Source: https://fr.scribd.com/document/327109712/Alvarado-v-Gaviola
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 12:57:13+00:00

Document:
vs. Ramon G. Gaviola, Jr., et al.
Intermediate Appellate Court, First Division (Civil Cases), and BAYANI MA.
Vicente R. Redor for petitioner.
Bayani Ma. Rino for and in his own behalf.
to probate the last will and testament 3 with codicil 4 of the late Brigido Alvarado.
4 of the Regional Trial Court of sta. Cruz, Laguna.
respective copies previously furnished them.
that assuming his blindness. Brigido's holographic will was subsequently admitted to probate on 9 December 1977. 808 was substantially complied with when both documents were read aloud to the testator with each of the three instrumental witnesses and the notary public following the reading with their respective copies of the instruments. that it was procured by undue and improper pressure and influence on the part of the beneficiary who stands to get the lion's share of the testator's estate. the Court of Appeals rendered the decision under review with the following findings: that Brigido Alvarado was not blind at the time his last will and codicil were executed. Brigido was then suffering from glaucoma. of Siniloan. his vision on both eyes was only of "counting fingers at three (3) feet" by reason of the glaucoma which he had been suffering from for several years and even prior to his first consultation with an eye specialist on 14 December 1977. 808 at the time his "Huling Habilin" and its codicil were executed? If so. The issues now before us can be stated thus: Was Brigido Alvarado blind for purpose of Art. that the signature of the testator was procured by fraud or trick. in turn. A petition for the probate of the notarial will and codicil was filed upon the testator's death on 3 January 1979 by private respondent as executor with the Court of First Instance. But the disinheritance and revocatory clauses were unchanged. it was private respondent who read it aloud in his presence and in the presence of the three instrumental witnesses (same as those of the notarial will) and the notary public who followed the reading using their own copies. and lastly. was the double-reading requirement of said article complied with? Regarding the first issue. On the 29th day of the same month. there is no dispute on the following facts: Brigido Alvarado was not totally blind at the time the will and codicil were executed. that since the reading required by Art. As in the case of the notarial will. that the testator was insane or otherwise mentally incapacitated to make a will at the time of its execution due to senility and old age. the reading requirement of Art. 1977 ni Brigido Alvarado" was executed changing some dispositions in the notarial will to generate cash for the testator's eye operation. Instead. When the oppositor (petitioner) failed to substantiate the grounds relied upon in the Opposition. the testator did not personally read the final draft of the codicil. probate of the deceased's last will and codicil should have been denied. 808 of the Civil Code was admittedly not complied with. Laguna. or influence of fear and threats. filed an Opposition on the following grounds: that the will sought to be probated was not executed and attested as required by law. 808 was not followed to the letter. a codicil entitled "Kasulatan ng Pagbabago sa Ilang Pagpapasiya na Nasasaad sa Huling Habilin na may Petsa Nobiembre 5. 5 Petitioner.Meanwhile. The appellate court then concluded that although Art. The main thrust of the appeal was that the deceased was blind within the meaning of the law at the time his "Huling Habilin" and the codicil attached thereto was executed. . On 11 April 1986. now Regional Trial Court. a Probate Order was issued on 27 June 1983 from which an appeal was made to respondent court. there was substantial compliance since its purpose of making known to the testator the contents of the drafted will was served. However. that the will was executed under duress.
