Case Digest (G.R. No. 28394)
Facts:
- Engracio L. Valmonte et al. are the plaintiffs; Pedro Villaroman is the defendant and appellant.
- Buenaventura Valmonte died in 1909, leaving a widow, Celestina Marin, and children from two marriages.
- His first marriage produced three sons: Marcelino, Doroteo, and Manuel Valmonte; the second marriage resulted in four children: Dominga, Ignacia, Hipolito, and Maria Valmonte.
- The heirs sold a parcel of land to Villaroman on July 15, 1914, for P2,100, with a remaining balance of P600 due later.
- Villaroman defaulted on the payment, leading the heirs to file a lawsuit on February 14, 1926, to recover the unpaid balance.
- Villaroman argued he believed the vendors inherited the land from their father, Doroteo Valmonte, and needed waivers from other heirs.
- The plaintiffs sought a partition of the land, claiming co-ownership rights.
- The trial court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, ordering partition and requiring Villaroman to account for income from the land.
- Villaroman appealed, asserting he had possessed the land as an owner since 1914 and that his certificate of title was conclusive.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court ruled that the trial court erred in finding that Villaroman had not possessed the land continuously, peacefully, publicly, and adversely since July 15, 1914.
- The Court also ruled that the trial court erred in holding that Villaroman's...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Supreme Court's decision was based on the principle of acquisitive prescription, allowing ownership through continuous and uninterrupted possession for a specified period.
- Villaroman had possessed the land openly and adversely since 1914, declaring it for tax purposes and cultivating it without interruption.
- The plaintiffs had previously acquiesced to the sale, weakening their later...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 28394)
Facts:
The case involves Engracio L. Valmonte et al. as plaintiffs and Pedro Villaroman as the defendant and appellant. The events leading to the case began with the death of Buenaventura Valmonte in 1909, who left behind a widow, Celestina Marin, and children from two marriages. His first marriage produced three sons: Marcelino, Doroteo, and Manuel Valmonte, while his second marriage resulted in four children: Dominga, Ignacia, Hipolito, and Maria Valmonte. After Buenaventura's death, the heirs sold a parcel of land to Pedro Villaroman on July 15, 1914, for P2,100, with a portion of the payment due later. Villaroman defaulted on the remaining P600, prompting the heirs to file a lawsuit against him on February 14, 1926, to recover the unpaid balance. Villaroman claimed that he had not paid because he believed the vendors had inherited the land from their father, Doroteo Valmonte, and required waivers from other potential heirs. The plaintiffs, who were the grandchildren of Buenaventura Valmonte, sought a partition of the land, asserting their rights as co-owners. The trial court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, ordering the partition of the land and requiring Villaroman to account for the income derived from it. Villaroman appealed the decision, arguing that he had possessed the land as an owner since 1914 and that his certificate of title w...