case digest

Degayo vs. Magbuana-Dinglasan, et.al. G.R. No. 173148, April 6, !1" #a$ts% Degayo an& t'e tenants $lai(s o)ners'ip on t'e belie* t'at t'e area )as an a$$retion to +ot No. 861. 'e respon&ents, on t'e ot'er 'an&, argue& t'at t'e &ispute& property )as an aban&one& riverbe&, )'i$' s'oul& rig't*ully belong to t'e( to $o(pensate *or t'e erst)'ile portion o* +ot No. 738, over )'i$' t'e alau& River presently runs. Magbanua-Dinglasan *ile& a $o(plaint *or o)ners'ip an& &a(ages against t'e tenants, )it' t'e Regional rial ourt /R0 o* loilo /ivil ase No. 16!470. Degayo soug't to intervene in ivil ase No. 16!47 but 'er (otion )as &enie&. Notably, Degayo never bot'ere& to 2uestion t'e interlo$utory or&er &enying 'er (otion *or intervention by *iling a petition *or $ertiorari. nstea&, Degayo initiate& t'e present suit against t'e respon&ents *or &e$laration o* o)ners'ip )it' &a(ages, also )it' t'e R o* loilo, ran$' , &o$ete& as ivil ase No. 1838, involving t'e &ispute& par$el o* lan&. 5n May 7, 16, t'e R o* loilo, ran$' 7, ren&ere& its &e$ision in ivil ase No. 16!47, in *avor o* t'e respon&ents )'i$' be$a(e *inal an& ee$utory. Mean)'ile, in ivil ase No. 1838, t'e $ourt, a 2uo, *oun& in *avor o* Degayo an& &e$lare& t'e property in 2uestion as an a$$retion to +ot No. 861. 'e A grante& t'e respon&ents appeal an& reverse& an& set asi&e t'e &e$ision o*  t'e R ran$'  in ivil ase No. 1838. 'e A lie)ise note& t'at t'e previous R ran$' &e$ision in ivil ase No. 16!47 is $on$lusive to t'e title o* t'e t'ing, being being an aspe aspe$t $t o* t'e t'e rule rule on $on$ $on$lus lusiv ivene eness ss o* 9u&g( 9u&g(en ent. t. Degay Degayo o soug soug't 't *or *or re$onsi&eration but )as &enie&. :en$e t'is petition. ssues% 1. ;'et'er ;'et'er or not A erre& erre& in taing 9u&i$i 9u&i$ial al noti$e noti$e o* t'e R &e$isi &e$ision on in ivil ase ase No. 16!47, 16!47, )'i$' )'i$' )as not even presente& presente& &uring &uring t'e 'earing 'earing o* t'e present $ase. No. 'e A (ay tae 9u&i$ial noti$e o* ivil ase No. 16!47. 'e taing o* 9u&i$ial noti$e is a (atter o* epe&ien$y an& $onvenien$e *or it *ul*ills t'e purpose t'at t'e t'e evi& evi&en en$e $e is inte inten& n&e& e& to a$'i a$'iev eve, e, an& an& in t'is t'is sens sense, e, it is e2ui e2uiva vale lent nt to proo*. Generally, $ourts are not aut'ori&gar&o +. ?aras% =A $ourt )ill tae 9u&i$ial noti$e o* its o)n a$ts an& re$or&s in t'e sa(e $ase, o* *a$ts establis'e& in prior pro$ee&ings in t'e sa(e $ase, o* t'e aut'enti$ity

o* its o)n re$or&s o* anot'er $ase bet)een t'e sa(e parties, o* t'e *iles o*  relate& $ases in t'e sa(e $ourt, an& o* publi$ re$or&s on *ile in t'e sa(e $ourt. n a&&ition 9u&i$ial noti$e )ill be taen o* t'e re$or&, plea&ings or 9u&g(ent o* a $ase in anot'er $ourt bet)een t'e sa(e parties or involving one o* t'e sa(e parties, as )ell as o* t'e re$or& o* anot'er $ase bet)een &i**erent parties in t'e sa(e $ourt. = . ;'et'er or not A erre& in &e$laring t'e R ran$' 7 &e$ision in ivil ase No. 16!47 $on$lusive upon Degayo )'en s'e )as not even a party in t'e sai& ivil ase. 'e A &i& not err in &e$laring t'at t'e R ran$' 7 De$ision is $on$lusive to t'e $ase even i* Degayo is not a party to t'e $ase. 'e ourt *oun& t'at t'ere is an i&entity o* parties in ivil ase No. 16!47 an& t'e present $ase. 'ere is i&entity o* parties )'ere t'e parties in bot' a$tions are t'e sa(e, or t'ere is privity bet)een t'e(, or t'ey are =su$$essors-in-interest by title subse2uent to t'e $o((en$e(ent o* t'e a$tion, litigating *or t'e sa(e t'ing an& un&er t'e sa(e title an& in t'e sa(e $apa$ity. Absolute i&entity o* parties is not re2uire&, s'are& i&entity o* interest is su**i$ient to invoe t'e $overage o* t'is prin$iple. 'us, it is enoug' t'at t'ere is a $o((unity o* interest bet)een a party in t'e *irst $ase an& a party in t'e se$on& $ase even i* t'e latter )as not i(plea&e& in t'e *irst $ase. 'e $ourt re*use& to subs$ribe to t'is te$'ni$al interpretation o* t'e Rules. n t'e present $ase, assiste& 'ereto*ore, petitioner 'a& t'e *ullest opportunity to lay be*ore t'e $ourt 'er $lai( but t'e sa(e )as overrule&. 'e *a$t t'at s'e )as not *or(ally (a&e a party &e*en&ant in t'e $ase )oul& appear t'ere*ore to be a (ere te$'ni$ality t'at )oul& not serve t'e interest o* t'e a&(inistration o* 9usti$e.

