JOSE P. UY and RIZALINA C. UY UY,, Complainants, v. HON. JUDGE ERESIA DIZON! CAPULONG, R"spond"nt A.#. No. RJ!$%!&''. Ap(il &, %$$).
*" Cas"+ JUDGE TERESITA TERESITA DIZON-CAPULONG, DIZON-CAPULONG, Presiding Presiding Judge of the Region! Region! Tri! Court of "!en# !en#ue! ue!, , $rn%h $rn%h &'(, &'(, )etro )etro )ni! )ni!,, is %hrg %hrged ed & *ith *ith gross gross in%o+ in%o+et eten% en%e, e, gross gross ignorn%e of the !* nd gre +is%ondu%t in %o+!int .!ed on &/ Noe+0er &11& *ith the O2%e of the Court Ad+inistrtor 03 the souses Jose P4 U3 nd Ri#!in C4 U3, re!tie to Se%i! Pro%eedings No4 55/-"-66 for sett!e+ent of the estte of the !te A+0ro%io C4 Ping%o
a-ts+ The re%ords re%ords sho* tht on (& Noe+0er &166, %ertin 7er+ini 7er+ini R4 R4 A!os, %!i+ing %!i+ing to 0e nie%e of P# R+ire#, suriing souse of the !te A+0ro%io C4 Ping%o, .!ed *ith the Region! Tri! Court of "!en#ue! etition for sett!e+ent of the estte of A+0ro%io C4 Ping%o4 Resondent Judge ointed sid 7er+ini R4 A!os se%i! d+inistrtri8 under Ru!e 69 of the Ru!es of Court4 Counse! for the se%i! d+inistrtri8 .!ed n urgent +otion stting tht so+eti+e in :e0rur3 &1'6 t*o ;(< r%e!s of !nd 0e!onging to the !te A+0ro%io C4 Ping%o nd his *ife %oered 03 TCT Nos4 '/5' nd '/&9& hd 0een so!d to %o+!innts Jose P4 P4 U3 nd Ri#!in C4 U3 *ho *ho regis register tered ed the s!e *ith *ith the Regist Register er of Deeds Deeds of )ni! )ni! in :e0rur e0rur3 3 &1614 &1614 Conse=uent!3, %ounse! re=uested the %ourt to dire%t the Register of Deeds of "!en#ue! to >free#e n3 trns%tion *ithout the signture of 7er+ini A!os> ino!ing the roerties %oered 03 TCT Nos4 $-&/5?/ to $-&/5/(, $-&/5/? to $-&/5/1, TCT Nos4 T51/@/, T-/9('@, T/('/?, T-((9&@6, TCT4 Nos4 T-'/5' nd '/&9&4 Resondent Judge grnted the +otion4 The Register of Deeds of "!en#ue! reorted to the %ourt infor+ing the !tter tht deed of 0so!u 0so!ute te s!e s!e e8e%u e8e%uted ted 03 the souse souses s A+0ro A+0ro%io %io C4 Ping Ping%o %o nd P# R+ire +ire# # dted dted 1 De%e+0er &1'6 *s .!ed *ith the Register of Deeds, des%ri0ing therein .fteen ;&/< r%e!s of !nd %oered 03 TCT Nos4 $-&/5?/ to $-&/5/(, $-&/5/? to $-&/5/1, nd $-&@5('@ tht, 03 irtue of the deed of s!e, ne* trnsfer %erti.%tes of tit!e *ere issued in the n+e of %o+!innts Jose P4 P4 U3 nd Ri#!in C4 U3, e8%et for TCT No4 $-&@5('@ *hi%h %ou!d not 0e !o%ted in the Registr3 of Deeds of C!oo%n Cit3 tht TCT Nos4 T-/9('@ nd /('/? *ere sti!! registered in the n+e of A+0ro%io C4 Ping%o nd P# R+ire#, nd, tht the sttus of TCT Nos4 T-51/@/ nd T-((9&@6, *hi%h *ere *ith the Registr3 of Deeds of C!oo%n, %ou!d not 3et 0e deter+ined4 Counse! for the se%i! d+inistrtri8 .!ed *ith the %ourt n urgent +otion to %n%e! the tit!es issued in the n+e of Jose P4 P4 U3 stting tht the !tter *s 0!e to register the tit!es in his n+e in :e0rur3 &161 through frud, nd the signtures of the endors on the deed of s!e *ere forged4 Resondent Judge ordered the %n%e!!tion of the tit!es nd the reinstte+ent of the n+es of the souses A+0ro%io C4 Ping%o nd P# R+ire# or the issun%e of ne* tit!es in their n+es4 Co+!innt Jose P P44 U3 .!ed *ith the Court of Ae!s etition to nnu! the Order of ' June &161 of resondent Judge, *ith r3er for te+orr3 restrining order enBoining enBoining the Register of Deeds of "!en#ue! fro+ i+!e+enting the Order of ' June &161, nd tht
