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G.R.No.168960

RepublicofthePhilippines
SupremeCourt
Manila

FIRSTDIVISION

AMELIAB.HEBRON,
Petitioner,

versus

FRANCOL.LOYOLA,
ANGELOL.LOYOLA,
RAFAELL.LOYOLA,
ARMANDOL.LOYOLA,
SENENL.LOYOLA,
MA.VENUSL.RONQUILLO,
PERLAL.ABADandthe
IntestateEstateofEDUARDO
L.LOYOLA,CARMELITAA.
MANABO,HERMINIA
AGUINALDOROSAS,DIGNA
AGUINALDOVALENCIA,
ROGELIOAGUINALDO,
MILAAGUINALDODIAZ,
BABYAGUINALDO,RUBEN
LOYOLAsubstitutedbyJosefina
C.Loyola,GlesildaA.Legosto,
EvelynC.Loyola,MarinaC.
Loyola,AureC.Loyola,Corazon
C.LugardaandJovenFrancisco

G.R.No.168960

Present:

CORONA,C.J.,Chairperson,
VELASCO,JR.,

C.Loyola,LORENZOLOYOLA,
CANDELARIALOYOLA,
NICANDROLOYOLA,FLORA
LOYOLA,TERESITAL.
ALZONA,VICENTELOYOLA,

LEONARDODECASTRO,
DELCASTILLO,and
PEREZ,JJ.

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ROSARIOL.LONTOC,
SERAFINLOYOLA,ROBERTO
LOYOLA,BIBIANOLOYOLA,
PURITALOYOLA,ESTELA
LOYOLA,ESTERDANICO,
EDUARDODANICO,EMELITA
DANICO,MERCEDITA
DANICO,HONESTODANICO,
DANTEDANICO,ERLINDA
DANICODOMINGUEZrepre
sentedbyTeodoroDominguez
andBeverlyAnneDominguez,
EFRENCABIGANand
ISIDROCABIGAN,
Respondents.

ALBERTOL.BAUTISTA
representedbyFelicidadG.
Bautista,AgnesB.Zulueta,
AyreenB.Alba,Joseph
AnthonyG.Bautista,AnnJanet
G.BautistaandALFREDOL.
BAUTISTA,
UnwillingRespondents.

Promulgated:
July5,2010

xx

DECISION

DELCASTILLO,J.:

Courts, not being omniscient, can only strive to determine what actually and truly
transpiredbasedontheevidencebeforeitandtheimperfectrulesthatweredesignedtoassistin
establishingthetruthindisputedsituations.Despitethedifficultiesinascertainingthetruth,the
courts must ultimately decide. In civil cases, its decision must rest on preponderance of
admissibleevidence.

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[1]
ThispetitionforreviewassailstheFebruary22,2005Decision andtheJuly7,2005
[2]
Resolution of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CAG.R. CV. No. 64105. The CA partially
[3]
grantedtheappealbeforeitandmodifiedtheJune22,1999Decision oftheRegionalTrial
Court(RTC)ofCavite,Branch20,whichorderedthepartitionoftwoparcelsoflandamongthe
sevensetsofplaintiffs(respondentsherein).

FactualAntecedents

Thiscaseoriginatedfromasuitforpartitionanddamagesconcerningthetwoparcelsof
landdenominatedasLotNos.730and879oftheCarmonacadastre.LotNo.730,withanarea
of17,688squaremeters,wasownedbyRemigiaBaylonwhowasmarriedtoJanuarioLoyola.
LotNo.879,withanareaof10,278squaremeterswasownedbyJanuarioLoyola,thehusband
ofRemigiaBaylon.JanuarioandRemigiahadsevenchildren,namelyConrado,Jose,Benjamin,
Candida,Soledad,CristetaandEncarnacion,allsurnamedLoyola.

TheadministrationofthesaidlotswasentrustedtoEncarnacionLoyolaBautista.Allthe
heirsofJanuarioandRemigiareceivedtheirsharesinthefruitsofthesubjectpropertiesduring
Encarnacion's administration thereof. With the latter's death on September 15, 1969,
administrationofthesubjectpropertieswasassumedbyherdaughter,AmeliaBautistaHebron,
who,aftersometime,startedwithholdingthesharesofCandidaandtheheirsofConrado.By
thetimepartitionofthesaidpropertieswasformallydemandedonNovember4,1990,Candida
wastheonlyonestilllivingamongthechildrenofJanuarioandRemigia.Therestweresurvived
andrepresentedbytheirrespectivedescendantsandchildren,towit:

1.ConradoLoyola,byhischildren,RubenLoyola,nowsubstitutedbyhisheirs,namely,
Josefina,Edgardo,Evelyn,Marina,Aure,CorazonandJovenFrancisco,allsurnamedLoyola,
and respondents Lorenzo Loyola, Candelaria Loyola, Flora Loyola, Nicardo Loyola, Teresita
LoyolaAlonza,VicenteLoyolaandRosarioLoyolaLontoc

2.JoseLoyola,byhischildren,respondentsSerafinLoyola,BibianoLoyola,Roberto
Loyola,PuritaLoyolaLebrudoandEstelaLoyola
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3.BenjaminLoyola,byhischildren,respondentsFrancoLoyola,AngeloLoyola,Rafael
Loyola,SenenLoyola,PerlaLoyolaAbad,Ma.VenusLoyolaRonquillo,ArmandoLoyolaas
wellashisdaughterinlawbyhisson,EduardoLoyola,respondentCarmenHermosa

4. Soledad Loyola, by her children, respondents Ester Danico, Eduardo Danico,

MerceditaDanico,HonestoDanico,EmelitaDanicoandDanteDanico

5.CristetaLoyola,byherchildren,respondentsEfrenCabiganandIsidroCabiganand

6.EncarnacionLoyolaBautista,byherson,respondentAlfredoBautista,bypetitioner
AmeliaBautistaHebron,andbyherdaughterinlawbyherson,AlbertoBautista,respondent
Felicidad Bautista, and the latter's children, respondents Anjanet, Agnes, Ayren and Joseph
Anthony,allsurnamedBautista.

Forpetitioner'sfailuretoheedtheirformaldemand,respondentsfiledwiththeRTCof
Imus,Cavite,Branch20,thecomplaintforpartitionanddamagesfromwhichtheinstantsuit
stemmed. While manifesting her conformity to the partition demanded by her coheirs,
petitionerclaimedinheramendedanswerthatCandidaandtheheirsofConradohavealready
relinquishedtheirsharesinconsiderationofthefinancialsupportextendedthembyhermother,
Encarnacion.Inthepretrialorder,thetrialcourtconsequentlylimitedtheissuetoberesolvedto
theveracityoftheaforesaidwaiverorassignmentofsharesclaimedbypetitioner.

Trialonthemeritsthenensued.Whileconcedingtheirreceiptoffinancialassistance
fromEncarnacion,CandidaandtheheirsofConradomaintainedthatadequaterecompensehad
beeneffectivelymadewhentheyworkedwithoutpayattheformer'sricemillandhouseholdor,
inthecaseofCarmelitaAguinaldoManabo,whenshesubsequentlysurrenderedherearningsas
apublicschoolteachertohersaidaunt.

RulingoftheRegionalTrialCourt

OnJune22,1999,thetrialcourtrenderedaDecisiongrantingthepartitionsought.The
dispositiveportionoftheDecisionstates:
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WHEREFORE,inviewoftheforegoing,judgmentisherebyrenderedorderingthe
partitionofthefollowingrealproperties,towit:

1.TheparceloflandknownasLot730oftheCarmonaCadastrewithanareaof17,688
sq.metersmoreoflessand

2.theparceloflandknownasLot879oftheCarmonaCadastrewithanareaof10,278
sq.meters,moreofless

amongalltheseven(7)setsofplaintiffsinseven(7)equalparts.

Inthisregard,thepartiesaredirectedwithinthirty(30)daysfromreceipthereoftomake
thepartitionofthetwo(2)lotsamongthemselvesshouldtheyagree,andthereafter,tosubmitin
Courttheirdeedofpartitionforitsconfirmation.

[4]
SOORDERED.

RulingoftheCourtofAppeals

Petitioner,thedefendantinthecasebeforetheRTC,appealedtheDecisiontotheCA.
TheCAfoundthepetitionerentitledtoparticipateinthepartitionofthesubjectproperties.It
stated that petitioner's inadvertent exclusion from the partition of the subject properties arose
fromthetrialcourt'suseofthephrase"seven(7)setsofplaintiffs"inthedispositiveportionof
theappealedDecisioninsteadofthemoreaccurate"seven(7)setsofheirs."

