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Case Digest: Domingo V. Ca: You Are Here
Case Digest: Domingo V. Ca: You Are Here
enforceable.
HELD:
Art. 2 of the Civil Code does not preclude the requirement of publication in the Official Gazette, even if the
law itself provides for the date of its effectivity. The clear object of this provision is to give the general
public adequate notice of the various laws which are to regulate their actions and conduct as citizens.
Without such notice and publication, there would be no basis for the application of the maxim ignoratia
legis nominem excusat. It would be the height of injustive to punish or otherwise burden a citizen for the
transgression of a law which he had no notice whatsoever, not even a constructive one.
The very first clause of Section 1 of CA 638 reads: there shall be published in the Official Gazette…. The
word “shall” therein imposes upon respondent officials an imperative duty. That duty must be enforced if
the constitutional right of the people to be informed on matter of public concern is to be given substance
and validity.
Facts:
Paulina Rigonan owned three parcels of land located at Batac and Espiritu, Ilocos
Norte, including a house and warehouse on one parcel. She allegedly sold them to Felipe
and Concepcion Rigonan, who claim to be her relatives. Petitioners Domingo, Mangabat
and Capalungan who claim to be Paulina’s closest surviving relatives, allegedly took
possession of the property by means of stealth, force and intimidation and refused to
vacate the same. Felipe Rigonan filed a complaint for reinvindicacion against petitioners
in the RTC of Batac, Ilocos Norte, alleging their ownership of the land through the deep
of sale executed by Paulina Rigonan and since then have been in continuous possession
of the properties and introduced permanentimprovements thereon. According to the
petitioners, the deed of absolute sale was void for being spurious since they inherited the
three lots and the permanentimprovements as nearest surviving kin within the fifth
degree of consanguinity to Paulina. The RTC ruled in the petitioner’s favor, declaring
them the lawful owners of the contested land. The Court of Appeals reversed the trial
court’s decision and ordered the petitioners to vacate the subject properties and
surrender possession thereof.
Issues:
(1) Whether or not private respondents sufficiently established the existence and
due execution of the Deed of Absolute and Irrevocable Sale of Real Property
(2) Whether or not Paulina Rigonan was competent to enter into said contract
Ruling:
Before the Court are two consolidated petitions for review on certiorari - G.R. Nos. 2032871 and
2079362 - under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court seeking to annul and set aside the Decision3 dated
August 31, 2012 in CA-G.R. SP No. 122054 and the Decision4 dated June 28, 2013 in CA-G.R. CV
No. 98026, both issued by the Court of Appeals (CA).
Facts
The spouses Macario C. Domingo (Macario) and Felicidad S..D. Domingo (Felicidad) (Spouses
Domingo) ate the parents of respondent Engracia D. Singson (Engracia) and petitioners Renato S.D.
Domingo (Renato) and his co-heirs whom he represents herein, namely: Consolacion D. Romero
(Consolacion), Josefina D. Borja, and Rafael, Ramon, and Rosario, all surnamed Domingo
(collectively, the petitioners).5
During their lifetime, the Spouses Domingo owned a parcel of land, situated in F. Sevilla Street, San
Juan, Metro Manila, covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TC1) No. 32600 (23937) 845-R,6 and
the house built thereon (subject property). Macario died on February 22, 1981, while Fel.icidad died
on September 14, 1997.7
It appears that on September 26, 2006, Engracia filed with the Metropolitan Trial Court of Manila a
complaint8 for ejectment/unlawful detainer, docketed as Civil Case No. 9534, against Consolacion,
Rosario, Rafael, and Ramon. Engracia claimed that she is the absolute owner of the subject
property, having bought the same from the Spouses Domingo as evidenced by an Absolute Deed of
Sale9 dated June 6, 2006. She likewise averred that TCT No. 32600 (23937) 845-R was already
cancelled and TCT No. 1257510 covering the subject property was already issued under her name.
The petitioners only learned of the supposed sale of the subject property when they received the
summons and a copy of Engracia's complaint in Civil Case No. 9534.
Consequently, on July 31, 2006, the petitioners filed a complaint11 with the Regional Trial Court
(RTC) of Pasig City, which sought the nullity of the sale. They alleged that the Absolute Deed of Sale
dated June 6, 2006, upon which Engracia bases her ownership of the subject property, was a nullity
since the signatures of their parents appearing thereon as the supposed vendors were forged. 12 The
case was docketed as Civil Case No. 70898 and was raffled to Branch 160 of the RTC.
Meanwhile, on February 28, 2007, Renato, Consolacion, and Ramon filed a Joint Affidavit
Complaint13 with the Office of the City Prosecutor (OCP) of Pasig City, claiming that Engracia falsified
the signatures of their parents in the Absolute Deed of Sale and, thus, charging her with the crimes
of falsification of public document, estafa, and use of falsified documents. Consequently, on May 6,
2008, the OCP filed an Information14 with the RTC, charging Spouses Engracia and Manuel Singson
(Spouses Singson) with the crime of estafa through falsification of public documents. The case was
docketed as Criminal Case No. 137867 and was raffled to Branch 264 of the RTC.
