Republic of the
Supreme Court
|
ERNA
CASALS, AIMEE GRACE CASALS, RUPERT BARRY CASALS, iRENE PAMELA CASALS and APRIL VIDA CASALS
Petitioners, - versus - TAYUD GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB, INC., ANTONIO
OSMEÑA, PROVINCIAL ASSESSOR OF THE
Respondents. |
G.R. No. 183105 Present: YNARES-SANTIAGO, J., Chairperson, CHICO-NAZARIO, VELASCO, JR., NACHURA, and PERALTA, JJ. Promulgated: July 22, 2009 |
x-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------x
PERALTA, J.:
This is a Petition for Review[1]
on Certiorari under Rule 45 which seeks to reverse and set aside the Decision[2]
dated
The factual and procedural
antecedents are the following:
After Robert Casals' death on
The Affidavit states, in part:
That WE, Inocentes M. Ouano and Robert C. Casals, both of legal ages, Filipinos, both married and residing at Banilad, Cebu City and Casals Village, Mabolo, Cebu City, respectively, after having been duly sworn in accordance with law hereby depose and say:
1. That we were the organizers, including Antonio V. Osmeña, of Apollo Homes and Investment Corporation, a registered corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines;
2. That we were the vendees of the following lots, areas and their corresponding Tax Declarations, T.C.T. and O.C.T. situated at Tayud, Lilo-an project, on golf site with the total areas of 346,593.50 square meters, more or less, subdivision area in Tayud, Lilo-an, with the total area of 636,726 square meters, more or less, including the subdivision area of Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu, with the total area of 48,488 square meters, more or less, and all other real properties belonging to the aforesaid corporation as to wit:
x x x x
3. That WE hereby CONVEY, WAIVE, FORGO, all our rights, interests and participation of the herein above-described properties in favor of our co-organizer, ANTONIO V. OSMEÑA, likewise of legal age, married, Filipino and resident of Cebu City, Philippines;
4. That WE hereby quit and waive our ownership of the above-mentioned parcels of land in favor of the said ANTONIO V. OSMEÑA and hereby quit and waive all causes of action regarding said parcels of land in favor of ANTONIO V. OSMEÑA and assigns from this date as originally arranged and agreed.
The
above-mentioned affidavit was allegedly used by respondent Osmeña to transfer
ownership of certain parcels of land to his name and, as a consequence, tax
declarations were issued. Out of those
properties covered by the waiver and quitclaim, four (4) parcels, namely, Lots
881, 627, 628 and 638, were developed by respondent Osmeña as a memorial park;
six (6) parcels, which were consolidated and denominated as Lots 1051 and 954,
were sold to Tri-Plus Holdings Corporation and Euclid Po as payor; and one (1)
parcel, Lot 1340, was sold to the spouses Warlito and Carolina de Jesus.[5]
On
Petitioners enumerated the following
in their prayer:
WHEREFORE, it is most respectfully prayed that:
1. Before trial, an Order be made appointing a Receiver to take possession of the properties subject matter of this case during the pendency of this action, upon filing of an obligation by plaintiffs in such sum as this court may deem sufficient;
1.1. Order the Receiver to make an accounting of all the fruits or proceeds of the parcels of land under litigation for the protection of the Plaintiffs;
2. And after trial, Judgment be made against the Defendants and in favor of the Plaintiffs:
2.1.
ON THE FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION:
2.1.1. Declaring the Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver as null and void and without any legal effect to convey title;
2.2.
ON THE SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION:
2.2.1. Declaring the Plaintiffs as owners to the extent of one-half of the following seventy-three (73) parcels of land: Lots Nos. 1110; 928; 628; 638; 812; 700; 854; 634; 635; 636; 637; 715; 308; 1040; 869; 870; 969; 909; 311; 1072; 1032; 893; 1019; 979; 1096; 957; 974; 1015; 1011; 1070; 866; 1128; 981; 825; 1118; 1111; 1033; 629; 706; 315; 838; 310-A; 841; 887; 1087; 1014; 811; 313; 1005; 1021; 1079; 1119; 1084; 1120; 989; 1041; 1034; 975; 1003; 1038; 1039; 954; 1078; 1076; 1135; 1125; 985; and 901, and such other lands that may be discovered later, including all the fruits and improvements found thereon;
2.2.2. Cancelling all the Tax Declarations of the subject parcels of land issued under the name of Defendant Osmeña and Ordering the defendant Assessor to do the cancellation and the issuance of the new tax declarations to reflect Plaintiff's ownership of one-half portion;
2.2.3. Removing the cloud of doubt on the title and ownership of the Plaintiffs of the subject parcels of land;
2.3.
ON THE THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION:
2.3.1. Declaring the Plaintiffs as owners to the extent of one-third of the following forty two (42) parcels of land: Lot Nos. 671; 632; 1075; 1043; 1044; 1134; 1136; 972; 947; 802; 310; 1071; 809; 568; 987; 1093; 1026; 1006; 1047; 1018; 1102; 990; 988; 946; 1094; 1138; 1012; 1127; 1028; 306; 805; 1101; 1099; 1103; 1121; 1122; 987; 1093; 1113; 1077; 1357 and 867, and such other parcels of land that may be discovered later, including all the fruits and improvements found thereon;
2.3.2. Cancelling all the Tax Declarations of the subject parcels of land issued under the name of Defendant Osmeña and Ordering the defendant Assessor to do the cancellation and the issuance of the new tax declarations to reflect Plaintiff's ownership of one-third portion;
2.3.3. Removing the cloud of doubt on the title and ownership of the Plaintiffs of the subject parcels of land;
2.6. ON THE FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION:
2.6.1. Annulling the Deed of Sale in favor of Defendant Po and Tri-Plus to the extent of one-half of Lot Nos. 1051 and 954 which rightfully belongs to the plaintiffs;
2.6.2. Granting the Plaintiffs the right to redeem the other half of Lot Nos. 1051 and 954, representing the share of defendant Osmeña;
2.7.
