Facts:

• Ildefonso Tambunting filed a complaint against Virginia de Vera and other defendants, including the heirs of Antonino de Guzman and Gregoria de la Cruz.
• The complaint was submitted on September 6, 1912, in the Court of First Instance of Manila.
• Tambunting sought recovery of a parcel of land on Calle Benavides, Nos. 723 and 725, measuring 599 square meters and 61 square centimeters.
• He claimed ownership through a sale with a right of repurchase from his tenant, Andres de Guzman.
• The defendants argued that the property belonged to their deceased ancestors' estate and denied any lease agreement with Tambunting.
• On April 28, 1913, the lower court ruled in favor of Tambunting, ordering the defendants to return possession and pay back rent of P4,325.
• The defendants appealed the decision.

Issue:

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Ruling:

• The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decision, ruling in favor of Ildefonso Tambunting.
• The court determined that Tambunting was the rightful owner and entitled to possession of the property.
• The defendants'...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Supreme Court emphasized that the defendants did not provide adequate evidence to support their ownership claim.
• Virginia de Vera's testimony failed to clarify why property taxes were unpaid until 1911, while Tambunting had paid them for previous years.
• The defendants did not present evidence of their alleged offer to redeem the property.
• The untranscribed stenographic notes from the trial were not in a reviewable form, preventing the appellate court from reassessing the lowe...continue reading