Diaz vs. Intermediate Appellate Court

VOL, 150, JUNE 17, 1987 645 Diaz vs. Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt N$. L&66574. J%ne 17, 1987.' N(EL) DI*, +%ardian $ VI#-O, ODI/O, N(EL)IN and )I/UEL, a"" s%rnamed (N-EO, !etiti$ners, and ELI2EELI2E- 3#U(, 3#U(, +%ardian +%a rdian $ EDEI#O (N-EO, et a"., vs. IN-E)EDI IN-E )EDI-E -E 33ELL-E #OU #OU- and ELI( 3)U-I JDIN,    ' (E#OND DIVI(ION. 646 646 (U3E)E #OU- E3O-( NNO--ED NNO--ED Diaz vs. Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt res!$ndents. #ivi" La (%essi$n I""e+itimate i"d ann$t inerit a intestat$ r$m te "e+itimate i"dren i"dren and re"atives $ is ater $r m$ter n$r sa"" s% i"dren $r re"atives inerit in te same manner r$m te i""e+itimate i"d: rti"e 99; $ te Ne #ivi" #$de !r$vides a arrier $r ir$n %rtain in tat it !r$iits as$"%te"< a s%essi$n a intestat$ eteen te i""e+itimate i"d and te "e+itimate i"dren and re"atives $ te ater $r m$ter $ said sa id "e+itimate i"d. -e< ma< ave a nat%ra" tie $ "$$d, %t tis is n$t re$+nized < "a $r te !%r!$ses $ rt. 99;. 2eteen te "e+itimate ami"< and te i""e+itimate ami"< tere is !res%med t$ e an intervenin+ anta+$nism and in$m!atii"it<. in$m!atii"it<. -e i""e+itimate i"d is dis+rae%""< "$$=ed d$n %!$n < te "e+itimate ami"< te ami"< is in t%rn, ated < te i""e+itimate i"d te "atter $nsiders te !rivi"e+ed $nditi$n $ te $rmer, and te res$%res $ i it is tere< de!rived te $rmer, in t%rn, sees in te i""e+itimate i"d n$tin+ %t te !r$d%t $ sin, !a"!a"e evidene $ a "emis r$=en in "ie te "a d$es n$ m$re tan re$+nize tis tr%t, < av$idin+ %rter +r$%nds $ resentment. -%s, !etiti$ners erein ann$t re!resent teir ater 3a"$ 3a"$ (anter$ in te s%essi$n $ te "etter t$ te intestate estate $ is "e+itimate m$ter (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$, ea%se $ te arrier !r$vided $r %nder rt. 99; $ te Ne #ivi" #$de. 3E-I-ION t$ revie te deisi$n $ te Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt. -e ats are stated in te $!ini$n $ te #$%rt. mr$si$ 3adi""a, )em!in > e
$ter tin+s, tat te $rres!$ndin+ "etters $ dministrati$n e iss%ed in er av$r and tat se e a!!$inted as s!eia" ad& 647 VOL. 150, JUNE 17, 1987 647 Diaz vs. Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt ministratri $ te !r$!erties $ te deeased (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$. It is %ndis!%ted@ 1 tat e"isa 3am%ti Jardin is a niee $ (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$ $ t$+eter it e"isaFs m$ter J%"iana ere te $n"< "e+itimate i"dren $ te s!$%ses e"i!e 3am%ti and 3etr$ni"a s%ni$n ; tat J%"iana married (im$n Jardin and $%t $ teir %ni$n ere $rn e"isa 3am%ti and an$ter i"d $ died d%rin+ inan< B tat (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$ is te id$ $ 3as%a" (anter$ and te m$ter $ 3a"$ (anter$ 4 tat 3a"$ (anter$ as te $n"< "e+itimate s$n $ is !arents 3as%a" (anter$ and (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$ 5 tat 3as%a" (anter$ died in 1970 3a"$ (anter$ in 197B and (im$na (anter$ in 1976 6 tat 3a"$ (anter$, at te time $ is deat as s%rvived < is m$ter (im$na (anter$ and is si min$r nat%ra" i"dren t$ it@ $%r min$r i"dren it nse"ma Diaz and t$ min$r i"dren it e"ierta 3a%rsa.  J%d+e J$se ava" in is Orders dated Deemer 1,19761 1 and Deemer 9, 1976; de"ared e"isa 3am%ti Jardin as te s$"e "e+itimate eir $ (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$. 2e$re te tria" $%rt, tere ere 4 interre"ated ases A"ed t$ it@ Ca (!. 3r$. N$. 2&4:is te 3etiti$n $r te Letters $ dministrati$n $ te Intestate Estate $ 3a"$ (anter$ C (!. 3r$. N$. 2&5:is te 3etiti$n $r te Letters $ dministrati$n $ te Intestate Estate $ 3as%a" (anter$ C (!. 3r$. N$. 2&7:is te 3etiti$n $r /%ardiansi! $ver te !r$!erties $ an In$m!etent 3ers$n, (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$ Ce (!. 3r$. N$. 2&;1:is te 3etiti$n $r (ett"ement $ te Intestate Estate $  (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$.C e"isa Jardin %!$n er )$ti$n t$ Intervene in (!. 3r$eedin+s N$s. 2&4 and 2& 5, as a""$ed t$ intervene in te intestate estates $ 3a"$ (anter$ and 3as%a" (anter$ < Order    1  !!. B0&B5. ;  !!. B5&B8. 648 648 (U3E)E #OU- E3O-( NNO--ED Diaz vs. Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt $ te #$%rt dated %+%st ;4, 1977.