ON THE FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION:
2.7.1. Declaring Plaintiffs as owners of one-half portion of Lot Nos. 811; 627 and 628;
2.7.2. Declaring Defendant Osmeña to have acted in bad faith claiming total ownership by virtue of [the] sale of Lot Nos. 811; 627 and 628 and in fraudulently depriving Plaintiffs of their rights of ownership of the land [and] the fruits thereof;
2.7.3. Ordering the accounting of the proceeds of the sale or fruits of lot nos. 811; 627 and 628 subject of the development into a memorial plot known as Calero Memorial Estates and to order Defendant Osmeña to deliver to the Plaintiffs all the fruits and proceeds of Lot Nos. 811, 627 and 628, with legal interest computed from the time it was appropriated by defendant Osmeña up to the time the fruits or proceeds are delivered to the Plaintiffs;
2.7.4. Removing the cloud of doubt of the Plaintiff's title of Lot Nos. 811, 627 and 628;
2.8. ON THE SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION:
2.8.1. Annulling the Deed of Sale in favor of Defendant DE JESUS to the extent of one-half of Lot No. 1340;
2.8.2. Granting the Plaintiffs the right to redeem the other half of Lot No. 1340, by way of pre-emption from Defendants DE JESUS;
2.9. ON THE SEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION:
2.9.1 Removing the cloud of doubt on the Plaintiff's title over Lot Nos. 1057, 1200 and 627 by declaring the Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver as null and void and without any legal effect to transfer or convey title to defendant Osmeña;
3. ON THE [EIGHTH] CAUSE OF ACTION:
3.1 Ordering the Defendant Osmeña to pay Plaintiffs actual damages representing the fruits of the land, as well as the value of the land that had been illegally disposed of, at such amount as this Honorable Court may determine on the basis of the accounting or the report of the receiver;
4. ON THE NINTH CAUSE OF ACTION:
4.1 Ordering the Defendant Osmeña to pay Plaintiff, the sum of TWO MILLION PESOS as moral damages;
5. ON THE TENTH CAUSE OF ACTION:
5.1. Ordering the Defendant Osmeña to pay Plaintiffs the sum of ONE MILLION PESOS as exemplary damages;
6. ON THE ELEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION:
6.1 Ordering the Defendant Osmeña to pay
Plaintiffs attorney's fees in such sum as this Honorable Court may fix or in an
amount not less than P500,000.00;
Plaintiffs pray for other reliefs and remedies consistent with law and equity.[7]
On
It was agreed, after discussion of the issues and matters involved as follows:
1.
That the area involved in this case is One Hundred (100) hectares, more or
less. Of this area, Thirty-Four (34)
hectares have been designated as Tayud Golf and Country Club. It was recognized by the Plaintiff that Erna
Casals is entitled to one-third (1/3) or one-half (½) of the area involved
depending on the Absolute Deed of Sale, considering that her participation is
limited only to where Robert Casal's participation clearly shows. The parties have agreed to set aside the
determination of the actual participation and/or ownership, until after an
inventory shall have been conducted. Of
the balance, Twenty-Eight (28) hectares have been involved and/or alloted to
the
Of the balance of Thirty-Eight (38) hectares, Plaintiff Erna Casals, is again entitled to one-third (1/3) or twelve point, six more or less, which will be turned over by the Defendant Osmeña after inventory to Erna Casals.
Considering
that most, if not all, of the properties involved in the
For the purpose of clarifying the matter involved, Joseph Pilas, in conference with the counsels, and such other people as maybe necessary will conduct an inventory of the entire one hundred (100) hectares, more or less.
This Agreement, which for the moment serves as preliminary amicable settlement of this case, is signed by the parties and counsels before this Court, this 24th day of June, 2002. (See separate yellow pad sheet indicating the signatures of the parties and counsels)
It was agreed that once a final compromise agreement has already been made, then the parties will execute Affidavit of Desistance and/or withdraw any or all cases already filed against each other, and that said final amicable settlement will preclude any further litigation between the parties on the lots involved.
Parties have also agreed that, in instances where it becomes necessary, they will jointly take legal steps to recover the property which have to be resolved from third parties.
Inventory
is to be completed on or before
Petitioners, on
The RTC, in its Order[10]
dated
The Court finds the Motion for Separate Partial Judgment meritorious and so, accordingly, GRANTS the same as prayed for with the modification that Lot Nos. 1051, 954 and 1340 are not included in this Order.
Accordingly,
the [Register] of Deeds of the
SO ORDERED.
Thereafter,
on
Per
Order dated
The
parties in this case, through counsel, were duly furnished copies of the
aforesaid Order particularly counsel for the Defendants Atty. Nilo Balorio on
Despite receipt of the aforementioned Order, no Motion for Reconsideration, or any other pleading, had been filed by the Defendant. Neither has the Order been brought up on appeal or other appellate procedure, despite the lapse of time from receipt of the Order by counsels, with said Order not being questioned or otherwise sought to be amended, in any manner, whatsoever. The said judgment or Order has, therefore, become final.
Accordingly,
the Motion for Execution being meritorious, is granted. Let execution issue on the Order of
Atty. Anastacio Muntuerto, Jr. is notified in open court.
Notify Attys. Francis Zosa, Nilo Balorio and Climaco Camiso, Jr.
SO ORDERED.
