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Jurisdiction
VILLENA vs. PAYOYO (April 27, 2007)
FACTS: Payoyo and Novaline, Inc., through its president, Villena,
entered into a contract for the delivery and installation of kitchen
cabinets in Payoyo's residence. The cabinets were to be delivered
within 90 days from downpayment of 50% of the purchase price. A
downpayment was paid. Another contract was entered into for the
delivery of home appliances and Villena also paid the downpayment.
Villena faled to install the kitchen cabinets and deliver the appliances.
Payoyo filed a complaint for recovery of a sum of money and
damages against Villena. Petitioner posits that the RTC has no
jurisdiction over the complaint since it is mainly for recovery of a sum
of money in the amount of P184,821.50 which is below the
jurisdictional amount set for RTCs.
ISSUE: Whether or not the trial court has jurisdiction over the case
RULING: YES, RTC has jurisdiction. In determining the jurisdiction
of an action whose subject is incapable of pecuniary estimation, the
nature of the principal action or remedy sought must first be
ascertained. If it is primarily for the recovery of a sum of money, the
claim is considered capable of pecuniary estimation and the
jurisdiction of the court depends on the amount of the claim. But,
where the primary issue is something other than the right to recover
a sum of money, where the money claim is purely incidental to, or a
consequence of, the principal relief sought, such are actions whose
subjects are incapable of pecuniary estimation, hence cognizable by
the RTCs.
Verily, what determines the nature of the action and which court
has jurisdiction over it are the allegations of the complaint and the
character of the relief sought.
The complaint, albeit entitled as one for collection of a
sum of money with damages, is one incapable of pecuniary
estimation; thus, one within the RTC's jurisdiction. The
allegations therein show that it is actually for breach of
contract. A case for breach of contract is a cause of action either for
specific performance or rescission of contracts.
An action for
rescission of contract, as a counterpart of an action for specific
performance, is incapable of pecuniary estimation, and therefore falls
under the jurisdiction of the RTC. The averments in the complaint
show that Payoyo sought the cancellation of the contracts and refund
of the downpayments since Villena failed to comply with the
obligation to deliver the appliances and install the kitchen cabinets
subject of the contracts. While the respondent prayed for the refund,
this is just incidental to the main action, which is the rescission or
cancellation of the contracts.
Petition DENIED.
(Jazzie Sarona )
LARANO vs. SPS. CALENDACION (June 19, 2007)
FACTS:
Larano owns a parcel of riceland.
Petitioner and
respondents executed a Contract to Sell. Downpayment of P 500,000
of the P 5M purchase price was made.
Pending full payment of the purchase price, possession of the
riceland was transferred to respondents under the condition that they
shall account for and deliver the harvest from said riceland to
petitioner. Respondents, however, failed to pay the installments and
to account for and deliver the harvest from said riceland.
Petitioner sent respondents a demand letter to vacate but such
demand went unheeded. Petitioner filed a complaint against the
respondents for unlawful detainer before the MTC, praying that
respondents be directed to vacate the riceland and to pay
P400,000.00 per year from September 1998 until they vacate, as
reasonable compensation for the use of the property, P120,000.00 as
attorneys fees, and P50,000.00 as litigation expenses. Respondents
alleged that the MTC has no jurisdiction over the case because the
complaint failed to allege that a demand to pay and to vacate the
riceland was made upon them.
ISSUE: Whether or not the complaint is one for unlawful detainer.
RULING: NO, it is not for unlawful detainer. Jurisdiction in
ejectment cases is determined by the allegations pleaded in the
complaint.
The test for determining the sufficiency of those
allegations is whether, admitting the facts alleged, the court can
render a valid judgment in accordance with the prayer of the plaintiff.
In unlawful detainer, the possession was originally lawful but
became unlawful by the expiration or termination of the right to
possess; hence, the issue of rightful possession is decisive for, in such
action, the defendant is in actual possession and the plaintiffs cause
of action is the termination of the defendants right to continue in
possession.
A third Motion to Dismiss Civil Case was filed by the petitioner with the
Manila RTC this time raising the issue of jurisdiction. The Manila RTC
denied petitioner's third Motion to Dismiss Civil Case on the ground
that petitioner was already estopped to raise the issue. Court of
Appeals affirmed the Manila RTC Orders.
ISSUE:Whether or not an appeal may be taken from an interlocutory
order
RULING:No appeal under Rule 45 of the Revised Rules of Court, may
be taken from an interlocutory order. In case of denial of an
interlocutory order, the immediate remedy available to the aggrieved
party is to file an appropriate Special Civil Action for Certiorari under
Rule
65
of
the
Revised
Rules
of
Court.
