Source: http://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/1/54823
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 02:16:42+00:00

Document:
HEIRS OF PACENCIA RACAZA, NAMELY, VIRGINIA RACAZA COSCOS, ANGELES RACAZA MIEL, RODRIGO RACAZA, QUIRINO RACAZA, ROGELIO RACAZA, ERNESTA RACAZA AND ROLAND RACAZA, PETITIONERS, VS. SPOUSES FLORENCIO ABAY-ABAY, AND ELEUTERIA ABAY-ABAY, RESPONDENTS.
This resolves the Petition for Review on Certiorari with Prayer to Admit Newly Discovered Evidence, filed by the Heirs of Pacencia Racaza, herein petitioners under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court to assail the Decision dated September 8, 2010 and Resolution dated August 8, 2011 of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CEB-CV No. 01095.
Spouses Abay-abay alleged that they acquired the property from the estate of one Emilia Garces by virtue of a Deed of Absolute Sale dated August 12, 1979, which was registered with the Register of Deeds on October 10, 1984. In mid-1984, however, therein defendants began erecting residential houses on the subject property without the knowledge and consent of Spouses Abay-abay. The refusal of defendants therein to vacate the subject land despite herein respondents’ demand prompted the latter to file the complaint with the RTC. Alexander failed to file his answer to the complaint, and was then declared in default by the trial court.
On May 30, 1988, the RTC rendered its judgment in favor of Spouses Abay-abay, and then ordered the defendants therein to vacate the disputed property. A writ of execution was later issued by the trial court to effect the removal of the structures, including the house of the Miels, built on the property. When the Miels failed to vacate the property despite their repeated promise to do so not later than January 11, 1991, the RTC issued on January 14, 1991 an Order directing the sheriff to immediately destroy and demolish the house of the Miels.
Petitioners claimed to have had actual, peaceful, continuous and public possession of the land, disturbed only in 1985 when Spouses Abay-abay instituted Civil Case No. 3920. They also questioned the unjustified demolition of their ancestral house, arguing that only Alexander, who had no interest in the property, was impleaded in the case.
In their answer to the complaint, Spouses Abay-abay invoked the valid judgment and writ of execution already issued in Civil Case No. 3920. They also raised the issues of estoppel and laches in view of the petitioners’ failure to intervene in Civil Case No. 3920.
a) Plaintiff Angeles Racaza Miel, who received the complaint and summons in Civil Case No. 3920 involving the land in question before RTC, Branch 2, never informed her husband Alexander Miel, who was one of the defendants in that case, about such summons and complaint.
It is quite intriguing that, if indeed plaintiff Angeles Racaza Miel is one of the heirs of Paciencia Racaza[,] the alleged owner of a portion of the land in question, why did she not inform her co-heirs and intervene in that Civil Case No. 3920 when it was heard before RTC, Br. 2?
Such inaction of Angeles Racaza Miel infers the inanity of plaintiffs’ claim over a portion of the land in question.
c) Angeles or her husband[,] Alexander Miel never appealed the decision rendered by RTC, Branch 2 awarding the land under litigation in favor of defendant-spouses Florencio and Eleuteria Abay-abay.
3 – Another undisputed fact that would reveal that in connection with the decision rendered by RTC, Branch 2 in favor of defendant[s]-spouses Florencio and Eleuteria, plaintiff Angeles Racaza Miel and her original counsel in this case, Atty. Roberto Cajes promised before the said Court to vacate the subject land. Such act of plaintiff Angeles Racaza Miel is indicative of her agreement to the decision rendered by RTC, Branch 2 awarding the subject land to Florencio Abay-abay, Sr. and, thus, demolishes whatever claim she and her co-plaintiffs in the case at bench may have over the land in question, which is the subject matter of the above-entitled case.
Simply stated, the evidence as a whole adduced by the defendants is superior to that of the plaintiffs[’].
On appeal, the CA affirmed the rulings of the RTC via the assailed Decision dated September 8, 2010 and Resolution dated August 8, 2011. Hence, this petition for review on certiorari.
To support their petition, the petitioners argue that: (1) the disputed property is a foreshore land and thus, owned by the State; (2) the respondents were buyers in bad faith when they purchased the unregistered land; and (3) the order to demolish their property was inhuman and thus, unconstitutional.
As part of their petition, the petitioners also ask this Court to admit as “newly discovered evidence” a Certification of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Bohol, and a cadastral map of Poblacion, Ubay, Bohol, purportedly to support their claim that the subject property is a foreshore land which cannot be owned by herein respondents.
Significantly, Section 5, Rule 45 provides that the failure of the petitioner to comply with the requirements on the contents of the petition shall be sufficient ground for the dismissal thereof. While jurisprudence provides settled exceptions to these rules, the instant petition does not fall under any of these exceptions.
On the same ground that petitions under Rule 45 must not involve questions of fact, the petitioners’ prayer for this Court to admit what they claimed to be newly discovered evidence is hereby denied. The Supreme Court is not a trier of facts, and is not the proper forum for the ventilation and substantiation of factual issues. While the Rules of Court allows the introduction by parties of newly-discovered evidence, as in motions for new trial under Rule 37, these are not to be presented for the first time during an appeal. In addition, the term “newly-discovered evidence” has a specific definition under the law. Under the Rules of Court, the requisites for newly discovered evidence are: (a) the evidence was discovered after trial; (b) such evidence could not have been discovered and produced at the trial with reasonable diligence; and (c) it is material, not merely cumulative, corroborative or impeaching, and is of such weight that, if admitted, will probably change the judgment.
We note that not even herein petitioners, but the Republic of the Philippines, is the real party in interest that is allowed to pursue such claims against lands of the public domain.
All told, this Court finds no justification to depart from the factual findings of the trial and appellate courts. The petitioners failed to present any cogent reason that would warrant a reversal of the decision and resolution assailed in this petition.
WHEREFORE, premises considered, the instant petition is hereby DENIED. The Decision dated September 8, 2010 and Resolution dated August 8, 2011 of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. CEB-CV No. 01095 are hereby AFFIRMED.
 The RTC Decision in Civil Case No. 4856 indicates that spouses Florencio, Sr. and Eleuteria Abay-abay have died on August 22, 2002 and September 17, 2002, respectively. They were substituted by their heirs in the proceedings.
 Also referred to as Paciencia Racaza in some documents.
 Penned by Associate Justice Edgardo L. Delos Santos, with Associate Justices Agnes Reyes-Carpio and Eduardo B. Peralta, Jr., concurring; rollo, pp. 21-30.
 Also referred to as Abayabay in some documents.
 Vallacar Transit, Inc. v. Catubig, G.R. No. 175512, May 30, 2011, 649 SCRA 281, 294, citing Land Bank of the Philippines, v. Monet’s Export and Manufacturing Corporation, 493 Phil. 327, 338 (2005).
 Titan Construction Corporation v. David, Sr., G.R. No. 169548, March 15, 2010, 615 SCRA 362, 363, citing Soriano III v. Yuzon, 247 Phil. 191 (1988).
 Cabarlo v. People, G.R. No. 172274, November 16, 2006, 507 SCRA 236, 243, citing Amarillo v. Sandiganbayan, 444 Phil. 487, 497 (2003).
 See Manese v. Velasco, G.R. No. 164024, January 29, 2009, 577 SCRA 108, 114.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.