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Petitioners vs. vs. Respondents Montesa, Albon & Associates de Lapa, Salonga, Fulgencio & de Lunas
Petitioners vs. vs. Respondents Montesa, Albon & Associates de Lapa, Salonga, Fulgencio & de Lunas
YAO KEE, SZE SOOK WAH, SZE LAI CHO, and SY CHUN YEN ,
petitioners, vs. AIDA SY-GONZALES, MANUEL SY, TERESITA SY-
BERNABE, RODOLFO SY, and HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS ,
respondents.
SYLLABUS
DECISION
Sy Kiat, a Chinese national, died on January 17, 1977 in Caloocan City where he
was then residing, leaving behind real and personal properties here in the Philippines
worth P300,000.00 more or less.
Thereafter, Aida Sy-Gonzales, Manuel Sy, Teresita Sy-Bernabe and Rodolfo Sy
led a petition for the grant of letters of administration docketed as Special
Proceedings Case No. C-699 of the then Court of First Instance of Rizal Branch XXXIII,
Caloocan City. In said petition they alleged among others that (a) they are the children
of the deceased with Asuncion Gillego; (b) to their knowledge Sy Kiat died intestate; (c)
they do not recognize Sy Kiat's marriage to Yao Kee nor the liation of her children to
him; and, (d) they nominate Aida Sy-Gonzales for appointment as administratrix of the
intestate estate of the deceased [Record on Appeal, pp. 4-9; Rollo, p. 107.]
The petition was opposed by Yao Kee, Sze Sook Wah, Sze Lai Cho and Sy Yun
Chen who alleged that: (a) Yao Kee is the lawful wife of Sy Kiat whom he married on
January 19, 1931 in China; (b) the other oppositors are the legitimate children of the
deceased with Yao Kee; and, (c) Sze Sook Wah is the eldest among them and is
competent, willing and desirous to become the administratrix of the estate of Sy Kiat
[Record on Appeal, pp. 12-13; Rollo, p. 107.]
After hearing, the probate court, finding among others that:
(1)Sy Kiat was legally married to Yao Kee [CFI decision, pp. 12-27; Rollo,
pp. 49-64;]
(2)Sze Sook Wah, Sze Lai Cho and Sze Chum Yen are the legitimate
children of Yao Kee with Sy Kiat [CFI decision, pp. 28-31; Rollo. pp. 65-68;] and,
held in favor of the oppositors (petitioners herein) and appointed Sze Sook Wah as the
administratrix of the intestate estate of the deceased [CFI decision, pp. 68-69; Rollo,
pp. 106.]
On appeal the Court of Appeals rendered a decision modifying that of the
probate court, the dispositive portion of which reads:
IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, the decision of the lower Court is hereby
MODIFIED and SET ASIDE and a new judgment rendered as follows:
(1) Declaring petitioners Aida Sy-Gonzales, Manuel Sy, Teresita Sy-
Bernabe and Rodolfo Sy acknowledged natural children of the deceased Sy Kiat
with Asuncion Gillego, an unmarried woman with whom he lived as husband and
wife without benefit of marriage for many years:
(2) Declaring oppositors Sze Sook Wah, Sze Lai Chu and Sze Chun
Yen, the acknowledged natural children of the deceased Sy Kiat with his Chinese
wife Yao Kee, also known as Yui Yip, since the legality of the alleged marriage of
Sy Kiat to Yao Kee in China had not been proven to be valid to the laws of the
Chinese People's Republic of China (sic);
(3) Declaring the deed of sale executed by Sy Kiat on December 7,
1976 in favor of Tomas Sy (Exhibit "G-1", English translation of Exhibit "G") of the
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Avenue Tractor and Diesel Parts Supply to be valid and accordingly, said property
should be excluded from the estate of the deceased Sy Kiat; and
(4) A rming the appointment by the lower court of Sze Sook Wah as
judicial administratrix of the estate of the deceased. [CA decision, pp. 11-12; Rollo,
pp. 36-37.]
From said decision both parties moved for partial reconsideration, which was
however denied by respondent court. They thus interposed their respective appeals to
this Court.
Private respondents led a petition with this Court docketed as G.R. No. 56045
entitled "Aida Sy-Gonzales, Manuel Sy, Teresita Sy-Bernabe and Rodolfo Sy v. Court of
Appeals, Yao Kee, Sze Sook Wah, Sze Lai Cho and Sy Chun Yen" questioning paragraphs
(3) and (4) of the dispositive portion of the Court of Appeals' decision. The Supreme
Court however resolved to deny the petition and the motion for reconsideration. Thus
on March 8, 1982 entry of judgment was made in G.R. No. 56045. *
The instant petition, on the other hand, questions paragraphs (1) and (2) of the
dispositive portion of the decision of the Court of Appeals. This petition was initially
denied by the Supreme Court on June 22, 1981. Upon motion of the petitioners the
Court in a resolution dated September 16, 1981 reconsidered the denial and decided to
give due course to this petition.