resondent Judge 0e restrined fro+ further ro%eeding ginst hi+4 The Court of Ae!s grnted the etition for %ertiorri nd rohi0ition of %o+!innts nd set side the Order of ' June &161 of resondent Judge, nd enBoined her fro+ ro%eeding ginst %o+!innt Jose P4 U3 in the intestte ro%eedings4 )R *s .!ed 03 A!os 0ut the s+e *s denied4 A!os then .!ed *ith Us etition for reie* on %ertiorri of the De%ision of the Court of Ae!s, do%eted s G4R4 No4 1&91(4 On @ :e0rur3 &119, resondent Judge roed roBe%t of rtition dted &6 August &119 su0+itted 03 Se%i! Ad+inistrtri8 7er+ini R4 A!os, together *ith P# R+ire# ;suriing souse of A+0ro%io C4 Ping%o< nd A!i%i A!insunurin4 On ? :e0rur3 &11&, resondent Judge grnted the e8-rte etition of the Se%i! Ad+inistrtri8 for ro! of the deed of 0so!ute s!e of the r%e!s of !nd %oered 03 TCT Nos4 $-&/5/9, $&/5/&, $-&/5?6 nd $-&/5?14 Insted of %o+!3ing *ith the De%ision of the Court of Ae!s, resondent Judge dire%ted the Register of Deeds of "!en#ue! to %o+!3 *ith her o*n Order of &@ Jnur3 &11& %n%e!!ing the tit!es of the Ping%os nd ordering the issun%e of ne* tit!es in %%ordn%e *ith the roBe%t of rtition she o0stinte!3 roed4 On 6 )r%h &11&, in G4R4 No4 1&91(, e 2r+ed the De%ision of the Court of Ae!s *hi%h nnu!!ed nd set side the Order of ' June &161 of resondent Judge4 Thus "We fnd no merit in the petition. Section 6, Rule 87 o the Rules o Court simply provides that a person who is suspected o havin in his possession property !elonin to an estate, may !e cited and the court may eamine him under oath on the matter. Said section nowhere ives the court the power to determine the #uestion o ownership o such property. $urthermore, the declaration o nullity o the sale o a parcel o land under administration and the conse#uent cancellation o the certifcate o title issued in avor o the vendee, cannot !e o!tained throuh a mere motion in the pro!ate proceedins over the o!%ection o said vendee over whom the pro!ate court has no %urisdiction. &o recover the property, an independent action aainst the vendee must !e instituted in the proper court" 'citin &ale, (t. )l. v. *analo (t. )l., +- hil ++/01.
On ( Ari! &11&, resondent Judge, in utter disregrd of Our Reso!ution of )r%h &11&, grnted the e8-rte etition of the Se%i! Ad+inistrtri8 for ro! of the deed of 0so!ute s!e of roerties %oered 03 TCT Nos4 $-&/5?/ nd $-&/5?@ of the Register of Deeds of "!en#ue! nd reiterted the rtion!e of her =uestioned Order of ? :e0rur3 &11&4 On (1 Ari! &11&, undunted 03 her reers! 03 the Court of Ae!s nd this Court, nd in 0!tnt diso0edien%e to Budi%i! uthorit3, nd est0!ished re%edents nd Burisruden%e, resondent Judge gin grnted n e8-rte etition of the Se%i! Ad+inistrtri8 for ro! of nother deed of 0so!ute s!e %oering three ;5< +ore r%e!s of !nd origin!!3 tit!ed in the n+e of %o+!innt Jose P4 U3, to *itF TCT Nos4 $-&/5?', $&/5// nd $-&/5/@4 In their %o+!int, the souses Jose P4 U3 nd Ri#!in C4 U3 %!i+ed tht desite the De%ision of the Court of Ae!s of (6 Sete+0er &161 nd the enden%3 of the etition for reie* 03 *3 of %ertiorri 0efore this Court, resondent Judge %ontinued issuing rious orders resu!ting in the issun%e of ne* tit!es to the roerties in the n+e of ersons stted in the roBe%t of rtition, to the d+ge nd reBudi%e of %o+!innts nd tht een fter this Court hd 2r+ed the ru!ing of the Court of Ae!s tht resondent Judge hd no
Burisdi%tion to entertin further ro%eedings %on%erning the o*nershi of the roerties, resondent Judge sti!!, in n tte+t to defet the ros%rition i+osed 03 higher Budi%i! uthorit3, issued, orders roing the s!e of the roerties to the further reBudi%e of %o+!innts4 In her %o++ent, resondent Judge !!eges tht the .!ing of the %o+!int ginst her is +ere!3 to hrss her4 hi!e she d+its tht her Order of ' June &161 *s nnu!!ed nd set side 03 the Court of Ae!s, *hi%h nnu!