[No. 45460.
Feb a 25, 1938]
THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF SAN PEDRO, LAGUNA,
ET AL., applican and appellan , . COLEGIO DE SAN
JOSE, INC., ET AL., oppo i o and appellee .
31
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M ici a C ci f Sa Ped Lag a . C egi de Sa
J e
1. ESCHEAT; NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING. Escheat,
under sections 750 and 751 of the Code of Civil .Procedure,
is a proceeding whereb the real and personal propert of
a deceased person become the propert of the State upon
his death without leaving an will or legal heirs. It is not
an ordinar action contemplated b section 1 of the Code
of Civil Procedure, but a special proceeding in accordance
with the said section and Chapter XXXIX, Part II, of the
same Code. The proceeding, as provided b section 750,
should be commenced b petition and not b complaint. In
a special proceeding for escheat under sections 750 and
751 the petitioner is not the sole and exclusive interested
part . An person alleging to have a direct right or
interest in the propert sought to be escheated is likewise
an interested and necessar part and ma appear and
oppose the petition for escheat.
2. ID. ; ID. ; DEMURRER TO PETITION; MOTION TO
DISMISS. Chapter XXXIX of the Code of Civil
Procedure, relative to the escheat of properties, does not in
fact authori e the filing of a demurrer to the petition
presented for that purpose, and sections 91 and 99
permitting the interposition of demurrers to the complaint
and answer, respectivel , are not applicable to special
proceedings. But there is no reason of a procedural nature
which. prevents the filing of a motion to dismiss based
upon an of the grounds provided b law for a demurrer to
a complaint. In such case, the motion to dismiss pla s the
role of a demurrer and the court should resolve the legal
questions raised therein.
3. ID. ; ID. ; ID. When a petition f or escheat does not state
f facts which entitle the petitioner to the remed pra ed
for, and even admitting them h potheticall it is clear that
there are no grounds for the court to proceed to the
inquisition provided b law, we see no reason to disallow
an interested part from filing a motion to dismiss the
petition which is untenable from all standpoints. And
when the motion to dismiss is entertained upon this
ground, the petition ma be dismissed unconditionall and
the petitioner is not entitled, as in the case of a demurrer,
to be afforded an opportunit to amend his petition.
4. ID. ; ID. ; JUDICIAL NOTICE. In general, courts are not
authori ed to take judicial notice, in the adjudication of
cases pending before them, of the contents of the records
of other cases, even when such cases have been tried or
are pending in. the same court, and notwithstanding the
fact that both cases ma have been heard or are actuall
pending before the same judge. (U. S. s. Claveria, 29
Phil., 527.)
5. ID.; ID.; ADEQUATE ACTION. If the Hacienda de San
Pedro
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M ici al C cil f Sa Ped Lag a . C legi de Sa J e
Tunasan, which is the onl propert sought to be escheated
and adjudicated to the municipalit of San Pedro, has alread
passed to the ownership of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines, it is evident that the petitioners cannot claim that
the same be escheated to the said municipalit , because it is
110 longer the case of real propert owned b a deceased person
who has not left heir or person who ma legall claim it, these
being the conditions required b section 750 and without which
a petition for escheat should not lie. If the municipalit of San
Pedro believes that it has some other right to the hacienda,
distinct from the escheat relied upon in its petition which gave
rise to this proceeding, it should bring the proper action, but it
cannot avail itself successfull of the remed provided b
section 750 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
6. ID. ; ID. ; COSTS. As to the costs of the proceeding, there
is no reason wh the should not be taxed against the
petitioners, the being the defeated part (section 487,
Code of Civil Procedure). That no trial was had is not a
bar to the imposition of costs under the provisions of
section 492.
APPEAL f om an o de and a e ol ion of he Co of
Fi In ance of Lag na. Boncan, J.
The fac a e a ed in he opinion of he co .
J an S. R ia fo appellan .
Arane a, Zarago a & Arane a fo appellee Colegio de
San Jo e, Inc.
Franci co Alfon o fo appellee Yo ng.
