EN BANC
[G.R. No. 39697. April 5, 1934. ]
SERAFIN SANSON, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. ISABEL ARANETA, ALFREDO SANSON, EVA SANSON and her husband ANTONIO YUSAY, Defendants-Appellants.
Ezpeleta & Zulueta and Feria & La O for Appellants.
Trenas & Laserna and Camus & Delgado for Appellee.
SYLLABUS
1. DESCENT AND DISTRIBUTION; RESCISSION OF PARTITION ON ACCOUNT OF LESION. — As the plaintiff herein has suffered a lesion exceeding the fourth part of the value of the property he is entitled to receive as an heir of his father, it is evident that the agreement of partition in question may be rescinded as provided in article 1074 of the Civil Code.
2. ID.; ID.; PRESCRIPTION. — There is no merit to the allegation of the defendants as to the prescription of plaintiff’s action. The agreement of partition was approved by the court on August 31, 1928. The four years provided in article 1076 of the Civil Code should commence to run from that date. As stated in the decision this case was filed on August 23, 1932. It must be remembered that this is not an extrajudicial partition. It was submitted to the court for approval in case No. 1055 of the Court of First Instance of Iloilo, entitled "Testamentaria del Finado Roque Sanson." That approval validated the agreement of partition Exhibit D.
3. ID.; ID.; ARTICLES 1073-1079, CIVIL CODE. — Articles 1073 to 1079 of the Civil Code are still in force.
2. ID.; ID.; PRESCRIPTION. — There is no merit to the allegation of the defendants as to the prescription of plaintiff’s action. The agreement of partition was approved by the court on August 31, 1928. The four years provided in article 1076 of the Civil Code should commence to run from that date. As stated in the decision this case was filed on August 23, 1932. It must be remembered that this is not an extrajudicial partition. It was submitted to the court for approval in case No. 1055 of the Court of First Instance of Iloilo, entitled "Testamentaria del Finado Roque Sanson." That approval validated the agreement of partition Exhibit D.
3. ID.; ID.; ARTICLES 1073-1079, CIVIL CODE. — Articles 1073 to 1079 of the Civil Code are still in force.
D E C I S I O N
GODDARD, J.:
This is an appeal from the decision of the Court of First Instance of Iloilo, the dispositive part of which, as amended by a supplementary decision, reads as follows:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"Por todo lo expuesto, el Juzgado falla esta causa, como sigue:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"Se declara que el convenio de reparticion, cuya copia certificada es el documento Exhibit D, otorgado por los herederos del finado Roque Sanson el dia 10 de junio de 1927, no esta de acuerdo con la voluntad del finado Roque Sanson manifestada en su testamento Exhibit A, pues con dicho convenio de reparticion aparece lesionada y dechecho resulta lesionada en mas de una cuarta parte la verdadera participacion de uno de sus herederos y legatarios, el demandante Serafin Sanson.
"Se declara rescindido dicho convenio de reparticion Exhibit D para todos los efectos legales;
"Se declara nulo para todos los efectos legales y sin efecto alguno legal el auto de este Juzgado de fecha 31 de agosto de 1928, obrante en el expediente numero 1055 de este mismo juzgado, titulado "Testamentaria del Finado Roque Sanson’, cuya copia certificada de dicho auto es el documento Exhibit D-2;
"Se ordena a la demandada Isabel Araneta que, dentro del plazo de treinta dias, presente en este asunto un inventario completo de todos los bienes inmuebles, muebles, alhajas, creditos y acciones que pertenecieron en vida al finado Roque Sanson, con anotacion completa de sus respectivos valores, segun consta probado en la vista de este asunto;
"Se ordena a la misma demandada Isabel Araneta que, dentro de igual plazo de treinta dias, presente un proyecto de particion de dichos bienes dejados por el finado Roque Sanson, en partes iguales entre los herederos del citado finado Roque Sanson. "Sin especial pronunciamiento en cuanto a las costas.
"Asi se ordena."cralaw virtua1aw library
The plaintiff in his complaint filed on August 23, 1932, prays for the rescission of the agreement of partition of the property of his father Roque Sanson, approved by the Court of First Instance of Iloilo, August 31, 1928, upon the grounds that it is not in accordance with the will of his father, executed April 6, 1920, and that as a result of said agreement of partition the share he is entitled to receive under his father’s will has been reduced by more than one- fourth, both in area and in value. He also prays that the defendant Isabel Araneta be ordered to prepare and present immediately a complete inventory of all the property, real and personal, of his deceased father and include therein the jewelry, credits, etc. and that she be ordered to prepare and present another project of partition of said property in which an equitable division of the same shall be made between the plaintiff and the defendants Alfredo Sanson and Eva Sanson.