The word interlocutory refers to something intervening between the
commencement and the end of the suit which decides some point or
matter but is not a final decision of the whole controversy. A "final"
judgment or order is one that finally disposes of a case, leaving
nothing more to be done by the Court in respect thereto, e.g., an
adjudication on the merits which, on the basis of the evidence
presented on the trial, declares categorically what the rights and
obligations of the parties are and which party is in the right; or a
judgment or order that dismisses an action on the ground, for
instance, of res judicata or prescription. Once rendered, the task of the
Court is ended, as far as deciding the controversy or determining the
rights and liabilities of the litigants is concerned. Nothing more remains
to be done by the Court except to await the parties' next move (which
among others, may consist of the filing of a motion for new trial or
reconsideration, or the taking of an appeal) and ultimately, of course,
to cause the execution of the judgment once it becomes "final" or, to
use the established and more distinctive term, "final and executory."
Conversely, an order that does not finally dispose of the case, and
does not end the Court's task of adjudicating the parties' contentions
and determining their rights and liabilities as regards each other, but
obviously indicates that other things remain to be done by the Court, is
"interlocutory" e.g., an order denying motion to dismiss under Rule
16 of the Rules, or granting of motion on extension of time to file a
pleading, or authorizing amendment thereof, or granting or denying
applications for postponement, or production or inspection of
documents or things, etc. Unlike a "final" judgment or order, which
is appealable, as above pointed out, an "interlocutory" order may
not be questioned on appeal except only as part of an appeal that may
eventually be taken from the final judgment rendered in the case.
Since an Order denying a Motion to Dismiss does not finally
dispose of the case, and in effect, allows the case to proceed
until the final adjudication thereof by the court, then such
order
is
merely
interlocutory
in
nature.
We find occasion here to state the rule, once more, that an order
denying a motion to dismiss is merely interlocutory and
therefore not appealable, nor can it be subject of a petition for
review on certiorari. Such order may only be reviewed in the
ordinary course of law by an appeal from the judgment after trial. The
ordinary procedure to be followed in that event is to file an answer, go
to trial, and if the decision is adverse, reiterate the issue on appeal
from the final judgment.
As a general rule, an interlocutory order is not appealable until after
the rendition of the judgment on the merits for a contrary rule would
delay the administration of justice and unduly burden the courts.
However, we have ruled that certiorari is an appropriate remedy to
assail an interlocutory order (1) when the tribunal issued such order
without or in excess of jurisdiction or with grave abuse jurisdiction and
(2) when the assailed interlocutory order is patently erroneous and
the remedy of appeal would not afford adequate and expeditious
relief.
ISSUE:Whether or not petitioner is in estoppel to question the
jurisdiction of the Court.
RULING:Yes."Unlike Manchester, however, were the jurisdictional
issue arising from insufficiency of the docket fee paid was seasonably
raised in the answer of the defendant in the trial court, in this case,
the issue is being raised for the first time. Petitioner submitted to the
jurisdiction of the trial court without question. It filed a counterclaim
seeking affirmative reliefs, and actively took part in the trial. A party
who voluntarily participates in the trial cannot later on raise
the issue of the Court's lack of jurisdiction.
In the case at bar, the said [petitioner] filed their counter-claim
seeking affirmative relief and then filed a motion to dismiss without
raising the issue of non-payment of docket fees. And when plaintiff's
witness Dra. Lourdes S. Pascual was presented on direct examination
the said [petitioner] did not object and participated in the proceedings.
It is only when the said witness was to be cross examined that the
for new trial, or for reconsideration of judgment or order, or for reopening of trial are prohibited pleadings in said cases. Hence, the
Implicit from the above provision is that improper venue not impleaded
in the motion to dismiss or in the answer is deemed waived. Thus, a
court may not dismiss an action m otu proprio on the ground
of improper venue as it is not one of the grounds wherein the
court may dismiss an action m otu proprio on the basis of the
pleadings.
(Norliza Mamukid )
Rule 5 Summary Procedure
LUCAS vs. FABROS January 31, 2000
FACTS: Gloria Lucas charged respondent Judge Amelia A. Fabros with
Gross Ignorance of the Law and Grave Abuse of Discretion.
Complainant alleged that Judge Fabros issued an Order in an
ejectment case granting the plaintiff's MFR of the Order which
dismissed the case for failure of plaintiff and her counsel to appear at
the Preliminary Conference.
Complainant averred that it is elementary, under the Rules of
Summary Procedure that an motion MFR is prohibited, but respondent
judge, in violation of the rule, granted the motion. She added that,
notwithstanding the fact that the respondent herself had pointed out in
open court that the case is governed by the Rules on Summary
Procedure; the judge ordered the revival of the case.