Consequently,
a Writ of Partial Execution[13]
was issued on
As stated by petitioners in the
present petition, before the writ of partial execution was issued, Apollo Homes
and Investment Corporation, on
On
Petitioners
and respondent Osmeña entered into a Final Compromise Agreement[18]
in September 2006. Afterwards,
petitioners filed with the RTC a Motion for Judgment Based on the Compromise
Agreements[19]
dated
Due
to the above circumstances, respondent Tayud Golf filed with the CA a Petition
for Annulment of Final Orders[20]
dated March 23, 2007, seeking to nullify the Order dated December 9, 2002
granting the Motion for Separate Judgment, the Order dated March 21, 2003
granting the Motion for Execution of Partial Judgment and the Writ of Partial
Execution dated April 3, 2003, on the grounds that the said Orders and Writ
were obtained through extrinsic fraud and that there was lack of jurisdiction
over the person of respondent Tayud Golf, which was never impleaded as a
defendant in the civil case.
In
its Decision[21]
dated
WHEREFORE, the instant petition is GRANTED. The following orders and writ issued by Branch 56 of the Regional Trial Court, Mandaue City, in Civil Case No. MAN-4150 are ALL declared NULL and VOID for lack of jurisdiction:
1.
Order dated
2.
Order dated
3.
Writ of Partial Execution dated
The
Provincial Assessor of the
Let
the case be REMANDED for further proceedings to Branch 56 of the Regional Trial
Court,
SO ORDERED.
Subsequently, a Motion for Reconsideration
was filed by herein petitioners, but was denied by the CA in its Resolution[22]
dated
Hence, the present petition by
petitioners Casals.
Petitioners list the following
grounds for the allowance of their petition:
I. THE COURT OF APPEALS COMMITTED A REVERSIBLE ERROR IN ITS FACTUAL FINDING, WHICH IS CONTRARY TO THE EVIDENCE AND/OR COMMITTED MISAPPREHENSION OF FACT WHEN IT FOUND THAT MERE INCLUSION OF THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHT (108) PARCELS OF LAND THAT RESPONDENT TAYUD GOLF CLAIMED UNDER THE DEED OF ASSIGNMENT IN THE AFFIDAVIT OF QUITCLAIM AND WAIVER RENDERS THE TRIAL COURT WITHOUT ANY JURISDICTION TO ISSUE THE ASSAILED ORDERS.
II. THE COURT OF APPEALS HAS DECIDED A QUESTION OF SUBSTANCE DECLARING RESPONDENT TAYUD GOLF AS AN INDISPENSABLE PARTY WHICH IS NOT IN ACCORD WITH LAW OR WITH THE APPLICABLE DECISIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT.
III. THE COURT OF APPEALS HAS SO FAR DEPARTED FROM THE ACCEPTED AND USUAL COURSE OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS WHEN IT GAVE DUE COURSE TO THE PETITION WHICH DID NOT ASSAIL THE ORDER DATED JUNE 24, 2002 UPON WHICH THE ASSAILED ORDERS DATED 9 DECEMBER 2000; 21 MARCH 2003 AND THE WRIT OF EXECUTION WERE ALL BASED, AS TO CALL AN EXERCISE OF SUPERVISION FROM THIS HONORABLE COURT.
IV. THE COURT OF APPEALS HAS SO FAR DEPARTED FROM THE ACCEPTED AND USUAL COURSE OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS WHEN IT GAVE DUE COURSE TO THE PETITION WHICH VIOLATED RULE 47 OF THE RULES OF COURT, THE SAME HAVING BEEN FILED WITHOUT IMPLEADING EUCLID PO, TRI-PLUS HOLDINGS, SPOUSES WARLITO AND CAROLINA DE JESUS, THE OTHER DEFENDANTS IN CIVIL COMPLAINT (MAN 4150) WHO ARE INDISPENSABLE PARTIES TO THE PETITION FOR ANNULMENT.
V. THE COURT OF APPEALS HAS DECIDED A QUESTION OF SUBSTANCE NOT IN ACCORD WITH LAW OR WITH THE APPLICABLE DECISIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT IN DECLARING THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT, MANDAUE CITY AS WITHOUT JURISDICTION TO ISSUE THE ORDER DATED DECEMBER 9, 2002; THE ORDER DATED MARCH 21, 2003 AND THE WRIT OF PARTIAL EXECUTION DATED APRIL 3, 2003;
VI. THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED IN DECLARING THE ORDER DATED 9 DECEMBER 2002, THE ORDER DATED 21 MARCH 2003 AND THE WRIT OF PARTIAL EXECUTION AS NULL AND VOID IN ITS ENTIRETY WHEN SEVEN (7) PARCELS OF LAND, OUT OF THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHT (108) PARCELS OF LAND CLAIMED BY RESPONDENT TAYUD GOLF UNDER THE DEED OF ASSIGNMENT ARE DISTINCT, DIVISIBLE AND SEPARABLE FROM THE ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO (122) PARCELS OF LAND SUBJECT OF THE COMPLAINT OR FROM THE ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX (176) PARCELS OF LAND SUBJECT OF RESPONDENT OSMEÑA'S INVENTORY AND PETITIONER'S MOTION FOR SEPARATE JUDGMENT.
