Tating Vs Marcella GR155208
Tating Vs Marcella GR155208
Tating Vs Marcella GR155208
testimonies of their witnesses failed to establish that On October 14, 1969, Daniela sold the subject
Daniela had a different intention when she entered into a property to her granddaughter, herein petitioner Nena
contract of sale with petitioner. Lazalita Tating (Nena). The contract of sale was
embodied in a duly notarized Deed of4 Absolute Sale
SPECIAL CIVIL ACTION in the Supreme Court. executed by Daniela in favor of Nena. Subsequently,
Certiorari. title over the subject property was transferred in the
5
The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court. name of Nena. She declared the property in her
Pamplona, Genito and Valdezco for petitioner. name for tax purposes and paid the real estate taxes
Guanzon and Guanzon Law Firm for due thereon for the years 1972, 1973, 1975 to 1986
6
respondents. and 1988. However, the land remained in possession
of Daniela.
82
On December 28, 1977, Daniela executed a
sworn statement claiming that she had actually no
82 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED intention of selling the property; the true agreement
Tating vs. Marcella between her and Nena was simply to transfer title
over the subject property in favor of
AUSTRIA-MARTINEZ, J.:
_______________
Assailed in the Special Civil Action for Certiorari
1 1 Penned by Justice Martin S. Villarama, Jr. and concurred in
before the Court are the Decision dated February 22,
by Justices Conchita Carpio-Morales (now a member of this
2002 and the Resolution dated August 22, 2002 of
Court) and Sergio L. Pestaño; Rollo, p. 53.
the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CV No.
2 2 Original Records, pp. 318-342.
64122, which affirmed the Decision of the Regional
3 Exhibit “A,” Id., at p. 138.
Trial Court (RTC) of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental,
4 Exhibit “Q”/“1,” Id., at p. 177.
Branch 60.
5 Exhibit “3”, Id., at p. 179.
The present case arose from a controversy
6 Exhibits “8-A” to “8-AA,” Id., at pp. 183-212.
involving a parcel of land denominated as Lot 56 of
Subdivision plan Psd31182, located at Abelarde St., 83
Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. The subject lot,
containing an area of 200 square meters, was owned
by Daniela Solano Vda. de Tating (Daniela) as VOL. 519, MARCH 27, 2007 83
evidenced by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. Tating vs. Marcella
T-4393 issued
3
by the Registry of Deeds of the City
of Cadiz. the latter to enable her to obtain a loan by
mortgaging the subject property for the purpose of
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helping her defray her business expenses; she later 7 Exhibit “D,” Id., at p. 142.
discovered that Nena did not secure any loan nor 8 Exhibit “I,” Id., at p. 149.
mortgage the property; she wants the title in the 9 Exhibit “E,” Id., at p. 143.
name of Nena cancelled
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and the subject property 10 Id., at p. 1.
reconveyed to her. 8
11 Id., at p. 55.
Daniela died on July 29, 1988 leaving her
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children as her heirs, namely: Ricardo, Felicidad,
Julio, Carlos and Cirilo who predeceased Daniela
and was represented by herein petitioner. 84 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
In a letter dated March 1, 1989, Carlos informed
Tating vs. Marcella
Nena that when Daniela died they discovered the
sworn statement she executed on December 28, 1977
and, as a consequence, they are demanding from In her Answer, Nena denied that any fraud or
Nena the return of their rightful shares over the misrepresentation attended the execution of the
9
subject property as heirs of Daniela. Nena did not subject Deed of Absolute Sale. She also denied
reply. Efforts to settle the case amicably proved having received the letter of her uncle, Carlos. She
futile. prayed for the dismissal of the complaint, and in her
Hence, on September 6, 1989, Carlos and counterclaim, she asked the trial court for the award
Felicidad, represented by her son Salvador, filed a of actual, exemplary and moral damages 12
as well as
complaint with the RTC of Cadiz City, Negros attorney’s fees and litigation expenses.
Occidental against Nena praying for the nullification Trial ensued. On November 4, 1998, the RTC
of the Deed of Absolute Sale executed by Daniela in rendered judgment with the following dispositive
her favor, cancellation of the TCT issued in the name portion:
of Nena, and issuance of a new title and tax
10 “WHEREFORE, in view of all the foregoing, judgment is
declaration in favor of the heirs of Daniela. The
hereby rendered in favor of the plaintiffs and against the
complaint also prayed for the award of moral and
defendant, and hereby declaring the document of sale
exemplary damages as well as attorney’s fees and
dated October 14, 1969 (Exh. “Q”) executed between
litigation expenses. On March 19, 1993, the plaintiffs
Daniela Solano Vda. de Tating and Nena Lazalita Tating as
filed an amended complaint with leave of court for
NULL and VOID and further ordering:
the purpose of excluding Ricardo as a party plaintiff,
he having
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died intestate and without issue in March 1. The Register of Deeds of Cadiz City to cancel
1991. He left Carlos, Felicidad, Julio, and Nena as TCT No. 5975 and in lieu thereof to issue a new
his sole heirs. title in the names of Carlos Tating, Pro-indiviso
owner of one-fourth (1/4) portion of the property;
_______________ Felicidad Tating Marcella, Pro-indiviso owner of
one-fourth (1/4) portion; Julio Tating, Pro-
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indiviso owner of one-fourth (1/4) portion and Nena filed an appeal with the CA. On February 22,
Nena Lazalita Tating, Pro-indiviso owner of one- 2002, the CA rendered 14
its Decision affirming the
fourth (1/4) portion, all of lot 56 after payment of judgment of the RTC.