Herein petitioners assign the following as errors:
I. RESPONDENT COURT OF APPEALS SERIOUSLY ERRED IN
DECLARING THE MARRIAGE OF SY KIAT TO YAO YEE AS NOT HAVE (sic) BEEN
PROVEN VALID IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAWS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA.
Second, the testimony of Gan Ching, a younger brother of Yao Kee who stated
that he was among the many people who attended the wedding of his sister with Sy
Kiat and that no marriage certi cate is issued by the Chinese government, a document
signed by the parents or elders of the parties being su cient [CFI decision, pp. 15-16;
Rollo, pp. 52-53.]
Third, the statements made by Asuncion Gillego when she testi ed before the
trial court to the effect that (a) Sy Kiat was married to Yao Kee according to Chinese
custom; and, (b) Sy Kiat's admission to her that he has a Chinese wife whom he married
according to Chinese custom [CFI decision, p. 17; Rollo, p. 54.]
Fourth, Sy Kiat's Master Card of Registered Alien issued in Caloocan City on
October 3, 1972 where the following entries are found: "Marital status — Married"; "If
married give name of spouse — Yao Kee"; "Address — China"; "Date of marriage —
1931"; and "Place of marriage — China" [Exhibit "SS-1".]
Fifth, Sy Kiat's Alien Certi cate of Registration issued in Manila on January 12,
1968 where the following entries are likewise found: "Civil status — Married"; and, "If
married, state name and address of spouse — Yao Kee Chingkang, China" [Exhibit "4".]
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And lastly, the certi cation issued in Manila on October 28, 1977 by the Embassy
of the People's Republic of China to the effect that "according to the information
available at the Embassy Mr. Sy Kiat a Chinese national and Mrs. Yao Kee alias Yui Yip
also Chinese were married on January 19, 1931 in Fukien, the People's Republic of
China" [Exhibit "5".]
These evidence may very well prove the fact of marriage between Yao Kee and Sy
Kiat. However, the same do not su ce to establish the validity of said marriage in
accordance with Chinese law or custom.
Custom is de ned as "a rule of conduct formed by repetition of acts, uniformly
observed (practiced) as a social rule, legally binding and obligatory" [ In the Matter of
the Petition for Authority to Continue Use of the Firm Name "Ozaeta, Romulo, de Leon,
Mabanta and Reyes", July 30, 1979, SCRA 3, 12 citing JBL Reyes & RC Puno, Outline of
Phil. Civil Law, Fourth Ed. Vol. 1, p. 7. ] The law requires that "a custom must be proved
as a fact, according to the rules of evidence" [Article 12, Civil Code.] On this score the
Court had occasion to state that "a local custom as a source of right can not be
considered by a court of justice unless such custom is properly established by
competent evidence like any other fact" [ Patriarca v. Orate, 7 Phil. 390, 395 (1907).] The
same evidence, if not one of a higher degree, should be required of a foreign custom.
The law on foreign marriages is provided by Article 71 of the Civil Code which
states that:
Art. 71. All marriages performed outside the Philippines in accordance
with the laws in force in the country where they were performed, and valid there as
such, shall also be valid in this country, except bigamous, polygamous, or
incestuous marriages, as determined by Philippine law. (Emphasis supplied.) **
Construing this provision of law the Court has held that to establish a valid
foreign marriage two things must be proven, namely: (1) the existence of the foreign
law as a question of fact; and (2) the alleged foreign marriage by convincing evidence
[ Adong v. Cheong Seng Gee, 43 Phil. 43, 49 (1922).]
In proving a foreign law the procedure is provided in the Rules of Court. With
respect to an unwritten foreign law, Rule 130 section 45 states that:
SEC. 45. Unwritten law. — The oral testimony of witnesses, skilled
therein, is admissible as evidence of the unwritten law of a foreign country, as are
also printed and published books of reports of decisions of the courts of the
foreign country, if proved to be commonly admitted in such courts.
Proof of a written foreign law, on the other hand, is provided for under Rule 132
section 25, thus:
SEC. 25. Proof of public or o cial record . — An o cial record or an
entry therein, when admissible for any purpose, may be evidenced by an o cial
publication thereof or by a copy attested by the officer having the legal custody of
the record, or by his deputy, and accompanied, if the record is not kept in the
Philippines, with a certi cate that such o cer has the custody. If the o ce in
which the record is kept is in a foreign country, the certi cate may be made by a
secretary of embassy or legation, consul general, consul, vice consul, or consular
agent or by any o cer in the foreign service of the Philippines stationed in the
foreign country in which the record is kept and authenticated by the seal of his
office.
Likewise on the record is the testimony of Asuncion Gillego that Sy Kiat told her
he has three daughters with his Chinese wife, two of whom — Sook Wah and Sze Kai
Cho — she knows, and one adopted son [TSN, December 6, 1977, pp. 87-88.]