VII. THE COURT OF APPEALS FAILED TO TAKE JUDICIAL NOTICE OF ITS PRIOR FINAL RESOLUTION IN THE CASE ENTITLED “APOLLO HOMES INVESTMENT CORPORATION ET AL. V. ERNA CASALS, ET AL., CA.-G.R. NO. 1286, WHICH BARRED THE RESPONDENT OSMEÑA, APOLLO HOMES AND INOCENTES OUANO FROM ANNULING AND CANCELLING THE TAX DECLARATIONS ALREADY ISSUED UNDER THE JOINT NAMES OF RESPONDENT OSMEÑA AND CASALS; THE ORDER DATED JUNE 24, 2002 AND ALL THE ORDERS ASSAILED BY THE RESPONDENT TAYUD GOLF AND THIS FINAL RESOLUTION CANNOT BE CIRCUMVENTED OR COLLATERALLY ATTACKED BY THE QUESTIONED DECISION OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, WHICH ORDERED THE CANCELLATION OF THE SAME TAX DECLARATIONS.[23]
According to petitioners, in
respondent Tayud Golf's petition for annulment of the final orders, it was
stated that petitioners were adjudged to be co-owners of, among others, one
hundred eight (108) parcels of land, which were actually owned by respondent
Tayud Golf; however, the Order dated 9 December 2002 did not adjudge
petitioners as the co-owners of the said parcel of lands. They added that, out of the one hundred
seventy-six (176) parcels of land prayed for in the motion for separate partial
judgment, only seven were included in the motion; and, out of the one hundred
seventy-three (173) parcels of land granted by the RTC, only six (6) were
claimed by respondent Tayud Golf and not one of the tax declarations of the
said six parcels of land was canceled and transferred to the joint names of
Osmeña and petitioners by reason of the implementation of the writ of
execution. Such facts, as argued by petitioners, were misapprehended by the CA
when it ruled that respondent Tayud Golf was an indispensable party to the
complaint.
Petitioners also posit that the CA's
conclusion that respondent Tayud Golf was an indispensable party is contrary to
law[24]
and jurisprudence.[25] According to them, by the very definition of
a real party-in-interest, respondent Tayud Golf cannot qualify as such due to
the following reasons:
1. Respondent Tayud Golf has neither any claim in the parcels of land subject of the petitioner's deeds of sale, tax declarations and titles which are ADVERSE to that of the petitioners, nor has the respondent performed any act or omission that violates the legal right of the petitioners with respect to the petitioners' land in litigation.
2. Respondent Tayud Golf is not also necessary to a complete determination or settlement of the questions involved in the petitioner's complaint.
3. Tayud Golf's claim of ownership of the 108 parcels of land (by virtue of the Deed of Assignment executed by Apollo Homes) is not affected by having the Affidavit of Waiver and Quitclaim annulled.
4. The interest of respondent Tayud Golf in the one hundred eight (108) parcels of land is distinct, divisible and separate from the one hundred twenty two (122) parcels of land involved in the litigation between the petitioners and respondent Osmeña and co-defendants Euclid Po, Tri-Plus Holdings, Inc. and Spouses Warlito and Carolina de Jesus.
5. No damage or prejudice is caused to respondent Tayud Golf as a result of the implementation of the assailed Orders.
Petitioners
further argue that the failure of respondent Tayud Golf to include the other
defendants − namely: Euclid Po, Tri-Plus Holdings, Inc. and the Spouses De
Jesus − as party-respondents in the petition for annulment renders
respondent Tayud Golf's petition fatally defective and the assailed Decision of
the CA null and void.
Petitioners
also claim that the assailed Orders and Writ of Execution was not inimical; nor
did it have any adverse effect on the claim of ownership of respondent Tayud
Golf. They cite Republic v.
Sandiganbayan,[26]
wherein this Court ruled that the failure to join an indispensable party
does not divest the court of jurisdiction, since the rule regarding
indispensable parties is founded on equitable considerations and is not jurisdictional
and, thus, the court is not divested of its power to render a decision even in
the absence of indispensable parties, though such judgment is not binding on
the non-joined party.
Petitioners
also point out that the CA ignored the separability and divisibility of the 6
lots from the 112 parcels of land that were transferred under the joint names
of petitioners and respondent Osmeña, pursuant to the Order dated June 24, 2002
and the questioned Orders implementing it, when it decided to declare the
assailed Orders as null and void in their entirety and ordered the Provincial
Assessor to cancel the tax declarations pursuant to the Writ of Partial Execution
dated April 3, 2006, and to reinstate the previous tax declarations under the
sole name of respondent Antonio Osmeña.
Petitioners
reasoned that the CA should have taken judicial notice of its Resolution
dismissing the petition filed by Apollo Homes, Antonio Osmeña and Inocentes
Ouano for the nullification of the Order dated
parcels of land under the Deed of Assignment that it executed with respondent
Osmeña and Inocentes Ouano on
Finally,
the grounds for petitioners' application for a temporary restraining order and
preliminary injunction are the following:
1. The petitioners have clear legal rights as co-owners of the 112 parcels of land under the tax declarations that were already issued under the joint names of co-respondent Osmeña and Heirs of Casals;
2. The questioned Decision directing the respondent Provincial Assessor to cancel the aforesaid tax declarations violate the petitioners' clear and legal rights of co-ownership over the 112 parcels of land;
3. Unless this Honorable Court issues the temporary restraining order, the respondent Provincial Assessor will carry out the questioned decision of the Court of Appeals and cancel the 112 tax declarations to the prejudice of the petitioners. Besides, the implementation of this Order will render futile whatever decision this Honorable Court will render in this case.
4. The petitioners are willing to put up a bond in an amount that this Honorable Court may fix to answer whatever damage that may be caused to the respondents should they be adjudged as not entitled to the injunctive relief.
Respondent Antonio Osmeña, in his Comment[27]
dated
Respondent Tayud Golf, in its Comment[29]
dated
Petitioners, in their Consolidated Reply[30]
dated December 19, 2008, argue that per their compliance dated July 26, 2008,
they have already cured whatever defects their petitions had by submitting
affidavits of service of the motion for extension of time to file petition for
review on certiorari, and the petition itself with properly accomplished
jurats. As to the argument of respondent Tayud Golf that the special powers of
attorney executed by petitioners April Vida Casals and Irene Casals Madarang
are defective on the ground that they were executed six years ago and that the
authority granted to petitioners' mother, Erna Casals, refers only to the sale
of properties and acts and transactions related thereto, petitioners dismiss it
as without any factual and legal basis.
