FULL Tambunting, Jr. vs. Sumabat PDF
FULL Tambunting, Jr. vs. Sumabat PDF
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* THIRD DIVISION.
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 470 17/01/2018, 11)06 PM
CORONA, J.:
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 470 17/01/2018, 11)06 PM
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 470 17/01/2018, 11)06 PM
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True, the trial court erred when it ruled that the 1981 CFI
decision in Civil Case No. C-7496 was already final and
executory.
An action for declaratory relief should be filed by a
person interested under a deed, will, contract or other
written instrument, and whose rights are affected by a
statute, executive order, regulation
1
or ordinance before
breach or violation thereof. The purpose of the action is to
secure an authoritative statement of the rights and
obligations of the parties under a statute, deed, contract,
etc. for their guidance in its enforcement or compliance
2
and
not to settle issues arising from its alleged breach. It may
be entertained only before the breach or violation
3
of the
statute, deed, contract, etc. to which it refers. Where the
law or contract has already been contravened prior to the
filing of an action for declaratory relief, the
4
court can no
longer assume jurisdiction over the action. In other words,
a court has no more jurisdiction over an action for
declaratory relief if its subject, i.e., the statute, deed,
contract, etc., has already been infringed or transgressed
before the institution of the action. Under such
circumstances, inasmuch as a cause of action has already
accrued in favor of one or the other party, there is nothing
more for the court to explain or clarify short of a judgment
or final order. Here, an infraction of the mortgage terms
had already taken place before the filing of Civil Case No.
C-7496. Thus, the CFI lacked jurisdiction when it took
cognizance of the case in 1979. And in the absence of
jurisdiction, its decision
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1 Velarde v. Social Justice Society, G.R. No. 159357, 28 April 2004, 428
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SCRA 283.
2 Manila Electric Company v. Philippine Consumers Foundation, Inc.,
425 Phil. 65; 374 SCRA 262 (2002).
3 Id.
4 Cf. Magtibay v. Hon. Alikpala, 116 Phil. 993; 6 SCRA 681 (1962). See
also Oscar M. Herrera, Remedial Law, vol. III, 1991 edition, p. 103.
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5 157 Phil. 175; 58 SCRA 186 (1974) cited in Hilado v. Chavez, G.R.
No. 134742, 22 September 2004, 438 SCRA 623.
6 Quirino Gonzales Logging Concessionaire v. Court of Appeals, 450
Phil. 218; 402 SCRA 181 (2003).
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Petition denied.
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