Further, complainant alleged that the actuations of the respondent is
in blatant disregard of the established rules on procedure, and it is an
instance where the doctrine of IPSA LOQUITOR may once again may
be applied by the Court to discipline judges.
Respondent Judge Fabros maintained that she could not be guilty of
gross ignorance of the law as she knows that a motion for
reconsideration of judgment is a prohibited motion in an ejectment
case. She explained that although there is already a judgment
dismissing the case, she granted the plaintiff's motion for
reconsideration in the interest of justice since the reasons stated in the
motion for reconsideration are meritorious.
ISSUE: WON Judge Fabros erred in granting the MFR
RULING: No. As a rule an MFR is a prohibited pleading under Section
19 of the Revised Rule on Summary Procedure. This rule, however,
applies only where the judgment sought to be reconsidered is one
rendered on the merits.
As held by the Court in an earlier case: "The motion prohibited by this
Section is that which seeks reconsideration of the judgment rendered
by the court after trial on the merits of the case." Here, the order of
dismissal issued by respondent judge due to failure of a party to
trial court and the CA held that by raising the affirmative defense of
payment and by praying for other reliefs in its Motion to Dismiss,
petitioner in effect waived its objection to the trial court's jurisdiction
over it. We think this is error.
Our decision in La Naval Drug Corporation v. Court of Appeals settled
this question. The rule prior to La Naval was that if a defendant, in a
motion to dismiss, alleges grounds for dismissing the action other
than lack of jurisdiction, he would be deemed to have submitted
himself to the jurisdiction of the court. This rule no longer holds true.
Noting that the doctrine of estoppel by jurisdiction must be
unequivocal and intentional, we ruled in La Naval: Jurisdiction over
the person must be seasonably raised, i.e., that it is pleaded in a
motion to dismiss or by way of an affirmative defense. Voluntary
appearance shall be deemed a waiver of this defense. The assertion,
however, of affirmative defenses shall not be construed as an
estoppel or as a waiver of such defense.
(Karla Deles )
Rule 15 - Motions
NORRIS v. Judge PARENTELA, JR.
GR NO. 143216, 27 February 2003
FACTS: On April 4, 1977, private respondents purchased a lot from
the government. However, through fraud, spouses Kalugdan had the
title over the lot cancelled, and a new title was issued in their name.
They then sold the lot to petitioner Norris.
On August 27, 1997, private respondents sued for the
annulment/cancellation of titles and damages with the RTC against
Norris. Summons was served upon Norris through substituted service.
Norris failed to answer, and RTC declared her in default and decided
the case against her.
On April 30, 1999, Norris, assisted by a neophyte lawyer, filed a
petition for relief from judgment. However, this petition was not
certified against forum shopping. RTC dismissed the petition.
Norris moved for reconsideration. However, this motion was only
addressed to the clerk of court and not to all parties. The motion was
denied by RTC.
On November 8, 1999, Norris filed a petition for certiorari with
the CA under Rule 65. However, petitioner did not attach a certified
true copy of the orders appealed from, nor did it show the material
dates of the receipt of the said orders. Thus, CA dismissed the petition
and the subsequent motion to reconsider.
ISSUES:
1. Was the petition for relief from judgment proper?
2. Was the motion to reconsider the RTC decision proper?
3. Was the petition for certiorari proper?
4. What is the effect of these failures to comply with the procedural
requirements?
RULINGS:
1. No. SC Circular 04-94 requires that complaints and other initiatory
pleadings in all courts and agencies other than the Supreme Court and
the Court of Appeals must be accompanied by a certification against
forum shopping. Norris petition is one of the said pleadings because it
is a new petition where a party seeks relief based on grounds different
from those in the original case, namely, fraud, accident, mistake or
excusable negligence.
2. No. Section 5 of Rule 15 of the Rules of Court clearly provides that
notice of hearing shall be addressed to all parties concerned. Notice
addressed to the clerk of court and not to the parties does not suffice
as notice to all. A motion that does not contain a notice of hearing to
the adverse party is nothing but a mere scrap of paper and the clerk of
court does not have the duty to accept it, much less to bring it to the
attention of the presiding judge.
3. No. The certified true copy of the orders subject of the appeal
must be attached to the petition for certiorari under Rule 65. The
failure to show the material dates when Norris received the copy of the
said orders prevented the Court of Appeals from determining whether
the petition was filed on time or not.
