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Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS __________________________________________________


__________________________________________________
A. Definition and Concept __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 712. Ownership is acquired by occupation and by __________________________________________________
intellectual creation. __________________________________________________
Ownership and other real rights over property are __________________________________________________
acquired and transmitted by law, by donation, by estate and __________________________________________________
intestate succession, and in consequence of certain contracts, __________________________________________________
by tradition. __________________________________________________
They may also be acquired by means of prescription. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 774. Succession is a mode of acquisition by virtue of __________________________________________________
which the property, rights and obligations to the extent of the __________________________________________________
value of the inheritance, of a person are transmitted through __________________________________________________
his death to another or others either by his will or by operation __________________________________________________
of law. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1311. Contracts take effect only between the parties, __________________________________________________
their assigns and heirs, except in case where the rights and __________________________________________________
obligations arising from the contract are not transmissible by __________________________________________________
their nature, or by stipulation or by provision of law. The heir __________________________________________________
is not liable beyond the value of the property he received from __________________________________________________
the decedent. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
B. Laws governing form __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
1. As to time of execution
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 795. The validity of a will as to its form depends
__________________________________________________
upon the observance of the law in force at the time it is made.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. As to place of execution
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 17. The forms and solemnities of contracts, wills,
__________________________________________________
and other public instruments shall be governed by the laws of
__________________________________________________
the country in which they are executed.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 810. A person may execute a holographic will which
__________________________________________________
must be entirely written, dated, and signed by the hand of the
__________________________________________________
testator himself. It is subject to no other form, and may be
__________________________________________________
made inor out of the Philippines, and need not be witnessed
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 815. When a Filipino is in a foreign country, he is
__________________________________________________
authorized to make a will in any of the forms established by
__________________________________________________
the law of the country in which he may be. Such will may be
__________________________________________________
probated in the Philippines. (n)
__________________________________________________
________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 1 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Art. 816. The will of an alien who is abroad produces __________________________________________________


effect in the Philippines if made with the formalities __________________________________________________
prescribed by the law of the place in which he resides, or __________________________________________________
according to the formalities observed in his country, or in __________________________________________________
conformity with those which this Code prescribes. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 817. A will made in the Philippines by a citizen or __________________________________________________
subject of another country, which is executed in accordance __________________________________________________
with the law of the country of which he is a citizen or subject, __________________________________________________
and which might be proved and allowed by the law of his own __________________________________________________
country, shall have the same effect as if executed according to __________________________________________________
the laws of the Philippines. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 818. Two or more persons cannot make a will __________________________________________________
jointly, or in the same instrument, either for their reciprocal __________________________________________________
benefit or for the benefit of a third person. (669) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 819. Wills, prohibited by the preceding article, __________________________________________________
executed by Filipinos in a foreign country shall not be valid in __________________________________________________
the Philippines, even though authorized by the laws of the __________________________________________________
country where they may have been executed. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
In re Will of Rev. Abadia __________________________________________________
50 O.G. #9, p. 4185 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- To determine the law applicable to a will, the __________________________________________________
determining factor shall be at the time or date it was __________________________________________________
executed. __________________________________________________
- Article 795 of the New Civil Code provides: The __________________________________________________
validity of a will as to its form depends upon the __________________________________________________
observance of the law in force at the time it is made. __________________________________________________
The validity of a will is to be judged not by the law __________________________________________________
enforced at the time of the testators death or at the __________________________________________________
time the supposed will is presented in court for __________________________________________________
probate or when the petition is decided by the court __________________________________________________
but at the time the instrument is executed. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Fleumer v. Hix __________________________________________________
54 Phil. 610 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The will of an alien who is abroad produces effect in __________________________________________________
the Philippines if made with the formalities __________________________________________________
prescribed by the law of the place in which he __________________________________________________
resides, or according to the formalities observed in __________________________________________________
his country, or in conformity with those which this __________________________________________________
code provides. __________________________________________________
- The courts of the Philippines are not authorized to __________________________________________________
take judicial notice of the laws of the various States __________________________________________________
of the American Union. Such laws must be proved as __________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 2 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

facts. Here the requirements of law were not met. __________________________________________________


