THIRD DIVISION

[G.R. No. 140975. December 8, 2000]

OFELIA HERNANDO !IEDAD, respondent.

BAG N , petitioner, DE$I"ION

vs. !A"#ORA

%I# G, J.& On 28 August 1995, herein petitioner Ofelia Hernan o !agunu "o#e to inter#ene in Spe$ial %ro$ee ings No& '(52, entitle )In the *atter of the Intestate %ro$ee ings of the +state of Augusto H& %ie a ,) pen ing ,efore the Regional Trial -ourt .)RT-)/, !ran$h 110, of %asa1 -it1& Asserting entitle"ent to a share of the estate of the late Augusto H& %ie a , petitioner assaile the finalit1 of the or er of the trial $ourt a2ar ing the entire estate to respon ent %astora %ie a $onten ing that the pro$ee ings 2ere tainte 2ith pro$e ural infir"ities, in$lu ing an in$o"plete pu,li$ation of the noti$e of hearing, la$3 of personal noti$e to the heirs an $re itors, an irregularit1 in the is,urse"ents of allo2an$es an 2ith ra2als ,1 the a "inistrator of the estate& The trial $ourt enie the "otion, pro"pting petitioner to raise her $ase to the -ourt of Appeals& Respon ent sought the is"issal of the appeal on the thesis that the issues ,rought up on appeal onl1 in#ol#e pure 4uestions of la2& 5in ing "erit in that argu"ent, the appellate $ourt is"isse the appeal, $iting Se$tion 2.$/ of Rule 61 of the 1990 Re#ise Rules on -i#il %ro$e ure 2hi$h 2oul re4uire all appeals in#ol#ing nothing else ,ut 4uestions of la2 to ,e raise ,efore the Supre"e -ourt ,1 petition for re#ie2 oncertiorari in a$$or an$e 2ith Rule 65 thereof an $onsistentl1 2ith -ir$ular 2798 of the -ourt& In a 2ell72ritten resolution, the -ourt of Appeals ,ela,ore the istin$tions ,et2een 4uestions of la2 an 4uestions of fa$t, thus9 )There is a 4uestion of la2 in a gi#en $ase 2hen the ou,t or ifferen$e arises as to 2hat the la2 is on a $ertain state of fa$ts, an there is a 4uestion of fa$t 2hen the ou,t or ifferen$e arises as to the truth or the falsehoo of allege fa$ts& There is 4uestion of fa$t 2hen the 4uer1 ne$essaril1 in#ites $ali,ration of the 2hole e#i en$e $onsi ering "ainl1 the $re i,ilit1 of 2itnesses,

e:isten$e an rele#an$e of spe$ifi$ surroun ing $ir$u"stan$es, an their relation to ea$h other an to the 2hole an the pro,a,ilities of the situation&)