3etiti$ner nse"ma Diaz, as +%ardian $ er min$r i"dren, A"ed er CO!!$siti$n and )$ti$n t$ E"%de e"isa 3am%tiJardin dated )ar 1B, 1980, r$m %rter ta=in+ !art $r intervenin+ in te sett"ement $ te intestate estate $ (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$, as e"" as in te intestate estate $  3as%a" (anter$ and 3a"$ (anter$. e"ierta 3a%rsa +%ardian $r er min$r i"dren, A"ed tr% $%nse", er )aniestati$n $ )ar 14, 1980 ad$!tin+ te O!!$siti$n and )$ti$n t$ E"%de e"isa 3am%ti, A"ed < nse"ma Diaz. On )a< ;0, 1980, J%d+e I"de$ns$ ). 2"eza iss%ed an $rder e"%din+ e"isa  Jardin Cr$m %rter ta=in+ !art $r intervenin+ in te sett"ement $ te intestate estate $ (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$, as e"" as in te intestate estates $ 3as%a" (anter$ and 3a"$ (anter$ and de"ared er t$ e, n$t an eir $ te deeased (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$.CB ter er )$ti$n $r e$nsiderati$n as denied < te tria" $%rt in its $rder dated N$vemer 1, 1980, e"isa 3. Jardin A"ed er a!!ea" t$ te Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt in #/.. N$. 69814&.  deisi$n4 as rendered < te Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt $n Deemer 14, 198B Greversin+ te deisi$n $ te tria" $%rt te dis!$sitive !$rti$n $ i reads: CHEEOE, Andin+ te Order a!!ea"ed r$m n$t $nsistent it te ats and "a a!!"ia"e, te same is ere< set aside and an$ter $ne entered s%stainin+ te Orders $ Deemer 1 and 9, 1976 de"arin+ te !etiti$ner as te s$"e eir $ (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$ and $rderin+ $!!$sit$rs& a!!e""ees n$t t$ interere in te !r$eedin+ $r te de"arati$n $ eirsi! in te estate $ (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$.C C#$sts a+ainst te $!!$sit$rs&a!!e""ees.C  -e )$ti$n $r e$nsiderati$n A"ed < $!!$sit$rs&    B .. !. 87. 4 3enned < J%stie )are"in$ . Ve"$s$ and $n%rred in < J%sties 3$rAri$ V. (is$n, d%"aid . 2idin and Desideri$ 3. J%rad$. 649 VOL. 150, JUNE 17, 1987 649 Diaz vs. Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt a!!e""ees G!etiti$ners erein as denied < te same res!$ndent $%rt in its $rder dated er%ar< 17, 1984 ene, te !resent !etiti$n $r evie it te $""$in+@ ((I/N)EN- O EO( I. -e Deisi$n erred in i+n$rin+ te ri+t t$ intestate s%essi$n $ !etiti$ners +randi"dren (anter$ as diret desendin+ "ine Grt. 978 and$r nat%ra"Ci""e+itimate i"drenC Grt. 988 and !reerin+ a niee, $ is a $""atera" re"ative Grt. 100B

II. -e Deisi$n erred in den