There was no showing that the book from which an __________________________________________________
extract was taken was printed or published under the __________________________________________________
authority of the state of West Va. as provided in the __________________________________________________
Code of Civil Procedure; nor was the extract from the __________________________________________________
law attested by the certificate of the officer having __________________________________________________
charge of the original. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Estate of Giberson __________________________________________________
48 O.G. #7, 2657 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- If an alien executes a will in the Philippines, not in __________________________________________________
conformity with our law, but in conformity with the __________________________________________________
law of his own state or country, the will can be __________________________________________________
probated in the Philippines. __________________________________________________
- The requirement of law is that it must comply with __________________________________________________
the laws of the country where it was executed for __________________________________________________
validity and not probate on the country for execution. __________________________________________________
- An alien who makes a will in a place other than his __________________________________________________
country is permitted to follow the laws of his own __________________________________________________
country as sanctioned by the Civil Code. On the other __________________________________________________
hand, the Rules provide that wills proved and allowed __________________________________________________
in a foreign country, according to the laws of such __________________________________________________
country, may be allowed, filed and recorded by the __________________________________________________
proper Court of First Instance in the Philippines. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Dela Cerna v. Potot __________________________________________________
12 SCRA 576 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- In a joint will of husband and wife, the probate __________________________________________________
decree of the will of the husband could only affect __________________________________________________
the share of the deceased husband. The validity of the __________________________________________________
will in so far as the wife is concerned must be on her __________________________________________________
death and adjudicated de novo, since a joint will is __________________________________________________
considered a separate will. __________________________________________________
- A will void on its face can be probated. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Estate of Rodriguez __________________________________________________
46 O.G. # 2, p. 584 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Neither old age, physical infirmities feebleness of __________________________________________________
mind, weakness of the memory, the appointment of a __________________________________________________
guardian, nor eccentricities are sufficient singly or __________________________________________________
jointly to show testamentary incapacity. __________________________________________________
- The provision in the rules of court invoked by the __________________________________________________
oppositors does not disallow an administration __________________________________________________
proceeding. It merely gives an option to the heirs not __________________________________________________
to undertake such proceeding. __________________________________________________
________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 3 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

C. Laws governing content __________________________________________________


__________________________________________________
1. As to time __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 2263. Rights to the inheritance of a person who died, __________________________________________________
with or without a will, before the effectivity of this Code, shall __________________________________________________
be governed by the Civil Code of 1889, by other previous __________________________________________________
laws, and by the Rules of Court. The inheritance of those who, __________________________________________________
with or without a will, die after the beginning of the effectivity __________________________________________________
of this Code, shall be adjudicated and distributed in __________________________________________________
accordance with this new body of laws and by the Rules of __________________________________________________
Court; but the testamentary provisions shall be carried out __________________________________________________
insofar as they may be permitted by this Code. Therefore, __________________________________________________
legitimes, betterments, legacies and bequests shall be __________________________________________________
respected; however, their amount shall be reduced if in no __________________________________________________
other manner can every compulsory heir be given his full __________________________________________________
share according to this Code __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. As to successional rights, etc. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 16(2). However, intestate and testamentary __________________________________________________
successions, both with respect to the order of succession and __________________________________________________
to the amount of successional rights and to the intrinsic __________________________________________________
validity of testamentary provisions, shall be regulated by the __________________________________________________
national law of the person whose succession is under __________________________________________________
consideration, whatever may be the nature of the property and __________________________________________________
regardless of the country wherein said property may be found. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1039. Capacity to succeed is governed by the law of __________________________________________________
the nation of the decedent. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Estate of Christensen __________________________________________________
61 O.G. # 46, p. 7302 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The recognition of the renvoi theory implies that the __________________________________________________
rules of the conflict of laws are to be understood as __________________________________________________
incorporating not only the ordinary or internal law of __________________________________________________
the foreign state or country, but its rules of the __________________________________________________
conflict of laws as well. __________________________________________________
- The theory in the Renvoi Doctrine is applicable in __________________________________________________
this case. __________________________________________________
- The theory of the doctrine of renvoi is that the court __________________________________________________
of the forum, in determining the question before it, __________________________________________________
must take into account the whole law of the other __________________________________________________
jurisdiction, but also its rules as to conflict of laws, __________________________________________________
and then apply the law to the actual question which __________________________________________________
the rules of the other jurisdiction prescribe. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 4 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

- The recognition of the renvoi theory implies that the __________________________________________________


rules of the conflict of laws are to be understood as __________________________________________________
incorporating not only the ordinary or internal law of __________________________________________________
the foreign state or country, but its rules of the __________________________________________________
conflict of laws as well. According to this theory the __________________________________________________
law of the country means the whole of its laws. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Estate of Amos Bellis __________________________________________________
20 SCRA 358 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The national law of the decedent in intestate and __________________________________________________
testate proceedings shall be followed. __________________________________________________
- Texas Law was applied. NCC Article 16 (2) and Art. __________________________________________________
1039 render applicable the national law of the __________________________________________________
decedent in intestate or testamentary successions, __________________________________________________
with regard to four items: (1) the order of succession; __________________________________________________
(2) the amount of successional rights; (3) the intrinsic __________________________________________________
validity of the provisions of the will, and (4) the __________________________________________________
capacity to succeed. __________________________________________________
- Even assuming that Texas has a conflict of law rule __________________________________________________
providing that the law of the domicile should govern, __________________________________________________
the same would not result in a renvoi to Philippine __________________________________________________
law, but would still refer to Texas law. __________________________________________________
- The doctrine of of renvoi (reference back) in the case __________________________________________________
at bar is inapplicable because the U.S. does not adopt __________________________________________________
the situs theory calling for the application of where __________________________________________________
the properties are situated, since the properties are __________________________________________________
located in the Philippines. In the absence of proof as __________________________________________________
to the conflict of law rule of Texas, it should not be __________________________________________________
presumed to be different from ours. __________________________________________________
- As the SC ruled in Miciano v. Brimo, a provision in a __________________________________________________
foreigners will to the effect that his properties shall __________________________________________________
be distributed in accordance with Philippine law and __________________________________________________
not his national law, is illegal and void, for his __________________________________________________
national law cannot be ignored in regard to those __________________________________________________
matter that Article 16 of the Civil Code states said __________________________________________________
national law should govern. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Cayetano v. Leonides __________________________________________________
129 SCRA 524 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- It is settled rule that as regards the intrinsic validity __________________________________________________
of the provisions of the will, as provided for by __________________________________________________
Article 16 (2) and 1039 of the Civil Code, the __________________________________________________
national law of the decedent must apply. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 5 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