TheCAhowever,likethetrialcourt,foundthatpetitionerwasnotabletoprovethe
existenceofthewaiverorassignmentoftheirsharesbyCandidaandtheheirsofConrado.The
dispositiveportionoftheDecisionstates:

WHEREFORE,theappealisPARTIALLYGRANTEDandtheappealedJune22,
1999decisionis,accordingly,MODIFIEDtoincludeappellant'sparticipationinthepartitionof
thesubjectparcelsasoneoftheheirsofEncarnacionLoyolaBautista.TherestisAFFIRMED
[5]
intoto.

TheCAdeniedthemotionforreconsiderationfiledbypetitioner.Hence,petitioner
elevatedthecasetousviathepresentpetitionforreview.

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Issues

Petitionerraisesthefollowingissues:

I
WHETHERXXXTHEAPPELLATECOURTERREDINAFFIRMINGTHERULINGOF
THETRIALCOURTTHATTHEBURDENOFPROOFWASSHIFTEDTODEFENDANT
APPELLANT AMELIA B. HEBRON AND THAT THE LATTER FAILED TO
SUBSTANTIATEHERCLAIMWITHPREPONDERANCEOFEVIDENCE.

II
WHETHERXXXTHEAPPELLATECOURTERREDINAFFIRMINGTHERULINGOF
THETRIALCOURTTHATASPOUSEPRESENTCANNOTRELINQUISHTHESHARES
IN THE PARCELS OF LAND IF IT WILL DEPRIVE MINOR CHILDREN OF THEIR
HEREDITARYRIGHTS.

III
WHETHERXXXTHEAPPELLATECOURTERREDINAFFIRMINGTHERULINGOF
THE TRIAL COURT THAT NO CONCRETE PROOF EVIDENCING THE SALE OR
ASSIGNMENT OF SHARES OF CANDIDA LOYOLAAGUINALDO AND CONRADO
LOYOLAINTHETWOPARCELSOFLANDINFAVOROFPETITIONER'SMOTHER,
ENCARNACION LOYOLABAUTISTA, HAD BEEN PRESENTED BY PETITIONER
DURINGTHETRIALDESPITETHEEXISTENCEOFPAROLEVIDENCEBYWAYOF
ANEXCEPTIONTOTHESTATUTEOFFRAUDS.

IV
WHETHERXXXTHEAPPELLATECOURTCOMMITTEDAREVERSIBLEERRORIN
NOT CONSIDERING THAT CANDIDA LOYOLAAGUINALDO AND THE HEIRS OF
CONRADOLOYOLAAREBARREDBYESTOPPELINASSERTINGTHATTHEYARE
[6]
STILLENTITLEDTOSHAREINTHEQUESTIONEDPARCELSOFLAND.

Petitioner'sArguments

Petitionercontendsthatshehasnoaffirmativeallegationtoprove,hence,theburdenof
proofisonrespondentsandnotonher.Andifatall,shehasproventhatCandidaandtheheirsof
Conradohaverelinquishedtheirrespectiveshares.

ShefurthercontendsthatownershipofinheritedpropertiesdoesnotfallunderArticles
321and323oftheCivilCodeandthus,thepropertiesinheritedbythechildrenofConradocan
bealienatedbytheirmother,Victorina,infavorofpetitioner'smother.
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Petitioneralsocontendsthatherparolevidenceprovedtheallegedexecutedagreementof
waiverofsharesinthetwosubjectinheritedpropertiesinconsiderationoftheeducationaland
otherfinancialsupportextendedbyEncarnaciontoCandidaandConrado'srespectivefamilies.

Finally,petitionerpositsthatCandidaandtheheirsofConradoareestoppedbylaches
fromassertingtheirentitlementtosharesinthesubjectproperties.

Respondents'Arguments

Ontheotherhand,respondentsarguethatCandidaandtheheirsofConradohavenot
relinquished their shares in the litigated properties. They insist that the alleged agreement of
relinquishmentofsharescannotbeprovedbyparolevidence.

Theyalsocontendthatalltheissuesraisedarefactualinnature,andthefindingsoffactof
the CA are final and conclusive and thus, may not be the subject of review by the Supreme
Court,absentanyoftherecognizedexceptionstothesaidrule.

OurRuling

Thepetitionhasnomerit.
BurdenofProof

Rule131oftheRulesofCourtstates:

Section1.BurdenofProof.Burdenofproofisthedutyofapartytopresentevidenceon
thefactsinissuenecessarytoestablishhisclaimordefensebytheamountofevidencerequired
bylaw.(Emphasissupplied)

Fromtheaboveprovisionitisclearthatthedefendant,notonlytheplaintiff,alsohasa
burdenofproof.Theplaintiffshavethedutytoestablishtheirclaims.And,itisthedefendants
whohavethedutytoestablishtheirdefenses.

