The Incompetent Carmen Caniza v. Court of Appeals, Pedro and Leonora Estrada
G.R. No. 110427; February 24, 1997 Facts:
Carmen Caniza (94), a spinster, a retire p!arma"ist, an #ormer pro#essor o# t!e Co$$e%e o# C!emistry an &!arma"y o# t!e 'niersity o# t!e &!i$ippines, as e"$are in"ompetent by *u%ment o# t!e +C RC in a %uarians!ip pro"eein% institute by !er nie"e, -mparo -. an%e$ista. /!e as so a*u%e be"ause o# !er aan"e a%e an p!ysi"a$ inrmities i nrmities !i"! in"$ue "atara"ts in bot! eyes an seni$e ementia. -mparo -. an%e$ista as appointe $e%a$ %uarian o# !er person an estate. Caiza as t!e oner o# a !ouse an $ot. er %uarian -mparo "ommen"e a suit to e*e"t t!e spouses straa #rom t!e sai premises in t!e 3C o# +uezon City. Comp$aint pertinent$y a$$e%e t!at p$ainti Caiza as t!e abso$ute oner o# t!e property in 5uestion, "oere by C No. 27147; t!at out o# 6inness, s!e !a a$$oe t!e straa /pouses, t!eir "!i$ren, %ran"!i$ren an sonsin$a to temporari$y resie in !er !ouse, rent#ree; t!at Caiza a$reay !a ur%ent nee o# t!e !ouse on a""ount o# !er aan"e a%e an #ai$in% !ea$t!, 8so #uns "ou$ be raise to meet !er epenses #or support, maintenan"e an mei"a$ treatment;8 t!at t!rou%! !er %uarian, Caiza !a as6e t!e straas erba$$y an in ritin% to a"ate t!e !ouse but t!ey !a re#use to o so; an t!at 8by t!e e#enants: a"t o# un$a#u$$y epriin% p$ainti p$ ainti o# t!e possession o# t!e !ouse in 5uestion, t!ey (ere) enri"!in% t!emse$es at t!e epense o# t!e in"ompetent, be"ause, !i$e t!ey (ere) sain% money by not payin% any rent #or t!e !ouse, t!e in"ompetent (as) $osin% mu"! money as !er !ouse "ou$ not be rente by ot!ers.8 -$so a$$e%e as t!at t!e "omp$aint as 8$e it!in one (1) year #rom t!e ate o# rst $etter o# eman ate February <, 1990.8 =n t!eir -nser, t!e e#enants e"$are e"$are t!at t!ey !a been $iin% in Caiza:s !ouse sin"e t!e 19>0:s; t!at in "onsieration o# t!eir #ait!#u$ seri"e t!ey !a been "onsiere by Caiza as !er on #ami$y, an t!e $atter !a in #a"t ee"ute a !o$o%rap!i" i$$ by !i"! s!e 8be5ueat!e8. ?u%ement as as renere renere by t!e t!e 3etro 3etroC C in #aor o# Caiza but but it as reerse reerse on appea$ by t!e +uezon City RC. Caiza sou%!t to !ae t!e Court o# -ppea$s reerse reerse t!e e"ision but #ai$e in t!at attempt. =t ru$e t!at (a) t!e proper remey #or Caiza as inee an accion publiciana in t!e RC, not an accion interdictal in t!e 3etroC, sin"e t!e 8e#enants !ae not been in t!e sub*e"t premises as mere tenants or o""upants by to$eran"e, t!ey !ae been t!ere as a sort o# aopte #ami$y o# Carmen Caiza,8 as eien"e by !at purports to be t!e !o$o%rap!i" i$$ o# t!e p$ainti; an (b) !i$e 8sai i$$, un$ess an unti$ it !as passe probate by t!e proper "ourt, "ou$ not be t!e basis o# e#enants: "$aim to t!e property, property, it is ini"atie o# intent an esire on t!e
part o# Carmen Caiza t!at e#enants are to remain an are to "ontinue in t!eir o""upan"y an possession, so mu"! so t!at Caiza:s superenin% in"ompeten"y "annot be sai to !ae este in !er %uarian t!e ri%!t or aut!ority to rie t!e e#enants out. !ey "on"$ue, on t!ose postu$ates, t!at it is beyon t!e poer o# Caiza:s $e%a$ %uarian to oust t!em #rom t!e ispute premises. Carmen Caiza ie, an !er !eirs t!e a#orementione %uarian, -mparo an%e$ista, an Ramon C. Neao, !er nie"e an nep!e, respe"tie$y ere by t!is Court:s $eae, substitute #or !er. Issue:
1. @!et!er or not an%e$ista, as Caiza:s $e%a$ %uarian !a aut!ority to brin% sai a"tion; an 2. @!et!er or not an%e$ista may "ontinue to represent Caiza a#ter t!e $atter:s eat!.
