Rodriguez vs. Rodriguez (Sept. 11, 2007)

8/9/2019 Rodriguez vs. Rodriguez (Sept. 11, 2007)

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B?>R>A;R>, t#e "o$*aint is @'@>. P*ainti is

ordered to $ay attorneyCs ees o P10,000.00 and t#e costs o suit in a%or

o deendants.

; ;R>R>./

;n a$$ea*, t#e R" re%ersed t#e decision o t#e '". @t #e*d t#at

$etitionerCs certiicate o tit*e is a conc*usi%e e%idence o owners#i$ o t#e *and

described t#erein9 and t#at un*ess and unti* said tit*e #as been annu**ed by a court

o co$etent 8urisdiction, suc# tit*e is e+istin! and %a*id. #is is true a*so wit#

res$ect to t#e deed o sa*e. #e $resent action, w#ic# in%o*%es on*y t#e issue o

$#ysica* or ateria* $ossession, is not t#e $ro$er action to c#a**en!e it. Aurt#er,

t#e '" erred w#en it re*ied #ea%i*y on t#e R>A;R>, $reises considered, t#e decision rendered by

t#e 'etro$o*itan ria* "ourt, 6ranc# 4, 'aati "ity, is #ereby ordered

R>D>R> &N > &@>. "onseEuent*y, 8ud!ent is #ereby

rendered orderin! t#e deendants and a** $ersons c*aiin! ri!#ts under

t#e to %acate t#e $reises and surrender t#e $ossession t#ereo to t#e$*ainti. eendants are *iewise ordered to $ay 8oint*y and se%era**y

t#e $*ainti an aount oP5,000.00 a ont# $er unit be!innin! 1

&u!ust 2001 unti* t#ey ina**y %acate t#e $reises and t#e costs o t#is

suit.

; ;R>R>./

&!!rie%ed, res$ondents i*ed a $etition or re%iew beore t#e "ourt o

&$$ea*s w#ic# re%ersed and set aside t#e decision o t#e R" and reinstated t#edecision o t#e '". @t #e*d t#at t#e '" correct*y recei%ed e%idence on

owners#i$ since t#e Euestion o $ossession cou*d not be reso*%ed wit#out decidin!

t#e issue o owners#i$. Aurt#er, t#eHuling Habilin at Testamentotransitted

owners#i$ o t#e s$eciic a$artents not on*y to t#e res$ondents but a*so to t#e
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$etitioner9 and $ursuant t#ereto, t#e $arties e+ecuted t#e Partition &!reeent in

accordance wit# t#e wis#es o t#e testator, t#us:

B?>R>A;R>, t#is "ourt reso*%es to R>D>R> and >

&@> t#e ecision o t#e Re!iona* ria* "ourt. #e decisiondated Aebruary 24, 2002 o t#e 'etro$o*itan ria* "ourt, 6ranc#

4, 'aati "ity in "i%i* "ase No. 75717 disissin! t#e co$*aint or

e8ectent is #ereby R>@N&>.

; ;R>R>./10

#e otion or reconsideration was denied #ence, $etitioner i*ed t#e

$resent $etition or re%iew raisin! t#e o**owin! errors:

@.

?> ";FR ;A &PP>& ";''@> & R>D>R@6> >RR;R

;A &B &N GR&D> &6F> ;A @"R>@;N @N R>D>R@NG

&N >@NG &@> ?> >"@@;N ;A ?> R>G@;N& R@&

";FR &N R>@N&@NG ?> >"@@;N ;A ?>

'>R;P;@&N R@& ";FR @'@@NG P>@@;N>RC

";'P&@N A;R FN&BAF >&@N>R.

@@.