- Philippine law was not applied as regards the __________________________________________________


intrinsic validity of the will. The law which governs __________________________________________________
Adoracion Campos will is the law of Pennsylvania, __________________________________________________
USA which is the national law of the decedent by __________________________________________________
virtue of Art. 16 (2) and Art. 1039 of the Civil Code. __________________________________________________
The settlement of the estate of Adoracion was __________________________________________________
correctly filed with the CFI of Manila where she had __________________________________________________
an estate since it was alleged and proven that __________________________________________________
Adoracion at the time of her death was a citizen and a __________________________________________________
permanent resident of Pennsylvania, USA and not a __________________________________________________
usual resident of Cavite. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
D. Subject of Succession __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 775. In this Title, "decedent" is the general term __________________________________________________
applied to the person whose property is transmitted through __________________________________________________
succession, whether or not he left a will. If he left a will, he is __________________________________________________
also called the testator. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 782. An heir is a person called to the succession __________________________________________________
either by the provision of a will or by operation of law. __________________________________________________
Devisees and legatees are persons to whom gifts of real __________________________________________________
and personal property are respectively given by virtue of a __________________________________________________
will. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 887. The following are compulsory heirs: __________________________________________________
(1) Legitimate children and descendants, with respect to __________________________________________________
their legitimate parents and ascendants; __________________________________________________
(2) In default of the foregoing, legitimate parents and __________________________________________________
ascendants, with respect to their legitimate children and __________________________________________________
descendants; __________________________________________________
(3) The widow or widower; __________________________________________________
(4) Acknowledged natural children, and natural children __________________________________________________
by legal fiction; __________________________________________________
(5) Other illegitimate children referred to in Article 287. __________________________________________________
Compulsory heirs mentioned in Nos. 3, 4, and 5 are not __________________________________________________
excluded by those in Nos. 1 and 2; neither do they exclude one __________________________________________________
another. __________________________________________________
In all cases of illegitimate children, their filiation must be __________________________________________________
duly proved. __________________________________________________
The father or mother of illegitimate children of the three __________________________________________________
classes mentioned, shall inherit from them in the manner and __________________________________________________
to the extent established by this Code. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1003. If there are no descendants, ascendants, __________________________________________________
illegitimate children, or a surviving spouse, the collateral __________________________________________________
relatives shall succeed to the entire estate of the deceased in __________________________________________________
accordance with the following articles. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 6 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

1. Who are the subjects? __________________________________________________


__________________________________________________
2. Relationship __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 963. Proximity of relationship is determined by the __________________________________________________
number of generations. Each generation forms a degree. (915) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 964. A series of degrees forms a line, which may be __________________________________________________
either direct or collateral. __________________________________________________
A direct line is that constituted by the series of degrees __________________________________________________
among ascendants and descendants. __________________________________________________
A collateral line is that constituted by the series of degrees __________________________________________________
among persons who are not ascendants and descendants, but __________________________________________________
who come from a common ancestor. (916a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 965. The direct line is either descending or __________________________________________________
ascending. __________________________________________________
The former unites the head of the family with those who __________________________________________________
descend from him. __________________________________________________
The latter binds a person with those from whom he __________________________________________________
descends. (917) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 966. In the line, as many degrees are counted as there __________________________________________________
are generations or persons, excluding the progenitor. __________________________________________________
In the direct line, ascent is made to the common ancestor. __________________________________________________
Thus, the child is one degree removed from the parent, two __________________________________________________
from the grandfather, and three from the great-grandparent. __________________________________________________
In the collateral line, ascent is made to the common __________________________________________________
ancestor and then descent is made to the person with whom __________________________________________________
the computation is to be made. Thus, a person is two degrees __________________________________________________
removed from his brother, three from his uncle, who is the __________________________________________________
brother of his father, four from his first cousin, and so forth. __________________________________________________
(918a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 967. Full blood relationship is that existing between __________________________________________________
persons who have the same father and the same mother. __________________________________________________
Half blood relationship is that existing between persons who __________________________________________________
have the same father, but not the same mother, or the same __________________________________________________
mother, but not the same father. (920a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 968. If there are several relatives of the same degree, __________________________________________________
and one or some of them are unwilling or incapacitated to __________________________________________________
succeed, his portion shall accrue to the others of the same __________________________________________________
degree, save the right of representation when it should take __________________________________________________
place. (922) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 969. If the inheritance should be repudiated by the __________________________________________________
nearest relative, should there be one only, or by all the nearest __________________________________________________
relatives called by law to succeed, should there be several, __________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 7 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

