CERVANTESv.

FAJARDO(1989)

Petitioners:NelsonL.CervantesandZenaidaCarreonCervantes
Respondents:GinaCarreonFajardoandConradoFajardo
FACTS:
AngelieAnneC.Cervanteswasbornon14February1987torespondentsConradoFajardoandGinaCarreon,whoarecommonlaw
husbandandwife.
ThechildwasthenknownasAngelieAnneFajardo.
RespondentsofferedthechildforadoptiontoGinaCarreon'ssisterandbrotherinlaw,petitionersZenaidaCarreonCervantesand
NelsonCervantes,whotookcareandcustodyofthechildwhenshewasbarelytwoweeksold.
AnAffidavitofConsenttotheadoptionofthechildbypetitionerswasalsoexecutedbyrespondentGinaCarreonon29April1987.
ThepetitionforadoptionwasfiledbypetitionersoverthechildbeforetheRTCofRizalon20August1987,whichgrantedthepetition.
The court ordered that the child be "freed from parental authority of her natural parents as well as from legal obligation and
maintenancetothemandthatfromnowonshallbe,foralllegalintentsandpurposes,knownasAngelieAnneCervantes,achildof
hereinpetitionersandcapableofinheritingtheirestate."
PetitionersreceivedaletterfromtherespondentsdemandingtobepaidtheamountofP150,000.00;otherwise,theywouldgetback
theirchild.
Whilepetitionerswereoutatwork,therespondentGinaCarreontookthechildfromher"yaya"atthepetitioner'sresidenceandbrought
thechildtoherhouse.
Petitionersdemandedthereturnofthechild,butGinaCarreonrefused,sayingthatshehadnodesiretogiveupherchildforadoption
andthattheaffidavitofconsenttotheadoptionshehadexectuedwasnotfullyexplainedtoher.Shewill,however,returnthechildtothe
petitionersifshewerepaidtheamount.
FelisaTansingco,thesocialworkerwhohadconductedthecasestudyontheadoptionandsubmittedareportthereontotheRTCof
Rizalintheadoptioncase,testifiedbeforetheExecutiveJudge,RTCPasigdeclaringthatshehadinterviewedrespondentGinaCarreon
andthatrespondentmanifestedtothesocialworkerherdesiretohavethechildadoptedbythepetitioners.
ISSUE:
W/NthecustodyandcareofminorAngelieAnneCervantesshouldbegrantedtothepetitioners.
HELD/RATIO:
Yes.TheCourtaffirmedthedecisionofRTCgrantingpetitionersofcustodyandcareofminorAngelieAnneCervantesandruledthat
thepetitionforwritofHabeasCorpusbegranted.Inallcontroversiesregardingcustodyofminors,theforemostconsiderationisthe
moral,physicalandsocialwelfareofthechildconcerned,takingintoaccounttheresourcesandmoralaswellassocialstandingofthe
contendingparents.Provisionthatnomothershallbeseparatedfromachildunder5yearsofagewillnotapplywherethecourtfinds
compellingreasonstoruleotherwise.Petitionerswhoarelegallymarriedappeartobemorally,physically,financially,andsocially
capableofsupportingtheminorandgivingherafuturebetterthanwhatthenaturalmother,whoisnotonlyjoblessbutalsomaintainsan
illicitrelationwithamarriedman,canmostlikelygiveher.Theminorhasbeenlegallyadoptedbypetitionerswiththefullknowledge
andconsentofrespondents.Adecreeofadoptionhastheeffect,amongothers,ofdissolvingtheauthorityvestedinnaturalparentsover
theadoptedchild.Theadoptingparentshavetherighttocareandcustodyoftheadoptedchild(Art.189(2)ofFamilyCode)andexercise
parentalauthorityandresponsibilityoverhim(Art17,PD603).