Case Summary (G.R. No. 126442)
Relevant Facts
The Regional Trial Court initially rendered a decision on October 12, 1987, instructing the petitioners to deliver possession of Lot 1868 to the plaintiffs and to partition the lot among the heirs of Andres Absin and others. This decision became final and executory on December 20, 1994. Subsequently, on September 12, 1995, the respondent court issued a writ of execution based on the judgment. The petitioners challenged this writ, claiming that Lot 1868 was owned by the heirs of Flavia Factoran.
Amendments to the Judgment
On February 25, 1996, the plaintiffs, through counsel, filed a motion to amend the judgment by correcting the lot number from Lot 1868 to Lot 1898, asserting that Lot 1868 was a clerical error. The court, after examining pleadings and evidence presented in previous complaints, found that the actual property under contention was indeed Lot 1898. Consequently, the court granted the motion to amend the dispositive portion of its original judgment to reflect this correction.
Legal Basis for the Court's Action
The court justified its amendment on established legal principles that allow for the correction of clerical or typographical errors in final and executory judgments. The cited cases confirmed that courts have the authority to clarify ambiguities caused by such errors, thereby ensuring that judgments accurately reflect the findings of the court. Specifically, the decisions referenced included the ruling in Vda. de Reyes vs. Court of Appeals, which supports the notion that harmless clerical errors can be rectified without infringing upon the integrity of the original ruling.
Dismissal of the Petition
The petitioners subsequently filed a motion for reconsideration regarding the court’s order to amend the judgment, which was denied on August 22, 1996. The Supreme Court, upon reviewing the case, concluded that the respondent court's actions did not constitute grave abuse of discretion. It reaffirmed that the amendments were warranted under the circumstances, confirming th
...continue readingCase Syllabus (G.R. No. 126442)
Case Background
- The case is centered around a Petition for Certiorari under Rule 65 of the Revised Rules of Court filed by petitioners Felicito Baguio and Neofita Simbajon.
- The petition seeks to annul an Order from the Regional Trial Court of Negros Oriental, Branch 30, which amended a final and executory judgment regarding Civil Case No. 4622, an action for Annulment of Documents, Partition, Accounting, and Damages.
- The original decision was rendered by then Presiding Judge Enrique C. Garrovillo on October 12, 1987.
Original Decision
- The original judgment included directives to:
- Deliver possession of Lot 1868, PLS-321, to the plaintiffs within 15 days after the decision became final.
- Partition Lot 1868 among the heirs of several individuals, ensuring the submission of a corresponding Partition Agreement for confirmation.
- The judgment became final and executory on December 20, 1994.
Subsequent Proceedings
- On September 12, 1995, the respondent court issued a writ of execution upon the motion of the plaintiffs.
- Petitioners filed a motion to quash