Facts:

• Complaint filed by heirs of Agustin Jocson against the Vinzons, claiming ownership of five lots.
• Filed with the Court of First Instance of Bacolod City and docketed as Civil Case No. 16374 (now 680).
• Trial court dismissed the complaint on grounds of unenforceability, prior judgment, and prescription.
• One plaintiff, Enrique Jocson, directly appealed to the Supreme Court.
• Other plaintiffs filed an amended notice of appeal with the trial court to appeal to the Court of Appeals.
• Trial court did not act on the notice of appeal, prompting the other plaintiffs to file a petition for mandamus with the Supreme Court.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• Notice of appeal filed by the other plaintiffs with the trial court was filed out of time.
• Notice of appeal to the Supreme Court filed by Enrique Jocson did not suspend the running of the 15-day period to appeal to the Court of Appeals.
• Correct mode of appeal from decisions or decrees of Regional Trial Courts to the Supreme Court on pure questions of law is by petition for review.
• Perfection of an appeal within the statutory period is a jurisdictional requirement, failure to do so renders the deci...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• Emphasized the importance of timely filing appeals and expiration of the prescriptive period for claims.
• Notice of appeal filed with the trial court beyond the reglementary period did not suspend the running of the 15-day period to app...continue reading