NUGUID vs. NUGUID
REMEDIOS NUGUID vs. FELIX NUGUID and PAZ SALONGA NUGUID
G.R. No. L-23445 June 23, 1966
SANCHEZ, J.:
Facts:
Rosario
Nuguid died on December 30, 1962, single, without descendants, legitimate or
illegitimate. Surviving her were her legitimate parents, Felix Nuguid and Paz
Salonga Nuguid, and six (6) brothers and sisters, namely: Alfredo, Federico,
Remedios, Conrado, Lourdes and Alberto, all surnamed Nuguid.
On
May 18, 1963, petitioner Remedios Nuguid filed in the Court of First Instance
of Rizal a holographic will allegedly executed by Rosario Nuguid on November
17, 1951, some 11 years before her demise. On June 25, 1963, Felix Nuguid and
Paz Salonga Nuguid, concededly the legitimate father and mother of the deceased
Rosario Nuguid, entered their opposition to the probate of her will. Ground
therefor, inter alia, is that by the institution of petitioner Remedios Nuguid
as universal heir of the deceased, oppositors — who are compulsory heirs of the
deceased in the direct ascending line — were illegally preterited and that in
consequence the institution is void.
Issue:
Whether
or not the omission of parents of the deceased in the will constitute
preterition
Ruling:
The
deceased Rosario Nuguid left no descendants, legitimate or illegitimate. But
she left forced heirs in the direct ascending line her parents, now oppositors
Felix Nuguid and Paz Salonga Nuguid. And, the will completely omits both of
them: They thus received nothing by the testament; tacitly, they were deprived
of their legitime; neither were they expressly disinherited. This is a clear
case of preterition. Such preterition in the words of Manresa "anulara
siempre la institucion de heredero, dando caracter absoluto a este ordenamiento
referring to the mandate of Article 814, now 854 of the Civil Code. The
one-sentence will here institutes petitioner as the sole, universal heir —
nothing more. No specific legacies or bequests are therein provided for. It is
in this posture that we say that the nullity is complete. Perforce, Rosario
Nuguid died intestate. The word annul employed in the statute, there is no
escaping the conclusion that the universal institution of petitioner to the
entire inheritance results in totally abrogating the will. Because, the
nullification of such institution of universal heir — without any other
testamentary disposition in the will — amounts to a declaration that nothing at
all was written.
Adjudication:
Upon
the view we take of this case, the order of November 8, 1963 under review is
hereby affirmed.
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