those of the following degree shall inherit in their own right __________________________________________________
and cannot represent the person or persons repudiating the __________________________________________________
inheritance. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. Capacity to Succeed __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1024. Persons not incapacitated by law may succeed __________________________________________________
by will or ab intestato. __________________________________________________
The provisions relating to incapacity by will are equally __________________________________________________
applicable to intestate succession. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
a. Determination __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1034. In order to judge the capacity of the heir, __________________________________________________
devisee or legatee, his qualification at the time of the death of __________________________________________________
the decedent shall be the criterion. __________________________________________________
In cases falling under Nos. 2, 3, or 5 of Article 1032, it __________________________________________________
shall be necessary to wait until final judgment is rendered, and __________________________________________________
in the case falling under No. 4, the expiration of the month __________________________________________________
allowed for the report. __________________________________________________
If the institution, devise or legacy should be conditional, __________________________________________________
the time of the compliance with the condition shall also be __________________________________________________
considered. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1039. Capacity to succeed is governed by the law of __________________________________________________
the nation of the decedent. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 16(2). However, intestate and testamentary __________________________________________________
successions, both with respect to the order of succession and __________________________________________________
to the amount of successional rights and to the intrinsic __________________________________________________
validity of testamentary provisions, shall be regulated by the __________________________________________________
national law of the person whose succession is under __________________________________________________
consideration, whatever may be the nature of the property and __________________________________________________
regardless of the country wherein said property may be found. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
b. Who may succeed? __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Parish Priest of Victoria v. Rigor __________________________________________________
89 SCRA 493 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- In order to be capacitated to inherit, the heir, devisee __________________________________________________
or legatee must be living at the moment the __________________________________________________
succession opens, except in case of representation, __________________________________________________
when it is proper. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1024. Persons not incapacitated by law may succeed __________________________________________________
by will or ab intestato. __________________________________________________
The provisions relating to incapacity by will are equally __________________________________________________
applicable to intestate succession. (744, 914) __________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 8 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Art. 1025. In order to be capacitated to inherit, the heir, __________________________________________________


devisee or legatee must be living at the moment the succession __________________________________________________
opens, except in case of representation, when it is proper. __________________________________________________
A child already conceived at the time of the death of the __________________________________________________
decedent is capable of succeeding provided it be born later __________________________________________________
under the conditions prescribed in article 41. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1026. A testamentary disposition may be made to the __________________________________________________
State, provinces, municipal corporations, private corporations, __________________________________________________
organizations, or associations for religious, scientific, cultural, __________________________________________________
educational, or charitable purposes. __________________________________________________
All other corporations or entities may succeed under a __________________________________________________
will, unless there is a provision to the contrary in their charter __________________________________________________
or the laws of their creation, and always subject to the same. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1029. Should the testator dispose of the whole or part __________________________________________________
of his property for prayers and pious works for the benefit of __________________________________________________
his soul, in general terms and without specifying its __________________________________________________
application, the executor, with the court's approval shall __________________________________________________
deliver one-half thereof or its proceeds to the church or __________________________________________________
denomination to which the testator may belong, to be used for __________________________________________________
such prayers and pious works, and the other half to the State, __________________________________________________
for the purposes mentioned in Article 1013. (747a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1030. Testamentary provisions in favor of the poor __________________________________________________
in general, without designation of particular persons or of any __________________________________________________
community, shall be deemed limited to the poor living in the __________________________________________________
domicile of the testator at the time of his death, unless it __________________________________________________
should clearly appear that his intention was otherwise. __________________________________________________
The designation of the persons who are to be considered __________________________________________________
as poor and the distribution of the property shall be made by __________________________________________________
the person appointed by the testator for the purpose; in default __________________________________________________
of such person, by the executor, and should there be no __________________________________________________
executor, by the justice of the peace, the mayor, and the __________________________________________________
municipal treasurer, who shall decide by a majority of votes __________________________________________________
all questions that may arise. In all these cases, the approval of __________________________________________________
the Court of First Instance shall be necessary. __________________________________________________
The preceding paragraph shall apply when the testator has __________________________________________________
disposed of his property in favor of the poor of a definite __________________________________________________
locality. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
c. Who are incapable of succeeding? __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1025. In order to be capacitated to inherit, the heir, __________________________________________________
devisee or legatee must be living at the moment the succession __________________________________________________
opens, except in case of representation, when it is proper. __________________________________________________
A child already conceived at the time of the death of the __________________________________________________
decedent is capable of succeeding provided it be born later __________________________________________________
under the conditions prescribed in article 41. __________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 9 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