the prescribed fees; Nena’s Motion for Reconsideration was denied 15
2. The City Assessor of the City of Cadiz to cancel by the CA in its Resolution dated August 22, 2002.
Tax Declaration No. 143-00672 and in lieu Hence, herein petition for certiorari anchored on
thereof issue a new Tax Declaration in the names the ground that the CA “has decided the instant case
of Carlos Tating, 1/4 Pro-indiviso portion; without due regard to and in violation of the
Felicidad Tating Marcella, 1/4 Pro-indiviso applicable laws and Decisions of this Honorable
portion; Julio Tating, 1/4 Pro-indiviso portion; Court and also because the Decision of the Regional
and Nena Lazalita Tating, 1/4 Pro-indiviso Trial Court, which it has affirmed, is not supported
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portion, all of lot 56 as well as the house standing by and is even against the evidence on record.”
thereon be likewise declared in the names of the At the outset, it must be stated that the filing of
persons mentioned in the same proportions as the instant petition for certiorari under Rule 65 of
above-stated after payment of the prescribed fees; the Rules of Court is inappropriate. Considering that
3. The defendant is furthermore ordered to pay the assailed Decision and Resolution of the CA
plaintiffs the sum of P20,000.00 by way of moral finally disposed of the case, the proper remedy is a
damages, P10,000.00 by way of exemplary petition for review under Rule 45 of the Rules of
damages, P5,000.00 by way of attorney’s fees and Court.
P3,000.00 by way of litigation expenses; and to The Court notes that while the instant petition is
denominated as a Petition for Certiorari under Rule
65 of the Rules of Court, there is no allegation that
_______________ the CA committed grave abuse of discretion. On the
other hand, the petition actually avers errors of
12 Id., at pp. 23-25.
judgment, rather than of jurisdiction, which are the
85 proper subjects of a petition for review on certiorari.
Hence, in accordance with the liberal spirit
pervading the Rules of Court and in the interest of
VOL. 519, MARCH 27, 2007 85
justice, the Court decided to treat the present petition
Tating vs. Marcella for certiorari as having been filed
A contract is simulated if the parties do not intend to admissibility of evidence depends on its relevance
be bound at all (absolutely simulated) or if the and competence while the weight of evidence
parties conceal
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their true agreement (relatively pertains to evidence already admitted and its
simulated). The primary consideration in tendency to convince and persuade. Thus, a
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determining the true nature20 of a contract is the particular item of evidence may be admissible, but
intention of the parties. Such intention is its evidentiary weight depends on judicial evaluation
determined from the express terms of their within the guidelines provided by the rules of
agreement as well as 21
from their contemporaneous 24
evidence. It is settled that affidavits are classified as
and subsequent acts. hearsay evidence since they are not generally
In the present case, the main evidence presented prepared by the affiant but by another who uses his
by private respondents in proving their allegation own language in writing the affiant’s statements,
that the subject deed of sale did not reflect the true which may thus be either omitted or misunderstood
intention of the parties thereto is the sworn statement 25
by the one writing them. Moreover, the adverse
of Daniela dated December 28, 1977. The trial court party is deprived of the opportunity to cross-examine
admitted the said sworn statement as part of private 26
the affiant. For this reason, affidavits are generally
respondents’ evidence and gave credence to it. The rejected for being hearsay, unless the affiants
CA also accorded great probative weight to this themselves are placed on the witness stand to testify
document. 27
thereon. The Court finds that both the trial court
There is no issue in the admissibility of the and the CA committed error in giving the sworn
subject sworn statement. However, the admissibility statement probative weight. Since Daniela is no
of evidence should not longer available to take the witness stand as she is
already dead, the RTC and the CA should not have
_______________ given probative value on Daniela’s sworn statement
for purposes of proving that the contract of sale
19 People’s Aircargo and Warehousing Co., Inc. v. Court of
between her and petitioner was simulated and that, as
Appeals, 357 Phil. 850, 869-870; 297 SCRA 170, 189 (1998).
a consequence, a trust relationship was created
20 Ramos v. Heirs of Honorio Ramos, Sr., 431 Phil. 337, 345;
between them.
381 SCRA 594, 601 (2002).
Private respondents should have presented other
21 Id., at p. 345.
evidence to sufficiently prove their allegation that
88 Daniela, in fact, had no intention of disposing of her
property when she executed
earlier adverted to, for being hearsay. Naturally, Considering that the Court finds the subject
private respondents were not able to cross-examine contract of sale between petitioner and Daniela to be
the deceased-affiant on her declarations contained in valid and not fictitious or simulated, there is no more
the said affidavit. necessity to discuss the issue as to whether or not a
However, even if Daniela’s affidavit of June 9, trust relationship was created between them.
1983 is disregarded, the fact remains that private WHEREFORE, the petition is GRANTED. The
respondents failed to prove by clear, strong and assailed Decision and Resolution of the Court of
convincing
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evidence beyond mere preponderance of Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No. 64122, affirming the
evidence that the contract of sale between Daniela Decision of the Regional Trial Court of Cadiz City,
and petitioner was simulated. The legal presumption Negros Occidental, Branch 60, in Civil Case No.
is in favor of the validity of contracts and the party 278-C, are REVERSED AND SET ASIDE. The
who impugns its38
regularity has the burden of proving complaint of the private respondents is DISMISSED.
its simulation. Since private respondents failed to No costs.
discharge the bur- SO ORDERED.
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