4. The failure to comply with these requirements was fatal the case of
Norris. While in certain instances, the Court allows a relaxation in the
application of the rules, it never intended to forge a weapon for erring
litigants to violate the rules with impunity. While it is true that
litigation is not a game of technicalities, it is equally true that every
case must be prosecuted in accordance with the prescribed procedure
to insure an orderly and speedy administration of justice.
(Kahlil Elbanbuena )
ALVAREZ v. Judge DIAZ
AM No. MTJ-00-1283, 3 March 2004
FACTS: Spouses Garcia sued petitioner Alvarez for forcible entry
before the MTC of Quezon City.
MTC Judge Diaz decided against Alvarez and ordered him and his
co-defendants to vacate the premises and pay damages to spouses
Garcia.
Plaintiff spouses then moved to execute the decision of the MTC
because there was no perfected appeal nor payment of the
supersedeas bond to stay the decision.
The motion was worded as follows:
The Clerk of Court
MTC Branch 37
Quezon City
Kindly include this motion in your calendar for February 3, 1998at
8:30 in the morning during which the matter and parties may be
heard.
Sgd. C.A.L.
Going now to the crux of the petition, Drilons group contend that the
complaint sets forth no cause of action against them. They allege good
faith, regularity in the performance of official duties and lack of
ultimate facts constituting an actionable wrong. On the other hand,
Enrile argues that a cause of action has been sufficiently pleaded and
that the defenses of good faith and performance of official duties are
best disposed in a judicial hearing.
FACTS: On May 13, 1995, Alfonso P. Orfinada, Jr. died without a will
but left a widow, children and a paramour with children too. The first
family discovered that the Paramour Teodora executed
an
Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate of a Deceased Person with Quitclaim
involving the properties of the estate of the decedent located in
Dagupan City and executing a Real Estate Mortgage over the
properties subject of the extra-judicial settlement.
Moreover, GABI did not have sufficient chance to prove its allegation
of ownership. Thus, the conclusion that GABI's allegation of
ownership is false and that its complaint stated no cause of action,
appears to be without basis.
In sum, as appears from the available records, the Court of Appeals
was correct in ruling that the dismissal by the trial court of GABI's
complaint was incorrect. The case should, therefore, proceed to trial
where the parties may adduce evidence to support their claims and
defenses.
(Techie Silva )
TEODORA A. RIOFERIO, ET AL. vs. COURT OF APPEALS, ET AL.
FACTS: After Alfonso Orfinadas death, his legitimate family
discovered that the Petitioner (the paramour and her children)
executed an Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate of a Deceased Person
with Quitclaim involving the properties of the estate of the decedent
located in Dagupan City and that accordingly, the Registry of Deeds
issued Certificates of Titles in their favor. The Respondents also found
out that the Petitioners were able to obtain a loan from the Rural
Bank by executing a Real Estate Mortgage over the properties subject
of the extra-judicial settlement. Hence, the Respondents filed a
Complaint for the Annulment/Rescission of Extra Judicial Settlement
of Estate of a Deceased Person with Quitclaim, Real Estate Mortgage
and Cancellation of Transfer Certificate of Titles with Damages
against petitioners, the Rural Bank of Mangaldan, Inc. and the
Register of Deeds.
The Petitioners filed their Answer, raising among others the
affirmative defense that respondents are not the real parties-ininterest but rather the Estate of Alfonso in view of the pendency of
the administration proceedings. They filed a Motion to Set Affirmative
Defenses for Hearing on the aforesaid ground, which the lower court
denied.
ISSUE: Whether or not the lower court erred in denying the
Petitioners motion to set the case for preliminary hearing on their
affirmative defense.
HELD: No. It must be stressed that the holding of a preliminary
hearing on an affirmative defense lies in the discretion of the court.
This is clear from the Rules of Court, thus:
SEC. 5. Pleadings grounds as affirmative defenses.- Any of
the grounds for dismissal provided for in this rule, except
improper venue, may be pleaded as an affirmative defense,
and a preliminary hearing may be had thereon as if a motion
to dismiss had been filed.1
1 Rule 16 of the Rules of Court. It is Section 6, Rule 16 of the 1997 Rules of
Civil Procedure which reads:
xxx
xxx
10
final; and (4) the two actions involve identical parties, subject matter
and causes of action.
In the case at bar, there was no adverse decision against the
petitioner in Civil Case No. 97-0523 which was the first case
filed and raffled to the sala (Branch 257) of Judge How. The
dismissal without prejudice of the complaint in Civil Case No.
