FIRST DIVISION
NATIONAL
MINES AND ALLIED G.R. No. 157232
WORKERS
Petitioner, Present:
PUNO, C.J., Chairperson,
YNARES-SANTIAGO,*
- versus - SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ,
CORONA,
and
AZCUNA, JJ.
HON.
ADELINA CALDERON-
BARGAS,
in her capacity as Presiding Promulgated:
Judge of Branch 78, Regional Trial Court
of
Morong, Rizal, and NORMA G. December
10, 2007
MITRA,
Respondents.
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X
DECISION
AZCUNA,
J.:
This
is a petition for certiorari[1] and
prohibition seeking the annulment of the Order dated January 30, 2003, of Presiding
Judge Adelina Calderon-Bargas of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 78,
Morong, Rizal, for want of jurisdiction in granting private respondent’s Motion
to Admit Amended Complaint in Civil Case No. 01-1322-M entitled “Norma Mitra v.
National Mines and Allied Workers, et al.”
The
facts are as follows:
In
August of 1992, petitioner, representing the workers of private respondent,
filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) for
unfair labor practice, illegal dismissal, underpayment of wages, nonpayment of
holiday pay and 13th month pay against private respondent, Norma G.
Mitra.[2]
A
decision was rendered by Labor Arbiter Antonio Macam on P1,669,897.
Accordingly, a writ of execution was issued on
NLRC Sheriff Juanito Atienza levied upon a parcel
of land belonging to private respondent. As the highest bidder in the execution
sale conducted by the Sheriff, petitioner acquired title to the property on
On
In
its Answer with Counterclaim and Opposition to the Issuance of a Temporary
Restraining Order, petitioner averred that the RTC had no jurisdiction over the
subject matter of the case because it is an offshoot of a labor dispute that had
been decided by the NLRC.
On
Private
respondent’s subsequent Motion for Reconsideration was denied in an Order dated
Plaintiff
stated that she does not question the legality or validity of the decision of
the Labor Arbiter in Case No. RAB-IV-8-4482-92, but the procedure followed by
Ms. Dinna Mantuano-Lao, [Register of Deeds], and Sheriff Juanito J. Atienza,
when the former cancelled the name of the plaintiff on TCT No. M-46298, and
issued TCT No. M-105453 in the name of defendant NAMAWU.
However, a reading of the
allegations in the complaint shows that plaintiff questions not only the
process of notification in the Notice of Levy, but the alleged lack of notice
of the proceedings in NLRC Case No. RAB-IV-8-4482-92 had before the Labor
Arbiter.
She alleges in the complaint… that “plaintiff
never received any summons or copy of the complaint in the aforesaid case; she
never hired a lawyer to represent her in said case; she never received any
NOTICES of any decision, execution, levy, auction or sale.”
Considering
that plaintiff is questioning her lack of notice from the issuance of summons,
until the levy or attachment of the property in question, it is clear,
therefore, that plaintiff does not only question the procedure followed by
Sheriff Juanito J. Atienza, but also the procedure of the Labor Arbiter, since
she was allegedly not given notice on all the proceedings before the Labor
Arbiter.
Meanwhile,
if the plaintiff would continue her cause of action against the [Register] of
Deeds, there is a need to amend the complaint, naming NAMAWU as a nominal
party; and the Register of Deeds as the indispensable party.[4]
WHEREFORE,
premises considered, the motion for reconsideration is DENIED for lack of
merit.
SO
ORDERED.[5]
A copy of the above Order was
received by private respondent on
On
1. On
2. In compliance with this Honorable Court’s order, plaintiff has amended [her] complaint;
3.
Undersigned lawyer suffered a heart attack last June
2002 and was advised by his cardiologist to refrain from legal work for at
least 60 days for his rehabilitation and recuperation. Thus, his wife gave him
copies of the Court’s order only last
Attached to the motion was private
respondent’s Amended Complaint (Cancellation of TCT No. M-105453 &
Reinstatement of TCT No. M-56298; Damages with Prayer for a Writ of Preliminary
Injunction and/or Restraining Order),[7] alleging the following:
1. Plaintiff [private respondent] is the
owner of two (2) parcels of land covered under Transfer Certificate of Title
No. M-46298 registered in the name of NORMA MITRA issued by the Registry of
Deeds for Morong Branch,
2. On
3.
On
. .
.
9. There was fraud and collusion.... in
the issuance of TCT No. M-105453 in the name of defendant NAMAWU. The notice of
levy on execution and certificate of sale and/or final deed of sale, used as
basis for the cancellation of plaintiff’s title, never came to the knowledge of
plaintiff, as she never received copies of the notice of levy, certificate of
sale and the final deed of sale in connection with her real property, subject
matter of this case;
. . .
11. Since no valid notice of levy was served
personally or given to judgment debtor, there was no valid levy on plaintiff’s
title, and therefore, its subsequent registration in the Registry of Deeds and
annotations in the title were also invalid and ineffective
(Phil. Surety & Insurance Co., Inc. v. Zabal, 21 SCRA 682).[8]
Petitioner opposed the aforesaid
motion on the following grounds that: 1) it was filed out of time; 2) the
amendment substantially changed the cause of action, defense or theory of the
case; 3) the amendment will result in the alteration of a final judgment on a
substantial matter; 4) the amendment sought to confer jurisdiction upon the
court when none had existed before; and 5) the amendment was intended to delay
the proceedings.