On July 11, 2008, the Spouses Singson filed a Motion to Suspend Proceedings Due to Prejudicial
Question15 with the RTC in Criminal Case No. 137867. They alleged that the validity and
genuineness of the Absolute Deed of Sale, which is the subject of Civil Case No. 70898 then still
pending with the RTC Branch 160, are determinative of their guilt of the crime charged. 16
Accordingly, they prayed that the proceedings in Criminal Case No. 137867 be suspended pursuant
to Section 6 of Rule 111 of the Rules of Court. 17 The private prosecutor filed an opposition to the
motion, stating that Criminal Case No. 137867 can proceed independently from Civil Case No.
70898 pursuant to Article 33 of the Civil Code, in relation to Section 3 of Rule 111 of the Rules of
Court.18
On February 12, 2010, the RTC Branch 264, issued an Order19 in Criminal Case No. 137867, which
granted the motion to suspend the proceedings filed by the Spouses Singson. The private
prosecutor sought a reconsideration20 of the Order dated February i2, 2010, but it was denied by
the RTC in its Order21 dated June 7, 2011.
Unperturbed, the petitioners filed a petition for certiorari22 with the CA, docketed as CA-G.R. SP No.
122054, claiming that the RTC gravely abused its discretion when it directed the suspension of the
proceedings in · Criminal Case No. 137867 on the ground of prejudicial question. They pointed out
that the bases of their respective claims in both Civil Case No. 70898 and Criminal Case No. 137867
are the forged signatures of their deceased parents.23 They claimed that where both a civil and
criminal case arising from the same facts are filed in court, the criminal case takes precedence. 24
On August 31, 2012, the CA rendered a Decision25 in CA-G.R. SP No. 122054, which denied the
petition forcertiorari. The CA opined that all the elements of a prejudicial question under sections 6
and 7 of Rule 111 of the Rules of Court are present; hence, the RTC did not abuse its discretion
when it directed the suspension of Criminal Case No. 137867.26
Meanwhile, Civil Case No. 70898 was initially set for pre-trial conference on February 7,
2008.27 However, upon motion28 of Engracia, the pre-trial was reset on March 6, 2008.29 During the
pre-trial conference on · March 6, 2008, Engracia moved that Rafael be substituted by his heirs
since he had already died on Oc;tober 15, 2007.30Thus, the RTC issued an Order31 dated March 6,
2008 directing the petitioners to comment on Engracia's motion to substitute Rafael as plaintiff in the
case below. On April 8, 2008, Engracia filed a Motion to Dismiss32 the case on the ground that the
petitioners failed to substitute the heirs of Rafael as plaintiff in the case. The motion to dismiss was
consequently denied by the RTC in its Order33 dated November 12, 2008 for lack of merit.
The continuation of the pre-trial conference, which has been sidelined pending the resolution of
Engracia's motion to dismiss, was· then set on March 19, 2009.34 On March 12, 2009, Engracia's
counsel, with her conformity, withdrew his appearance as counsel in the case.35 During the pre-trial
conference on March 19, 2009, the petitioners and their counsel appeared. Engracia was likewise
present although without her new counsel. Accordingly, pre-trial was again reset on June 1, 2009 to
afford Engracia time to secure the services of a new counsel. 36
Thereafter, Atty. Tristram B. Zoleta entered his appearance for Engracia and moved that the pre-trial
conference on June 1, 2009 be reset on July 13 or 20, 2009.37 However, Judge Amelia A. Fabros
(Judge Fabros) was reassigned to Muntinlupa City and Judge Myrna V. Lim-Verano (Judge Lim-
Verano) was named to replace Judge Fabros as Presiding Judge of· Branch 160.38 On June 17,
2010, Judge Lim-Verano, having previously presided over Criminal Case No. 137867, recused
herself from adjudicating Civil Case No. 70898.39 'Civil Case No. 70898 was subsequently raffled to
Branch 264 of the RTC then presided by Judge Leoncio M. Janolo, Jr. (Judge Janolo). On July 15,
2010, Judge Janolo issued an Order,40 setting the pre-trial of the case on August 25, 2010.
On August 12, 2010, the petitioners' counsel moved to reset the pre-trial on September 15, 2010 due
to previously scheduled hearings in the trial courts of Malolos City and Parañaque
City.41 Accordingly, the pre-trial was reset on October 6, 2010.42 On October 6, 2010, the respective
counsels of the parties jointly agreed to reset the pre-trial on December 9, 2010.43 However, the pre-
trial scheduled on December 9, 2010 was again reset on January 24, 2011.44
On December 27, 2010, the petitioners filed a motion,45 which sought to exclude Rafael as being
represented by Renato. They averred that they were unable to effect a substitution of the heirs of
Rafael as plaintiffs in the case since they could not locate them.