97-0523 at the instance of the petitioner was pursuant to
Section 1, Rule 17 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure 15
considering that it was done before service of answer or any
responsive pleading. The dismissal does not amount to litis
pendencia nor to res judicata . There is no litis pendencia
since the first case before Judge How was dismissed or
withdrawn by the plaintiff (herein petitioner), without
prejudice, upon her filing of a notice of dismissal, pursuant to
Section 1, Rule 17 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure. To
use the wording of that rule, Judge Hows order is one merely
"confirming the dismissal" of the complaint by the plaintiff
(herein petitioner). Neither is there res judicata for the
reason that the order of dismissal was not a decision on the
merits but a dismissal "without prejudice".
Private respondent is also estopped in questioning the
proceedings and orders of Judge Bautista-Ricafort. He tacitly
acknowledged the validity of the proceedings and the orders issued
by the said trial judge by participating actively in the hearing on the
application for support pendente lite.
For a party to be adjudged guilty of forum shopping in the
trial courts, a motion to dismiss on the ground of either litis
pendencia or res judicata must be filed before the proper trial
court and a hearing conducted thereon in accordance with
Section 5, Rule 7 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure. The
same ground cannot be raised in a petition for certiorari
before the appellate court while the main action in the trial
court is still pending for the reason that such ground for a
motion to dismiss can be raised before the trial court any
time during the proceedings and is not barred by the filing of
the answer to the complaint.
The petition for certiorari in the case at bar on the ground of alleged
forum shopping in the trial court is premature for the reason that
there is an adequate and speedy remedy available in the ordinary
course of law to private respondent, i.e ., a motion to dismiss or a
motion for reconsideration on the ground of either litis pendencia or
res judicata before the trial court. But private respondent did not file
such a motion based on either of said grounds. And where the ground
is short of res judicata or litis pendencia , as in the case at bar, the
Court of Appeals acted with grave abuse of discretion amounting to
excess of jurisdiction when it granted the petition for certiorari filed
by herein private respondent. The trial court should have been given
an opportunity to rule on the matter of alleged forum shopping in
consonance with the hierarchy of courts.
(Techie Silva )
Rule 18 Pre-Trial
TIU vs. MIDDLETON July 19, 1999
FACTS: The present petition arose from a Complaint for recovery of
ownership and possession of real property. The court a quo sent a
Notice of Pre-trial Conference, stating in part: "The parties are
WARNED that witnesses whose names and addresses are not
submitted at the pre-trial may not be allowed to testify at the trial."
In his Pre-trial Brief, petitioner averred that he would be presenting 6
witnesses, but he did not name them. After the pre-trial conference,
the court a quo issued a Pre-trial Order stating that the petitioner
would present 6 witnesses and specifying the hearing dates for the
said purpose.
Trial ensued, and herein respondents, as plaintiffs in the case,
presented their witnesses in due course. When his turn came,
petitioner called Antonia Tiu as his first witness. Citing Section 6, Rule
18 of the 1997 Rules of Court, respondents objected, arguing that the
witness could not be allowed to testify because petitioner had failed
to name her in his Pre-trial Brief.
ISSUE: Can Petitioner's Unnamed Witnesses Testify?
RULING: Yes. Pre-trial is an answer to the clarion call for the speedy
disposition of cases. As earlier stated, pre-trial is essential in the
simplification and the speedy disposition of disputes. In light of the
objectives of a pre-trial and the role of the trial court therein, it is
evident that judges have the discretion to exclude witnesses and
other pieces of evidence not listed in the pre-trial brief, provided the
parties are given prior notice to this effect.
11
not raise the defense of prescription and laches during the trial, they
cannot now raise this defense for the first time on appeal.
(Anthony Balagot )
Rule 22 Computation of Time
BPI VS CA and Jimmy Go (June 28, 2006)
FACTS: Petitioner, Far East Bank and Trust Company, granted a total
of eight (8) loans to Noahs Arc Merchandising (Noahs Ark, for
brevity). Noahs Ark is a single proprietorship owned by Mr. Albert T.
Looyuko. The said loans were evidenced by identical Promissory Notes
all signed by Albert T. Looyuko, private respondent Jimmy T. Go and
one Wilson Go. Likewise, all loans were secured by real estate
mortgage constituted over a parcel of land. Petitioner, claiming that
Noahs Ark defaulted in its obligations, extrajudicially foreclosed the
mortgage. The auction sale was set on 14 April 1998 but on 8 April
1998 private respondent filed a complaint for damages with prayer
[for] issuance of TRO and/or writ of preliminary injunction seeking [to]
enjoin the auction sale. [I]n the Order dated 14 April 1998 a
temporary restraining order was issued and in the same order the
application for Preliminary Injunction was set for hearing [i]n the
afternoon of the same day (Rollo, p. 142).2
In an order3 dated April 15, 1998, Judge Victorio extended the
TRO for another 15 days, for a total of 20 days.