However, as petitioners failed to establish the marriage of Yao Kee with Sy Kiat
according to the laws of China, they cannot be accorded the status of legitimate
children but only that of acknowledged natural children. Petitioners are natural children,
it appearing that at the time of their conception Yao Kee and Sy Kiat were not
disqualified by any impediment to marry one another [See Art. 269, Civil Code.] And they
are acknowledged children of the deceased because of Sy Kiat's recognition of Sze
Sook Wah [Exhibit "3"] and its extension to Sze Lai Cho and Sy Chun Yen who are her
sisters of the full blood [See Art. 271, Civil Code.]
Private respondents on the other hand are also the deceased's acknowledged
natural children with Asuncion Gillego, a Filipina with whom he lived for twenty- ve (25)
years without the bene t of marriage. They have in their favor their father's
acknowledgment, evidenced by a compromise agreement entered into by and between
their parents and approved by the Court of First Instance on February 12, 1974 wherein
Sy Kiat not only acknowledged them as his children by Asuncion Gillego but likewise
made provisions for their support and future inheritance, thus:
xxx xxx xxx
2.The parties also acknowledge that they are common-law husband and
wife and that out of such relationship, which they have likewise decided to
de nitely and nally terminate effective immediately, they begot ve children,
namely: Aida Sy, born on May 30, 1950; Manuel Sy, born on July 1, 1953; Teresita
Sy, born on January 28, 1955; Ricardo Sy now deceased, born on December 14,
1956; and Rodolfo Sy, born on May 7, 1958.
3.With respect to the AVENUE TRACTOR AND DIESEL PARTS SUPPLY . . .,
the parties mutually agree and covenant that —
and the ruling in the case of Bartolome v. Bartolome [G.R. No. L-23661, 21 SCRA 1324]
reiterated in Divinagracia v. Rovira [G.R. No. L-42615, 72 SCRA 307.]
With the enactment of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, otherwise known as the
Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts were
abolished. Their functions and jurisdiction are now vested with the Regional Trial Courts
[ See Section 19 (7), B.P. Blg. 129 and Divinagracia v. Bellosillo , G.R. No. L-47407,
August 12, 1986, 143 SCRA 356, 360] hence it is no longer necessary to pass upon the
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issue of jurisdiction raised by petitioners.
Moreover, even without the enactment of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 we nd in
Rep. Act No. 5502 sec. 91-A last paragraph that:
xxx xxx xxx
If any question involving any of the above matters should arise as an
incident in any case pending in the ordinary court, said incident shall be
determined in the main case.
As held in the case of Divinagracia v. Rovira [G.R. No. L-42615. August 10, 1976,
72 SCRA 307]:
xxx xxx xxx
It is true that under the aforequoted section 1 of Republic Act No. 4834 ****
a case involving paternity and acknowledgment may be ventilated as an incident
in the intestate or testate proceeding (See Baluyot vs. Ines Luciano, L-42215, July
13, 1976). But that legal provision presupposes that such an administration
proceeding is pending or existing and has not been terminated. [at pp. 313-314.]
(Emphasis supplied.)
xxx xxx xxx
The reason for this rule is not only "to obviate the rendition of con icting rulings on the
same issue by the Court of First Instance and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations
Court" [ Vda. de Baluyut v. Luciano , G.R. No. L-42215, July 13, 1976, 72 SCRA 52, 63] but
more importantly to prevent multiplicity of suits.
Accordingly, this Court finds no reversible error committed by respondent court.
WHEREFORE, the decision of the Court of Appeals is hereby AFFIRMED.
SO ORDERED.
Fernan, C .J ., Gutierrez, Jr., Feliciano and Bidin, JJ ., concur.
Footnotes
*The petition for review in G.R. No. 56045 was denied for lack of merit on March 9, 1981.
Counsel for the petitioners then filed a Motion for Consolidation and for Extension of
Time to File Motion for Reconsideration which was granted on July 8, 1981. On February
17, 1982, however, petitioners' motion for reconsideration of the resolution of March 9,
1981 was denied.
**Other than the exceptions contained in this article, this provision of law is derived from
Section 19, Act No. 3613 and Section IV, General Order No. 68.
***The presumption that, in the absence of proof, the foreign law is the same as the law of the
forum, is known as processual presumption which has been applied by this Court in the
cases of Lim v. The Insular Collector of Customs, 36 Phil. 472 (1917); International
Harvester Co. in Russia v. Hamburg-American Line, 42 Phil. 845 (1918); Miciano v.
Brimo, 50 Phil. 867 (1924); and Rayray v. Chae Kyung Lee, G.R. No. L-18176, October 26,
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1966, 18 SCRA 450.
****Rep. Act 4834 created the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court of Iloilo. Section 1 of said
Act is the exact copy of section 19-A of Rep. Act 5502.