G.R. No.

178906 February 18, 2009

ARANGOTE V. MAGLUNOB
FACTS:

Elvira T. Arangote, herein petitioner marrie to !ay "ar# E. Arangote, i# the regi#tere o$ner o% the
#ub&e't property, a# evien'e by (riginal Certi%i'ate o% Title )(CT* +o. C,(A-1./8. !e#ponent#
"artin )"artin 00* an !omeo are %ir#t 'ou#in# an the grannephe$# o% E#peran1a "aglunob-2aili#an
)E#peran1a*, %rom $hom petitioner a'3uire the #ub&e't property. The 4etition #tem# %rom a
Complaint %ile by petitioner an her hu#ban again#t the re#ponent# %or 5uieting o% Title an
2e'laration o% ($ner#hip an 4o##e##ion. The Complaint allege that E#peran1a inherite the #ub&e't
property %rom her un'le 6i'torino Sorro#a by virtue o% a notari1e 4artition Agreement ate 29 April
1987, e8e'ute by the latter9# heir#. Therea%ter, E#peran1a e'lare the #ub&e't property in her name.
The Complaint %urther #tate that on 2/ :une 1987, Esperanza execue! a Las "#$$ an! Tesa%en
&e'uea(#n) (e su&*ec proper+ o pe##oner an! (er (us&an!, &u # -as ne.er pro&ae!. (n 9
:une 198;, E#peran1a e8e'ute another o'ument, an A%%iavit, in $hi'h #he renoun'e, relin3ui#he,
$aive an 3uit'laime all her right#, #hare, intere#t an parti'ipation $hat#oever in the #ub&e't property
in %avor o% petitioner an her hu#ban. (n the ba#i# thereo%, Ta8 2e'laration +o. 1;218 in the name o%
E#peran1a $a# 'an'elle an Ta8 2e'laration +o. 1;;;; )198.* $a# i##ue in the name o% the petitioner
an her hu#ban. 0n 1989, petitioner an her hu#ban 'on#tru'te a hou#e on the #ub&e't property. (n 2;
"ar'h 199<, (CT +o. C,(A-1./8 $a# i##ue by the Se'retary o% the 2epartment o% Agrarian !e%orm
)2A!* in the name o% petitioner, marrie to !ay "ar# E. Arangote. =o$ever, re#ponent#, together $ith
#ome hire per#on#, enere! (e su&*ec proper+ on < :une 199/ an built a hollo$ blo'> $all behin
an in %ront o% petitioner9# hou#e, $hi'h e%%e'tively blo'>e the entran'e to it# main oor. A# a
'on#e3uen'e thereo%, petitioner an her hu#ban $ere 'ompelle to in#titute thi# a'tion.
0n their An#$er $ith Counter'laim in Civil Ca#e +o. 17;, re#ponent# averre that they 'o-o$ne the
#ub&e't property $ith E#peran1a. E#peran1a an her #ibling#, Toma# an 0no'en'ia, inherite the #ub&e't
property, in e3ual #hare#, %rom their %ather "artin "aglunob )"artin 0*. ?hen Toma# an 0no'en'ia
pa##e a$ay, their #hare# pa##e on by inheritan'e to re#ponent# "artin 00 an !omeo,
re#pe'tively. =en'e, the #ub&e't property $a# 'o-o$ne by E#peran1a, re#ponent "artin 00 )together
$ith hi# $i%e ,oure#*, an re#ponent !omeo, ea'h holing a one-thir pro-indiviso #hare
therein. Thu#, E#peran1a 'oul not valily $aive her right# an intere#t over the entire #ub&e't property in
%avor o% the petitioner. !e#ponent# al#o a##erte in their Counter'laim that petitioner an her hu#ban,
by mean# o% %rau, unue in%luen'e an e'eit $ere able to ma>e E#peran1a, $ho $a# alreay ol an
illiterate, a%%i8 her thumbmar> to the A%%iavit ate 9 :une 198;, $herein #he renoun'e all her right#
an intere#t over the #ub&e't property in %avor o% petitioner an her hu#ban. !e#ponent# thu# praye
that the (CT i##ue in petitioner9# name be e'lare null an voi in#o%ar a# their t$o-thir# #hare# are
'on'erne. A%ter trial, the "CTC renere it# 2e'i#ion, e'laring petitioner an her hu#ban a# the true
an la$%ul o$ner# o% the #ub&e't property. !TC rever#e the lo$er 'ourt9# e'i#ion. 4etitioner an her
hu#ban %ile be%ore the !TC, on 2; September 2000, a "otion %or +e$ Trial or !e'on#ieration on the
groun o% ne$ly i#'overe evien'e 'on#i#ting o% a 2ee o% A''eptan'e ate 2< September 2000, an
noti'e o% the #ame, $hi'h $ere both mae by the petitioner, %or her#el% an in behal% o% her hu#ban,
uring the li%etime o% E#peran1a. 0n the !TC (rer ate 2 "ay 2001, it enie the a%ore#ai "otion %or
+e$ Trial or !e'on#ieration. CA a%%irme.