IMPERIAL, J.:
Thi i an appeal f om he o de of he Co of. Fi
In ance of Lag na of Oc obe 29. 1936, hich denied he
applican ' mo ion e ioning he appea ance and
in e en ion in he ca e of he oppo i o Colegio de San
Jo e and Ca lo Yo ng, and f om he e ol ion of he 30 h
of he ame mon h hich denied he pe i ion fo e chea
filed b he aid pe i ione , i h he co again he
la e .
Thi ca e a commenced in he aid co b a pe i ion
filed b he pe i ione in behalf of he m nicipali of San
Ped o, P o ince of Lag na, he ein he claim he
Hacienda de San Ped o T na an b he igh of e chea .
The Co-
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M ici a C ci f Sa Ped Lag a . C egi de Sa
J e
legio de San Jo e, Inc., appea ed peciall and a ailed he
pe i ion pon he g o nd ha he co ha no j i dic ion
o ake cogni ance of and decide he ca e and ha he
pe i ion doe no allege fficien fac o en i le he
applican o he emed p a ed fo ; and a ked ha he
pe i ion be finall di mi ed. Ca lo Yo ng in e ened and
filed a mo ion a king fo he di mi al of he pe i ion pon
he g o nd ha he Code of Ci il P oced e, nde hich
he ame a filed, i no applicable beca e i a no e
in fo ce hen he o iginal o ne of he hacienda died,
hich a in Ap il, 1596, and ha he pe i ion a
i eg la l docke ed a he applican had no paid all he
docke fee hich he cle k of co ho ld collec .
S b e en l he a o ne fo bo h pa ie filed o he
mo ion of mino impo ance, almo all of hich con ain
he a g men ad anced in ppo of hei con en ion .
On Oc obe 29, 1936, he co o e led he objec ion o
he appea ance and in e en ion in he ca e b he Colegio
de San Jo e and Ca lo Yo ng, en e ing he o de hich i
one of ho e appealed f om. And on he 30 h of he ame
mon h he co en e ed he e ol ion, al o appealed f om,
di mi ing he pe i ion fo e chea ., i h he co o he
pe i ione .
The pe i ione a ib e o he co he follo ing'
e o : "(1) In o e ling he objec ion of he appellan of
Sep embe 2, 1936, and in no e cl ding he appellee
Ca lo Yo ng and Colegio de San Jo e, Inc., f om he e
p oceeding . (2) In aining defini i el he appellee '
pe i ion o di mi , i ho p e io hea ing and in
de oga ion of he igh o amend in an ca e. (3) In
imp ope l and n ea onabl aking j dicial no ice of
ce ain fac in o he j dicial eco d o einfo ce he
appealed e ol ion , and in e oneo l di o ing ho e
fac j diciall aken no ice of. (4) In holding ha he
m nicipali of San Ped o ha nei he igh no anding o
file a pe i ion fo e chea ; ha he pe i ion doe no ae
fac fficien o con i e a ca e of ac ion and ha he
ame doe no lie, and ha he Co of Fi In ance of
La-
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322 E E A A ED
M ici a C ci f Sa Ped Lag a . C egi de Sa
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g na i i ho j i dic ion o ake cogni ance of and
decide aid pe i ion. (5) In finall di mi ing he pe i ion
pon he dila o e cep ion he e o, and in o de ing he
pa men of co hen no hea ing ha e aken place."
1. The o n pe i ion hich ga e i e o he p oceeding
i ba ed pon he p o i ion of ec ion 750 and 751 of he
Code of Ci il P oced e, he Engli h e of hich ead :
"SEC. 750. Proced re hen person dies in es a e i ho heirs.
When a person dies intestate, sei ed of real or personal propert
in the Philippine Islands, leaving no heir or person b law entitled
to the same, the president and municipal council of the
municipalit where the deceased last resided, if he was an
inhabitant of these Islands, or of the municipalit in which he had
estate, if he resided out of the Islands, ma , on behalf of the
municipalit , file a petition with the Court of First Instance of the
province for an Inquisition in the premises; the court shall
thereupon appoint a time and place of hearing, and deciding on
such petition, and cause a notice thereof to be published in some
newspaper of general circulation in the province of which the
deceased was last an inhabitant, it' within the Philippine Islands,
and if not, in some newspaper of general circulation in the
province in which he had estate, The notice shall recite the
substance of the facts and request set forth in the petition, the
time and place at which persons claiming the estate ma appear
and be heard before the court, and shall be published at least six
weeks successivel , the last of which publication shall be at least
six weeks before the time appointed b the court to make
inquisition.