Rulin:
1. !e straas insist t!at t!e eise o# t!e !ouse to t!em by Caiza "$ear$y enotes !er intention t!at t!ey remain in possession t!ereo#, an $e%a$$y in"apa"itate !er *ui"ia$ %uarian, -mparo an%e$ista, #rom ei"tin% t!em t!ere#rom, sin"e t!eir ouster ou$ be in"onsistent it! t!e ar:s i$$. - i$$ is essentia$$y ambu$atory; at any time prior to t!e testator:s eat!, it may be "!an%e or reo6e; an unti$ amitte to probate, it !as no ee"t !ateer an no ri%!t "an be "$aime t!ereuner, t!e $a bein% 5uite ep$i"itA 8No i$$ s!a$$ pass eit!er rea$ or persona$ property un$ess it is proe an a$$oe in a""oran"e it! t!e Ru$es o# Court8 (-R. B
-mparo an%e$ista as appointe by a "ompetent "ourt t!e %enera$ %uarian o# bot! t!e person an t!e estate o# !er aunt, Carmen Caiza. er !etters of "uardianship clearly installed her as the #guardian o$er the person and properties of the incompetent %A&() %A)*+A with full authority to take possession of the property of said incompetent in any pro$ince or pro$inces in which it may be situated and to perform all other acts necessary for the management of her properties.#. y t!at appointment, it be"ame an%e$ista:s uty to "are #or !er aunt:s person, to atten to !er p!ysi"a$ an spiritua$ nees, to assure !er e$$bein%, it! ri%!t to "ustoy o# !er person in pre#eren"e to re$aties an #riens. =t a$so be"ame
!er ri%!t an uty to %et possession o#, an eer"ise "ontro$ oer, Caiza:s property, bot! rea$ an persona$, it bein% re"o%nize prin"ip$e t!at t!e ar !as no ri%!t to possession or "ontro$ o# !is property urin% !er in"ompeten"y. !at ri%!t to mana%e t!e ar:s estate "arries it! it t!e ri%!t to ta6e possession t!ereo# an re"oer it #rom anyone !o retains it, an brin% an e#en su"! a"tions as may be nee#u$ #or t!is purpose.
2. -s a$reay state, Carmen Caiza passe aay urin% t!e penen"y o# t!is appea$. !e straas t!ereupon moe to ismiss t!e petition, ar%uin% t!at Caiza:s eat! automati"a$$y terminate t!e %uarians!ip, -maparo an%e$ista $ost a$$ aut!ority as !er *ui"ia$ %uarian, an "ease to !ae $e%a$ persona$ity to represent !er in t!e present appea$. !e motion is it!out merit. @!i$e it is inee e$$estab$is!e ru$e t!at t!e re$ations!ip o# %uarian an ar is ne"essari$y terminate by t!e eat! o# eit!er t!e %uarian or t!e ar, t!e ru$e aors no aanta%e to t!e straas. -mparo an%e$ista, as nie"e o# Carmen Caiza, is one o# t!e $atter:s on$y to (2) suriin% !eirs, t!e ot!er bein% Caiza:s nep!e, Ramon C. Neao. Dn t!eir motion an by Reso$ution o# t!is Court, t!ey ere in #a"t substitute as parties in t!e appea$ at bar in p$a"e o# t!e e"ease. #(%. -. /eath of a party. 0 After a party dies and the claim is not thereby extinguished, the court shall order, upon proper notice, the legal representati$e of the deceased to appear and be substituted for the deceased within a period of thirty 1234 days, or within such time as may be granted. *f the legal representati$e fails to appear within said time, the court may order the opposing party to procure the appointment of a legal representati$e of the deceased within a time to be specied by the court, and the representati$e shall immediately appear for and on behalf of the interest of the deceased. 5he court charges in$ol$ed in procuring such appointment, if defrayed by the opposing party, may be reco$ered as costs. 5he heirs of the deceased may be allowed to be substituted for the deceased, without re6uiring the appointment of an executor or administrator and the court may appoint guardian ad litem for the minor heirs.
