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Ongsiaco v.

Ongsiaco (Emerson)

CARIDAD ONGSIACO, et.al., plaintiffs-appellants, vs. EMILIA ONGSIACO, et.al., defendants-appellees

G.R. No. L-751 ! "arc# $ , 1%57 - Re&es, '.(.L., J.

SUMMARY: )pon dissol*tion of t#eir partners#ip, t#e partners divided t#eir s#are in a #acienda. Eac# of t#e $ partners t#en distri+*ted t#eir s#are amongst t#eir famil& mem+ers. ,#is case involved t#e famil& of one of t#e partners. ,#e s#are of t#e partner -as divided among t#e mot#er and t#e . c#ildren. Later, t#e mot#er donated #er s#are to #er c#ildren on t#e condition t#at t#e land -ill +e #eld in *s*fr*ct for t#eir fat#er and t#at t#e c#ildren -ill s*pport t#eir fat#er -it# a pension. /ometime in 1%$7-$., t-o c#ildren -#o occ*pied t#e catc#+asin areas +*ilt di0es -#ic# prevented t#e nat*ral flo- of rain-ater, and stopped s*pporting t#eir fat#er. ,#is led t#e mot#er to revo0e t#e donation as to t#em -it#o*t 1*dicial declaration. 2n 1%51, one of t#e c#ildren s*ed t#e 3prodigal4 si+lings, to revo0e t#e donation and compel t#em to provide an easement of drainage. ,#e lo-er co*rt dismissed t#e case for prescription of ca*se of action. ,#e /5 *p#eld t#is decision, #olding inter alia t#at a contin*o*s easement, as defined, does not depend *pon acts of man. 5ontin*o*s easements s*c# as t#at of drainage are e6ting*is#ed +& non-*ser for 1 &ears. 2f t#e& -ere reall& pre1*diced +& t#e di0es, t#e plaintiffs s#o*ld #ave filed t#eir action m*c# earlier, considering t#at t#e& -aited for 1$ &ears +efore filing t#e present action.

FACTS: ,#e partners#ip Ongsiaco, Lim & 5ia. o-ned 17$ of t#e 8acienda Esperan9a in N*eva Eci1a. On "ar. :5, 1%:%, t#e partners agreed to dissolve t#e partners#ip and divide t#eir s#are among t#emselves. ;7% -ent to t#e Ongsiacos and t#e Lims -#ile 57% -ent to t#e /antoses. Later t#e Ongsiacos and Lims divided t#eir ;7% s#are among t#emselves. 2n said partition, plaintiffappellant 5aridad received Lot 7 -it# 5<5 #a. -#ile defendant-appellee Emilia got lots % and %= -it# .:< #a. On '*l. $1, 1%:%, t#e mot#er of #erein parties, >o?a Gorgonia Ongsiaco e6ec*ted a deed of donation, t*rning over #er -#ole $71. interest in t#e 8acienda to #er #eirs, on t#e conditions t#at@ it -ill +e #eld in *s*fr*ct in favor of t#eir fat#er >on L*cio OngsiacoA and t#at eac# of t#e #eirs m*st give t#eir fat#er a 1 -peso ann*al pension. ,itles to t#e s*+divided lots -ere s*+seB*entl& iss*ed. On '*l& 7, 1%;1, >o?a Gorgonia rescinded t#e donation as to t-o of #er c#ildren (Ramon and Emilia) for flooding t#e land of t#eir sister 5aridad +& +*ilding di0es on t#eir o-n lands and not contri+*ting to t#e mont#l& pension. 2n t#e same deed, >o?a Gorgonia ad1*dicated t#e land to

5aridad and t#e ot#er < c#ildren. =ccording to t#e record, Emilia -as not notified of t#e deed. No action for revocation of donation -as filed even after >o?a Gorgonia died on Nov. <, 1%5 . On =pril :5, 1%51, 5aridad and #er #*s+and filed t#e present action +efore t#e N*eva Eci1a 5C2 against Emilia et.al., alleging t#e follo-ing ca*ses of action@ 1) violating t#e conditions of t#e deed of donationA :) violating t#e legal easement of drainage +& +*ilding di0es -#ic# prevented -ater from flo-ing off 5aridadDs land (-#ic# -as #ig#er in elevation t#an t#at of EmiliaDs)A and $) depriving 5aridad of :7 #a. of land +& manip*lation and fra*d*lent c#anging of +o*ndar& mar0ers +& EmiliaDs #*s+and. Emilia et.al. moved to dismiss t#e complaint on t#e gro*nd t#at t#e ca*ses of action #ad +een +arred +& e6tinctive prescription. ,#e 5C2 r*led in favor of Emilia et.al., #ence t#is appeal.