"SEC. 751. Decree of co r in s ch case. lf, at the time
appointed for that purpose, the court finds that the person died
intestate, sei ed of real or personal propert in the Islands,
leaving no heir or person entitled to the same, and no sufficient
cause is shown to the contrar , the court shall order and decree
that the estate of the deceased in these Islands, after the pa ment
of just debts and charges,
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M ici al C cil f Sa Ped Lag a . C legi de Sa J e
shall escheat; and shall assign the personal estate to the
municipalit where he was last an inhabitant in the Islands, and
the real estate to the municipalities in which the same is situated.
If he never was an inhabitant of the Islands, the whole estate ma
be assigned to the several municipalities where the same is
located, Such estate shall be for the use of schools in the
municipalities, respectivel , , and shall be managed and disposed
of b the municipal council like other propert appropriated to the
use of schools."
Acco ding o he fi of he aid ec ion , he e en ial
fac hich ho ld be alleged in he pe i ion, hich a e
j i dic ional beca e he confe j i dic ion pon, he
Co of Fi In ance, a e; Tha a pe on ha died
in e a e o i ho lea ing an ill; ha he ha lef eal
o pe onal p ope ; ha he a he o ne he eof; ha
he ha no lef an hei o pe on ho i b la en i led o
he p ope ; and ha he one ho applie fo he e chea
i he m nicipali he e he decea ed had hi la
e idence, o in ca e he ho ld ha e no e idence in he
co n , he m nicipali he e he p ope i i a ed.
The follo ing ec ion p o ide ha af e he
p blica ion and ial, If he co find ha he decea ed
i in fac he o ne of eal and pe onal p ope i a ed
in he co n and ha no lef an hei o o he pe on
en i led he e o, i ma o de af e he pa men of deb
and o he legal e pen e , he e chea and in ch ca e i
hall adj dica e he pe onal p ope o he m nicipali
he e he decea ed had hi la place of e idence and he
eal p ope o he m nicipali o m nicipali ie he e
he a e i a ed.
E chea , nde ec ion 750 and 751, i a p oceeding
he eb he eal and pe onal p ope of a decea ed
pe on become he p ope of he S a e pon hi dea h
i ho lea ing an ill o legal hei (21 C. J., ec. 3, p.
848; Ame ican L. & T. Co. . G and Ri e Co., 159 Fed.,
775; In re Mine , 143 Cal., 194; John on . Spice ,
324
324 E E A A ED
M ici a C ci f Sa Ped Lag a . C egi de Sa
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107 N. Y., 185; W igh . Me hodi Epi copal Ch ch,
Hoffm. [N. Y.], 201; In re Lin on' , 198 Pa., 438; S a e .
Goldbe g, 113 Tenn., 298). I i no an o dina ac ion
con empla ed b ec ion 1 of he Code of Ci il P oced e,
b a pecial p oceeding in acco dance i h he aid ec ion
and Chap e XXXIX, Pa II, of he ame Code. The
p oceeding, a p o ided b ec ion 750, ho ld be
commenced b pe i ion and no b complain .
In a pecial p oceeding fo e chea nde ec ion 750
and 751 he pe i ione i no he ole and e cl i e
in e e ed pa . An pe on alleging o ha e a di ec igh
o in e e in he p ope o gh o be e chea ed i
like i e an in e e ed and nece a pa and ma appea
and oppo e he pe i ion fo e chea . In he p e en ca e he
Colegio de San Jo e, Inc., and Ca lo Yo ng appea ed
alleging o ha e a ma e ial in e e in he Hacienda de San
Ped o T na an; he fo me beca e i claim o be he
e cl i e o ne of he hacienda, and he la e beca e he
claim o be he le ee he eof nde a con ac legall
en e ed i h he fo me . In ie of he e allega ion i i
e oneo o hold ha he aid pa ie a e i ho igh '
ei he o appea in he ca e o o b an ia e hei
e pec i e alleged igh . Thi nfa o abl e ol e he
pe i ione ' fi a ignmen of e o .