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Childrenofthedeceased,likeCandidaandhersiblings,arecompulsoryheirswhoare
entitled to a share in the properties of the deceased. Art. 980 of the Civil Code states: "The
childrenofthedeceasedshallalwaysinheritfromhimintheirownright,dividingtheinheritance
inequalshares."TheheirsofConradoarealsoheirsofRemigiaandJanuario,beingthechildren
of a child of Remigia and Januario and as such are entitled to their shares in the estate of
[7]
RemigiaandJanuario.

PetitionerhasadmittedinheranswerthatrespondentsareheirsofRemigiaandJanuario
[8]
[9]
and that the two subject properties were left behind by Remigia and Januario. "An
admission,verbalorwritten,madebyapartyinthecourseoftheproceedingsinthesamecase,
[10]
doesnotrequireproof."
Hence,wefindnoerrorcommittedbytheCAwhenitaffirmedthe
rulingofthetrialcourtthattheburdenwasonpetitionertoestablishheraffirmativedefenseof
waiverorsaleofthesharesofCandidaandtheheirsofConrado.

ThedefenseofpetitioneristhatCandidaandtheheirsofConradohavewaivedorsold
theirsharesinthesubjectproperties.Thisallegedfactisdeniedbytherespondents.Hence,this
isthefactthatisatissueandthisallegedfacthastobeprovenbypetitioner,whoistheonewho
raisedthesaidallegedfact.Theburdenofproofofthedefenseofwaiverorsaleisonpetitioner.

Whetherpetitionerhasbeenabletoprovethesaidfactisundoubtedlyaquestionoffact,
notoflaw.Itinvolvestheweighingandcalibrationoftheevidencepresented.Intheabsenceof
any of the exceptions that call for the Court to do so, the Court will not disturb the factual
findingsoftheRTCthatwereaffirmedbytheCAinthepresentcase.

SharesofMinorChildren

TheminorchildrenofConradoinheritedbyrepresentationinthepropertiesoftheir
grandparentsRemigiaandJanuario.These children, not their mother Victorina, were the co
ownersoftheinheritedproperties.Victorinahadnoauthorityorhadactedbeyondherpowersin
conveying,ifshedidindeedconvey,tothepetitionersmothertheundividedshareofherminor
childreninthepropertyinvolvedinthiscase.Thepowersgiventoherbythelawsasthenatural
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guardiancoversonlymattersofadministrationandcannotincludethepowerofdisposition.She
should have first secured the permission of the court before she alienated that portion of the
[11]
property in question belonging to her minor children.
In a number of cases, where the
guardians,mothersorgrandmothers,didnotseekcourtapprovalofthesaleofpropertiesoftheir
[12]
wards,minorchildren,theCourtdeclaredthesalesvoid.

AlthoughtheCAinaccuratelycitedArticles321and323oftheCivilCode,itsconclusion
thatVictorinahadnocapacitytorelinquishherchildren'ssharesintheinheritedpropertieswas,
nevertheless,correct.

EvidenceofSale/WaiverofSharesinRealProperties

Onthisfactualissuetoo,wefindnoreasontodisturbthefindingoftheCAaffirmingthat
of the RTC that petitioner failed to prove by preponderance of evidence her alleged fact of
relinquishment,bysaleorwaiver,ofthesharesofCandidaandtheheirsofConrado.Again,the
courthasnodutytodelveintoandweighthepiecesofevidencepresentedbythepartiesand
passeduponbyboththeRTCandtheCAwithconsistentconclusionsonthismatterandabsent
theotherexceptionstothegeneralrule.Nevertheless,wedidso,butfindnoerrorinthefindings
oftheRTCandtheCAonthisissue.

Theverysketchyandpartlyhearsaytestimonyofpetitionerwasresoundinglyrebuttedby
the testimonies of the respondents. The hearsay letter of Soledad, selfserving entries of
relinquishment in the notebook of accounts and tampered notebook of educational expenses
hintingatarelinquishmentofsharescannotbegivenweight.Moreover,thesewererefutedby
the presentation of document embodying the notarized extrajudicial partition establishing no
suchrelinquishment.Theevidencedoesnotpreponderateinfavorofpetitioner.