On
In
the Reply to defendant’s Opposition to the Motion to Admit Amended Complaint,
the plaintiff maintained that no appeal was made on the said order as they
opted to file an amended complaint; that no substantial amendments were made to
the original complaint, but merely compliance to the condition set by the Court
in order to continue plaintiff’s cause of action in this case; and that
defendant NAMAWU is now merely a nominal party and all references to the labor
case were deleted and the Sheriff of the National Labor Relations Commission
omitted as party defendant. The plaintiff now focuses this case on the illegal
acts committed by the Register of Deeds in the transfer of plaintiff’s
certificate of title to the nominal party, NAMAWU. In support of the late
filing of the Amended Complaint, the counsel submitted documentary evidence
showing that he was indeed under medical care for a heart attack and was
advised to rest for at least 60 days.
After
careful consideration of the arguments raised by the parties, the Court finds
the Motion to Admit Amended Complaint impressed with merit; resolves to grant
said motion and to ADMIT the Amended Complaint.[9]
Hence, petitioner argues as follows:
1. The Motion to Admit Amended Complaint was
filed after the finality of the Orders dated January 21, 2002 and June 19,
2002, respectively dismissing private respondent’s complaint for lack of
jurisdiction and denying her motion for reconsideration;
2. After the finality of the Orders, public
respondent had lost jurisdiction over the case, except to execute the same;
3. The amendment was intended to delay the
proceedings. The labor case from which this case stemmed had been pending for
more than ten years or since 1992. Private respondent had ample opportunity (since
the filing of this case in July 2001) to amend her complaint and raise the
issue involving the enforcement of the writ of execution issued by the NLRC;
and
4.
Private
respondent failed to perfect her appeal within the 15-day reglementary period
from the receipt of the final order of the court.
The
issue is whether public respondent acted without jurisdiction and with grave
abuse of discretion in issuing the Order dated
The
Court agrees that public respondent acted without jurisdiction in issuing the
assailed Order allowing private respondent to file an amended complaint.
Under
the Rules of Court, a party may amend his pleading once as a matter of right at
any time before a responsive pleading is served, or in the case of a reply, at
any time within ten (10) days after it is served.[10] At
this stage, a party has the absolute right to amend his pleading and may
introduce a new cause of action or change in theory.[11] On
the other hand, substantial amendments after the answer had been filed may be
made only upon leave of court; but such leave may be refused if it appears to
the court that the motion was made with intent to delay.[12]
In
the present case, however, the motion to file an amended complaint was filed one
month after the Order of the trial court dismissing private respondent’s complaint
became final due to the latter’s failure to perfect an appeal. As a rule, the
aggrieved party must perfect his appeal within the period as provided for by
law.[13] The
rule is mandatory in character. A party’s failure to comply with the law will
result in the decision becoming final and executory and, as such, can no longer
be modified or reversed.[14]
Thus, it is beyond the power or jurisdiction of the court which rendered the
decision or order to amend or revoke the same after the lapse of the
fifteen-day reglementary period to file an appeal.[15]
WHEREFORE, the petition is GRANTED. The Order dated
No
costs.
SO ORDERED.
ADOLFO S. AZCUNA
Associate Justice
WE
CONCUR:
REYNATO S. PUNO
Chief Justice
Chairperson
CONSUELO YNARES-
Associate Justice Associate Justice
RENATO C. CORONA
Associate Justice
CERTIFICATION
Pursuant to Section 13, Article VIII of the Constitution, it is hereby
certified that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in
consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the
Court’s Division.
REYNATO S. PUNO
Chief Justice
* Designated
to sit as additional Member of the First Division under Special Order No. 474
dated
[1] Under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court.
[2] Docketed as Case No. RAB-IV-8-4482-92-RI.
[3] Docketed as Civil Case No. 01-1322-M.
[4] Emphasis supplied.
[5] Rollo, pp. 28-29.
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10] Section 2, Rule 10 of the Rules of Court.
[11] Radio Communications of the
Philippines, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 121397,
[12] Section 3, supra note 10.
[13] An appeal must be taken within fifteen (15) days from promulgation of the judgment or order appealed from. This period for perfecting an appeal shall be interrupted from the time a motion for new trial or reconsideration is filed until notice of the order overruling the motion shall have been served upon the accused or his counsel (Section 6, Rule 122, id.).
[14] Pondevida
v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. Nos.
160929-31, August 16, 2005, 467 SCRA
219.
[15] Heirs of the Late Flor Tungpalan v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 136207, June 21, 2005, 460 SCRA 392. The failure to perfect an appeal within the prescribed period is not only mandatory but also jurisdictional, and failure to do so renders the questioned decision final and executory, and deprives the appellate court of jurisdiction to alter the judgment, much less to entertain the appeal (Meatmasters International Corporation v. Lelis Integrated Development Corporation, G.R. No. 163022, February 28, 2005, 452 SCRA 626).