2. The final di mi al of he pe i ion fo e chea dec eed
b he co i a igned b he pe i ione a he econd
e o commi ed b i pon he con en ion ha he
dem e , o hich amo n he mo ion fo di mi al, i
no a pleading a ho i ed b la in hi kind of p oceeding
and beca e, in an e en , he co ho ld ha e gi en
hem an oppo ni o amend he pe i ion.
Chap e XXXIX of he Code of Ci il P oced e, ela i e
o he e chea of p ope ie , doe no in fac a ho i e he
filing of a dem e o he pe i ion p e en ed fo ha
p po e, and ec ion 91 and 99 pe mi ing he
in e po i ion of dem e o he complain and an e ,
e pec i el , a e no applicable o pecial p oceeding . B
he e i no ea on 01 a p oced al na e hich p e en
he filing of a mo ion o di mi ba ed pon an of he
g o nd
325
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M ici a C ci f Sa Ped Lag a . C egi de Sa
J e
p o ided b la fo a dem e o a complain . In ch
ca e, he mo ion o di mi pla he ole of a dem e and
he co ho ld e ol e he legal e ion ai ed he ein.
When, fo in ance, a pe i ion fo e chea doe no ae
fac hich en i le he pe i ione o he emed p a ed fo ,
and e en admi ing hem h po he icall i i clea ha
he e a e no g o nd fo he co o p oceed o he
in i i ion p o ided b la , e ee no ea on o di allo an
in e e ed pa f om filing a mo ion, o di mi he
pe i ion hich i n enable f om all andpoin . And hen
he mo ion o di mi i en e ained pon hi g o nd, he
pe i ion ma be di mi ed ncondi ionall and he
pe i ione i no en i led, a in he ca e of a dem e , o be
affo ded an oppo ni o amend hi pe i ion.
3. The pe i ione a ign a hi d e o he j dicial
no ice hich he co ook of he complain filed in ci il
ca e No. 6790, docke ed and pending in he ame co ,
he ein he pe i ione ecogni ed he pe onali of he
Colegio de San Jo e, Inc., and Ca lo Yo ng and he la e '
in e e in aid ac ion of in e pleade and in he Hacienda
de San Ped o T na an hich i he ame bjec ma e of
he in an p oceeding .
In gene al, .co a e no a ho i ed o ake j dicial
no ice, in he adj dica ion of ca e pending befo e hem, of
he con en of he eco d of o he ca e , e en hen ch
ca e ha e been ied o a e pending in he ame co , and
no i h anding he fac ha bo h ca e ma ha e been
hea d o a e ac all pending befo e he ame j dge. (U. S.
. Cla e ia, 29 Phil., 527.) The le i a el applicable
o he p e en ca e, he efo e, fo e, e hold ha he
a ignmen of e o i enable.
4. In he appealed e ol ion he co held ha he
m nicipali of San Ped o, ep e en ed b he pe i ione ,
ha no pe onali o in i e he pe i ion fo e chea ; ha
he la e doe no a e fficien fac , and ha he co
i i ho j i dic ion ei he o ake cogni ance of he
p oceeding o o g an he emed o gh . The e legal
concl ion a e he bjec ma e of he fo h a ignmen
of e o .