ISSUES (HELD) 1) 8as t#e action for revocation of donation prescri+edE (FE/) :) 8as t#e ca*se of action for violation of t#e legal easement of drainage +een +arred +& prescriptionE (FE/) $) >id defendants illegall& and fra*d*lentl& deprive plaintiffs of land +& altering +o*ndar& mar0ers to incl*de p*+lic landsE (NO, +*t t#e ca*se of action #as +een +arred +& prescription an&-a&)

RATIO 1) '*rispr*dence interpreting N55 <;7 #as #eld t#at a donor ma& revo0e a donation *nilaterall& onl& if s*c# revocation is approved +& co*rt 1*dgment or +& consent of t#e doneeA and t#at t#e action to revo0e a donation prescri+es in 1 &ears. 2n t#is case, EmiliaDs consent -as not o+tainedA and no co*rt 1*dgment #as +een iss*ed to affirm t#e revocation even long after t#e donor died. =ctions to revo0e a -ritten contract prescri+e in 1 &ears. ,#e ca*se of action in t#is case accr*ed from t#e date of first violation, t#at is, on /ep. $ , 1%$ A #ence t#e filing of t#e action on =pr. :5, 1%51 is long overd*e. ,#e s*+seB*ent instances of violation of t#e conditions did not constit*te ne- ca*ses of action so as to e6tend t#e prescriptive period. ,o circ*mvent t#e prescriptive period, plaintiffs assert t#at@ a) t#eir action is for recover& of land in#erited +& 5aridad t#ro*g# t#e 1%;1 deed, t#erefore t#e applica+le prescriptive period is $ &ears (of adverse possessors in +ad fait#) and +) Emilia #eld t#e propert& in an implied tr*st s*+1ect to t#e donorDs rig#ts. a) 5aridad cannot la& claim to t#e land t#ro*g# t#e 1%;1 deed, +eca*se t#e donation -as never revo0ed in a proper co*rt action. ,#*s, t#e applica+le prescriptive period is still t#at for revocation of donation for +reac# of stip*lations, -#ic# is 1 &ears. ,#e claim t#at t#e applica+le period is t#at for adverse possessors in +ad fait# is incorrect, since Emilia remains t#e la-f*l o-ner of t#e propert& until the donation is properly revoked.

+) ,#e implied tr*st contemplated in N55 1;5< refers to propert& acB*ired t#ro*g# mista0e or fra*d. Emilia acB*ired t#e propert& legall&A and #er s*+seB*ent violation of t#e conditions of t#e donation did not taint #er previo*s acB*isition.

:) Emilia received a larger s#are in t#e partition +eca*se t#e land assigned to #er served as catc#+asin for t#e #ig#er areas, s*c# as t#at assigned to 5aridad. 2t -as fo*nd t#at Emilia +*ilt di0es on #er land +et-een 1%$7 and 1%$.. /*c# act is covered +& t#e provision on legal easement of drainage of r*ral lands, O55 55:. /*c# easement does not depend *pon acts of man +*t *pon t#e nat*ral flo- of rain-ater from #ig#er to lo-er areas. 2t is t#*s a contin*o*s easement -#ic# is e6ting*is#ed +& non-*ser for 1 &ears (: &ears *nder t#e Old 5odeA t#e period -as red*ced +& =ct 1% ). ,#e ca*se for action t#erefore arose in 1%$7 or 1%$. and #as alread& prescri+ed -#en t#e present s*it -as filed. ,#e di0es cannot +e considered a n*isance as plaintiffs assert, first, +eca*se t#eir complaint does not add*ce facts in s*pport of s*c# allegation. /econd, +eca*se ass*ming t#at t#e di0es -ere a n*isance, in t#is case t#e n*isance arises from t#e interference of plaintiffsD rig#t to drainage and t#e action for easement against s*c# n*isance #as also prescri+ed +& 1%51 (N55 <$1, -#ic# is an e6ception to t#e general r*le of N55 <%. t#at lapse of time cannot legali9e an& n*isance). ,#e G#ilippine la- on n*isance is derived from )/ la-, -#ic# #olds t#at private n*isances can prescri+e.

$) ,#is allegation is *ns*pported +& t#e record. ,#e plaintiffs #ave not o+1ected to t#e original 1%:% partition and 0ept t#eir title. 5aridadDs #*s+and is an 3attorne& of note4 and s#o*ld #ave 0no-n if t#e& -ere +eing c#eated -it# respect to t#e partition. 2t -as also proven t#at 5aridad -as a+le to receive government lots in "anila t#ro*g# e6c#ange of 5 of t#eir lots, incl*ding t#ose no- claimed +& t#em to p*+lic land. ,#ese circ*mstances evince t#e lac0 of eB*it& in appellantsD position. C*rt#ermore, ass*ming t#at t#ere -as fra*d, t#e action #as prescri+ed. ,#is ca*se of action accr*es from t#e date of partition in 1%:%. Granting t#at a case filed against EmiliaDs #*s+and for appropriation of lands in 1%$7 stemmed t#e r*nning of t#e period, t#e action remains prescri+ed since t#e case -as dismissed in 1%$% +& agreement of t#e parties. ,#e plaintiffsD action -as filed simpl& -a& too late.

DISPOSITION: 2n vie- of t#e foregoing, the or er !"#!""!$% the &o#'la!$t !" a((!r#e . 5osts against plaintiffs-appellants.

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