0SS@E: ?A+ the A%%iavit o% renun'iation e8e'ute by E#peran1a in %avour o% petitioner an her hu#ban
over the i#pute propertie# i# a onation $herein E#peran1a9# real intent in e8e'uting the #ai A%%iavit
$a# to onate her #hare in the #ub&e't property to petitioner an her hu#ban, an the #ub#e3uent
a''eptan'e o% petitioner an her hu#ban e8e'ute a%ter trial valiate# the #ai in#trument
=E,2: The A%%iavit i# voi.
The A%%iavit i# a ee o% onation but the #ub#e3uent notari1e 2ee o% A''eptan'e ate 2< September
2000, a# $ell a# the noti'e o% #u'h a''eptan'e, e8e'ute by the petitioner !#! no cure (e !e/ec. 0t $a#
only mae by the petitioner #everal year# a%ter the Complaint $a# %ile in 'ourt, or $hen the !TC ha
alreay renere it# 2e'i#ion ate 12 September 2000, although it $a# #till uring E#peran1a9# li%etime.
E.#!en$+, #s execu#on -as a %ere a/er(ou)(, a &e$ae! ae%p o cure -(a -as a !e/ec#.e
!ona#on.
A%ter a 'are%ul #'rutiny o% the re'or#, thi# Court a%%irm# the %ining# o% both the !TC an the Court o%
Appeal# a# regar# the origin o% the #ub&e't property an the %a't that re#ponent#, $ith their gran aunt
E#peran1a, $ere 'o-heir# an 'o-o$ner# o% the #ub&e't property. 0 #s c$ear /ro% (e recor!s (a (e
su&*ec proper+ -as no Esperanza1s exc$us#.e s(are, but al#o that o% the other heir# o% her %ather,
"artin 0. E#peran1a e8pre##ly a%%i8e her thumbmar> to the 2ee o% E8tra&ui'ial Settlement o% :uly
1981 not only %or her#el%, but al#o on behal% o% the other heir# o% "artin 0. Though in the 4artition
Agreement ate 29 April 1987 Esperanza a//#xe! (er (u%&%ar2 -#(ou sa#n) (a s(e -as
!o#n) so no on$+ /or (erse$/, &u a$so on &e(a$/ o/ (e o(er (e#rs o% "artin 0, thi# oe# not mean that
E#peran1a $a# alreay the e8'lu#ive o$ner thereo%. Further, it bear# empha#i# that the 4artition
Agreement $a# e8e'ute by an among the #on, gran#on#, granaughter# an 'ou#in# o%
6i'torino. E#peran1a $a# neither the granaughter nor the 'ou#in o% 6i'torino, a# #he $a# only
6i'torino9# grannie'e. The 'ou#in o% 6i'torino i# "artin 0, E#peran1a9# %ather. 0n e//ec, (ere/ore, (e
su&*ec proper+ a$$oe! o Esperanza #n (e 3ar##on A)ree%en -as no (er exc$us#.e s(are, as
s(e (o$!s (e sa%e /or an! on &e(a$/ o/ (e o(er (e#rs o/ Mar#n 0, -(o -as a$rea!+ !ecease! a (e
#%e (e 3ar##on A)ree%en -as %a!e. To %urther bol#ter the truth that the #ub&e't property $a# not
e8'lu#ively o$ne by E#peran1a, the A%%iavit #he e8e'ute in %avor o% petitioner an her hu#ban on ;
:une 1987 $a# $ore a# %ollo$#:
That I hereby renounce, relinquish, waive and quitclaim all my rights, share, interest
and participation whatsoever in the [subject property] unto the said Sps. ay !ars "rangote and
#lvira T. "rangote, their heirs, successors, and assigns including the improvement $ound
thereon%

,ogi'ally, i% E#peran1a %ully o$ne the #ub&e't property, #he $oul have #imply $aive her right# to an
intere#t in the #ub&e't property, $ithout mentioning her B#hareC an Bparti'ipationC in the #ame. Dy
in'luing #u'h $or# in her A%%iavit, Esperanza -as a-are o/ an! -as $#%##n) (er -a#.er,
renunc#a#on, an! 'u#c$a#% o (er one4(#r! s(are an! par#c#pa#on #n (e su&*ec proper+.
