LOURDES L. DOROTHEO v. CA, NILDA D. QUINTANA, for Herself and as Attorney-in-a!t of "ICENTE DOROTHEO and #OSE DOROTHEO
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December 8, 1999 | YNARES-SANTIAGO, J. | Intrinsic & Extrinsic !"i#it$ Di%ester De"m', ()!rm
S%%ary$ Dece#ents /i"" /!s !#mitte# t' r'b!te b5t t)e s!i# /i"" /!s s5bse<5ent"$ #ec"!re# intrinsic!""$ intrinsic!""$ +'i# in !n 'r#er t)!t )!s bec'me 0in!" !n# exec5t'r$. *etiti'ner *etiti'ner s'5%)t t' %i+e e00ect t' t)e s!i# /i"". Do!t Do!tri rine ne$$ T)e intrin intrinsic sic +!"i#i +!"i#it$ t$ is !n't)e !n't)err m!tter m!tter !n# <5esti <5esti'ns 'ns re%!r#in% t)e s!me m!$ sti"" be r!ise# e+en !0ter t)e /i"" )!s been !5t)en !5t)entic tic!te !te#. #. T)is T)is is seci seci!"" !""$ $ s' /)en /)en t)e c'5rts c'5rts )!# !"re!# !"re!#$ $ #etermine# in ! 0in!" !n# exec5t'r$ #ecisi'n t)!t t)e /i"" is intrinsic!""$ +'i#. +'i#. S5c) #etermin!ti' #etermin!ti'n n )!+in% )!+in% !tt!ine# !tt!ine# t)!t c)!r!cter c)!r!cter '0 0in!"it$ 0in!"it$ is bin#in% 'n t)is ('5rt /)ic) /i"" n' "'n%er be #ist5rbe#.
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*ri+!te res'n#ents *Rs /ere t)e "e%itim!te c)i"#ren '0 A"e!n#r' D'r't)e' D'r't)e' !n# Anicet! Re$es. Anicet! #ie# t)en A"e!n#r' A"e!n#r' #ie# t)ere!0ter. S'metime in 1922, !0ter A"e!n#r'3s #e!t), etiti'ner *, /)' c"!ims t' )!+e )!+e t!4en t!4en c!re c!re '0 A"e! A"e!n#r n#r' ' be0're be0're )e #ie#, #ie#, 0i"e# 0i"e# ! seci seci!" !" r'cee#in% 0'r t)e r'b!te '0 t)e "!tter3s "!st /i"" !n# test!ment. In 1981, 1981, t)e c'5rt iss5e# iss5e# !n 'r#er ad%ittin& ad%ittin& Ale'andr Ale'andro(s o(s )ill to *ro+ate. *ro+ate. *Rs #i# n't !e!" 0r'm s!i# 'r#er b5t inste!# 0i"e# ! 67'ti'n T' Dec"!re Dec"!re T)e i"" Intrinsic!" Intrinsic!""$ "$ 'i#.6 'i#.6 T( %r!nte# %r!nte# t)e m'ti'n !n# iss5e# !n 'r#er #ec"!rin% * !s n't t)e /i0e '0 t)e "!te A"e!n#r', t)e r'+isi'ns '0 t)e "!st /i"" !n# test!ment '0 A"e!n#r' D'r't)e' !s intrinsic!""$ +'i#, !n# #ec"!rin% t)e ''sit'rs *Rs !s t)e 'n"$ )eirs '0 t)e "!te s'5ses A"e!n#r' !n# Anicet!. * 0i"e# !n 7R c"!imin% t)!t s)e is entit"e# t' s'me c'mens!ti'n since s)e t''4 c!re '0 A"e!n#r' ri'r t' )is #e!t) b5t it /!s #enie#. S)e t)en !e!"e# t' t)e (A, b5t t)e s!me /!s #ismisse# !n# t)e
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A /rit '0 exec5ti'n /!s iss5e# b$ t)e ;( t' im"ement t)e 0in!" !n# exec5t'r$ Or#er. ('nse<5ent"$, *Rs 0i"e# se+er!" m'ti'ns inc"5#in% ! m'ti'n t' c'me" etiti'ner t' s5rren#er t' t)em t)e T(Ts c'+erin% t)e r'erties '0 t)e "!te A"e!n#r'. )en * re05se# t' s5rren#er t)e T(Ts, T(Ts, ri+!te res'n#ents 0i"e# ! m'ti'n 0'r c!nce""!ti'n '0 s!i# tit"es !n# 0'r iss5!nce '0 ne/ tit"es in t)eir n!mes. *etiti'ner ''se# t)e m'ti'n. T)en RT( J5#%e =!in >. An%!s set !si#e t)e 0in!" !n# exec5t'r$ Or#er '0 t)e (A !n# t)e Or#er #irectin% t)e iss5!nce '0 t)e /rit '0 exec5ti'n, 'n t)e %r'5n# t)!t t)e 'r#er /!s mere"$ 6inter"'c5t'r$6, )ence n't 0in!" in c)!r!cter. *Rs 0i"e# !n 7R /)ic) /!s #enie#. T)5s, t)e$ 0i"e# ! etiti'n be0're t)e (A, /)ic) n5""i0ie# t)e t/' !ss!i"e# Or#ers. * t)en instit5te# ! et. 0'r re+ie/ !ss!i"in% t)e 'r#er '0 t)e (A 5)'"#in% t)e +!"i#it$ '0 t)e '0 t)e 'r#er /)ic) #ec"!re# t)e intrinsic in+!"i#it$ '0 A"e!n#r'3s /i"" t)!t /!s e!r"ier !#mitte# t' r'b!te.