?> ";FR ;A &PP>& ";''@> & R>D>R@6> >RR;R

;A &B &N GR&D> &6F> ;A @"R>@;N @N >"&R@NG

?& ?> PR;P>RY, & P&R"> ;A &N FP;N B?@"? &

A@D>-FN@ &P&R'>N &N, 6>"&'> ?> F63>" ;A

3F&N@; R;R@GF>HCHULING HABILIN AT

TESTAMENTOB?>R>@N ?> PR;P>RY B& @R@6F> ;

?@ ?>@R (?>R>@N R>P;N>N) @N"F@NG ?>

R>P;N>N (P>@@;N>R ?>R>@N)./11

Petitioner a**e!es t#at as t#e re!istered owner o t#e sub8ect $ro$erty, s#e

en8oys t#e ri!#t o $ossession t#ereo and t#at Euestion o owners#i$ cannot be

raised in an e8ectent case un*ess it is intertwined wit# t#e issue o

$ossession. B#i*e t#e court ay *oo into t#e e%idence o tit*e or owners#i$ and


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$ossession de ureto deterine t#e nature o $ossession, it cannot reso*%e t#e issue

o owners#i$ because t#e reso*ution o said issue wou*d eect an ad8udication on

owners#i$ w#ic# is not $ro$er in t#e suary action or un*awu*

detainer. Petitioner insists t#at t#e "ourt o &$$ea*s erred in ru*in! t#at t#eHuling

Habilin at Testamentotransitted owners#i$ o t#e s$eciic a$artentsdisre!ardin! t#e act t#at t#e sae is not $robated yet and t#at t#e testator c#an!ed

or re%oed #is wi** by se**in! t#e $ro$erty to $etitioner $rior to #is deat#.

"ontrari*y, res$ondents $ray t#at t#e instant $etition or re%iew be disissed

since t#e reso*ution o t#e Euestion o owners#i$ by t#e '" and t#e "ourt o

&$$ea*s was $ro%isiona* on*y to reso*%e t#e issue o $ossession. Petitioner can

a*ways a%ai* o *e!a* reedies to #a%e t#e issue o owners#i$ $assed u$on by t#e

$ro$er court. &ware o t#e $ro%isiona* nature o t#e reso*ution on owners#i$ ine8ectent cases, res$ondents i*ed "i%i* "ase No. 01-141 to assai* t#e %a*idity o

t#e deed o sa*e o t#e $ro$erty and t#e re!istration t#ereo in $etitionerCs nae.

#e $etition #as erit.

&n action or un*awu* detainer e+ists w#en a $erson un*awu**y wit##o*ds

$ossession o any *and or bui*din! a!ainst or ro a *essor, %endor, %endee or ot#er

$ersons, ater t#e e+$iration or terination o t#e ri!#t to #o*d $ossession, by

%irtue o any contract, e+$ress or i$*ied. /12 #e so*e issue to be reso*%ed is t#eEuestion as to w#o is entit*ed to t#e $#ysica* or ateria* $ossession o t#e $reises

or $ossession de !acto./1 6ein! a suary $roceedin! intended to $ro%ide an

e+$editious eans o $rotectin! actua* $ossession or ri!#t to $ossession o

$ro$erty, t#e Euestion o tit*e is not in%o*%ed/1and s#ou*d be raised by t#e aected

$arty in an a$$ro$riate action in t#e $ro$er court./15

?owe%er, w#en t#e issue o owners#i$ is raised t#e court is not ousted o its

8urisdiction. ection 14 o Ru*e 70 o t#e Ru*es o "ourt $ro%ides:>" 14. "esol#ing de!ense o! o$ners%i&. I B#en t#e deendant

raises t#e deense o owners#i$ in #is $*eadin!s and t#e Euestion o

$ossession cannot be reso*%ed wit#out decidin! t#e issue o owners#i$,

t#e issue o owners#i$ s#a** be reso*%ed on*y to deterine t#e issue o

$ossession.
http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/september2007/175720.htm#_ftn12http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/september2007/175720.htm#_ftn13http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/september2007/175720.htm#_ftn14http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/september2007/175720.htm#_ftn15http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/september2007/175720.htm#_ftn12http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/september2007/175720.htm#_ftn13http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/september2007/175720.htm#_ftn14http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/september2007/175720.htm#_ftn15