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M ici a C ci f Sa Ped Lag a . C egi de Sa
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Acco ding o he allega ion of he pe i ion, he pe i ione
ba e hei igh o he e chea pon he fac ha he
empo al p ope ie of he Fa he of he Socie of Je ,
among hem) he Hacienda de San Ped o T na an, e e
confi ca ed b o de of he King of Spain and pa ed f om
hen on o he C o n of Spain. The follo ing allega ion of
he pe i ion a e impo an and pecific and clea l eflec
he heo main ained b he pe i ione : "11. AS a e l
of he pe pe al e p l ion of he Je i in hei dominion ,
he King al o dec eed he confi ca ion of all hei
p ope ie , e a e, en , fo nda ion , e c., in fa o of he
C o n of Spain, and he o de of he King a h
complied i h he e in he Philippine . The Hacienda de
San Ped o T na an f om hen on pa ed o he C o n of
Spain nde he admini a ion and managemen of i
ep e en a i e he e he Go e no -Gene al of he Philippine
I land . 12. AS a e l of he a be een Spain and he
Uni ed S a e , he la e ac i ed b a of an fe , all
he p ope ie of he C o n of Spain in he Philippine ,
nde a icle III and VIll of he T ea of Peace en e ed
in o in Pa i on Decembe 10, 1898, and among hich
p ope ie a incl ded he Hacienda de San Ped o
T na an. 13. Tha he aid hacienda he eaf e pa ed o
he Go e nmen of he Philippine I land b i e of he
Ac of he Uni ed S a e Cong e of J l 1, 1902
(Philippine Bill), b me e admini a ion fo he benefi of
he inhabi an of he Philippine ; and he eaf e , nde
he T ding -McD ffie La app o ed b he ame Cong e
on Ma ch 24, 1934, ec ion 5, he Uni ed S a e , in n,
ha e ceded o he Common eal h of he Philippine , pon
i ina g a ion, all he p ope ie , e a e , e c., ceded b
Spain o he Uni ed S a e a abo e a ed, among hem
being he Hacienda de San Ped o T na an. Said
Common eal h a ina g a ed on No embe 15, 1935."
If he Hacienda de San Ped o T na an, hich i he onl
p ope o gh o be e chea ed and adj dica ed o
327
. 65, EB A 25, 1938 327
M ici a C ci f Sa Ped Lag a . C egi de Sa
J e
he m nicipali of San Ped o ha al ead pa ed o he
o ne hip of he Common eal h of he Philippine , i i
e iden ha he pe i ione "canno claim ha he ame be
e chea ed o he aid m nicipali , beca e i i no longe
he ca e of eal p ope o ned b a decea ed pe on ho
ha no lef an hei o pe on ho ma legall claim i ,
he e being he condi ion e i ed b ec ion 760 and
i ho hich a pe i ion fo e chea ho ld no lie. F om
he momen he hacienda a confi ca ed b he Kingdom
of Spain, he ame cea ed o be he p ope of he child en
of E eban Rod ig e de Fig e oa, he Colegio de San Jo e
o he Je i Fa he , and became he p ope of he
Common eal h of he Philippine b i e of he an fe
nde he T ea of Pa i , alleged in he pe i ion. If he
m nicipali of San Ped o belie e ha i ha ome o he
igh o he hacienda di inc f om he e chea elied pon
in i pe i ion hich ga e i e o hi p oceeding, i ho ld
b ing he p ope ac ion, b i canno a ail i elf
cce f ll of he emed p o ided b ec ion 750 of he
Code of Ci il P oced e. We, he efo e, hold ha he co
did no commi he e o a igned in ling ha he
pe i ion doe no allege fficien fac j if ing he
e chea 01 he hacienda in fa o of he m nicipali of San
Ped o and in finall di mi ing he ame. Ha ing eached
hi concl ion e do no belie e i nece a o go in o
f he con ide a ion ega ding he pe onali of he
m nicipali of San Ped o and he co ' lack of
j i dic ion.
5. The la a ignmen of e o doe no e i e an
f he con ide a ion, The e ion ai ed he ein ha e
al ead been pa ed pon in he p eceding con ide a ion ,
i h he e cep ion of he o de o pa co . Wi h e pec
he e o, he e i no ea on h he ho ld no be a ed
again he pe i ione , he being he defea ed pa
( ec ion 487, Code of Ci il P oced e). Tha no ial a
had i no a ba o he impo i ion of co nde he
p o i ion of ec ion 492.
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328 E E A A ED
Cai e .B ifaci .
Fo he fo egoing ea on , he appealed o de and
e ol ion a e affi med, i h he co of hi in ance
again he pe i ione and appellan . So o de ed.
A ance a, C. J., Villa-Real, Abad San o , Dia , La rel,
and Concepcion, JJ., conc .
Appealed order and re ol ion affirmed.
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C g 2021 Ce a B S , I c. A g e e ed.