The defendants answered by a general denial and alleged three special defenses: That each and every one of the signers of said agreement of partition renounced in favor of the others whatever difference there might be in their respective shares; that the action of the plaintiff has prescribed and that said agreement has been approved by a final order of the lower court.
The will of Roque Sanson, deceased, the husband of Isabel Araneta and the father of the plaintiff Serafin Sanson and of the defendants Alfredo Sanson and Eva Sanson provides among other things the following:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"PRIMERA. Declaro que estoy casado en matrimonio legitimo con la senora Isabel Araneta de Sanson, habiendo tenido nosotros dos los siguientes hijos, Alfredo Sanson y Araneta, Serafin Sanson y Araneta y Eva Sanson y Araneta;
"SEGUNDA. Instituyo por herederos a todos y cada uno de mis hijos arriba nombrados, los cuales se encuentran todavia en la minoria de edad. En caso de mi muerte, dispongo y ordeno de una manera especial que mi esposa sea la tutora de nuestros citados hijos tanto en las personas de los mismos como en sus bienes. Como tal tutora cuidara no solo de la manutencion sino de la educacion de nuestros hijos en la forma que ella creyese conveniente, y administrara los bienes de los mismos;
"TERCERA. Cuando todos mis hijos lleguen a la mayoria de edad, se hara una reparticion de la herencia, no pudiendo verificar esta particion mientras alguno de ellos sea menor de edad. Antes de ser repartida mi herencia, se sacara de la masa hereditaria bienes equivalentes a la suma de diez mil pesos filipinos (P10,000), cuya suma se dispondra en la forma como dire mas abajo;
"CUARTA. Despues de sacada la referida suma de diez mil pesos (P10,000), o su equivalente del valor de los bienes, el remanente se distribuira por partes iguales a cada uno de mis tres hijos arriba ya mencionados. La distribucion se hara en la forma mas equitativa, armonica y satisfactoria y de conformidad con las disposiciones de este testamento;
"SEXTA. Pasado el termino de diez anos consecutivos despues de la reparticion de los citados herederos y resultase que no hubiera ningun heredero necesitado y pobre, segun el criterio de mi albacea, entonces la cantidad separada de diez mil pesos (P10,000) destinada para este efecto sera repartida por partes iguales entre mis tres herederos:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"SEPTIMA. En caso de que la tutora de mis hijos que es mi citada esposa, muriese antes de que todos llegaren a la mayoria de edad, seran entonces tutores conjuntamente las siguientes personas: Agripina Sanson de Lacson, Celedonia Sanson, Lina Araneta y Concepsion Araneta. Estas mismas personas, en la epoca de la reparticion de los bienes entre los herederos, veran y aconsejaran juntamente con la tutora a fin de que la reparticion se haga entre mis herederos en la forma mas justa y equitative, en la forma mas satisfactoria y que en todo tiempo y ocasion hubiere buena armonia entre todos mis herederos."cralaw virtua1aw library
Roque Sanson died April 28, 1920, and on June 2 of the same year his widow presented his will for probate in the Court of First Instance of Iloilo; the will was probated in case No. 1055 of that court, entitled "Testamentaria del Finado Roque Sanson" and on July 10, 1920, the widow, Isabel Araneta, was appointed executrix. On March 29, 1922, the executrix filed an inventory of the property of her deceased husband in which she noted the value of each individual piece of property. The committee of claims and appraisal found that this valuation was correct. On March 31, 1923, the executrix presented an account accompanied by a project of partition, Exhibit 2. On April 28, 1923, the court approved that account and also the project of partition, but, as this project did not contain a description of the property, on October 19, 1923, the same court ordered the executrix to present another project of partition, within 30 days, in which the description of the property adjudicated to each heir should appear. This order was not complied with. The executrix, on June 10, 1927, and a few days before her son, the plaintiff Serafin Sanson, went to Manila to continue his studies, had him and the defendants Alfredo and Eva Sanson appear in the office of an attorney before whom they signed the agreement of partition in question in this case, Exhibit D. In 1928, during the school vacation, the plaintiff went to the municipality of Sara, Province of Iloilo, and for the first time visited the lands allotted to him and to his brother Alfredo by virtue of the agreement of partition, Exhibit D. Upon this visit he found that there was a great difference in quality and area in favor of his brother. In view of this he decided to visit the land allotted to his sister, Eva Sanson, situated in the municipality of Banate of the same province. He found that her land was also greater in area and better in quality than the land given to him by virtue of Exhibit D. The plaintiff though of speaking to his mother about these differences, but fearing that this might annoy and displease her he left for Manila to continue his studies without saying anything to her at that time. After arriving in Manila the plaintiff wrote the following letter to his mother:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"1876 MANGAHAN, STA. CRUZ, MANILA
25 de agosto de 1928
"SRA. ISABEL ARANETA,
"Molo, Iloilo, I. F.
