RAMOS VS. RAMOS Case Digest RAMOS VS. RAMOS 61 SCRA 284
Spouses Martin Ramos and Candida Tanate died on October 4, 1906 and October 26, 1880, respectivel! T"e #ere survived b t"eir $ c"ildren! Moreover, Martin #as survived b "is % natural c"ildren! &n 'ecember 1906, a special proceedin( )or t"e settlement o) t"e intestate estate o) said spouses #as conducted! Ra)ael Ramos, a brot"er o) Martin, administered t"e estate )or more t"an 6 ears! *ventuall, a partition pro+ect #as submitted #"ic" #as si(ned b t"e $ le(itimate c"ildren and 2 o) t"e % natural c"ildren! certain Timoteo -aco si(ned in representation o) t"e ot"er . natural c"ildren #"o #ere minors! T"e partition #as s#orn to be)ore a +ustice o) peace! FACTS:
T"e con+u(al "ereditar estate #as appraised at /%4,984!9$, consistin( o) 18 parcels o) land, some "ead o) cattle and t"e advances to t"e le(itimate c"ildren! t"ereo) represented t"e estate o) Martin! 1$ t"ereo) #as t"e )ree portion or /12,49%!98 /12, 49%!98!! T"e s"are s"ares s o) t"e % natu natural ral c"ildren c"ildren #ere to be tae taen n )rom t"at 1$ )ree port portion! ion! &ndeed, &ndeed, t"e parti partition tion #as made in accordance #it" t"e Old Civil code! T"erea)ter, 3ud(e Ric"ard Campbell approved t"e partition pro+ect! T"e court declared t"at t"e proceedin( #ill be considered closed and t"e record s"ould be arc"ived as soon as proo) #as submitted t"at eac" "e$ir "ad received t"e portion ad+udicated to "im! On ebruar $, 1914, 3ud(e 5epumoceno ased t"e administrator to submit a report s"o#in( t"at t"e s"ares o) t"e "eirs "ad been delivered to t"em as reuired b t"e previous decision! 5evert"eless, t"e mani)estation #as not in strict con)ormit #it" t"e terms o) t"e +ud(e7s order and #it" t"e partition pro+ect itsel)! 8 lots o) t"e imamalan Cadastre #ere re(istered in eual s"ares in t"e names o) re(oria :#ido# o) 3ose Ramos; and "er dau("ter, #"en in )act t"e administrator #as supposed to pa t"e cas" ad+udications to eac" o) t"em as ens"rined in t"e partition pro+ect! /lainti))s #ere t"en constrained to brin( t"e suit be)ore t"e court seein( )or t"e reconveance in t"eir )avor t"eir correspondin( participations in said parcels o) land in accordance #it" rticle 840 o) t"e old Civil Code! 5ote t"at 16 o) t"e sub+ect lots repres rep resent ents s t"e 1$ )r )ree ee por portio tion n o) mar marti tin7s n7s s"a s"ares res #"i #"ic" c" #i #ill ll eve eventu ntuall all red redoun ound d to t"e s"ares s"ares o) "is % le( le(all all acno#led(ed natural c"ildren! T"e petitioners7 action #as predicated on t"e t"eor t"at t"eir s"ares #ere merel "eld in trustt b de)endants! trus de)endants! 5onet"eless, 5onet"eless, no 'eed o) Trust #as alle(ed and prove proven! n!
or not t"e plainti))s7 action #as barred b prescription, lac"es and res +udicata to t"e e))ect t"at t"e #ere denied o) t"eir ri("t to s"are in t"eir )at"er7s estate! RULING: >*S,
t"ere #as ine?cusable dela t"ereb main( t"e plainti))s7 action unuestionabl barred b prescription and lac"es and also b res +udicata! &ne?tricabl inter#oven #it" t"e uestions o) prescription and res +udicata is t"e uestion on t"e e?istence o) a trust! &t is note#ort" t"at t"e main t"rust o) plainti))s7 plainti))s7 action is t"e alle(ed "oldin( o) t"eir s"ares in trust b de)endants! *manatin( )rom suc", t"e Supreme Court elucidated on t"e nature o) trusts and t"e availabilit o) prescription prescription and lac"es to bar t"e action )or reconveance o) propert alle(edl "eld in trust! &t is said t"at trust is t"e ri("t, en)orceable solel in euit to t"e bene)icial en+oment o) propert, t"e le(al title to #"ic" is vested in anot"er! anot "er! &t ma eit"er be e?pre e?press ss or impl implied! ied! T"e latt latter er ids )urt )urt"er "er subdi subdivided vided into resultin( resultin( and constructive constructive trusts! pplin( it no# to t"e case at bar, t"e t"e plainti))s did not not prove an e?press trust! trust! 5eit"er did t"e t"e speci) t"e ind o) implied implied trust contemplated in t"eir action! T"ere)ore, its en)orcement mabe barred b lac"es and prescription #"et"er t"e contemplate a resultin( or a constructive trust!