Private-respondent then filed a bond as required by the order.
Petitioner moved for a reconsideration of the aforementioned order
which motion was denied in the Order dated 30 July 1998 on the
ground that the extrajudicial foreclosure was premature as to four (4)
promissory notes.
After petitioners motion for reconsideration was denied .
The Court of Appeals partially denied the petition for certiorari.
ISSUE: Whether or not the TRO and writ of preliminary injunction
were properly issued by the Judge?
RULING: The TRO and the writ of preliminary injunction were not
properly issued by the Judge.
The issuance of the TRO was, on procedural grounds, irregular.
Section 5, Rule 58 of the Rules of Civil Procedure provides:
12
FACTS: After filing her Answer in the Complaint for Damages against
her, the Petitioner served written interrogatories upon respondents
and filed a "Manifestation and Omnibus Motion" seeking, among other
things, an order from the trial court directing respondents to answer
the interrogatories. The trial court, however, denied the motion to
compel respondents to answer the interrogatories upon the ground
that it constituted a "fishing expedition" which would be more properly
ventilated in a pre-trial conference.
ISSUE: Whether the taking of oral depositions was proper under the
circumstances.
ISSUE: Whether or not the trial court erred in denying the motion.
HELD: Yes.
The SC finds that the orders disallowing petitioners written
interrogatories are patently erroneous, hence, the resort to certiorari is
warranted.
This Court has long espoused the policy of encouraging the availment
of the various modes or instruments of discovery as embodied in Rules
24 to 29 of the Revised Rules of Court. Thus, in Republic v.
Sandiganbayan,31 it held:
. . . Indeed it is the purpose and policy of the law that the parties before the trial if not indeed even before the pre-trial - should discover
or inform themselves of all the facts relevant to the action, not only
those known to them individually, but also those known to their
adversaries; in other words, the desideratum is that civil trials should
not be carried on in the dark; and the Rules of Court make this ideal
possible through the deposition-discovery mechanism set forth in Rules
24 to 29.
The thrust of the Rules is to even make the availment of the modes of
discovery -- depositions, interrogatories and requests for admissions -without much court intervention since leave of court is not necessary
to put into motion such modes after an answer to the complaint has
been served. The rationale behind the recognition accorded the modes
of discovery is that they enable a party to discover the evidence of the
adverse party and thus facilitate an amicable settlement or expedite
the trial of the case.
Thus, to deny a party the liberty to have his written interrogatories
answered by his opponent, as what the trial court did, on the premise
that the interrogatories were a "fishing expedition," is to disregard the
categorical pronouncement in aforementioned case of Republic vs.
Sandiganbayan that the time-honored cry of fishing expedition can
no longer provide a reason to prevent a party from inquiring into the
facts underlying the opposing partys case through the discovery
procedures.
(Sahara Alia Silongan )
Rule 30 - Trial
UMALI-PACO vs. QUILALA (October 15, 2002)
HELD: The rules require that, where the reception of evidence is
delegated to the clerk of court, he or she must also be a member of
the bar. Neither agreement by parties nor their acquiescence can
justify its violation.
(Kahlil Elbanbuena )
Rule 31 Consolidation or Severance
HONORIDEZ vs. MAHINAY (August 12, 2005)
The present case involved a circumstance that fell under the abovecited Section 4(c)(2) of Rule 23 -- the witnesses of petitioner in Metro
Manila resided beyond 100 kilometers from Sultan Kudarat, the place
of hearing. Petitioner offered the depositions in support of its Motion
to Quash (the Writ of Execution) and for the purpose of proving that
the trial courts Decision was not yet final. As previously explained,
despite the fact that trial has already been terminated, a deposition
can still be properly taken.
We note, however, that the RTC did not totally disregard petitioners
depositions. In its Resolution, the trial court considered and weighed - against all other evidence -- that its Order denying the Motion for
New Trial filed by petitioner had not been received by the latters
counsels. Despite their depositions, petitioner failed to prove
convincingly its denial of receipt.
(Sahara Alia Silongan )
13
preferential right to buy the lot in issue in the event that petitioners
decide to dispose of it. Later on, he discovered that petitioners
executed a deed of sale over the same lot in favor of Suarez, thereby
prompting him to file an action for specific performance.
The subsequent action was decided in Mahinays favor, with the RTC
finding that the contract between Suarez and petitioners was a sale
and not an equitable mortgage, ruling that Mahinay is entitled to
redeem the lot from Suarez. This decision was affirmed by the CA and
became final and executory.