Dyna(i$ uil&ers an& onstru$tion o. vs. :on. Ri$ar&o ?resbitero, r. G.R. No. 174!, April 7, !1" #a$ts% 'e i&s an& A)ar&s o((ittee issue& a Resolution a**ir(ing t'e a)ar& o*  $ontra$t to :+ onstru$tion an& >nterprise *or t'e $onstru$tion o* t'e 1,!"!-lineal(eter onstru$tion @'oreline ?rote$tion ?ro9e$t a(ounting to ?31,,4!.37. i&s an& A)ar&s o((ittee 'airperson elina . @egunla )rote >ngr. Raul #. alan&ra o*  Dyna(i$ uil&ers to in*or( t'e( o* t'e i&s an& A)ar&s o((ittees *in&ings an& &e$ision. Dyna(i$ uil&ers allege& t'at it sub(itte& t'e letter $ontaining a re2uest *or t'e i&s an& A)ar&s o((ittee to *urnis' it )it' all sub(itte& bi& &o$u(ents an& relevant i&s an& A)ar&s o((ittee resolutions, but t'is )as &enie&. A subse2uent (otion *or re$onsi&eration )as also &enie&. Dyna(i$ uil&ers lo&ge& a *or(al protest )it' t'e 'ea& o* t'e pro$uring entity, Mayor Ri$ar&o ?. ?resbitero, r. /Mayor ?resbitero0, to set asi&e t'e i&s an& A)ar&s o((ittee &e$ision &e$laring Dyna(i$ uil&ers bi& as not substantially responsive. t )as &is(isse&. ?ursuant to Arti$le B, @e$tion "8 o* Republi$ A$t No. 184, ot'er)ise no)n as t'e Govern(ent ?ro$ure(ent Re*or( A$t, Dyna(i$ uil&ers *ile& t'e ?etition *or ertiorari be*ore t'e Regional rial ourt o* ago ity, Negros 5$$i&ental, assailing Mayor ?resbiteros De$ision an& Resolution. @i(ultaneously, Dyna(i$ uil&ers *ile& t'is ?etition  &ate& @epte(ber 4, !!6 *or pro'ibition )it' appli$ation *or te(porary restraining or&er an&Cor )rit o*  preli(inary in9un$tion be*ore t'is $ourt. ?ubli$ respon&ents $ounter t'at petitioner =grossly violate& t'e rules against splitting a single $ause o* a$tion, (ultipli$ity o* suits, an& *oru( s'opping . . . an&E availe& o*  an i(proper re(e&y an& &isregar&e& t'e rule on F'ierar$'y o* $ourts.E= ssues% 1. ;'et'er petitioner violate& t'e rules against t'e splitting o* a $ause o* a$tion, (ultipli$ity o* suits, an& *oru( s'opping. es, t'e petitioner violate& t'e rules against t'e splitting o* a $ause o* a$tion, (ultipli$ity o* suits, an& *oru( s'opping. 'e ?etition *ile& be*ore t'e @upre(e ourt sees to en9oin t'e ee$ution o* publi$ respon&ents De$ision an& Resolution on t'e protest H t'e sa(e De$ision an& Resolution soug't to be set asi&e in t'e ?etition be*ore t'e Regional rial ourt. n essen$e, petitioner sees t'e sa(e relie* t'roug' t)o separate ?etitions *ile& be*ore separate $ourts. 'is violates t'e rule against *oru( s'opping. Rule , @e$tion 3 o* t'e Rules o* ourt provi&es t'at =aE party (ay not institute (ore t'an one suit *or a single $ause o* a$tion.= Moreover, @e$tion 4 &is$usses t'e splitting o* a single $ause o* a$tion in t'at =i* t)o or (ore suits are institute& on t'e basis o* t'e sa(e $ause o* a$tion, t'e *iling o*  one or a 9u&g(ent upon t'e (erits in any one is available as a groun& *or t'e &is(issal o* t'e ot'ers.= 'e splitting o* a $ause o* a$tion =violatesE t'e poli$y against (ultipli$ity o* suits, )'ose pri(ary ob9e$tive isE to avoi& un&uly bur&ening t'e &o$ets o* t'e $ourts.=