"MI QUERIDA MADRE: Hace ya tiempo que deseaba escribirte, pero siempre me ha faltado tiempo debido a que mis estudios de este ano son demasiado dificiles.
"Madre desearia hablarte de una cosa, pero me temo que lo tomes a mal, por la que de antemano te pido perdon y te suplico no te enfades de mi, porque de esto ya deseaba hablarte cuando aun estaba alli pero temia que te enfadaras de mi.
"Madre, cuando me fui a Sara he visto que los terrenos que me habias dado eran de inferior calidad que los de me hermano y hermana; y son muchos los que dicen que de nosotros tres, la peor parte es la mia. Esto, madre, te lo pongo de manifiesto, porque tu tampoco has visto aquellos terrenos. Madre, no tienes compasion de mi dandome la peor parte, teniendo en cuenta que por nosotros tres sufristes por igual al darnos a luz. Madre, me da verguenza hablarte de esto, porque eres libre de darme lo que quieras, porque fuisteis vosotros los que habeis buscado dichos bienes; pero, madre, confino en el amor que me profesas, porque muchas veces he oido de ti decir que a ninguno de nosotros tus hijos sientes preferencia porque nos amas por igual. Si es asi,
"Por todo lo expuesto, el Juzgado falla esta causa, como sigue:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"Se declara que el convenio de reparticion, cuya copia certificada es el documento Exhibit D, otorgado por los herederos del finado Roque Sanson el dia 10 de junio de 1927, no esta de acuerdo con la voluntad del finado Roque Sanson manifestada en su testamento Exhibit A, pues con dicho convenio de reparticion aparece lesionada y dechecho resulta lesionada en mas de una cuarta parte la verdadera participacion de uno de sus herederos y legatarios, el demandante Serafin Sanson.
"Se declara rescindido dicho convenio de reparticion Exhibit D para todos los efectos legales;
"Se declara nulo para todos los efectos legales y sin efecto alguno legal el auto de este Juzgado de fecha 31 de agosto de 1928, obrante en el expediente numero 1055 de este mismo juzgado, titulado "Testamentaria del Finado Roque Sanson’, cuya copia certificada de dicho auto es el documento Exhibit D-2;
"Se ordena a la demandada Isabel Araneta que, dentro del plazo de treinta dias, presente en este asunto un inventario completo de todos los bienes inmuebles, muebles, alhajas, creditos y acciones que pertenecieron en vida al finado Roque Sanson, con anotacion completa de sus respectivos valores, segun consta probado en la vista de este asunto;
"Se ordena a la misma demandada Isabel Araneta que, dentro de igual plazo de treinta dias, presente un proyecto de particion de dichos bienes dejados por el finado Roque Sanson, en partes iguales entre los herederos del citado finado Roque Sanson. "Sin especial pronunciamiento en cuanto a las costas.
"Asi se ordena."cralaw virtua1aw library
The plaintiff in his complaint filed on August 23, 1932, prays for the rescission of the agreement of partition of the property of his father Roque Sanson, approved by the Court of First Instance of Iloilo, August 31, 1928, upon the grounds that it is not in accordance with the will of his father, executed April 6, 1920, and that as a result of said agreement of partition the share he is entitled to receive under his father’s will has been reduced by more than one- fourth, both in area and in value. He also prays that the defendant Isabel Araneta be ordered to prepare and present immediately a complete inventory of all the property, real and personal, of his deceased father and include therein the jewelry, credits, etc. and that she be ordered to prepare and present another project of partition of said property in which an equitable division of the same shall be made between the plaintiff and the defendants Alfredo Sanson and Eva Sanson.
The defendants answered by a general denial and alleged three special defenses: That each and every one of the signers of said agreement of partition renounced in favor of the others whatever difference there might be in their respective shares; that the action of the plaintiff has prescribed and that said agreement has been approved by a final order of the lower court.