it is essential that we ascertain whether Art. 808. is to make the provisions thereof known to him. so that he may be able to object if they are not in accordance with his wishes . Director of the Institute of Opthalmology (Philippine Eye Research Institute). Hence. We agree with petitioner in this respect. To support his stand." 11 or "blurred" 12 vision making it necessary for private respondent to do the actual reading for him. The following pronouncement in Garcia vs. Unless the contents were read to him. once. Salceda. to consider his will as validly executed and entitled to probate. are "incapable of reading the(ir) will(s). 808 need not be complied with. held that the testator could still read on the day the will and the codicil were executed but chose not to do so because of "poor eyesight." "defective. 808. the fact remains and this was testified to by his witnesses. . to wit: The rationale behind the requirement of reading the will to the testator if he is blind or incapable of reading the will himself (as when he is illiterate). 808 had been complied with. for one reason or another. Regardless of respondent's staunch contention that the testator was still capable of reading at the time his will and codicil were prepared. the day of his first consultation. Roasa explained that although the testator could visualize fingers at three (3) feet. If the testator is blind. 8 On the other hand. he can be so considered within the scope of the term as it is used in Art." or "blurred" vision." 9 Since the testator was still capable of reading at that time. the will shall be read to him twice. Vasquez 13 provides an insight into the scope of the term "blindness" as used in Art. he could no longer read either printed or handwritten matters as of 14 December 1977. 7 Dr. by one of the subscribing witnesses. Ruperto Roasa. Salvador R. . 6 the contents of which were interpreted in layman's terms by Dr. petitioner presented before the trial court a medical certificate issued by Dr." Since Brigido Alvarado was incapable of reading the final drafts of his will and codicil on the separate occasions of their execution due to his "poor. 808 which reads: Art." 10 "defective. Clear from the foregoing is that Art. Petitioner contends that although his father was not totally blind when the will and codicil were executed.The point of dispute is whether the foregoing circumstances would qualify Brigido as a "blind" testator under Art. that Brigido did not do so because of his "poor. whose expertise was admitted by private respondent. the court a quo concluded that Art. the Court of Appeals. and again. 808. 808 applies not only to blind testators but also to those who. . 808. there can be no other course for us but to conclude that Brigido Alvarado comes within the scope of the term "blind" as it is used in Art. he had no way of ascertaining whether or not the lawyer who drafted the will and codicil did so confortably with his instructions. by the notary public before whom the will is acknowledged. contrary to the medical testimony.
Evidente (one of the three instrumental witnesses and the testator's physician) asked the testator whether the contents of the document were of his own free will. This is especially true when we consider the fact . Crescente O. Private respondent however insists that there was substantial compliance and that the single reading suffices for purposes of the law. Brigido answered in the affirmative. On the other hand. probate of the latter's will and codicil should have been disallowed. the reason being that the solemnities surrounding the execution of wills are intended to protect the testator from all kinds of fraud and trickery but are never intended to be so rigid and inflexible as to destroy the testamentary privilege. The purpose is to make known to the incapacitated testator the contents of the document before signing and to give him an opportunity to object if anything is contrary to his instructions. and read them only once. 808 was not followed strictly is beyond cavil. petitioner maintains that the only valid compliance or compliance to the letter and since it is admitted that neither the notary public nor an instrumental witness read the contents of the will and codicil to Brigido. the petition must be denied. Nonia de la Pena (the notary public) and Dr. Atty. Only then did the signing and acknowledgement take place. once. upon being asked. and petitioner does not so allege. it was the lawyer (private respondent) who drafted the eightpaged will and the five-paged codicil who read the same aloud to the testator. This Court has held in a number of occasions that substantial compliance is acceptable where the purpose of the law has been satisfied. The notary public and the three instrumental witnesses likewise read the will and codicil. and the notary public. it was not only Atty. by one of the instrumental witnesses and. On the contrary.Article 808 requires that in case of testators like Brigido Alvarado. again. 15 Moreover. albeit silently. The uncontradicted testimony of Atty. it can be safely concluded that the testator was reasonably assured that what was read to him (those which he affirmed were in accordance with his instructions). not twice as Art. Rino went to the testator's residence precisely for the purpose of securing his conformity to the draft. his three instrumental witnesses. Rino is that Brigido Alvarado already acknowledged that the will was drafted in accordance with his expressed wishes even prior to 5 November 1977 when Atty. Prior and subsequent thereto. that the contents read corresponded with his instructions. by the notary public before whom the will was acknowledged. Afterwards. private respondent read the testator's will and codicil aloud in the presence of the testator. There is no evidence. 14 In the case at bar. We sustain private respondent's stand and necessarily. Instead of the notary public and an instrumental witness. with respect to the "Huling Habilin. were the terms actually appearing on the typewritten documents. the testator affirmed. the will shall be read twice. 16 With four persons following the reading word for word with their own copies." the day of the execution was not the first time that Brigido had affirmed the truth and authenticity of the contents of the draft. That Art. Rino who read the documents on 5 November and 29 December 1977. that the contents of the will and codicil were not sufficiently made known and communicated to the testator. 808 requires.