__________________________________________________
Art. 1027. The following are incapable of succeeding: __________________________________________________
(1) The priest who heard the confession of the testator __________________________________________________
during his last illness, or the minister of the gospel who __________________________________________________
extended spiritual aid to him during the same period; __________________________________________________
(2) The relatives of such priest or minister of the gospel __________________________________________________
within the fourth degree, the church, order, chapter, __________________________________________________
community, organization, or institution to which such priest or __________________________________________________
minister may belong; __________________________________________________
(3) A guardian with respect to testamentary dispositions __________________________________________________
given by a ward in his favor before the final accounts of the __________________________________________________
guardianship have been approved, even if the testator should __________________________________________________
die after the approval thereof; nevertheless, any provision __________________________________________________
made by the ward in favor of the guardian when the latter is __________________________________________________
his ascendant, descendant, brother, sister, or spouse, shall be __________________________________________________
valid; __________________________________________________
(4) Any attesting witness to the execution of a will, the __________________________________________________
spouse, parents, or children, or any one claiming under such __________________________________________________
witness, spouse, parents, or children; __________________________________________________
(5) Any physician, surgeon, nurse, health officer or __________________________________________________
druggist who took care of the testator during his last illness; __________________________________________________
(6) Individuals, associations and corporations not __________________________________________________
permitted by law to inherit. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1028. The prohibitions mentioned in article 739, __________________________________________________
concerning donations inter vivos shall apply to testamentary __________________________________________________
provisions. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1031. A testamentary provision in favor of a __________________________________________________
disqualified person, even though made under the guise of an __________________________________________________
onerous contract, or made through an intermediary, shall be __________________________________________________
void. (755) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1032. The following are incapable of succeeding by __________________________________________________
reason of unworthiness: __________________________________________________
(1) Parents who have abandoned their children or induced __________________________________________________
their daughters to lead a corrupt or immoral life, or attempted __________________________________________________
against their virtue; __________________________________________________
(2) Any person who has been convicted of an attempt __________________________________________________
against the life of the testator, his or her spouse, descendants, __________________________________________________
or ascendants; __________________________________________________
(3) Any person who has accused the testator of a crime __________________________________________________
for which the law prescribes imprisonment for six years or __________________________________________________
more, if the accusation has been found groundless; __________________________________________________
(4) Any heir of full age who, having knowledge of the __________________________________________________
violent death of the testator, should fail to report it to an __________________________________________________
officer of the law within a month, unless the authorities have __________________________________________________
already taken action; this prohibition shall not apply to cases __________________________________________________
wherein, according to law, there is no obligation to make an __________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 10 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

accusation; __________________________________________________
(5) Any person convicted of adultery or concubinage with __________________________________________________
the spouse of the testator; __________________________________________________
(6) Any person who by fraud, violence, intimidation, or __________________________________________________
undue influence should cause the testator to make a will or to __________________________________________________
change one already made; __________________________________________________
(7) Any person who by the same means prevents another __________________________________________________
from making a will, or from revoking one already made, or __________________________________________________
who supplants, conceals, or alters the latter's will; __________________________________________________
(8) Any person who falsifies or forges a supposed will of __________________________________________________
the decedent. (756, 673, 674a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1033. The cause of unworthiness shall be without __________________________________________________
effect if the testator had knowledge thereof at the time he __________________________________________________
made the will, or if, having known of them subsequently, he __________________________________________________
should condone them in writing. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 990. The hereditary rights granted by the two __________________________________________________
preceding articles to illegitimate children shall be transmitted __________________________________________________
upon their death to their descendants, who shall inherit by __________________________________________________
right of representation from their deceased grandparent. (941a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 991. If legitimate ascendants are left, the illegitimate __________________________________________________
children shall divide the inheritance with them, taking one-half __________________________________________________
of the estate, whatever be the number of the ascendants or of __________________________________________________
the illegitimate children. (942-841a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 992. An illegitimate child has no right to inherit __________________________________________________
abintestato from the legitimate children and relatives of his __________________________________________________
father or mother; nor shall such children or relatives inherit in __________________________________________________
the same manner from the illegitimate child. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
d. Effect of alienations by the excluded heir __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1036. Alienations of hereditary property, and acts of __________________________________________________
administration performed by the excluded heir, before the __________________________________________________
judicial order of exclusion, are valid as to the third persons __________________________________________________
who acted in good faith; but the co-heirs shall have a right to __________________________________________________
recover damages from the disqualified heir. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
e. Rights of the excluded heir __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1035. If the person excluded from the inheritance by __________________________________________________
reason of incapacity should be a child or descendant of the __________________________________________________
decedent and should have children or descendants, the latter __________________________________________________
shall acquire his right to the legitime. __________________________________________________
The person so excluded shall not enjoy the usufruct and __________________________________________________
administration of the property thus inherited by his children. ________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 11 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Article 1037. The unworthy heir who is excluded from __________________________________________________


