Case Digest (G.R. No. 173636)
Facts:
- The case involves two consolidated petitions for review on certiorari, G.R. No. 173636 and G.R. No. 173770.
- The controversy centers on the redemption of a 36/72 pro indiviso share by the late Jose Ma. Gepuela from the estate of Basilia Austria Vda. de Cruz, covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 95524.
- Gepuela redeemed the share, which was contested by respondents Hernita MeAez-Andres and Nelia MeAez-Cayetano, who argued that Gepuela lacked legal standing as he was neither an heir nor a co-owner.
- Basilia had five children, including Benita, who was a judgment creditor against Basilia's estate.
- Benita purchased the share at a public auction in 1986, and Gepuela redeemed it on May 14, 1987, by paying the auction price.
- The redemption was recorded but required court approval and notification to all heirs.
- Gepuela filed an action to consolidate ownership, which was granted by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in 1989 and affirmed by the Court of Appeals (CA) in 1992.
- In 1995, Hernita and Nelia sought to nullify Gepuela's redemption, claiming their right to redeem as heirs.
- The RTC ruled in favor of Gepuela but declared the redemption void concerning Hernita and Nelia's shares due to lack of notification.
- The CA upheld this ruling, leading to the current petitions.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Gepuela's heirs, granting the petition in G.R. No. 173636 and setting aside the CA's decision that modified the RTC's ruling.
- The Court denied the petition in G.R. No. 173770 for lack of ...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Court emphasized the principle of res judicata, which prevents relitigation of issues conclusively settled by a competent court.
- The validity of Gepuela's redemption had been previously adjudicated in LRC Case No. R-3855, where the RTC declared him the owner of the disputed share, a decision affirmed by the CA and had become final.
- The identity of parties and subject matter was substantial, as both cases involved the same property and sought s...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 173636)
Facts:
The case involves two consolidated petitions for review on certiorari, G.R. No. 173636 and G.R. No. 173770, concerning the redemption of a property share by the late Jose Ma. Gepuela. The controversy began when Gepuela redeemed a 36/72 pro indiviso share of the late Basilia Austria Vda. de Cruz, which was covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 95524. The respondents, Hernita MeAez-Andres and Nelia MeAez-Cayetano, contested this redemption, arguing that Gepuela lacked the legal standing to redeem the share since he was neither an heir nor a co-owner. Basilia, the original owner, had five children, including Benita, who was a judgment creditor in a civil case against Basilia's estate. Following a public auction in 1986, where Benita purchased the share, Gepuela redeemed it on May 14, 1987, by paying the auction price. The redemption was recorded on the title, but it was subject to conditions requiring court approval and notification to all heirs.
Subsequently, Gepuela filed an action to consolidate ownership over the redeemed share, which was granted by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pasig City in 1989. This decision was affirmed by the Court of Appeals (CA) in 1992 and became final. However, in 1995, Hernita and Nelia filed a complaint seeking to nullify Gepuela's redemption, claiming they had the right to re...