. ;'et'er Arti$le B, @e$tion "8 o* Republi$ A$t No. 184, in relation to Republi$ A$t No. 87" an& ?resi&ential De$ree No. 1818, allo)s Regional rial ourts to issue in9un$tive relie* sub9e$t to t'e presen$e o* $ertain $on&itions. 'ere is not'ing in Republi$ A$t No. 87" or in ?resi&ential De$ree No. 1818 t'at allo)s t'e si(ultaneous avail(ent o* legal re(e&ies be*ore t'e Regional rial ourt an& t'e @upre(e ourt. Republi$ A$t No. 87", even )'en rea& )it' ?resi&ential De$ree No. 1818, &oes not san$tion t'e splitting o* a $ause o*  a$tion in or&er *or a party to avail itsel* o* t'e an$illiary re(e&y o* a te(porary restraining or&er *ro( t'e @upre(e ourt. ?etitioners rea&ing o* Republi$ A$t No. 87"s repealing $lause, su$' t'at only t'e @upre(e ourt $an issue in9un$tive relie*, *ails to persua&e. 'e ourt 'as set t'e li(it on t'e pro'ibition *oun& in ?resi&ential De$ree No. 1818 by eplaining t'at lo)er $ourts are not pro'ibite& *ro( en9oining a&(inistrative a$ts )'en 2uestions o* la) eist an& t'e a$ts &o not involve a&(inistrative &is$retion in te$'ni$al $ases% Alt'oug' ?resi&ential De$ree No. 1818 pro'ibits any $ourt *ro( issuing in9un$tions in $ases involving in*rastru$ture pro9e$ts, t'e pro'ibition eten&s only to t'e issuan$e o* in9un$tions or restraining or&ers against a&(inistrative a$ts in $ontroversies involving *a$ts or t'e eer$ise o*  &is$retion in te$'ni$al $ases. 5n issues $learly outsi&e t'is &i(ension an& involving 2uestions o* la), t'e ourt &e$lare& t'at $ourts $oul& not be prevente& *ro( eer$ising t'eir po)er to restrain or pro'ibit a&(inistrative a$ts. 3. ;'et'er respon&ents violate& t'is $ourts @epte(ber 18, !!6 status 2uo 5r&er in relation to t'e ongoing onstru$tion @'oreline ?rote$tion ?ro9e$t. No. 'is $ourt 'as eplaine& t'at status 2uo s'oul& be t'e one eisting at t'e ti(e o* t'e *iling o* t'e $ase% 'e status 2uo s'oul& be t'at eisting at t'e ti(e o* t'e *iling o* t'e $ase. 'e status 2uo usually preserve& by a preli(inary in9un$tion is t'e last a$tual, pea$eable an& un$onteste& status )'i$' pre$e&e& t'e a$tual $ontroversy. 'e status 2uo ante lite( is, inelu$tably, t'e state o*  a**airs )'i$' is eisting at t'e ti(e o* t'e *iling o* t'e $ase. n&ubitably, t'e trial $ourt (ust not (ae use o* its in9un$tive po)er to alter su$' status. n t'is $ase, t'e present eisting $on&ition on @epte(ber 18, !!6, )as t'e ongoing $onstru$tion.= Relying in goo& *ait' on t'e or&inary (eaning o* status 2uo as &i**erentiate& *ro( status 2uo ante, respon&ents pus'e& t'roug' )it' t'e $onstru$tion, )'i$' 'a& been t'e eisting state o* a**airs at t'e ti(e t'e @epte(ber 18, !!6 Resolution )as issue&.