Home of ChanRobles Virtual Law Library

PHILIPPINE SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

EN BANC

[G.R. No. 44347. September 27, 1938. ]

FELIX PAULINO, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. ALEJANDRO SEVA, Defendant-Appellant.

Callera, Sierra & Salazar, for Appellant.

Gregorio A. Sabater, for Appellee.

SYLLABUS


1. JURISDICTION; DELEGATION TO A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, BY A JUDGE OF FIRST INSTANCE, OF THE LATTER’S AUTHORITY TO TRY A CASE. — The action having been properly instituted in the justice of the peace court of Oas, Albay, it was brought, after decision had been rendered therein, to the Court of First Instance on appeal. The judge of the Court of First Instance could not delegate, as it in fact delegated, the trial of the case to the justice of the peace of the capital, because, according to the provisions of Act No. 4090, he is empowered to make such delegation only in cases originally cognizable by him (Dumlao v. Asuncion, G. R. No. 27027 [58 Phil., 904]).

2. ID.; ID.; NULLITY OF ALL THE PROCEEDINGS. — The delegation being improper, that made by the judge of first instance in favor of the justice of the peace of the capital of the Province of Albay is null and void, and therefore, all the proceedings conducted by said justice of the peace, including the judgment rendered by him, are likewise null and void. Wherefore, the case should be remanded to the Court of First Instance of Albay, so that it may conduct the trial and render judgment in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction.


D E C I S I O N


CONCEPCION, J.:


This case was certified by the Court of Appeals to this Supreme Court for proper action in accordance with the provisions of section 145-H of Commonwealth Act No. 3, as it was discovered that it was originally commenced in the justice of the peace of court of Oas, Albay, and judgment having been rendered therein, an appeal was taken to the Court of First Instance of said province. The judge of the Court of First Instance delegated the case to the justice of the peace of the capital and the latter, by virtue of said delegation, tried the same and decided it. From his judgment, an appeal was taken to the Court of Appeals.

It was sought to collect from the defendant-appellant the sum of P210, plus 42 cavans of palay, or in lieu thereof, the sum of P84. By reason of the amount of the demand, the action was properly instituted in the justice of the peace court of Oas, Albay, so that the case was brought to the Court of First Instance of Albay on appeal. Such being the case, the judge of the Court of First Instance could not delegate the trial thereof to the justice of the peace of the capital, because, according to the provisions of Act No. 4090, he is empowered to make such delegation only in cases originally cognizable by him (Dumlao v. Asuncion, G. R. No. 37027 [58 Phil., 904]). Wherefore, inasmuch as the delegation made by the judge of the Court of First Instance in favor of the justice of the peace of the capital of the Province of Albay is null and void, and as all the proceedings conducted by said justice of the peace, including the judgment rendered by him, are null and void, this case is ordered remanded to the Court of First Instance of Albay so that it may conduct the trial and render its decision by virtue of its appellate jurisdiction, without costs. So ordered.

Avanceña, C.J. Villa-Real, Abad Santos, Imperial, Diaz and Laurel, JJ., concur.

Top of Page