Rlin&$ *etiti'n #enie#. Decisi'n !e!"e# 0r'm is !00irme#.
oN a last last )ill )ill and testa%en testa%entt ad%itt ad%itted ed to *ro+at *ro+ate e +t de!lar de!lared ed intrinsi!ally void in an order tat as +e!o%e final and e/e!tory still +e &iven effe!t0- NO it )ill not.
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T)e etiti'n is /it)'5t merit. A 0in!" !n# exec5t'r$ #ecisi'n 'r 'r#er c!n n' "'n%er be #ist5rbe# 'r re'ene# n' m!tter )'/ err'ne'5s it m!$ be. In settin settin% % !si#e, !si#e, t)e J!n5!r J!n5!r$ $ :?, 198@ Or#er t)!t )!s !tt!ine# 0in!"it$, t)e T( in e00ect n5""i0ie# t)e entr$ '0 5#%ment m!#e b$ t)e (A. It is /e"" sett"e# t)!t ! "'/er c'5rt c!nn't re+erse 'r set
)!s been r5"e# t)!t ! 0in!" 5#%ment 'n r'b!te# /i"", !"beit err'ne'5s, is bin#in% 'n t)e /)'"e /'r"#. 1 •
It s)'5"# be n'te# t)!t r'b!te r'cee#in%s #e!" %ener!""$ /it) t)e extrinsic +!"i#it$ '0 t)e /i"" s'5%)t t' be r'b!te#, !rtic5"!r"$ 'n t)ree !sects o
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/)et)er t)e /i"" s5bmitte# is in#ee#, t)e #ece#ent3s "!st /i"" !n# test!mentB c'm"i!nce /it) t)e rescribe# 0'rm!"ities 0'r t)e exec5ti'n '0 /i""sB
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t)e test!ment!r$ c!!cit$ '0 t)e test!t'rB
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!n# t)e #5e exec5ti'n '0 t)e "!st /i"" !n# test!ment.
T)e intrinsic +!"i#it$ is !n't)er m!tter !n# <5esti'ns re%!r#in% t)e s!me m!$ sti"" be r!ise# e+en !0ter t)e /i"" )!s been !5t)entic!te#. T)5s, it does not ne!essarily follo) tat an e/trinsi!ally valid last )ill and testa%ent is al)ays intrinsi!ally valid. E+en i0 t)e /i"" /!s +!"i#"$ exec5te#, i0 t)e test!t'r r'+i#es 0'r #is'siti'ns t)!t #eri+es 'r im!irs t)e "!/05" )eirs '0 t)eir "e%itime 'r ri%)t05" in)erit!nce !cc'r#in% t' t)e "!/s 'n s5ccessi'n, t)e 5n"!/05" r'+isi'nsC#is'siti'ns t)ere'0 c!nn't be %i+en e00ect. Tis is s*e!ially so )en te !orts ad already deter%ined in a final and e/e!tory de!ision tat te )ill is intrinsi!ally void. S! deter%ination avin& attained tat !ara!ter of finality is +indin& on tis Cort )i! )ill no lon&er +e distr+ed. N't t)!t t)is ('5rt 0in#s t)e /i"" t' be intrinsic!""$ +!"i#, b5t t)!t ! 0in!" !n#
exec5t'r$ #ecisi'n '0 /)ic) t)e !rt$ )!# t)e ''rt5nit$ t' c)!""en%e be0're t)e )i%)er trib5n!"s m5st st!n# !n# s)'5"# n' "'n%er be ree+!"5!te#. !i"5re t' !+!i" '0 t)e reme#ies r'+i#e# b$ "!/ c'nstit5tes /!i+er. An# i0 t)e !rt$ #'es n't !+!i" '0 't)er reme#ies #esite its be"ie0 t)!t it /!s !%%rie+e# b$ ! #ecisi'n 'r c'5rt !cti'n, t)en it is #eeme# t' )!+e 05""$ !%ree# !n# is s!tis0ie# /it) t)e #ecisi'n 'r 'r#er. As e!r"$ !s 1918, it )!s been #ec"!re# t)!t 5b"ic '"ic$ !n# s'5n# r!ctice #em!n# t)!t, !t t)e ris4 '0 'cc!si'n!" err'rs, 5#%ments '0 c'5rts m5st !t s'me 'int '0 time 0ixe# b$ "!/ bec'me 0in!" 't)er/ise t)ere /i"" be n' en# t' "iti%!ti'n. Interes rei publicae ut finis sit litium t)e +er$ 'bect '0 /)ic) t)e c'5rts /ere c'nstit5te# /!s t' 5t !n en# t' c'ntr'+ersies. T' 05"0i"" t)is 5r'se !n# t' #' s' see#i"$, cert!in time "imits, m're 'r "ess !rbitr!r$, )!+e t' be set 5 t' s5r 'n t)e s"'t)05". T)e 'n"$ inst!nce /)ere ! !rt$ intereste# in ! r'b!te r'cee#in% m!$ )!+e ! 0in!" "i<5i#!ti'n set !si#e is /)en )e is "e0t '5t b$ re!s'n '0 circ5mst!nces be$'n# )is c'ntr'" 'r t)r'5%) mist!4e 'r in!#+ertence n't im5t!b"e t' ne%"i%ence, /)ic) circ5mst!nces #' n't c'nc5r )erein.
EREORE, t)e etiti'n is DENIED !n# t)e #ecisi'n !e!"e# 0r'm is AIR7ED. SO ORDERED. Davide, Jr., C.J., Puno, Kapunan and Pardo, JJ., concur.