They contend that because the authority granted to petitioner Erna
Casals did not only refer to the sale of the properties, but also to the filing
of legal action/s for recovery of all properties on which they have interests
as heirs of Robert Casals, including the authority to represent them during the
pre-trial conference; to enter into a compromise or stipulation of facts, to
sign all pleadings and certifications of non-forum shopping, and such other
documents as may be necessary and proper to effect such authority. Petitioners
also add that the Answer filed by petitioner Erna Casals, for and on behalf of
co-petitioners April Vida Casals and Irene Pamela Casals, to respondent Tayud
Golf's petition for annulment was authorized by the same special powers of
attorney, which were not contested by respondent Tayud Golf − the petitioner in the original petition. Finally, petitioners reiterate the grounds
they raised in the instant petition.
The present petition is
unmeritorious.
As clearly deduced from the errors
assigned by the petitioners, the core issue is whether or not respondent Tayud
Golf is an indispensable party to the original action. All the other errors imputed are borne out of
the CA's conclusion.
This Court, in the recent case of Regner
v. Logarta, et al.,[31]
thoroughly discussed the nature and definition of an indispensable party,
thus:
Rule 3, Section 7 of the Rules of Court, defines indispensable parties as parties-in-interest without whom there can be no final determination of an action. As such, they must be joined either as plaintiffs or as defendants. The general rule with reference to the making of parties in a civil action requires, of course, the joinder of all necessary parties where possible, and the joinder of all indispensable parties under any and all conditions, their presence being a sine qua non for the exercise of judicial power.[32] It is precisely “when an indispensable party is not before the court [that] the action should be dismissed.”[33] The absence of an indispensable party renders all subsequent actions of the court null and void for want of authority to act, not only as to the absent parties but even as to those present.[34]
As we ruled in Alberto v. Mananghala:[35]
In an action for recovery of property against a person who purchased it from another who, in turn, acquired it from others by the same means or by donation or otherwise, the predecessors of defendants are indispensable parties if the transfers, if not voided, may bind plaintiff. (Garcia vs. Reyes, 17 Phil. 127.) In the latter case, this Court held:
In order to bring this suit duly to a close, it is imperative to determine the only question raised in connection with the pending appeal, to wit, whether all the persons who intervened in the matter of the transfers and donation herein referred to, are or are not necessary parties to this suit, since it is asked in the complaint that the said transfers and donation be declared null and void – an indispensable declaration for the purpose, in a proper case, of concluding the plaintiff to be the sole owner of the house in dispute.
If such a declaration of annulment can directly affect the persons who made and who were concerned in the said transfers, nothing could be more proper and just than to hear them in the litigation, as parties interested in maintaining the validity of those transactions, and therefore, whatever be the nature of the judgment rendered, Francisco Reyes, Dolores Carvajal, Alfredo Chicote, Vicente Miranda, and Rafael Sierra, besides the said minors, must be included in the case as defendants. (Garcia vs. Reyes, 17 Phil., 130-131.)
x x x x
An indispensable party has been defined as follows:
An indispensable party is a party who has such an interest in the controversy or subject matter that a final adjudication cannot be made, in his absence, without injuring or affecting that interest, a party who has not only an interest in the subject matter of the controversy, but also has an interest of such nature that a final decree cannot be made without affecting his interest or leaving the controversy in such a condition that its final determination may be wholly inconsistent with equity and good conscience. It has also been considered that an indispensable party is a person in whose absence there cannot be a determination between the parties already before the court which is effective, complete, or equitable. Further, an indispensable party is one who must be included in an action before it may properly go forward.
A person is not an indispensable party, however, if his interest in the controversy or subject matter is separable from the interest of the other parties, so that it will not necessarily be directly or injuriously affected by a decree which does complete justice between them. Also, a person is not an indispensable party if his presence would merely permit complete relief between him and those already parties to the action, or if he has no interest in the subject matter of the action. It is not a sufficient reason to declare a person to be an indispensable party that his presence will avoid multiple litigation.[36]
In Servicewide Specialists, Incorporated v. Court of Appeals,[37] this Court held that no final determination of a case could be made if an indispensable party is not legally present therein:
An indispensable party is one whose interest will be affected by the court’s action in the litigation, and without whom no final determination of the case can be had. The party’s interest in the subject matter of the suit and in the relief sought are so inextricably intertwined with the other parties that his legal presence as a party to the proceeding is an absolute necessity. In his absence there cannot be a resolution of the dispute of the parties before the court which is effective, complete, or equitable.
The rationale for treating all the co-owners of a property as indispensable parties in a suit involving the co-owned property is explained in Arcelona v. Court of Appeals:[38]
As held by the Supreme Court, were the courts to permit an action in ejectment to be maintained by a person having merely an undivided interest in any given tract of land, a judgment in favor of the defendants would not be conclusive as against the other co-owners not parties to the suit, and thus, the defendant in possession of the property might be harassed by as many succeeding actions of ejectment, as there might be co-owners of the title asserted against him. The purpose of this provision was to prevent multiplicity of suits by requiring the person asserting a right against the defendant to include with him, either as co-plaintiffs or as co-defendants, all persons standing in the same position, so that the whole matter in dispute may be determined once and for all in one litigation.