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=usti$e +ugenio S& >a,itoria, spea3ing for the appellate $ourt, ratio$inate that 2hether or not the RT- erre in en1ing the inter#ention $onsi ering .1/ that the inter#enor7appellant ha a prima facie interest o#er the $ase, .2/ that the ?uris i$tion o#er the person of the proper parties 2as not a$4uire in #ie2 of the efi$ient pu,li$ation or noti$e of hearing, an .'/ that the pro$ee ings ha 1et to ,e $lose an ter"inate , 2ere issues 2hi$h i not 4ualif1 as )4uestions of fa$t) as to pla$e the appeal 2ithin the ?uris i$tion of the appellate $ourt@ thus9 )The issues are e#i entl1 pure 4uestions of la2 ,e$ause their resolution are ,ase on fa$ts not in ispute& A "itte are the fa$ts that inter#enor7appellant is a $ollateral relati#e 2ithin the fifth egree of Augusto H& %ie a @ that she is the aughter of the first $ousin of Augusto H& %ie a @ that as su$h, inter#enor7 appellant see3 to inherit fro" the estate of Augusto H& %ie a @ that the noti$e of hearing 2as pu,lishe for three $onse$uti#e 2ee3s in a ne2spaper of general $ir$ulation@ that there 2as no or er of $losure of pro$ee ings that has ,een issue ,1 the intestate $ourt@ an that the intestate $ourt has alrea 1 issue an or er for the transfer of the re"aining estate of Augusto H& %ie a to petitioner7appellee& )These fa$ts are un ispute & )In this $ase, there is no ou,t nor ifferen$e that arise as to the truth or falsehoo on allege fa$ts& The 4uestion as to 2hether inter#enor7appellant as a $ollateral relati#e 2ithin the fifth $i#il egree, has legal interest in the intestate pro$ee ing 2hi$h 2oul ?ustif1 her inter#ention@ the 4uestion as to 2hether the pu,li$ation of noti$e of hearing "a e in this $ase is efe$ti#e 2hi$h 2oul a"ount to la$3 of ?uris i$tion o#er the persons of the parties an the 4uestion as to 2hether the pro$ee ings has alrea 1 ,een ter"inate 2hen the intestate $ourt issue the or er of transfer of the estate of Augusto H& %ie a to petitioner7appellee, in spite the a,sen$e of an or er of $losure of the intestate $ourt, all $all for the appli$ation an interpretation of the proper la2& There is ou,t as to 2hat la2 is appli$a,le on a $ertain un ispute state of fa$ts& )The resolution of the issues raise oes not re4uire the re#ie2 of the e#i en$e, nor the $re i,ilit1 of 2itnesses presente , nor the e:isten$e an rele#an$e of spe$ifi$ surroun ing $ir$u"stan$es& Resolution on the issues "a1 ,e ha e#en 2ithout going to e:a"ination of fa$ts on re$or &)
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Still unsatisfie , petitioner $onteste the resolution of the appellate $ourt in the instant petition for re#ie2 on certiorari& The -ourt fin s no re#ersi,le error in the ruling of the appellate $ourt& !ut let us set asi e the allege pro$e ural e$repitu e an ta3e on the ,asi$ su,stanti#e issue& "'ec()(c*++,, c*- 'e.(.(o-er, * co++*.er*+ re+*.(/e o) .0e )().0 c(/(+ 1e2ree, (-0er(. *+o-23(1e re3'o-1e-., * co++*.er*+ re+*.(/e o) .0e .0(r1 c(/(+ 1e2ree4 E+3e5(3e 3.*.e1, 1oe3 .0e r6+e o) 'ro7(m(., ((-.e3.*.e 36cce33(o- )(-1 *''+(c*.(o- *mo-2 co++*.er*+ re+*.(/e34 Augusto H& %ie a ie 2ithout an1 ire$t es$en ants or as$en ants& Respon ent is the "aternal aunt of the e$e ent, a thir 7 egree relati#e of the e$e ent, 2hile petitioner is the aughter of a first $ousin of the e$ease , or a fifth7 egree relati#e of the e$e ent& The #arious pro#isions of the -i#il -o e on su$$ession e",o 1 an al"ost $o"plete set of la2 to go#ern, either ,1 2ill or ,1 operation of la2, the trans"ission of propert1, rights an o,ligations of a person upon his eath& +a$h arti$le is $onstrue in $ongruit1 2ith, rather than in isolation of, the s1ste" set out ,1 the -o e& The rule on pro:i"it1 is a $on$ept that fa#ors the relati#es nearest in egree to the e$e ent an e:$lu es the "ore istant ones e:$ept 2hen an to the e:tent that the right of representation $an appl1& Thus, Arti$le 9(2 of the -i#il -o e pro#i es9 8AR#. 992. I- e/er, (-0er(.*-ce, .0e re+*.(/e -e*re3. (- 1e2ree e7c+61e3 .0e more 1(3.*-. o-e3, 3*/(-2 .0e r(20. o) re're3e-.*.(o- 50e- (. 'ro'er+, .*:e3 '+*ce. )Relati#es in the sa"e egree shall inherit in e4ual shares, su,?e$t to the pro#isions of arti$le 188( 2ith respe$t to relati#es of the full an half ,loo , an of arti$le 980, paragraph 2, $on$erning i#ision ,et2een the paternal an "aternal lines&) !1 right of representation, a "ore istant ,loo relati#e of a e$e ent is, ,1 operation of la2, )raise to the sa"e pla$e an egree) of relationship as that of a $loser ,loo relati#e of the sa"e e$e ent& The representati#e there,1 steps into the shoes of the person he represents an su$$ee s, not fro" the latter, ,ut fro" the person to 2hose estate the person represente 2oul ha#e su$$ee e & 8AR#. 970. Re're3e-.*.(o- (3 * r(20. cre*.e1 b, )(c.(o- o) +*5, b, /(r.6e o) 50(c0 .0e re're3e-.*.(/e (3 r*(3e1 .o .0e '+*ce *-1 .0e 1e2ree

