- Title
- Benigno vs. De la Pena
- Case
- G.R. No. 38036
- Decision Date
- Oct 15, 1932
- Summary settlement of conjugal estate of deceased spouses contested by non-heir; SC upheld single proceeding, administrator appointment, and denied non-heir's challenge.
57 Phil. 305
[ G. R. No. 38036. October 15, 1932 ] MARTINIANO BENIGNO, PETITIONER, VS. BERNARDO DE LA PENA, JUDGE OF FIRST INSTANCE OF ILOCOS NORTE, AND GASPAR ACACIO, RESPONDENTS.
VICKERS, J.:
The petitioner, Martiniano Benigno, was notified of said order on December 17, 1924. On May 18, 1925, Gaspar Acacio as administrator filed civil action No. 2633 in the Court of First Instance of Ilocos Norte against the petitioner herein to recover certain properties belonging to the deceased spouses. That case has been tried, and is now pending decision.
It appears that on March 25, 1929 and July 16, 1932, the present petitioner attempted to have the order of December 17, 1924 set aside, but his motions of reconsideration were overruled.
The petitioner now prays that the respondent "Judge be ordered to refrain from further proceedings in the tration case and in civil case No. 2633 for the recovery of the real properties, and that in due course the order of December 17, 1924 as well as the appointment of the administrator Gaspar Acacio be declared null and void.
The mere statement of the foregoing facts is sufficient to show that the petition is without merit. The ground on which the petitioner principally relies is that the settlement of the estates of two persons cannot be lawfully had in the same proceeding, and in support of his contention he cites the case of Sy Hong Eng vs. Sy Lioc Suy (10 Phil., 209). The decision of this court in that case is not in point. It was there held that one administrator cannot be appointed in one single proceeding for the estates of three different persons, in the case at bar the only property involved was the conjugal property of the deceased spouses, and in our opinion the settlement of their estates.and the disposition of their property, in the single proceeding was perfectly proper. Equally without merit is the contention of the petitioner that the appointment of an administrator to recover the property in the possession of third persons was unauthorized by law. Furthermore, it does riot appear that' the petitioner is an heir of either of the deceased spouses or that he has any right to complain of the order in question. The order which the petitioner seeks to set aside was issued more than seven years ago, and in pursuance thereof the administrator filed an action against the petitioner herein to recover certain real properties in the possession of the petitioner, and that case has been tried and is now pending decision. We see no reason whatever for setting aside the order in the administration proceedings or for suspending the action of ejectment. The petition for a writ of certiorari is therefore denied, with the costs against the petitioner.
Avancena, C. J., Malcolm, Villamor, Ostrand, Abad Santos, Hull, Imperial, and Butte, JJ., concur.