Valino v Adriano Et. Al. G. R. No. 182894 April 22, 2014 Ponente: Mendoza FA!": 1# Att$. Att$. Adriano Adriano %arried re&pondent Ro&ario, t'e$ 'ad ( )'ildren. 2# Marria Marria*e *e o+ Att$ Att$.. Adri Adriano ano and Ro&ari Ro&ario, o, 'oeve 'oever, r, t-rned t-rned &o-r &o-r and t'e$ t'e$ ere ere eventevent-all all$ $ &eparatedin+a)t. /ear& later, Att$. Adriano )o-rted Valino, one o+ 'i& )lient&, -ntil t'e$ de)ided to live to*et'er a& '-&and and i+e. e&pite &-)' arran*e%ent, 'e )ontin-ed to provide +inan)ial &-pport to Ro&ario and t'eir )'ildren. # Att$. Adriano died in 1992, d-rin* 'i)' Ro&ario a& in t'e 3". 4# None o+ t'e +a%il$ %e%er& a& aro-nd, Valino too it -pon 'er&el+ to &'o-lder t'e +-neral and -rial e5pen&e& +or Att$. Att$. Adriano. Adriano. 6'en Ro&ario learned ao-t t'e deat' o+ 'er '-&and, &'e i%%ediatel$ )alled Valino and re7-e&ted t'at &'e dela$ t'e inter%ent +or a +e da$& -t 'er re7-e&t a& not 'eeded. Re&pondent& ere not ale to attend t'e inter%ent. # lai%in* t'at t'e$ ere deprived o+ t'e )'an)e to vie t'e re%ain& o+ Att$. Adriano e+ore 'e a& -ried -ried and t'at 'i& -rial -rial at t'e Manila Manila Me%ori Me%orial al Par Par a& )ontrar$ )ontrar$ to 'i& i&'e&, i&'e&, re&pondent& )o%%en)ed &-it a*ain&t Valino pra$in* t'at t'e$ e inde%ni+ied +or a)t-al, %oral and e5e%plar$ da%a*e& and attorne$& +ee& and t'at t'e re%ain& o+ Att$. Adriano e e5'-%ed and tran&+erred to t'e +a%il$ plot. (# n 'er de+en&e, Valino )o-ntered t'at Ro&ario and Att$. Adriano 'ad een &eparated +or %ore t'an tent$ ;20# $ear& e+ore 'e )o-rted 'er. Valino )lai%ed t'at t'ro-*'o-t t'e ti%e t'e$ ere to*et'er, 'e 'ad introd-)ed 'er to 'i& +riend& and a&&o)iate& a& 'i& i+e. <# R! r-led in +avor o+ Valino. A rever&ed ""3E: 6'o eteen a le*al &po-&e and a livein partner, 'o 'a& taen )are o+ and lived it' t'e de)ea&ed at t'e ti%e o+ illne&& and &-&e7-ent deat', 'a& etter ri*'t over t'e od$= >E?: !'e le*al &po-&e Art. 199 o+ t'e Fa%il$ ode in relation to Arti)le 0 o+ t'e ivil ode provide& 'o 'a& ri*'t& over +-neral arran*e%ent&. !'e " &tated t'at t'e la &i%pl$ )on+ine& t'e ri*'t and d-t$ to %ae +-neral arran*e%ent& to t'e %e%er& o+ t'e +a%il$ to t'e e5)l-&ion o+ one& )o%%on la partner. t it i& )lear t'at t'e la *ive& t'e ri*'t and d-t$ to %ae +-neral arran*e%ent& to Ro&ario, &'e ein* t'e &-rvivin* le*al i+e o+ Att$. Adriano. !'e !'e +a)t t'at &'e a& livin* &eparatel$ +ro% 'er '-&and and a& in t'e 3nited "tate& 'en 'e died 'a& no )ontrollin* &i*ni+i)an)e. !o &a$ t'at Ro&ario 'ad, in e++e)t, aived or reno-n)ed, e5pre&&l$ or i%pliedl$, 'er ri*'t and d-t$ to %ae arran*e%ent& +or t'e +-neral o+ 'er de)ea&ed '-&and i& a&ele&&. !'e ri*'t and d-t$ to %ae +-neral arran*e%ent&, lie an$ ot'er ri*'t, ill not e )on&idered a& 'avin* een aived or reno-n)ed, e5)ept -pon )lear and &ati&+a)tor$ proo+ o+ )ond-)t indi)ative o+ a +ree and vol-ntar$ intent to t'at end. end.9 6'ile t'ere a& di&a++e)tion eteen Att$. Adriano and Ro&ario and t'eir )'ildren 'en 'e a& &till alive, t'e o-rt al&o re)o*nize& t'at '-%an )o%pa&&ion, %ore o+ten t'an not, open& t'e door to %er)$ and +or*ivene&& on)e a +a%il$ %e%er @oin& 'i& reator. Notal$, it i& an -ndi&p-ted +a)t t'at t'e re&pondent& a&ted no ti%e in %ain* +ranti) plea& to Valino +or t'e dela$ o+ t'e inter%ent +or a +e da$& &o t'e$ )o-ld attend t'e &ervi)e and vie t'e re%ain& o+ t'e de)ea&ed.