Case Digest (G.R. No. 55318)
Facts:
- Petitioners: Angeles Malate, Norberto Esguerra, and Benedicto Esguerra.
- Respondents: Honorable Court of Appeals and Felino Gemanil.
- Original landowner: Feliciana Bautista, who instituted tenants Francisco Esguerra and Artemio Gonzales in 1939.
- In 1961, Norberto and Benedicto Esguerra became tenants with Bautista's consent due to their father's old age.
- Angeles Malate was also instituted as a tenant by Gonzales with Bautista's consent.
- Agreement established a 75-25 sharing basis favoring petitioners for produce (pineapple, papaya, banana, rice).
- Petitioners consistently delivered the landowner's share until Bautista's death.
- After Bautista's death, her sister Matea Bautista managed the land, and petitioners continued their obligations.
- In 1976, Felino Gemanil proposed a new agreement to plant sugarcane, offering a 15% share of the gross harvest.
- Gemanil failed to honor the agreement and refused to reinstate the petitioners as tenants.
- Petitioners filed a complaint with the Court of Agrarian Relations, which ruled in their favor on March 12, 1980.
- The Court of Appeals reversed this decision on August 5, 1980, prompting the petitioners to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the petitioners.
- The decision of the Court of Appeals was reversed, and the ruling of the Court of Agrarian Relations was reinstated.
- The Supreme Court fo...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Supreme Court emphasized that the appellate court's role is limited to assessing whether the agrarian court's findings are supported by substantial evidence.
- Substantial evidence i...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 55318)
Facts:
The case involves petitioners Angeles Malate, Norberto Esguerra, and Benedicto Esguerra against respondents Honorable Court of Appeals and Felino Gemanil. The events leading to this case began in 1939 when Feliciana Bautista, the original owner of a landholding, instituted tenants Francisco Esguerra and Artemio Gonzales. In 1961, due to the old age of their father, Norberto and Benedicto Esguerra were instituted as tenants on the land with the consent of Bautista. Similarly, Angeles Malate was instituted as a tenant by Gonzales, also with Bautista's consent. The agreement established a 75-25 sharing basis in favor of the petitioners for the produce of the land, which was primarily used for planting pineapple, papaya, banana, and rice. The petitioners consistently delivered the landowner's share until Bautista's death, after which her sister Matea Bautista took over the administration, and the petitioners continued to fulfill their obligations.
In 1976, after Matea's death, Felino Gemanil, the son of Feliciana Bautista, invited the petitioners to a meeting where he proposed to plant sugarcane on the land for three years, offering them a 15% share of the gross harvest. The petitioners agreed, but Gemanil failed to honor this agreement and refused to reinstate them as tenants. Consequently, the petitioners filed a complaint with the Court of Agra...