Dela Merced vs. Dela Merced Digest
Dela Merced vs. Dela Merced Digest
the latters death. Said 1/3 of Evaristas estate formed part of Franciscos
estate which was subsequently transmitted upon his death on March 23,
1987 to his legal heirs, among whom is appellant as his illegitimate
child. Appellant became entitled to his share in Franciscos estate from
the time of the latters death in 1987.
ISSUE:
Whether or not private respondent Joselito is barred from inheriting
from Evarista because of Art. 992 of the New Civil Code.
HELD:
NO. Article 992 of the New Civil Code is not applicable because
involved here is not a situation where an illegitimate child would inherit ab
intestato from a legitimate sister of his father, which is prohibited by the
aforesaid provision of law. Rather, it is a scenario where an illegitimate
child inherits from his father, the latters share in or portion of, what the
latter already inherited from the deceased sister, Evarista.
As opined by the Court of Appeals, the law in point in the present
case is Article 777 of the New Civil Code, which provides that the rights
to succession are transmitted from the moment of death of the decedent.
Since Evarista died ahead of her brother Francisco, the latter inherited a
portion of the estate of the former as one of her heirs. Subsequently, when
Francisco died, his heirs, namely: his spouse, legitimate children, and the
private respondent, Joselito, an illegitimate child, inherited his
(Franciscos) share in the estate of Evarista. It bears stressing
that Joselito does not claim to be an heir of Evarista by right of
representation but participates in his own right, as an heir of the late
Francisco, in the latters share (or portion thereof) in the estate of Evarista.
The present case relates to the rightful and undisputed right of an
heir to the share of his late father in the estate of the decedent Evarista,
ownership of which had been transmitted to his father upon the death of
Evarista. There is no legal obstacle for private respondent Joselito,
admittedly the son of the late Francisco, to inherit in his own right as an heir
to his fathers estate, which estate includes a one-third (1/3) undivided
share in the estate of Evarista.