the succession has a right to demand indemnity or any __________________________________________________
expenses incurred in the preservation of the hereditary __________________________________________________
property, and to enforce such credits as he may have against __________________________________________________
the estate. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1014. If a person legally entitled to the estate of the __________________________________________________
deceased appears and files a claim thereto with the court __________________________________________________
within five years from the date the property was delivered to __________________________________________________
the State, such person shall be entitled to the possession of the __________________________________________________
same, or if sold the municipality or city shall be accountable to __________________________________________________
him for such part of the proceeds as may not have been __________________________________________________
lawfully spent. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
f. Liabilities of the excluded heir __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1038. Any person incapable of succession, who, __________________________________________________
disregarding the prohibition stated in the preceding articles, __________________________________________________
entered into the possession of the hereditary property, shall be __________________________________________________
obliged to return it together it its accessions. __________________________________________________
He shall be liable for all the fruits and rents he may have __________________________________________________
received, or could have received through the exercise of due __________________________________________________
diligence. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
g. Prescription of Action __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1040. The action for a declaration of incapacity and __________________________________________________
for the recovery of the inheritance, devise or legacy shall be __________________________________________________
brought within five years from the time the disqualified person __________________________________________________
took possession thereof. It may be brought by anyone who __________________________________________________
may have an interest in the succession. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
E. Object of Succession __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 776. The inheritance includes all the property, rights __________________________________________________
and obligations of a person which are not extinguished by his __________________________________________________
death. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 781. The inheritance of a person includes not only __________________________________________________
the property and the transmissible rights and obligations __________________________________________________
existing at the time of his death, but also those which have __________________________________________________
accrued thereto since the opening of the succession. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1311. Contracts take effect only between the parties, __________________________________________________
their assigns and heirs, except in case where the rights and __________________________________________________
obligations arising from the contract are not transmissible by __________________________________________________
their nature, or by stipulation or by provision of law. The heir __________________________________________________
________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 12 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

is not liable beyond the value of the property he received from __________________________________________________
the decedent. __________________________________________________
If a contract should contain some stipulation in favor of a __________________________________________________
third person, he may demand its fulfillment provided he __________________________________________________
communicated his acceptance to the obligor before its __________________________________________________
revocation. A mere incidental benefit or interest of a person is __________________________________________________
not sufficient. The contracting parties must have clearly and __________________________________________________
deliberately conferred a favor upon a third person. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1429. When a testate or intestate heir voluntarily __________________________________________________
pays a debt of the decedent exceeding the value of the __________________________________________________
property which he received by will or by the law of intestacy __________________________________________________
from the estate of the deceased, the payment is valid and __________________________________________________
cannot be rescinded by the payer. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1178. Subject to the laws, all rights acquired in __________________________________________________
virtue of an obligation are transmissible, if there has been no __________________________________________________
stipulation to the contrary. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1347. All things which are not outside the commerce __________________________________________________
of men, including future things, may be the object of a __________________________________________________
contract. All rights which are not intransmissible may also be __________________________________________________
the object of contracts. __________________________________________________
No contract may be entered into upon future inheritance __________________________________________________
except in cases expressly authorized by law. __________________________________________________
All services which are not contrary to law, morals, good __________________________________________________
customs, public order or public policy may likewise be the __________________________________________________
object of a contract. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
(Revised Penal Code) Art. 108. Obligation to make __________________________________________________
restoration, reparation for damages, or indemnification for __________________________________________________
consequential damages and actions to demand the same; Upon __________________________________________________
whom it devolves. The obligation to make restoration or __________________________________________________
reparation for damages and indemnification for consequential __________________________________________________
damages devolves upon the heirs of the person liable. __________________________________________________
The action to demand restoration, reparation, and __________________________________________________
indemnification likewise descends to the heirs of the person __________________________________________________
injured. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Reyes v. CA __________________________________________________
S.C. L-5620 July 31, 1954 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- If the contract is void, the property still forms part of __________________________________________________
the inheritance in order not to prejudice the heir. __________________________________________________
- The natural children of the deceased in this case are __________________________________________________
questioning the intrinsic validity of the will on the __________________________________________________
ground that his compulsory heir cannot be one, as __________________________________________________
theirs was an illicit relationship. SC held that as a ________________________________________________
general rule, courts in probate proceedings are

Atty. Uribe 13 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

limited to pass only upon the extrinsic validity of the __________________________________________________


will sought to be probated. There are, however, __________________________________________________
notable circumstances wherein the intrinsic validity __________________________________________________
was first determined as when the defect of the will is __________________________________________________
apparent on its face and the probate of the will may __________________________________________________
become a useless ceremony if it is intrinsically __________________________________________________
invalid. The intrinsic validity of a will may be passed __________________________________________________
upon because practical considerations demanded it __________________________________________________
as when there is preterition of heirs or the __________________________________________________
testamentary provisions are doubtful legality. In this __________________________________________________
case however, there was never an open admission of __________________________________________________
any illicit relationship. Thus, there was no need to go __________________________________________________
beyond the face of the will. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Guinto v. Medina __________________________________________________
50 O.G. # 1, p. 199, Oct. 7, 1953 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- SC held that the heirs of a defendant in a civil action __________________________________________________
is liable for damages for such action survives despite __________________________________________________
the defendants death. __________________________________________________
- As they are merely substituted in place of Santiago __________________________________________________
Medina upon his death, their liability is only up to the __________________________________________________
extent of the value of the property, which they might __________________________________________________
have received from the original defendant, Santiago __________________________________________________
Medina. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
F. Opening of Succession __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 777. The rights to the succession are transmitted __________________________________________________
from the moment of the death of the decedent. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 2263. Rights to the inheritance of a person who died, __________________________________________________
with or without a will, before the effectivity of this Code, shall __________________________________________________
be governed by the Civil Code of 1889, by other previous __________________________________________________
laws, and by the Rules of Court. The inheritance of those who, __________________________________________________
with or without a will, die after the beginning of the effectivity __________________________________________________
of this Code, shall be adjudicated and distributed in __________________________________________________
accordance with this new body of laws and by the Rules of __________________________________________________
Court; but the testamentary provisions shall be carried out __________________________________________________
insofar as they may be permitted by this Code. Therefore, __________________________________________________
legitimes, betterments, legacies and bequests shall be __________________________________________________
respected; however, their amount shall be reduced if in no __________________________________________________
other manner can every compulsory heir be given his full __________________________________________________
share according to this Code. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 2253. The Civil Code of 1889 and other previous __________________________________________________
laws shall govern rights originating, under said laws, from acts __________________________________________________
done or events which took place under their regime, even ________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 14 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