o) .0e 'er3o- re're3e-.e1, *-1 *c;6(re3 .0e r(20.3 50(c0 .0e +*..er 5o6+1 0*/e () 0e 5ere +(/(-2 or () 0e co6+1 0*/e (-0er(.e1.8 )ART& 901& The representati#e is $alle to the su$$ession ,1 the la2 an not ,1 the person represente & The representati#e oes not su$$ee the person represente ,ut the one 2ho" the person represente 2oul ha#e su$$ee e &) In the ire$t line, right of representation is proper onl1 in the es$en ing, ne#er in the as$en ing, line& In the $ollateral line, the right of representation "a1 onl1 ta3e pla$e in fa#or of the $hil ren of ,rothers or sisters of the e$e ent 2hen su$h $hil ren sur#i#e 2ith their un$les or aunts& 8AR#. 972. #0e r(20. o) re're3e-.*.(o- .*:e3 '+*ce (- .0e 1(rec. 1e3ce-1(-2 +(-e, b6. -e/er (- .0e *3ce-1(-2. 8I- .0e co++*.er*+ +(-e, (. .*:e3 '+*ce o-+, (- )*/or o) .0e c0(+1re- o) bro.0er3 or 3(3.er3, 50e.0er .0e, be o) .0e )6++ or 0*+) b+oo1.8 )ART& 906& Ahene#er there is su$$ession ,1 representation, the i#ision of the estate shall ,e "a e per stirpes, in su$h "anner that the representati#e or representati#es shall not inherit "ore than 2hat the person the1 represent 2oul inherit, if he 2ere li#ing or $oul inherit&) 8AR#. 975. <0e- c0(+1re- o) o-e or more bro.0er3 or 3(3.er3 o) .0e 1ece*3e1 36r/(/e, .0e, 30*++ (-0er(. )rom .0e +*..er b, re're3e-.*.(o-, () .0e, 36r/(/e 5(.0 .0e(r 6-c+e3 or *6-.3. B6. () .0e, *+o-e 36r/(/e, .0e, 30*++ (-0er(. (- e;6*+ 'or.(o-3.8 The right of representation oes not appl1 to )o.0er $ollateral relati#es 2ithin the fifth $i#il egree) .to 2hi$h group ,oth petitioner an respon ent ,elong/ 2ho are 3(7.0 in the or er of preferen$e follo2ing, firstly, the legiti"ate $hil ren an es$en ants, secondly, the legiti"ate parents an as$en ants, thirdly, the illegiti"ate $hil ren an es$en ants, fourthly, the surviving spouse, an fifthly, the ,rothers an sistersBnephe2s an nie$es, of the e$e ent& A"ong $ollateral relati#es, e:$ept onl1 in the $ase of nephe2s an nie$es of the e$e ent $on$urring 2ith their un$les or aunts, the rule of pro:i"it1, e:presse in Arti$le 9(2, afore4uote , of the -o e, is an a,solute rule& In eter"ining the egree of relationship of the $ollateral relati#es to the e$e ent, Arti$le 9(( of the -i#il -o e gi#es ire$tion&

)Arti$le 9((& : : : )In the $ollateral line, as$ent is "a e to the $o""on an$estor an then es$ent is "a e to the person 2ith 2ho" the $o"putation is to ,e "a e& Thus, a person is t2o egrees re"o#e fro" his ,rother, three fro" his un$le, 2ho is the ,rother of his father, four fro" his first $ousin an so forth&) A$$or ingl1 C

Respon ent, ,eing a relati#e 2ithin the thir $i#il egree, of the late Augusto H& %ie a e:$lu es petitioner, a relati#e of the fifth egree, fro" su$$ee ing ab intestato to the estate of the e$e ent& The pro#isions of Arti$le 1889 an Arti$le 1818 of the -i#il -o e C )Arti$le 1889& Shoul there ,e neither ,rothers nor sisters nor $hil ren of ,rothers or sisters, the other $ollateral relati#es shall su$$ee to the estate& )The latter shall su$$ee 2ithout istin$tion of lines or preferen$e a"ong the" ,1 reason of relationship ,1 the 2hole ,loo &) )Arti$le 1818& The right to inherit ab intestato shall not e:ten ,e1on the fifth egree of relationship in the $ollateral line&) 7 in#o3e ,1 petitioner o not at all support her $ause& The la2 "eans onl1 that a"ong the o.0er co++*.er*+ re+*.(/e3 .the si:th in the line of su$$ession/, no preferen$e or istin$tion shall ,e ob3er/e1 8b, re*3o- o) relationship ,1 .0e 50o+e b+oo1.8 In fine, a "aternal aunt $an inherit alongsi e a paternal un$le, an a first $ousin of the full ,loo $an inherit e4uall1 2ith a first $ousin of the half ,loo , ,ut an un$le or an aunt, ,eing a thir 7 egree relati#e, e:$lu es the

$ousins of the e$e ent, ,eing in the fourth7 egree of relationship@ the latter, in turn, 2oul ha#e priorit1 in su$$ession to a fifth7 egree relati#e& <HEREFORE, the instant %etition is D+NI+D& No $osts& "O ORDERED. Melo, (Chairman), Panganiban, an Gonzaga-Reyes, !, $on$ur!