+ent *s 2r+ed 03 this Court, she rgues tht no te+orr3 restrining order *s issued nd tht 0efore the De%ision of the Court of Ae!s *s ro+u!gted her Order of ' June &161 *s !red3 %o+!ied *ith 03 the Register of Deeds of "!en#ue!4 She further %ontends tht een s she *s rohi0ited fro+ ro%eeding ginst %o+!innts herein, the Court of Ae!s did not order the reersion of the tit!es to the+4 Iss"+ hether or not the %ontention of resondent Budge is +eritorious4 Rlin/+ No4 e re fr fro+ ersuded 03 resondent Judge4 Ti+e nd gin e e+hsi#e tht the Budge is the isi0!e reresenttion of !* nd Busti%e fro+ *ho+ the eo!e dr* their *i!! nd *reness to o0e3 the !*4 :or the Budge to return tht regrd, the !tter +ust 0e the .rst to 0ide 03 the !* nd *ee n e8+!e for the others to fo!!o*4 The Budge shou!d 0e studious!3 %refu! to oid een the s!ightest infr%tion of the !*4 @ To fu!.!! this +ission, the Budge shou!d ee 0rest of the !*, the ru!ings nd do%trines of this Court4 ' If the Budge is !red3 *re of the+, the !tter shou!d not de!i0erte!3 refrin fro+ !3ing the+, other*ise su%h o+ission %n neer 0e e8%used4 Eer3 Budge shou!d 0e %ogni#nt of the 0si% rin%i!e tht *hen =uestions rise s to o*nershi of roert3 !!eged to 0e rt of the estte of de%esed erson, 0ut %!i+ed 03 so+e other erson to 0e his roert3, not 03 irtue of n3 right of inheritn%e fro+ the de%esed 0ut 03 tit!e derse to tht of the de%esed nd his estte, su%h =uestions %nnot 0e deter+ined in the %ourts of d+inistrtion ro%eedings4 The tri! %ourt, %ting s ro0te %ourt, hs no Burisdi%tion to dBudi%te su%h %ontentions, *hi%h +ust 0e su0+itted to the tri! %ourt in the e8er%ise of its gener! Burisdi%tion4 1 The fi!ure of resondent Budge to !3 this 0si% rin%i!e indi%tes +nifest disregrd of *e!!-no*n !eg! ru!es4 E!e+entr3 in our sttutor3 !* is the do%trine tht *hen tit!e to !nd hs !red3 0een registered nd the %erti.%te of tit!e thereto issued, su%h Torrens tit!e %nnot 0e %o!!ter!!3 tt%ed 0e%use the issue on the !idit3 of the tit!e %n on!3 0e rised in n %tion instituted e8ress!3 for the urose4 Coro!!r3 to this is the %onstitution! +ndte tht no erson sh!! 0e deried of his roert3 *ithout due ro%ess of !*4 In %n%e!!ing the tit!es of %o+!innts oer their roerties on +ere +otion of rt3 nd *ithout ording the+ due ro%ess, resondent Judge io!ted her s*orn o0!igtion to uho!d the !* nd ro+ote the d+inistrtion of Busti%e4 It hs 0een he!d tht if the !* is so e!e+entr3, not to no* it or to %t s if one does not no* it, %onstitutes gross ignorn%e of the !*4 The foregoing trnsgressions of resondent Judge re further ggrted 03 her refus! to 0ide 03 the De%ision of the Court of Ae!s nnu!!ing her Order of ' June &161
*hi%h dire%ted the %n%e!!tion of the tit!es of %o+!innts4 She *s in f%t se%i.%!!3 enBoined fro+ ro%eeding ginst the+, 3et, desite this De%ision, resondent Judge si!! uthori#ed the su0se=uent trnsfer or !iention to other ersons of roerties tit!ed in the n+e of %o+!innts to the detri+ent of the !tter4 This utter disrese%t for the Budg+ent of higher %ourt %onstitutes gre +is%ondu%t reBudi%i! to the interest of the u0!i%, the 0en%h nd the 0r4 The 0sen%e of te+orr3 restrining order or n order fro+ the Court of Ae!s to reert the tit!es to %o+!innts is not su2%ient Busti.%tion for resondent Judge to issue su0se=uent orders %ontrr3 to the e!!te %ourtHs ros%rition4 Certin!3, resondent Judge is fu!!3 *re tht the ne%essr3 %onse=uen%e of the e!!te %ourtHs de%ision is to ut 0% the %o+!innts to their for+er sttus rior to the issun%e of the nnu!!ed order4 Conse=uent!3, the Order of ' June &161 0eing oid nd of no ee%t, the o*nershi of the roerties su0Be%t of the sett!e+ent ro%eedings re+ins ested in %o+!innts nd *i!! %ontinue to 0e so unti! de%!red oid in n rorite ro%eeding, not in the intestte ro%eedings 0efore resondent Judge4 Thus, n order fro+ the e!!te %ourt tht *i!! reert the tit!es to %o+!innts is not ne%essr3 s it is !red3 i+!ied fro+ its de%ision nnu!!ing the =uestioned %n%e!!tion4