Petitioners and Sorensen opposed the motion for intervention and
then filed among others, a Motion for Consolidation claiming that the
redemption is a supervening event which rendered the decision
unenforceable and that the determination of whether such
redemption is a supervening event is a common issue in the case a
quo and in Civil Case No. CEB-16335.
ISSUE: WON the trial court erred in not consolidating Civil Case No.
CEB-23653 [with Civil Case No. CEB 16335]
RULING: No. Under Section 1, Rule 31 of the Rules of Court, only
pending actions involving a common question of law or fact may be
consolidated. Obviously, petitioners cannot make out a case for
consolidation in this case since Civil Case No. CEB-16335, the case
which petitioners seek to consolidate with the case a quo, has long
become final and executory; as such it cannot be re-litigated in the
instant proceedings without virtually impeaching the correctness of
the decision in the other case. Public policy abhors such eventuality.
Litigation must end and terminate sometime and somewhere, and it is
essential to an effective administration of justice that once a
judgment has become final the issue or cause involved therein should
be laid to rest.
(Lendl Floyd
Montes )
Rule 32 Trial by Commissioner
ALJEM'S CORPORATION (LOGGING DIVISION) vs. COURT OF
APPEALS (March 28, 2001)
FACTS: Petitioner Aljem's Corporation Logging Division (Aljem) was
a joint venture entered into between petitioner's representative,
Pacifico V. Dizon, Jr. and private respondent (PR) Rudy Y. Chua.
Dizon served as the venture's president, while PR was its vicepresident. The parties initially agreed upon a 55-45 sharing, which
they later modified to 50-50.
On August 11, 1992, PR sued petitioner for a sum of money and
for damages. In his complaint he alleged, among other things, that
according to the financial report prepared by a CPA commissioned by
him, the logging operations of the joint venture earned an income of
P3,659,710.07 from January to August 1990. But despite repeated
demands by him for the payment of his 50% share of the income,
petitioner refused to pay him his share.
In its answer, petitioner alleged that PR's auditor bloated the
joint venture's net operating income for the year 1990 to
P3,659,710.07 and that the correct amount, as found by petitioner's
accountant, was only P2,089,141.80.
During the pre-trial conference of the case, the parties agreed to
refer the case to a commissioner. For this reason, Leonora B. Cainglet
was appointed commissioner by the trial court and ordered to conduct
an audit of petitioner's accounting records.
On March 26, 1993, petitioner filed a Manifestation and Motion,
alleging that there were discrepancies concerning sales, depreciation,
and interest between the audit report and the report of its
(petitioner's) auditor.
On May 27, 1993, petitioner filed its comments and objections to
the commissioner's report.
On December 6, 1993, the trial court issued an order confirming
the commissioner's report and adopting her findings of facts and
conclusions as those of the court. Petitioner filed a motion for
reconsideration, contending that the commissioner did not observe
the mandatory requirements of Rule 33, sections 3 and 5 of the 1964
Rules of Court relative to the conduct of hearings before the
commissioner. MFR was denied, hence this petition.
ISSUE: WON the audit report should not be admitted by the trial
court on the ground that commissioner merely based her report on
her interview of the parties and did not hold any formal hearing.
HELD:
Sections 3 and 5 indicate quite clearly the necessity for a
formal hearing and the swearing of witnesses; otherwise, the
commissioner cannot determine factual questions which arise in the
course of his examination of the accounts. For this purpose, the
witnesses must necessarily be sworn in and offered for crossexamination by the parties so that the truth of any question may be
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Rule 38
Proceedings
Relief
from
Judgments,
Orders
or
Other
16
ISSUE: WON there was good reason for the execution pending
appeal to be allowed.
The Court must stress that the execution of a judgment before its
finality must be founded upon good reasons. The yardstick remains
the presence or the absence of good reasons consisting of
exceptional circumstances of such urgency as to outweigh the injury
or damage that the losing party may suffer, should the appealed
judgment be reversed later. Good reason imports a superior
circumstance that will outweigh injury or damage to the adverse
party. In the case at bar, petitioner failed to show "paramount and
compelling reasons of urgency and justice." Petitioner cites as good
reason merely the fact that "it is a small-time building contractor that
could ill-afford the protracted delay in the reimbursement of the
advances it made for the aforesaid increased-costs of construction of
the buildings."
Petitioner's allegedly precarious financial condition, however, is not by
itself a jurisprudentially compelling circumstance warranting
immediate execution. The financial distress of a juridical entity is not
comparable to a case involving a natural person such as a very old
and sickly one without any means of livelihood, an heir seeking an
order for support and monthly allowance for subsistence, or one who
dies.