and Quiason. Abangan. one being his physician (Dr. useless and frustrative of the testator's will. JJ. pp. substantial compliance suffices where the purpose has been served. pp.. Although there should be strict compliance with the substantial requirements of the law in order to insure the authenticity of the will. we quote the following pronouncement in Abangan v. the petition is DENIED and the assailed Decision of respondent Court of Appeals dated 11 April 1986 is AFFIRMED. this decision is immediately executory. i. concur. But. Ranieses) being known to him since childhood. 17 As a final word to convince petitioner of the propriety of the trial court's Probate Order and its affirmance by the Court of Appeals. WHEREFORE. 2 Penned by Judge Maximiano C. had already been accomplished. Griño-Aquino.that the three instrumental witnesses were persons known to the testator. To reiterate. any other interpretation whatsoever. Evidente) and another (Potenciano C. 214-224. also one must not lose sight of the fact that it is not the object of the law to restrain and curtail the exercise of the right to make a will. must be disregarded (emphasis supplied).e. Brigido Alvarado had expressed his last wishes in clear and unmistakable terms in his "Huling Habilin" and the codicil attached thereto. may only defeat the testator's will. 29-37. that adds nothing but demands more requisites entirely unnecessary. We are unwilling to cast these aside fro the mere reason that a legal requirement intended for his protection was not followed strictly when such compliance had been rendered unnecessary by the fact that the purpose of the law. Considering the length of time that this case has remained pending. to avoid the substitution of wills and testaments and to guaranty their truth and authenticity. when taken into account. Therefore the laws on the subject should be interpreted in such a way as to attain these primordial ends. Costs against petitioner. SO ORDERED. Cruz. Davide. to make known to the incapacitated testator the contents of the draft of his will. # Footnotes 1 Rollo. on the other hand. 18 to wit: The object of the solemnities surrounding the execution of wills is to close the door against bad faith and fraud. Asuncion. Original Records. Jr.. So when an interpretation already given assures such ends. . The spirit behind the law was served though the letter was not. the formal imperfections should be brushed aside when they do not affect its purpose and which.
pp. 12. p. 20 August 1981. 134 SCRA 245. Abangan. 4. Cruz. pp. 12 TSN. 18 June 1981. Yap. 28 January 1985. 282. pp. Id. Leynez v. Icasiano. 14 January 1982. 16 September 1981. 6. 750 (1939). 3. 20 August 1981. 11 TSN. 68 Phil. 10 TSN. 3. pp. 5 November 1981. Leynez. 4. Laguna. 16 September 1981. p. 15 TSN. 14 January 1982. 128 (1939). 4. 284-285 (1931). 56 Phil. 249. 36. Folder of Exhibits. Br.. 3 August 1982. Yap. Cartagena. 11 SCRA 422. 502-503. 9. 68 Phil. 30 April 1970. p. 16. 18 June 1981.3 Exhibit "D". 18 40 Phil. 4. L-26884. 1 October 1981. 9 Rollo. 68 Phil. Rodriguez v.1 October 1981.. No. Sta. No. 15-16. 18 June 1981. 5 Subsequently transferred to the Regional Trial Court. 30 June 1964. p. Rey v. pp. 126. L-38338. pp. 477. 32 SCRA 490. p. p. L-18979. 73-77. 26. Roxas v. 4-5. 128 (1939). p. 7-8. 40 Phil. . p. 7 TSN. 78. 65-72. p. p. 6 Folder of Exhibits.. 14 Icasiano v. 6. p. 745. Jr. Abangan v. 5. 4 Exhibit "E". 479 (1919). 126. 8 Id. 429-430. De Jesus. 13 No. 17 Rodriguez v. p. 476. 16 TSN. 479 (1919).

References: Art. 1977
 Art. 808
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.