The CA,
in finding Tayud Golf as an indispensable party, made the following
observations:
Petitioner's claim of ownership over the one hundred eight (108) parcels of land is based on a Deed of Assignment executed by Apollo Homes in favor of the former. After judiciously going through the petition and the appended documents, We noted that out of the one hundred eight (108) properties:
1. One hundred six (106) parcels were included in the Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver purportedly executed by Casals and Ouano in favor of Osmeña, which the heirs of Casals are assailing in the instant case;
2. Seven (7) parcels, namely, Lots 787, 1051, 1154, 1157, 1167, 1189 and 1276, were included in the Motion for Separate Partial Judgment filed by the heirs of Casals, which was granted by the trial court per the first assailed order, with the exclusion of Lot 1051, and in the Writ of Partial Execution;
Lot No. Title No. Date Registered Area (sq m,)
1) 1231 TCT TP-6417
2) 1242 TCT TP-6416
3) 792 TCT TP- 4717 January 12, 1995 11,573
4) 1048 TCT TP-4716
5) 1197 TCT TP-4719
6) 1243 TCT TP- 4718 January 12, 1995 1,358
7) 1275 TCT TP-4714
8) 1149 OCT 1282
9) 1150 OCT 1281
10) 1152 OCT 1280
11) 1153 OCT 1278
12) 1154 OCT 1279
13) 1157 OCT 1284
14) 1158 OCT 1283
15) 1069 TCT TP-12881
16) 1148 TCT TP-12882
17) 1177 TCT TP-12883
18) 782 OCT 1870
19) 783 OCT 1871
20) 790 OCT 1872
21) 794 OCT 1873
22) 1055 OCT
1874
23) 1241 OCT
1875
24) 1245 OCT
1876
25) 1246 OCT
1877
26) 1261 OCT
1879
27) 1352 OCT
1880
The aforecited
ten (10) original certificates of title issued on
4. Seven (7) parcels, namely, Lots 1195, 1196, 1198, 1232, 1234, 1267, and 1269, the subject matter in petitioner's application for land registration, which was granted on May 31, 2006 per this Court's decision in CA G. R. CV No. 71113, are still pending issuance of certificates of title;
5. Seventy-four (74) parcels were issued tax declarations under the name of petitioner; and
6. Petitioner has been paying the real estate
taxes thereof as evidenced by various tax clearances issued on
Evidently, petitioner is encompassed within the definition of an indispensable party. Being the registered owner of at least twenty-seven (27) properties included in the Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver, not to mention the other seven (7) properties, which are pending issuance of certificates of title by virtue of this Court's decision dated May 31, 2006, and the other properties, which were declared for taxation purposes under its name, petitioner definitely has such a direct interest in the controversy or subject matter of the instant case.[39]
However,
petitioners dispute the factual findings of the CA. Respondent Tayud Golf, in its Comment dated
SECTION 1. Filing of petition with Supreme Court. - A party desiring to appeal by certiorari from a judgment or final order or resolution of the Court of Appeals, the Sandiganbayan, the Regional Trial Court or other courts whenever authorized by law, may file with the Supreme Court a verified petition for review on certiorari. The petition shall raise only questions of law which must be distinctly set forth.
The
above Rule is with certain exceptions as set forth in previous decisions of
this Court. As mentioned in Cosmos
Bottling Corporation v. Nagrama, Jr.:[40]
The Court, however, may determine the factual milieu of cases or controversies under specific circumstances, as follows:
(1) when the inference made is manifestly mistaken, absurd or impossible;
(2) when there is a grave abuse of discretion;
(3) when the finding is grounded entirely on speculations, surmises or conjectures;
(4) when the judgment of the Court of Appeals is based on misapprehension of facts;
(5) when the findings of fact are conflicting;
(6) when the Court of Appeals, in making its findings, went beyond the issues of the case and the same is contrary to the admissions of both appellant and appellee;
(7) when the findings of the Court of Appeals are contrary to those of the trial court;
(8) when the findings of fact are conclusions without citation of specific evidence on which they are based;
(9) when the Court of Appeals manifestly overlooked certain relevant facts not disputed by the parties and which, if properly considered, would justify a different conclusion; and
(10) when the findings of fact of the Court of Appeals are premised on the absence of evidence and are contradicted by the evidence on record.
A
close reading of the assigned errors imputed by petitioners to the CA
categorically shows that they are questioning the latter's judgment on the
ground of misapprehension of facts.
Therefore, this Court, based on the fourth exception above-cited, may
resolve the errors enumerated by petitioners in the present petition.
Briefly,
petitioners claim that the CA erred in finding that:
1. Mere inclusion of the 108 parcels of land that
respondent Tayud Golf claimed under the deed of assignment in the affidavit of
quitclaim and waiver renders the RTC without any jurisdiction to issue the
assailed orders;
2. Respondent
Tayud Golf is an indispensable party;
3. Petition can
be given due course;
4. RTC was without jurisdiction to issue the assailed
orders and writ; and
5. The Orders dated
Petitioners claim as their first assigned
error that the finding of the CA that mere inclusion of the 108 parcels of land
that respondent Tayud Golf claimed under the deed of assignment in the
Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver renders the RTC without any jurisdiction to
issue the orders. They aver that this
inclusion was borne out of the CA's reliance on the contention of respondent
Tayud Golf in its Petition for Annulment of the Final Orders[41]
that petitioners were adjudged to be the co-owners of, among others, one
hundred eight (108) parcels of land which are actually owned by respondent
Tayud Golf. According to petitioners,
such reliance is erroneous, because the Order dated
A close of examination of the
CA's decision and the basis of its conclusions render the above argument of
petitioners without any merit. All of
the findings of the CA were based on documents, the contents of which are
undisputed. In stating that respondent
Tayud Golf had a claim of ownership over 108 parcels of land, the CA had as its
basis the Deed of Assignment executed by Apollo Homes in favor of the same
respondent. In finding that out of the
108 parcels of land being claimed by respondent Tayud Golf, 106 parcels were
included in the Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver, the CA based such conclusion
on the very same Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver. In its determination that 7 parcels of land
being claimed by respondent Tayud Golf were included in the Motion for Separate
Judgment filed by petitioners, which was eventually granted by the RTC in its
first assailed Order and in the Writ of Partial Execution, the CA referred to
the said Motion, Order and Writ. In
finding that 27 parcels of land were registered under the name of respondent
Tayud Golf, the CA took into consideration the certified true copies of Transfer
Certificates of Title (TCTs) and Original Certificates of Title (OCTs)
submitted by the same respondent. All other facts similar or pertaining to
those earlier mentioned have been
correctly appreciated by the CA and were properly cited.