The will of Roque Sanson, deceased, the husband of Isabel Araneta and the father of the plaintiff Serafin Sanson and of the defendants Alfredo Sanson and Eva Sanson provides among other things the following:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"PRIMERA. Declaro que estoy casado en matrimonio legitimo con la senora Isabel Araneta de Sanson, habiendo tenido nosotros dos los siguientes hijos, Alfredo Sanson y Araneta, Serafin Sanson y Araneta y Eva Sanson y Araneta;
"SEGUNDA. Instituyo por herederos a todos y cada uno de mis hijos arriba nombrados, los cuales se encuentran todavia en la minoria de edad. En caso de mi muerte, dispongo y ordeno de una manera especial que mi esposa sea la tutora de nuestros citados hijos tanto en las personas de los mismos como en sus bienes. Como tal tutora cuidara no solo de la manutencion sino de la educacion de nuestros hijos en la forma que ella creyese conveniente, y administrara los bienes de los mismos;
"TERCERA. Cuando todos mis hijos lleguen a la mayoria de edad, se hara una reparticion de la herencia, no pudiendo verificar esta particion mientras alguno de ellos sea menor de edad. Antes de ser repartida mi herencia, se sacara de la masa hereditaria bienes equivalentes a la suma de diez mil pesos filipinos (P10,000), cuya suma se dispondra en la forma como dire mas abajo;
"CUARTA. Despues de sacada la referida suma de diez mil pesos (P10,000), o su equivalente del valor de los bienes, el remanente se distribuira por partes iguales a cada uno de mis tres hijos arriba ya mencionados. La distribucion se hara en la forma mas equitativa, armonica y satisfactoria y de conformidad con las disposiciones de este testamento;
x x x
"SEXTA. Pasado el termino de diez anos consecutivos despues de la reparticion de los citados herederos y resultase que no hubiera ningun heredero necesitado y pobre, segun el criterio de mi albacea, entonces la cantidad separada de diez mil pesos (P10,000) destinada para este efecto sera repartida por partes iguales entre mis tres herederos:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"SEPTIMA. En caso de que la tutora de mis hijos que es mi citada esposa, muriese antes de que todos llegaren a la mayoria de edad, seran entonces tutores conjuntamente las siguientes personas: Agripina Sanson de Lacson, Celedonia Sanson, Lina Araneta y Concepsion Araneta. Estas mismas personas, en la epoca de la reparticion de los bienes entre los herederos, veran y aconsejaran juntamente con la tutora a fin de que la reparticion se haga entre mis herederos en la forma mas justa y equitative, en la forma mas satisfactoria y que en todo tiempo y ocasion hubiere buena armonia entre todos mis herederos."cralaw virtua1aw library
Roque Sanson died April 28, 1920, and on June 2 of the same year his widow presented his will for probate in the Court of First Instance of Iloilo; the will was probated in case No. 1055 of that court, entitled "Testamentaria del Finado Roque Sanson" and on July 10, 1920, the widow, Isabel Araneta, was appointed executrix. On March 29, 1922, the executrix filed an inventory of the property of her deceased husband in which she noted the value of each individual piece of property. The committee of claims and appraisal found that this valuation was correct. On March 31, 1923, the executrix presented an account accompanied by a project of partition, Exhibit 2. On April 28, 1923, the court approved that account and also the project of partition, but, as this project did not contain a description of the property, on October 19, 1923, the same court ordered the executrix to present another project of partition, within 30 days, in which the description of the property adjudicated to each heir should appear. This order was not complied with. The executrix, on June 10, 1927, and a few days before her son, the plaintiff Serafin Sanson, went to Manila to continue his studies, had him and the defendants Alfredo and Eva Sanson appear in the office of an attorney before whom they signed the agreement of partition in question in this case, Exhibit D. In 1928, during the school vacation, the plaintiff went to the municipality of Sara, Province of Iloilo, and for the first time visited the lands allotted to him and to his brother Alfredo by virtue of the agreement of partition, Exhibit D. Upon this visit he found that there was a great difference in quality and area in favor of his brother. In view of this he decided to visit the land allotted to his sister, Eva Sanson, situated in the municipality of Banate of the same province. He found that her land was also greater in area and better in quality than the land given to him by virtue of Exhibit D. The plaintiff though of speaking to his mother about these differences, but fearing that this might annoy and displease her he left for Manila to continue his studies without saying anything to her at that time. After arriving in Manila the plaintiff wrote the following letter to his mother:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph
"1876 MANGAHAN, STA. CRUZ, MANILA
25 de agosto de 1928
"SRA. ISABEL ARANETA,
"Molo, Iloilo, I. F.
"MI QUERIDA MADRE: Hace ya tiempo que deseaba escribirte, pero siempre me ha faltado tiempo debido a que mis estudios de este ano son demasiado dificiles.
"Madre desearia hablarte de una cosa, pero me temo que lo tomes a mal, por la que de antemano te pido perdon y te suplico no te enfades de mi, porque de esto ya deseaba hablarte cuando aun estaba alli pero temia que te enfadaras de mi.
"Madre, cuando me fui a Sara he visto que los terrenos que me habias dado eran de inferior calidad que los de me hermano y hermana; y son muchos los que dicen que de nosotros tres, la peor parte es la mia. Esto, madre, te lo pongo de manifiesto, porque tu tampoco has visto aquellos terrenos. Madre, no tienes compasion de mi dandome la peor parte, teniendo en cuenta que por nosotros tres sufristes por igual al darnos a luz. Madre, me da verguenza hablarte de esto, porque eres libre de darme lo que quieras, porque fuisteis vosotros los que habeis buscado dichos bienes; pero, madre, confino en el amor que me profesas, porque muchas veces he oido de ti decir que a ninguno de nosotros tus hijos sientes preferencia porque nos amas por igual. Si es asi,