though this Code may regulate them in a different manner, or __________________________________________________


may not recognize them. But if a right should be declared for __________________________________________________
the first time in this Code, it shall be effective at once, even __________________________________________________
though the act or event which gives rise thereto may have been __________________________________________________
done or may have occurred under prior legislation, provided __________________________________________________
said new right does not prejudice or impair any vested or __________________________________________________
acquired right, of the same origin. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 533. The possession of hereditary property is deemed __________________________________________________
transmitted to the heir without interruption and from the __________________________________________________
moment of the death of the decedent, in case the inheritance is __________________________________________________
accepted. __________________________________________________
One who validly renounces an inheritance is deemed __________________________________________________
never to have possessed the same. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1347. All things which are not outside the commerce __________________________________________________
of men, including future things, may be the object of a __________________________________________________
contract. All rights which are not intransmissible may also be __________________________________________________
the object of contracts. __________________________________________________
No contract may be entered into upon future inheritance __________________________________________________
except in cases expressly authorized by law. __________________________________________________
All services which are not contrary to law, morals, good __________________________________________________
customs, public order or public policy may likewise be the __________________________________________________
object of a contract. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1461. Things having a potential existence may be the __________________________________________________
object of the contract of sale. __________________________________________________
The efficacy of the sale of a mere hope or expectancy is __________________________________________________
deemed subject to the condition that the thing will come into __________________________________________________
existence. __________________________________________________
The sale of a vain hope or expectancy is void. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 130. The future spouses may give each other in their __________________________________________________
marriage settlements as much as one-fifth of their present __________________________________________________
property, and with respect to their future property, only in the __________________________________________________
event of death, to the extent laid down by the provisions of __________________________________________________
this Code referring to testamentary succession. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 132. A donation by reason of marriage is not __________________________________________________
revocable, save in the following cases: __________________________________________________
(1) If it is conditional and the condition is not complied __________________________________________________
with; __________________________________________________
(2) If the marriage is not celebrated; __________________________________________________
(3) When the marriage takes place without the consent of __________________________________________________
the parents or guardian, as required by law; __________________________________________________
(4) When the marriage is annulled, and the donee acted in __________________________________________________
bad faith; __________________________________________________
(5) Upon legal separation, the donee being the guilty __________________________________________________
spouse; _______________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 15 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

(6) When the donee has committed an act of ingratitude as __________________________________________________


specified by the provisions of this Code on donations in __________________________________________________
general. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 390. After an absence of seven years, it being __________________________________________________
unknown whether or not the absentee still lives, he shall be __________________________________________________
presumed dead for all purposes, except for those of __________________________________________________
succession. __________________________________________________
The absentee shall not be presumed dead for the purpose __________________________________________________
of opening his succession till after an absence of ten years. If __________________________________________________
he disappeared after the age of seventy-five years, an absence __________________________________________________
of five years shall be sufficient in order that his succession __________________________________________________
may be opened. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 391. The following shall be presumed dead for all __________________________________________________
purposes, including the division of the estate among the heirs: __________________________________________________
(1) A person on board a vessel lost during a sea voyage, __________________________________________________
or an aeroplane which is missing, who has not been heard of __________________________________________________
for four years since the loss of the vessel or aeroplane; __________________________________________________
(2) A person in the armed forces who has taken part in __________________________________________________
war, and has been missing for four years; __________________________________________________
(3) A person who has been in danger of death under other __________________________________________________
circumstances and his existence has not been known for four __________________________________________________
years. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
(Family Code) Art. 84. If the future spouses agree upon a __________________________________________________
regime other than the absolute community of property, they __________________________________________________
cannot donate to each other in their marriage settlements more __________________________________________________
than one-fifth of their present property. Any excess shall be __________________________________________________
considered void. __________________________________________________
Donations of future property shall be governed by the __________________________________________________
provisions on testamentary succession and the formalities of __________________________________________________
wills. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
(Family Code) Art. 86. A donation by reason of marriage
__________________________________________________
may be revoked by the donor in the following cases:
__________________________________________________
(1) If the marriage is not celebrated or judicially declared
__________________________________________________
void ab initio except donations made in the marriage
__________________________________________________
settlements, which shall be governed by Article 81;
__________________________________________________
(2) When the marriage takes place without the consent of
__________________________________________________
the parents or guardian, as required by law;
__________________________________________________
(3) When the marriage is annulled, and the donee acted in
__________________________________________________
bad faith;
__________________________________________________
(4) Upon legal separation, the donee being the guilty
__________________________________________________
spouse;
__________________________________________________
(5) If it is with a resolutory condition and the condition is
__________________________________________________
complied with;
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_______________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 16 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