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#us, a** t#at t#e tria* court can do is to ae an initia* deterination o w#o is t#e

owner o t#e $ro$erty so t#at it can reso*%e w#o is entit*ed to its $ossession absent

ot#er e%idence to reso*%e owners#i$./146ut t#is ad8udication is on*y $ro%isiona*and does not bar or $re8udice an action between t#e sae $arties in%o*%in! tit*e to

t#e $ro$erty./17

@n t#e case at bar, $etitionerCs cause o action or un*awu* detainer was

based on #er a**e!ed owners#i$ o *and co%ered by " No. 1501 and t#at s#e

ere*y to*erated res$ondentsC stay t#ereat. ?owe%er, w#en res$ondents *eased t#e

a$artents to ot#er $ersons wit#out #er consent, t#eir $ossession as we** as t#ose

$ersons c*aiin! ri!#t under t#e becae un*awu* u$on t#eir reusa* to %acate

t#e $reises and to $ay t#e rent. ;n t#e ot#er #and, res$ondents assai*ed

$etitionerCs tit*e by c*aiin! t#at t#e deed o sa*e u$on w#ic# it was based was

siu*ated and %oid. #ey insisted t#at t#ey were co-owners t#us, t#ey #a%e t#e

ri!#t to $ossess t#e said $ro$erty. o $ro%e t#eir c*ai, t#ey $resented t#eHuling

Habilin at Testamentoo 3uanito Rodri!ue and t#e Partition &!reeent.

#e *ower courts considered t#e o**owin! docuentary e%idence in arri%in!

at t#eir res$ecti%e decisions, albeitt#e R" decision contradicts t#at o t#e '"

and "ourt o &$$ea*s: 1)Huling Habilin at Testamentoe+ecuted by 3uanitoRodri!ue on ;ctober 27, 19 2) eed o a*e o t#e $ro$erty e+ecuted by

3uanito Rodri!ue and t#e $etitioner on 3une 1, 19 ) " No. 1501 in t#e

nae o t#e $etitioner9 and ) t#e &u!ust 2, 10 Partition &!reeent e+ecuted

by bot# t#e res$ondents and t#e $etitioner.

6ased on t#e ore!oin! docuentary e%idence, we ind t#at t#ere is

$re$onderance o e%idence in a%or o t#e $etitionerCs c*ai. Res$ondents ai*ed to

$ro%e t#eir ri!#t o $ossession, as t#eHuling Habilin at Testamentoand t#e

Partition &!reeent #a%e no *e!a* eect since t#e wi** #as not been

$robated. 6eore any wi** can #a%e orce or %a*idity it ust be $robated. #is

cannot be dis$ensed wit# and is a atter o $ub*ic $o*icy./1 &rtic*e o t#e

"i%i* "ode andates t#at


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can not be !i%en eect. #us, t#e act t#at $etitioner was a $arty to said a!reeent

becoes iateria* in t#e deterination o t#e issue o $ossession.

'oreo%er, at t#e tie t#e deed o sa*e was e+ecuted in a%or o t#e

$etitioner, 3uanito Rodri!ue reained t#e owner t#ereo since owners#i$ wou*don*y $ass to #is #eirs at t#e tie o #is deat#. #us, as owner o t#e $ro$erty, #e

#ad t#e abso*ute ri!#t to dis$ose o it durin! #is *ietie. Now, w#et#er or not t#e

dis$osition was %a*id is an issue t#at can be reso*%ed on*y in "i%i* "ase No. 01-

141, an action instituted by t#e res$ondents or t#at $ur$ose.

Be are, t#us, *et wit# t#e deed o sa*e and t#e certiicate o tit*e o%er t#e

$ro$erty to consider.