-. 99;. n i""e+itimate i"d as n$ ri+t t$ inerit a intestat$ r$m te "e+itimate i"dren and re"atives $ is ater $r m$ter n$r sa"" s% i"dren $r re"atives inerit in te same manner r$m te i""e+itimate i"d. G94Ba 3a"$ (anter$ is a "e+itimate i"d, e is n$t an i""e+itimate i"d. On te $ter and, te $!!$sit$rs G!etiti$ners erein are te i""e+itimate i"dren $  3a"$ (anter$. rti"e 99; $ te Ne #ivi" #$de !r$vides a arrier $r ir$n %rtain in tat it !r$iits as$"%te"< a s%essi$n a intestat$ eteen te i""e+itimate i"d and te "e+itimate i"dren and re"atives $ te ater $r m$ter $ said "e+itimate i"d. -e< ma< ave a nat%ra" tie $ "$$d, %t tis is n$t re$+nized < "a $r te !%r!$ses $ rt. 99;. 2eteen te "e+itimate ami"< and te i""e+itimate ami"< tere is !res%med t$ e an intervenin+ anta+$nism and in$m!atii"it<. -e i""e+itimate i"d is dis+rae%""< "$$=ed d$n %!$n < te "e+itimate ami"< te ami"< is in t%rn, ated < te i""e+itimate i"d te "atter $nsiders te !rivi"e+ed $nditi$n $ te $rmer, and te res$%res    5 )$ti$n $r e$nsiderati$n, !. 78&79, $""$. 651 VOL. 150, JUNE 17, 1987 651 Diaz vs. Intermediate !!e""ate #$%rt $ i it is tere< de!rived te $rmer, in t%rn, sees in te i""e+itimate i"d n$tin+ %t te !r$d%t $ sin, !a"!a"e evidene $ a "emis r$=en in "ie te "a d$es n$ m$re tan re$+nize tis tr%t, < av$idin+ %rter +r$%nds $ resentment.6  -%s, !etiti$ners erein ann$t re!resent teir ater 3a"$ (anter$ in te s%essi$n $ te "etter t$ te intestate estate $ is "e+itimate m$ter (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$, ea%se $ te arrier !r$vided $r %nder rt. 99; $ te Ne #ivi" #$de. In anser t$ te err$ne$%s $ntenti$n $ !etiti$ners tat rti"e 941 $ te (!anis #ivi" #$de is an+ed < rti"e 990 $ te Ne #ivi" #$de, He are re!r$d%in+ ereit te eKeti$ns $ te I""%stri$%s $n. J%stie J$se 2.L. e
i""e+itimate iss%e $ a "e+itimate i"d r$m re!resentin+ im in te intestate s%essi$n $ te +rand!arent, te i""e+itimates $ an i""e+itimate i"d an n$ d$ s$. -is dierene ein+ indeensi"e and %narranted, in te %t%re revisi$n $ te #ivi" #$de e sa"" ave t$ ma=e a $ie and deide eiter tat te i""e+itimate iss%e en$
te deeased (im$na 3am%ti Vda. de (anter$ Cis "ear"< a t$ta" reversa" $ an Order i as e$me Ana" and ee%t$r<, ene n%"" and v$id.FF    7 #$mment, !. 1B9 $""$ itin+, !. ;86;, 2$%vierFs La Diti$nar< v$". I I,  -ird evisi$n, Ei+t Editi$n. 65B VOL. 150, JUNE 17, 1987 65B 3e$!"e vs. #ris$"$+$ HEEOE, tis !etiti$n is ere< DI()I((ED, and te assai"ed deisi$n is ere< I)ED. (O ODEED. ernan G#airman, /%tierrez, Jr., and #$rtQs, JJ., $n%r. 3adi""a, J., t$$= n$ !art !rini!a" $%nse" $ !etiti$ners is re"ated t$ me. 2idin, J., n$ !art, see $$tn$tes 4. 3etiti$n dismissed. Deisi$n a?rmed. N$tes.:In te sett"ement !r$eedin+s $ te estate $ te deeased s!$%se, te entire $n%+a" !artnersi! !r$!ert< $ te marria+e and n$t %st te $ne&a" !$rti$n e"$n+in+ t$ te deeased is %nder administrati$n. G3iarda" vs. L"adas, ;1 (# 1485.  -e !ratie in te distri%ti$n $ te estates $ deeased !ers$ns !%rs%ant t$ te !r$visi$n $ (eti$n 1 $ %"e 91 $ te %"es $ #$%rt, is t$ assi+n te $"e $ te estate "et $r distri%ti$n am$n+ te eirs in deAnite !r$!$rti$n, an a"iM%$t !art !ertainin+ in s% $ eirs. G2"as vs. )%R$z&3a"ma, 4 (# 900. :::$0$::: S #$!