Rule 9 Effect of Failure to Plead
ROBERTO R. DAVID, Petitioner, - Versus JUDGE CARMELITA S. GUTIERREZ-FRUELDA, onor!"#e Presi$in% Ju$%e, Br!n&' (), Re%ion!# Tri!# Court o* S!n Fern!n$o, P!+!n%!, VICETE L. PALILIO, ROBERTO L. PALILIO, REMEDIOS P. PAPA, ADELISA P. FERADEZ, !n$ LOURDES D. PALILIO, REPRESETED B/ TEIR ATTORE/-I-FACT ATTORE/-I-FACT AD O BEALF BEALF OF IMSELF, IMSELF, VICETE L. PALILIO, !n$ TE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF PAMPAGA, Reson$ents G.R. No. 170427, January 30, 2009 Actin !"ief Ju#tice Ju#tice $E%NAR&% A. '()*(+)NG, Ponente F!&ts0 %n F!&ts0 %n *e-te/er 17, 2004, -riate re#-ondent# filed a co-laint for acco accoun unti tin n,, reco recone neya yanc ncee and and daa daae e## it" it" -ray -rayer er for for -rel -reli iin inar ary y attac"ent aain#t -etitioner, "i# ife +ari##a &aid, and t"e Rei#ter of &eed &eed## of PaPa-an an a. Pri Priat atee re#re#-on onde dent nt## alle allee ed d t"at t"at -eti -etiti tion oner er fraudulently eceeded "i# #-ecial -oer of attorney to cau#e t"e coner#ion of t"ei t"eirr ari aricu cult ltur ural al land land## to t"o# t"o#ee for for re#i re#ide dent ntia ial, l, co coer erci cial al and and indu indu#t #tri rial al -ur-ur-o# o#e# e# /y rei rei#t #ter erin in in "i# "i# nae nae #oe #oe of t"e t"e land land#, #, ortain ot"er#, failin to reit and account any oney receied fro any tran#action inolin t"eir land#, and a/#condin. *erice of #uon# failed a# -etitioner a# a/road. %n January 24, 24, 200 200,, t"e t"e R! R! orde ordere red d #er #eric icee /y -u/l -u/lica icati tion on.. "er "ereaf eafte ter, r, -ri -riat atee re#-ondent# oed t"at -etitioner /e declared in default #ince "e failed to an#er it"in 50 day# fro date of la#t -u/lication on +arc" 19, 200. %n July 14, 200, -etitioner filed a otion for eten#ion of 1 day# it"in "ic" to file An#er, it" o--o#ition o--o#ition to t"e otion to declare "i in default. )n it# %rder dated July 1, 200, t"e R! declared -etitioner in default. "e R! noted t"at t"e -eriod to file file -etitioner6# An#er la-#ed on on +ay 19, 200, 50 day# after t"e la#t -u/lication on +arc" 19, 200, and t"at -etitioner failed to an#er de#-ite t"e any o--ortunitie#8 ien to "i. "e R! al#o denied -etitioner6# otion for eten#ion to file An#er. An#er. Issue0 Issu e0 "et"er or not t"e R! coit rae a/u#e of di#cretion in denyin -etitioner6# otion to lift order of default: Ru#i Ru#in% n%00 "e !ourt find t"at t"e R! did not coit rae a/u#e of di#cretion, nor did it err in denyin -etitioner6# otion to lift t"e order of default. Petitioner /ela/or# "i# co-laint on t"e alleed defect# in t"e #erice of #uon# #uon# /y -u/lication. -u/lication. ;e inore# inore# "i# oluntary oluntary a--earance a--earance /efore /efore t"e t"e R! R! "en "en "e file filed d to to oti otion on## for for ete eten# n#io ion n to file file An# An#er er.. ;i# ;i# oluntary a--earance a# euri#diction oer "i# -er#on. %n t"e contrary, contrary, t"e otion# ino=ed t"e R!6# R!6# >uri#dict >uri#diction ion "ile #ee=in #ee=in t"e folloin folloin affiratie affiratie relief#? relief#? to rant eten#ion eten#ion,, deny t"e otion to declare declare -etitioner -etitioner in default and lift t"e order of default. default. "u#, "u#, -etitioner -etitioner aied any defect in t"e #erice of #uon# /y -u/lication or een ant of -roce## /ecau#e for t"e R! to alidly act on "i# otion#, it nece##arily acuri#diction oer "i# -er#on.
Rule 9 Effect of Failure to Plead
)ndeed, default order# are not ieed it" faor. ut in t"i# ca#e, -etitioner failed to co-ly it" t"e /a#ic reu#tice, and t"at "e "a# eritoriou# defen#e#. (nfortunately, "i# clai t"at "e "a# eritoriou# defen#e# i# un#u/#tantiated. ;e did not een #tate "at eidence "e intend# to -re#ent if "i# otion i# ranted.