A 'are%ul peru#al o% the #ai A%%iavit reveal# that it i# not $hat it purport# to be. E#peran1a9# A%%iavit
i#, in %a't, a 2onation. E#peran1a9# real intent in e8e'uting the #ai A%%iavit $a# to onate her #hare in
the #ub&e't property to petitioner an her hu#ban. A# no onerou# unerta>ing i# re3uire o% petitioner
an her hu#ban uner the #ai A%%iavit, the onation i# regare a# a pure onation o% an intere#t in a
real property 'overe by Arti'le ./9 o% the Civil Coe. From the a%ore#ai provi#ion, there are (ree
re'u#s#es /or (e .a$#!#+ o/ a s#%p$e !ona#on o/ a rea$ proper+, to $it: )1* it mu#t be mae in a
publi' in#trumentE )2* it mu#t be a''epte, $hi'h a''eptan'e may be mae either in the #ame 2ee o%
2onation or in a #eparate publi' in#trumentE an )<* i% the a''eptan'e i# mae in a #eparate in#trument, the
onor mu#t be noti%ie in an authenti' %orm, an the #ame mu#t be note in both in#trument#. Thi# Court
agree# $ith the !TC an the Court o% Appeal# that the A%%iavit e8e'ute by E#peran1a relin3ui#hing her
right#, #hare, intere#t an parti'ipation over the #ub&e't property in %avor o% the petitioner an her hu#ban
#u%%ere %rom legal in%irmitie#, a# it %aile to 'omply $ith the a%ore#ai re3ui#ite# o% the la$.
0n the pre#ent 'a#e, the #ai A%%iavit, $hi'h i# tantamount to a 2ee o% 2onation, met the %ir#t re3ui#ite,
a# it $a# notari1eE thu#, it be'ame a publi' in#trument. +everthele##, it %aile to meet the a%ore#ai
#e'on an thir re3ui#ite#. The a''eptan'e o% the #ai onation $a# not mae by the petitioner an her
hu#ban either in the #ame A%%iavit or in a #eparate publi' in#trument. As (ere -as no accepance
%a!e o/ (e sa#! !ona#on, (ere -as a$so no no#ce o/ (e sa#! accepance )#.en o (e !onor,
Esperanza. T(ere/ore, (e A//#!a.# execue! &+ Esperanza #n /a.or o/ pe##oner an! (er (us&an!
#s nu$$ an! .o#! .
0t i# true that the accepance o/ a !ona#on %a+ &e %a!e a an+ #%e !ur#n) (e $#/e#%e o/ (e
!onor. An granting arguendo that #u'h a''eptan'e may #till be amitte in evien'e on appeal, (ere
#s s#$$ nee! /or proo/ (a a /or%a$ no#ce o/ suc( accepance -as rece#.e! &+ (e !onor an! noe!
#n &o( (e 5ee! o/ 5ona#on an! (e separae #nsru%en e%&o!+#n) (e accepance. At the very
lea#t, thi# la#t legal re3ui#ite o% annotation in both in#trument# o% onation an a''eptan'e $a# not
%ul%ille by the petitioner. Ne#(er (e A//#!a.# nor (e 5ee! o/ Accepance &ears (e /ac (a
Esperanza rece#.e! no#ce o/ (e accepance o/ (e !ona#on &+ pe##oner. 6or (#s reason, e.en
Esperanza1s one4(#r! s(are #n (e su&*ec proper+ canno &e a!*u!#cae! o (e pe##oner.