It must be noted that the
original action was initiated by petitioners through their complaint before the
RTC regarding the Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver executed by the deceased
Casals and Ouano in favor of respondent Osmeña; and, as shown in the same
affidavit, 106 parcels of land are either owned or being claimed by respondent Tayud Golf. Therefore, the CA correctly concluded, based
on its findings of fact earlier mentioned, that being the registered owner of
at least 27 properties included in the Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver,
respondent Tayud Golf had a direct interest in the original action.
Based on the above premise, the
CA correctly ruled that respondent Tayud Golf was an indispensable party to the
original action. However, petitioners
claim otherwise. Again, they claim that
the parcels of land included in the assailed Orders and Writ are distinct and
separate from those claimed by respondent Tayud Golf. What the petitioners fail to state, in simple
terms, is that the assailed Orders and Writ would not have come into fruition
if not for their original complaint, which sought to nullify the Affidavit of
Quitclaim and Waiver. As discussed
earlier, the properties of respondent Tayud Golf were included in the same
Affidavit of Quitclaim and Waiver; hence, its interest in the said properties
will surely be affected by the outcome of the case. Again, this Court reiterates that an indispensable party is one who has such an
interest in the controversy or subject matter that a final adjudication cannot
be made in his absence without injuring or affecting that interest.[42]
As such, it is apparent that respondent Tayud Golf is indeed an indispensable
party.
Anent the contention of
petitioners that the petition for annulment filed by respondent Tayud Golf with
the CA should not have been acted upon by the latter, because the former did
not assail the Order dated June 24, 2002,which contained the settlement
agreement of the parties; and the other defendants in the original action
− Euclid Po, Tri-Plus Holdings and the Spouses De Jesus − were not
impleaded. In short, petitioners are
questioning the jurisdiction of the CA in resolving the Petition for Annulment
filed by respondent Tayud Golf. The CA
acted on the said petition based on its jurisdiction conferred by law,
specifically Rule 47 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, which states that:
Section
1. Coverage. - This Rule shall govern the annulment by the Court of
Appeals of judgments or final orders and resolutions in civil actions of
Regional Trial Courts for which the ordinary remedies of new trial, appeal
petition for relief or other appropriate remedies are no longer available
through no fault of the petitioner.
Section
2. Grounds for annulment. - The annulment may be based only on the
grounds of extrinsic fraud and lack of jurisdiction.
x
x x x
Section
4. Filing and contents of petition. - The action shall be commenced by
filing a verified petition alleging therein with particularity the facts and
the law relied upon for annulment, as well as those supporting the petitioner's
good and substantial cause of action or defense, as the case may be.
By virtue of the above law, the
CA had jurisdiction to act upon the Petition for Annulment filed by respondent
Tayud Golf. The said petition, sufficient in form and substance, left the CA
with no other recourse but to act upon it.
The well-settled rule is that the nature of an action/petition is
determined by the material allegations it contains, irrespective of whether the
petitioner is entitled to the reliefs prayed for therein.[43] A close reading of the petition filed by
respondent Tayud Golf distinctly indicates that the grounds relied upon were
based on extrinsic fraud and lack of jurisdiction. Furthermore, respondent Tayud Golf had no
other recourse than to file the said petition.
The non-inclusion of Euclid Po,
Tri-Plus Holdings, and the Spouses De Jesus is also of no importance, as the
claim of respondent Tayud Golf does not involve their properties. Respondent Tayud Golf, in its petition for
annulment did not include a claim of ownership over Lot Nos. 945, 1340 and 1051
in which Euclid Po, Tri-Plus Holdings, and the Spouses De Jesus are
involved. Likewise, the failure to
assail the Order dated
x
x x the Order dated
Things done between strangers
ought not to injure those who are not parties to them.[45]
Petitioners also cited Republic
v. Sandiganbayan,[46]
wherein this Court ruled that the failure to join an indispensable party
does not divest the court of jurisdiction.
However, the said case is inapplicable.
In the earlier ruling of this Court, the one who raised the issue of
non-joinder of indispensable parties was also a party to the case whereas in
the questioned decision of the CA, the one who sought to be joined was never
made a party to the original action. Mrs. Imelda Marcos, a respondent to the
case, claimed that foreign foundations should have been impleaded as they were
indispensable parties without whom no complete determination of the issues
could be made. In ruling against the
argument of respondent Marcos, this Court said:
The
rulings of the Swiss court that the foundations, as formal owners, must be
given an opportunity to participate in the proceedings hinged on the assumption
that they owned a nominal share of the assets.
But this was already refuted by no less than Mrs. Marcos herself. Thus, she cannot now argue that the ruling of
the Sandiganbayan violated the conditions set by the Swiss court. The directive given by the Swiss court for
the foundations to participate in the proceedings was for the purpose of
protecting whatever nominal interest they might have had in the assets as
formal owners. But inasmuch as the
ownership was subsequently repudiated by Imelda Marcos, they could no longer be
considered as indispensable parties and their participation in the proceedings
became unnecessary.[47]
Finally, petitioners contend that
the CA failed to take judicial notice of its prior final resolution in CA-G.R.
