it'
re)resentation
o /b Re&*sed, "i!e(ise, t'e r*"e o& Artic"e F<6 /re)rod*ced
&ro$ Artic"e 67 o& t'e ode o& 1FF9 )roviding t'at: Heirs
instit*ted (it'o*t designation o& s'ares s'a"" in'erit in
eC*a" )arts, ('ic' (o*"d not obtain i& t'e rig't o&
re)resentation (ere to a))"y
o /c Reected 2na""y t'e r*"e o& Artic"e 10;; /o"d Art. 9F6,
t'at vacancies in t'e &ree )art s'o*"d b e 2"ed according to
t'e r*"es o& accretion or s*bstit*tion /not re)resentation
and in de&a*"t o& t'ese t(o, *"ti$ate"y in'erited by t'e
testators o(n 'eirs intestate.
• 'ere is no do*bt t'at, t'e testators intention being t'e
cardina" r*"e o& s*ccession in t'e absence o& co$)*"sory
/&orced 'eirs, 'e co*"d 'ave rendered ino)erative a"" t'e
artic"es $entioned, i& 'e 'ad so desired.
• B*t (it'o*t any ot'er s*))orting circ*$stances, t'e o*rt
dee$ed t'e e5)ression Go a s*s desecendientes "egiti$os,G t'e
testator Benigno Dia# did intend to circ*$vent a"" t'e "ega"
)rovisions 'ereto&ore C*oted. t (as inc*$bent *)on a))e""ant
to )rove s*c' intention on t'e )art o& t'e testator yet s'e 'as
not done so.
• Wyeth, et al., vs. Crane : 'e $eaning o& t'e (ord
GdescendantsG, ('en *sed in a (i"" or deed to designate a c"ass
to ta!e )ro)erty )assing by t'e (i"" or deed, 'as been
&reC*ent"y considered and decided by t'e o*rt o& Ing"and and
t'e Enited 4tates.
o 'ey estab"is'ed r*"e in Ing"and &ro$ an ear"y date (as
t'at t'e (ord GdescendantsG or t'e (ord Giss*edG
*ne5)"ained by anyt'ing in t'e conte5t o& t'e instr*$ent,
$eans a"" )ersons descending "inea""y &r o$ anot'er, to t'e
re$otest degree, and inc"*des )ersons descended, even
t'o*g' t'eir )arents are "iving, and t'at s*c' descendants
ta!e )er ca)ita stri)es.
• n t'e absence o& ot'er indications o& contrary intent, t'e
)ro)er r*"e to a))"y in t'e instant case is t'at t'e testator, by
designating a c"ass or gro*) o& "egatees, intended a"" $e$bers
t'ereo& to s*cceed )er ca)ita, in consonance (it' artic"e F<6.
• 4o t'at t'e origina" "egacy to %i"o$ena Dia# s'o*"d be eC*a""y
divided a$ong 'er s*rviving c'i"dren and grandc'i"dren.