Absentapreponderanceofevidenceonthefactinissueofrelinquishmentofshares,then
CandidaandtheheirsofConrado,asadmittedheirsofRemigiaandJanuario,areentitledtotheir
sharesinthetwosubjectproperties.

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Laches

Lachesisthefailureoforneglectforanunreasonableandunexplainedlengthoftimeto
dothatwhichbyexercisingduediligence,couldorshouldhavebeendoneearlier,ortoasserta
rightwithinreasonabletime,warrantingapresumptionthatthepartyentitledtheretohaseither
[13]
abandoneditordeclinedtoassertit.

Inthepresentcase,thebookofaccounts,showingtherecordofreceiptsofsomeheirsof
theirshares,hasrepeatedentriesinAmelia'shandwritingthatCandidaandtheheirsofConrado
arenolongerentitledtosharesinthefruitsofthepropertiesinlitigationbecausetheyhavesold
orgiventheirshareinthesaidpropertiestoEncarnacion.TheseentriesonlyprovethatAmelia
no longer recognized the entitlement of Candida and the heirs of Conrado to their respective
shares.ItisrelevanttonotehoweverthattheentriesinthebookofaccountsstartedonlyonJuly
17,1986.Hence,thereisdefiniteproofofnonrecognitionbypetitionerofCandidaandtheheirs
ofConrado'sentitlementtosharesinthesubjectpropertiesstartingonlyonJuly17,1986.Before
thistime,duringtheadministrationofthepropertiesbyEncarnacionLoyolaBautistaandsome
undeterminednumberofyearsafterherdeath,CandidaandtheheirsofConradowereprovento
havebeenreceivingtheirsharesinthefruitsofthesubjectproperties.

Onrecordisthewrittendemandletterforpartitionofthelitigatedpropertiessignedby
CandidaandtheheirsofConradodatedNovember4,1990.Thecomplaintforpartitionwas
subsequentlyfiledonFebruary23,1993.

FromJuly17,1986,toNovember4,1990only4yearshaveelapsed.EvenfromJuly17,
1986toFebruary23,1993justsixyearshavepassed.Consideringthatthepartiesareclosely
relatedtoeachotherandconsideringalsothatthepartiesaremanydifferentheirs,someofwhom
resideoutsidethePhilippines,thepassageofsixyearsbeforetherespondentsaskedforpartition
throughthecourtisnotunreasonable.Wefindrespondentsnotguiltyoflaches.

WHEREFOREthepetitionforreviewisDENIED.TheFebruary22,2005Decision
and the July 7, 2005 Resolution of the Court of Appeals in CAG.R. CV. No. 64105 are
AFFIRMED.
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Costsagainstpetitioner.

SOORDERED.

MARIANOC.DELCASTILLO

AssociateJustice

WECONCUR:

RENATOC.CORONA
Chiefjustice
Chairperson

PRESBITEROJ.VELASCO,JR.
AssociateJustice

TERESITAJ.LEONARDODECASTRO
AssociateJustice

JOSEPORTUGALPEREZ
AssociateJustice

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CERTIFICATION

PursuanttoSection13,ArticleVIIIoftheConstitution,Icertifythattheconclusionsin
theaboveDecisionhadbeenreachedinconsultationbeforethecasewasassignedtothewriterof
theopinionoftheCourtsDivision.

RENATOC.CORONA
ChiefJustice

[1]
Rollo,pp.3952pennedbyAssociateJusticeRebeccaDeGuiaSalvadorandconcurredinbyAssociateJustices
ConradoM.Vasquez,Jr.andAuroraSantiagoLagman.
[2]
Id.at3536.
[3]
Records,pp.262266pennedbyJudgeLucenitoN.Tagle
[4]
Id.at266.
[5]
Rollo,p.51.
[6]
Id.at106.
[7]
Art.981.Shouldchildrenofthedeceasedandthedescendantsofotherchildrenwhoaredead,survive,theformershall
inheritintheirownright,andthelatterbyrightofrepresentation.
[8]
Records,p.74.
[9]
Id.at75.
[10]
RULESOFCOURT,Rule130,Section4.
[11]
Badillov.Soromero,236Phil438,448449(1987).SeealsoNariov.PhilippineAmericanLifeIns.Co.126Phil.793,
801(1967).
[12]
Laforgav.Laforga,22Phil.374(1912)LedesmaHermanosv.Castro,55Phil.136(1930)Intonv.Quintana, 81
Phil.97,101(1948).
[13]
Velez,Sr.v.Rev.Demetrio,436Phil.1,78(2002).

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