SP No. 01286 entitled Apollo Homes Investment Corporation, et al. v. Erna
Casals, et al., which, according to them, would subject the present case to
the rule on res judicata. In Apollo,
the CA dismissed the Petition for the Annulment of the Partial Compromise
Agreement dated June 24, 2002, the Order denying the Motion for Reconsideration
dated July 4, 2003, the Order denying the Motion for Partial Judgment dated
December 9, 2005 and the Partial Judgment and the Writ issued pursuant
thereto. The argument of petitioners
should be given scant consideration.
Under the rule of res judicata,
also known as “bar by prior judgment,” a final judgment or order on the merits,
rendered by a Court having jurisdiction over the subject matter and of the
parties, is conclusive in a subsequent case between the same parties and their successors-in-interest
by title subsequent to the commencement of the action or special proceeding,
litigating for the same thing and under the same title and in the same
capacity. The requisites essential for the application of the principle are:
(1) there must be a final judgment or order; (2) said judgment or order must be
on the merits; (3) the court rendering the same must have jurisdiction over the
subject matter and the parties; and (4) there must be, between the two cases,
identity of parties, identity of subject matter, and identity of causes of
action.[48]
The principle of res judicata
is not applicable to the questioned decision of the CA, as it lacks some
essential elements. Apollo was
dismissed by the CA not on its merits but on technicality. As read from the CA Resolution[49]
dated
However,
a brief examination of said Petition shows the following fatal infirmities:
1. petitioner failed to allege when did they
receive the above-mentioned Orders;
2. the authority given by the petitioner Apollo
Homes and Investment Corporation to Engr. Inocentes M. Ouano is a mere
photocopy.
3. petitioner merely attached a plain copy of
the Order dated
4. petitioner failed to attach Affidavits of
witnesses or documents supporting their cause of action.
From the above disquisitions, it
can be surmised that respondent Tayud Golf is indeed an indispensable party to
the original case, and a final adjudication of the said case cannot be made in
his absence without injuring or affecting his interest.
WHEREFORE, the Petition for Review dated
SO ORDERED.
DIOSDADO M. PERALTA
Associate
Justice
WE
CONCUR:
Associate Justice
Chairperson
|
|
|
|
MINITA V. CHICO-NAZARIO Associate Justice |
PRESBITERO J. VELASCO, JR. Associate Justice |
|
ANTONIO EDUARDO B. NACHURA Associate Justice |
|
ATTESTATION
I
attest 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.
CONSUELO YNARES-SANTIAGO
Associate Justice
Third
Division, Chairperson
Chief
Justice
[1] Rollo, pp. 11-55.
[2] Penned by Associate Justice Francisco P. Acosta, with Associate Justices Pampio A. Abarintos and Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, concurring; rollo, pp. 61-87.
[3] Rollo, pp. 405-410.
[4] Complaint
dated
[5] CA Decision dated
[6]
[7] Complaint
dated
[8] Rollo, pp. 277-278.
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
[18]
[19]
[20]
[21] Supra note 2.
[22] Rollo, pp. 90-92.
[23]
[24] Rules of Court, Rule 3, Sec. 2.
[25] Petitioners cited the following cases: Imelda Relucio v. Angelina Mejia Lopez, 373 SCRA 584 (2002) and Gan Hock v. CA, 197 SCRA 231 (1991).
[26] G.R. No. 152154,
[27] Rollo, pp. 1237-1249.
[28] Supra note 26.
[29] Rollo, pp. 1251-1264.
[30]
[31] G. R. No. 168747,
[32] Borlasa v. Polistico, 47 Phil. 345, 347 (1925).
[33] People v. Hon. Rodriguez, 106 Phil. 325, 327 (1959).
[34] Alabang
Development Corporation v. Valenzuela, 201 Phil. 727, 742 (1982); Director of Lands v. Court of Appeals,
181 Phil. 432, 440 (1979); Lim Tanhu v.
Ramolete, G.R. No. L-40098,
[35] 89 Phil. 188, 191-192 (1951).
[36] Arcelona v. Court of Appeals, 345 Phil. 250, 269-270 (1997).
[37] 321 Phil. 427, 434 (1995).
[38] 345
Phil. 268-269 (1997), citing Moran, Comments on the Rules of Court, Vol.
1 (1970 ed.), pp. 182-83, and Palarca v.
Baguisi, 38 Phil. 177, 180-181 (1918). See also Pobre v. Blanco, 17
Phil. 156, 158-159 (1910); Araneta v.
Montelibano, 14 Phil. 117, 123-124 (1909).
[39]
[40] G.R.
No. 164403,
[41] Rollo, pp. 358-381.
[42] Foster-Gallego v. Galang, G.R. No. 130228, July 27, 2004, 435 SCRA 275, 292-293, citing Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. v. Alejo, 417 Phil. 303 (2001).
[43] Guiang v. Co, G.R. No. 146996, July 30, 2004, 435 SCRA 556, 561-562, citing Intestate Estate of Ty v. Court of Appeals, 356 SCRA 661 (2001).
[44] Rollo, p. 1260.
[45] Dynamic
Signmaker Outdoor Advertising Services, Inc., et al. v. Potongan, G.R. No.
156589,
[46] Supra note 24.
[47] Rollo, pp. 270-271.
[48]
Cruz, v. Court of Appeals, G.R.
No. 164797, February 13, 2006, 482 SCRA 379, 388, citing Firestone Ceramics v. Court of Appeals, 372 Phil. 401, 404 (1999).
[49] Rollo, pp. 345-346.