On January 27, 2011, the petitioners' counsel failed to appear and the pre-trial was reset on March
24, 2011.46 In the morning of March 23, 2011, the petitioners' counsel informed Renato that he would
not be able to attend the pre-trial conference since he was indisposed and asked the latter to go to
the RTC and request for a resetting of the hearing. When the case was called, the petitioners and
their counsel failed to appear, which thus prompted Engracia's counsel to move for the dismissal of
the complaint and be given time to file the proper pleading. Thus, the RTC gave Engracia's counsel
10 days within which to file a motion to dismiss. The continuation of the pre-trial was reset on May
26, 2011. 47
On April 5, 2011, Engracia filed a motion to dismiss48 in compliance with the RTC's directive.49 During
the pre-trial on May 26, 2011, the RTC gave the parties' respective counsels, upon their request, five
days to file a comment on the motion to dismiss and a reply to such comment, after which time the
motion to dismiss is deemed submitted for resolution.50
On July 29, 2011, the RTC Branch 264 issued an Orders' in Civil Case No. 70898, dismissing the
petitioners' complaint due to their and their counsel's repeated failure to appear during the scheduled
pre-trial hearing dates.
The petitioners then filed an appeal with the CA, docketed as CA-G.R. CV No. 98026, insisting that
the RTC erred in dismissing their complaint on a mere technicality. They also claimed that
Engracia's motion to dismiss is but a mere scrap of paper since the same did not comply with
Sections 4, 5 and 6 of Rule 15 of the Rules of Court. The CA, in its Decision52 dated June 28, 2013 in
CA-G.R. CV No. 98026, affirmed the RTC's dismissal of the petitioners' complaint.
Issues
Essentially, the issues set forth for the Court's resolution are: first, whether the proceedings in
Criminal Case No. 137867 were properly suspended on the ground of prejudicial question;
and second, whether the dismissal of the petitioners' complaint in Civil Case No. 70898 due to failure
· to prosecute was proper.
Ruling of the Court
A prejudicial question is understood in law to be that which arises in a case the resolution of which is
a logical antecedent of the issue involved in said case and the cognizance of which pertains to
another tribunal. The doctrine of prejudicial question comes into play generally in a situation where
civil and criminal actions are pending and the issues involved in both cases are similar or so closely
related that an issue must be pre-emptively resolved in the civil case before the criminal action can
proceed. 53 The rationale behind the principle of prejudicial question is to avoid two conflict
decisions. 54
For a civil action to be considered prejudicial to a criminal case as to cause the suspension of the
criminal proceedings until the final resolution of the civil case, the following requisites must -be
present: (1) the civil case involves facts intimately related to those upon which the criminal
prosecution would be based; (2) in the resolution of the issue or issues raised in the civil action, the
guilt or innocence of the accused would necessarily be determined; and (3) jurisdiction to try said
question must be lodged in another tribunal. 55
Based on the issues raised in both Civil Case No. 70898 and Criminal Case No. 137867 against the
Spouses Singson, and in the light of the foregoing concepts of a prejudicial question, there indeed
appears to be a prejudicial question in the case at bar. The defense of the Spouses Singson in the
civil case for annulment of sale is that Engracia bought the subject property from her parents prior to
their demise and that their signatures appearing on the Absolute Deed of Sale are true and genuine.
Their allegation in the civil case is based on the very same facts, which would be necessarily
determinative of their guilt or innocence as accused in the criminal case.
If the signatures of the Spouses Domingo in the Absolute Deed of Sale are genuine, then there
would be no falsification and the Spouses Singson would be innocent of the offense charged.
Otherwise stated, a
conviction on Criminal Case No. 137867, should it be allowed to proceed ahead, would be a gross
injustice and would have to be set aside if it were finally decided in Civil Case No. 70898 that indeed
the signatures of the Spouses Domingo were authentic.
The petitioners' reliance on Section 356 of Rule 111 of the Rules of Court, in relation to Article 3357 of
the Civil Code, is misplaced. Section 3 provides that a civil action for damages in cases provided
under Articles 32, 33, 34 and 2176 of the Civil Code, which may also constitute criminal offenses,
may proceed independently of the criminal action. In instances where an independent civil action is
permitted, the result of the criminal action, whether of acquittal or conviction, is entirely irrelevant to
the civil action. 58
The concept of independent civil actions finds no application in this case. Clearly, Civil Case No.
70898 is very much relevant to the proceedings in Criminal Case No. 137867. To stress, the main
issue raised in Civil Case No. 70898, i.e., the genuineness of the signature of the Spouses Domingo
appearing in the Absolute Deed of Sale, is intimately related to the charge of estafa through
falsification of public document in Criminal Case No. 137867; the resolution of the main issue in Civil
Case No. 70898 would necessarily be determinative of the guilt or innocence of the Spouses
Singson.
Accordingly, the RTC Branch 264 correctly suspended the proceedings in Criminal Case No. 137867
on the ground of prejudicial question since, at the time the proceedings in the criminal case were
suspended, Civil Case No. 70898 was still pending.