Be a!ree wit# t#e R" t#at a certiicate o tit*e is a conc*usi%e e%idence o

owners#i$ o t#e *and described t#erein9 t#e %a*idity o w#ic# s#a** not be sub8ect

to a co**atera* attac, es$ecia**y in an e8ectent case w#ic# is suary in nature.

@n"oss "ica Sales *enter+ Inc. #. Ong,/1t#e "ourt #e*d t#at:

#e *on! sett*ed ru*e is t#at t#e issue o owners#i$ cannot be

sub8ect o a co**atera* attac.

@nA&ostol #. *ourt o! A&&eals, t#is "ourt #ad t#e occasion to

c*ariy t#is:

. . . Fnder ection o Presidentia* ecree No.

152, a certiicate o tit*e s#a** not be sub8ect to co**atera*

attac. @t cannot be a*tered, odiied or cance**ed, e+ce$t in

a direct $roceedin! or t#at $ur$ose in accordance wit# *aw.

#e issue o t#e %a*idity o t#e tit*e o t#e res$ondents can

on*y be assai*ed in an action e+$ress*y instituted or t#at

$ur$ose. B#et#er or not t#e $etitioners #a%e t#e ri!#t toc*ai owners#i$ o%er t#e $ro$erty is beyond t#e $ower o

t#e court a Euo to deterine in an action or un*awu*

detainer.

Aurt#er, in *o #. Militar,/20it was #e*d t#at:


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/#e orrens yste was ado$ted in t#is country because it was

be*ie%ed to be t#e ost eecti%e easure to !uarantee t#e inte!rity o

*and tit*es and to $rotect t#eir indeeasibi*ity once t#e c*ai o owners#i$

is estab*is#ed and reco!nied.

@t is sett*ed t#at a orrens "ertiicate o tit*e is indeeasib*e andbindin! u$on t#e w#o*e wor*d un*ess and unti* it #as been nu**iied by a

court o co$etent 8urisdiction. Fnder e+istin! statutory and decisiona*

*aw, t#e $ower to $ass u$on t#e %a*idity o suc# certiicate o tit*e at t#e

irst instance $ro$er*y be*on!s to t#e Re!iona* ria* "ourts in a direct

$roceedin! or cance**ation o tit*e.

&s t#e re!istered owner, $etitioner #ad a ri!#t to t#e $ossession

o t#e $ro$erty, w#ic# is one o t#e attributes o owners#i$. + + +

Be e$#asie, #owe%er, t#at our ru*in! on t#e issue o owners#i$ is on*y

$ro%isiona* to deterine w#o between t#e $arties #as t#e better ri!#t o

$ossession. @t is, t#ereore, not conc*usi%e as to t#e issue o owners#i$, w#ic# is

t#e sub8ect atter o "i%i* "ase No. 01-141. ;ur ru*in! t#at $etitioner #as a

better ri!#t o $ossession was arri%ed at on t#e basis o e%idence wit#out $re8udice

to t#e e%entua* outcoe o t#e annu*ent case, w#ere t#e issue as to w#o #as tit*e

to t#e $ro$erty in Euestion is u**y t#res#ed out. &s t#e *aw now stands, in an

e8ectent suit, t#e Euestion o owners#i$ ay be $ro%isiona**y ru*ed u$on or t#e

so*e $ur$ose o deterinin! w#o is entit*ed to $ossession de !acto.

WHEREFORE, in %iew o t#e ore!oin!, t#e ecision o t#e "ourt o

&$$ea*s in "&-G.R. P No. 12 dated 3une 27, 2004 is REVERSED and SET

ASIDE. #e ecision o t#e Re!iona* ria*"ourt o 'aati "ity, 6ranc# 1, in

"i%i* "ase No. 0-517, re%ersin! t#e ecision o t#e 'etro$o*itan ria* "ourt

('") o 'aati "ity, 6ranc# 4, in "i%i* "ase No. 75717, is REINSTATED.

SO ORDERED.

Documents

Rodriguez vs. Rodriguez (Sept. 11, 2007)