Indeed, the alleged financial distress of a corporation does not
outweigh the long standing general policy of enforcing only final and
executory judgments. Certainly, a juridical entity like petitioner
corporation has, other than extraordinary execution, alternative
remedies like loans, advances, internal cash generation and the like to
address its precarious financial condition.
(Karla Deles
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. LOURDES ABIERA
NILLAS January 23, 2007
FACTS: Respondent Lourdes Abiera Nillas (Nillas) filed a Petition for
Revival of Judgment with the Regional Trial Court (RTC). It was
alleged that the then Court of First Instance (CFI) of Negros Oriental
rendered a Decision Adicional in Expediente Cadastral No. 14,
captioned as El Director De Terrenos contra Esteban Abingayan y
Otros. In the decision, the CFI, acting as a cadastral court,
adjudicated several lots, together with the improvements thereon, in
favor of named oppositors who had established their title to their
respective lots and their continuous possession thereof since time
immemorial and ordered the Chief of the General Land Registration
Office, upon the finality of the decision, to issue the corresponding
decree of registration. No responsive pleading was filed by the Office
of the Solicitor General (OSG), although it entered its appearance and
simultaneously deputized the City Prosecutor of Dumaguete City to
appear whenever the case was set for hearing and in all subsequent
proceedings. The RTC rendered a Decision finding merit in the
petition for revival of judgment, and ordering the revival of the 1941
Decision, as well as directing the Commissioner of the Land
Registration Authority (LRA) to issue the corresponding decree of
confirmation and registration based on the 1941 Decision. The OSG
appealed the RTC Decision to the Court of Appeals, arguing in main
that the right of action to revive judgment had already prescribed The
appeal was denied by the appellate court.
ISSUE: Whether or not the right of action to revive judgment had
already prescribed
RULING: No. The rule is that "neither laches nor the statute of
limitations applies to a decision in a land registration case." We fail to
understand the arguments of the appellant in support of the
assignment [of error], except insofar as it supports his theory that
after a decision in a land registration case has become final, it may
not be enforced after the lapse of a period of 10 years, except by
another proceeding to enforce the judgment or decision. Authority for
this theory is the provision in the Rules of Court to the effect that
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ownership of the subject property. All rights and title of the judgment
obligor are transferred upon the expiration of the right of
redemption.
And where the redemption is made under a property
regime governed by the conjugal partnership of gains, Article 109 of
the Family Code provides that property acquired by right of
redemption is the exclusive property of the spouses redeeming the
property.
Clearly, therefore, Marilou, as owner, had the
right
to
sell
the
property
to
another.
(TeenTeen Pague )
Rule 40 Appeal from the MTC to the RC
NEYPES v. CA (Sept. 14, 2005)
HELD: The court now allow a fresh period of 15 days within which to
file the notice of appeal in the Regional Trial Court, counted from
receipt of the order dismissing a motion for a new trial or
motion for reconsideration.
Henceforth, this fresh period rule shall also apply to Rule 40
governing appeals from the Municipal Trial Courts to the Regional
Trial Courts; Rule 42 on petitions for review from the Regional Trial
Courts to the Court of Appeals; Rule 43 on appeals from quasijudicial agencies to the Court of Appeals and Rule 45 governing
appeals by certiorari to the Supreme Court.
(Kahlil
Elbanbuena )
its author. Moreover, SC cannot see how the statement of Mr. Noli
Reloj that he read the article on "Code Red" can be construed as an
admission of liability by the school. Clearly then, the conclusion of the
lower courts that the appeal is dilatory rests on shaky ground.
ISSUE #2: W/N the filing of a bond can be considered a good reason
to justify immediate execution under Section 2, Rule 39.
RULING: In the case of Roxas vs. Court of Appeals, the Court ruled
that, to consider the mere posting of a bond a "good reason" would
precisely make immediate execution of a judgment pending appeal
routinary, the rule rather than the exception. Judgments would be
executed immediately, as a matter of course, once rendered, if all that
the prevailing party needed to do was to post a bond to answer for
damages that might result therefrom. This is a situation, to repeat,
neither contemplated nor intended by law.
In fine, the rule is now settled that the mere filing of a bond by
the successful party is not a good reason for ordering execution
pending appeal, as "a combination of circumstances is the dominant
consideration which impels the grant of immediate execution, the
requirement of a bond is imposed merely as an additional factor, no
doubt for the protection of the defendant's creditor. Since we have
already ruled that the reason that an appeal is dilatory does not justify
execution pending appeal, neither does the filing of a bond, without
anything
more,
justify
the
same.
(TeenTeen )
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