Facts:

• Petitioner Perla Pacursa sought to intervene in Civil Case 2419-P of the Court of First Instance of Rizal.
• The case was filed by Simeon del Rosario against the Equitable Insurance & Casualty Co., Inc.
• The insurance policy in question covered the members of a vaudeville troupe, including Francisco del Rosario who died in an accident.
• Simeon del Rosario claimed the proceeds of the policy and an agreement was allegedly made between him and the insurer regarding the distribution of the proceeds.
• Perla Pacursa, as the sole heir of her husband and son who were members of the vaudeville troupe, filed a motion to intervene in the case.
• She claimed that all the deceased vaudevillists were covered by the insurance policy.
• The Court of First Instance denied her motion, citing laches and the potential for undue delay and prejudice to the original parties.
• Pacursa appealed to the Court of Appeals, but her petition was dismissed.
• She then appealed to the Supreme Court.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• The Supreme Court ruled against P...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• Pacursa was guilty of laches, as she delayed asserting her rights for over eight years after the accident and only sought intervention after the expiration of the period to file a claim under the insurance policy.
• Allowing intervention would cause undue delay and prejudice the adjudication of the rights of the original parties.
• The trial court no longer had the authority to grant intervention, as the case had already been decided and was pending appeal.
• Intervention should be pursued within a reasonable time and parties should not idly sit by and allow litigation to proceed before asserting their rights.
• Intervention should not cause undue delay or prej...continue reading