(6) When the donee has committed an act of ingratitude as __________________________________________________


specified by the provisions of the Civil Code on donations in __________________________________________________
general. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Requisites for the transmission of Successional Rights __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
1. Express will of the testator or provision of law __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. Death of the person whose property is the subject of __________________________________________________
succession __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 43. If there is a doubt, as between two or more
__________________________________________________
persons who are called to succeed each other, as to which of
__________________________________________________
them died first, whoever alleges the death of one prior to the
__________________________________________________
other, shall prove the same; in the absence of proof, it is
__________________________________________________
presumed that they died at the same time and there shall be no
__________________________________________________
transmission of rights from one to the other.
__________________________________________________
Survivorship Rule: __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Rule 131, Sec. 3(ii) That a trustee or other person whose __________________________________________________
duty it was to convey real property to a particular person has __________________________________________________
actually conveyed it to him when such presumption is __________________________________________________
necessary to perfect the title of such person or his successor in __________________________________________________
interest __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. Acceptance of the inheritance __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1041. The acceptance or repudiation of the
__________________________________________________
inheritance is an act which is purely voluntary and free. (988)
__________________________________________________
Art. 1042. The effects of the acceptance or repudiation __________________________________________________
shall always retroact to the moment of the death of the __________________________________________________
decedent. (989) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1043. No person may accept or repudiate an __________________________________________________
inheritance unless he is certain of the death of the person from __________________________________________________
whom he is to inherit, and of his right to the inheritance. (991) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1044. Any person having the free disposal of his __________________________________________________
property may accept or repudiate an inheritance. __________________________________________________
Any inheritance left to minors or incapacitated persons __________________________________________________
may be accepted by their parents or guardians. Parents or __________________________________________________
guardians may repudiate the inheritance left to their wards __________________________________________________
only by judicial authorization. __________________________________________________
The right to accept an inheritance left to the poor shall __________________________________________________
belong to the persons designated by the testator to determine __________________________________________________
the beneficiaries and distribute the property, or in their default, __________________________________________________
to those mentioned in Article 1030. (992a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 17 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Art. 1045. The lawful representatives of corporations, __________________________________________________


associations, institutions and entities qualified to acquire __________________________________________________
property may accept any inheritance left to the latter, but in __________________________________________________
order to repudiate it, the approval of the court shall be __________________________________________________
necessary.(993a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1046. Public official establishments can neither __________________________________________________
accept nor repudiate an inheritance without the approval of the __________________________________________________
government. (994) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1047. A married woman of age may repudiate an
__________________________________________________
inheritance without the consent of her husband. (995a)
__________________________________________________
Art. 1048. Deaf-mutes who can read and write may __________________________________________________
accept or repudiate the inheritance personally or through an __________________________________________________
agent. Should they not be able to read and write, the __________________________________________________
inheritance shall be accepted by their guardians. These __________________________________________________
guardians may repudiate the same with judicial approval. __________________________________________________
(996a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1049. Acceptance may be express or tacit. __________________________________________________
An express acceptance must be made in a public or __________________________________________________
private document. __________________________________________________
A tacit acceptance is one resulting from acts by which the __________________________________________________
intention to accept is necessarily implied, or which one would __________________________________________________
have no right to do except in the capacity of an heir. __________________________________________________
Acts of mere preservation or provisional administration __________________________________________________
do not imply an acceptance of the inheritance if, through such __________________________________________________
acts, the title or capacity of an heir has not been __________________________________________________
assumed. (999a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1050. An inheritance is deemed accepted: __________________________________________________
(1) If the heirs sells, donates, or assigns his right to a __________________________________________________
stranger, or to his co-heirs, or to any of them; __________________________________________________
(2) If the heir renounces the same, even though __________________________________________________
gratuitously, for the benefit of one or more of his co-heirs; __________________________________________________
(3) If he renounces it for a price in favor of all his co-heirs __________________________________________________
indiscriminately; but if this renunciation should be gratuitous, __________________________________________________
and the co-heirs in whose favor it is made are those upon __________________________________________________
whom the portion renounced should devolve by virtue of __________________________________________________
accretion, the inheritance shall not be deemed as __________________________________________________
accepted. (1000) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1051. The repudiation of an inheritance shall be __________________________________________________
made in a public or authentic instrument, or by petition __________________________________________________
presented to the court having jurisdiction over the __________________________________________________
testamentary or intestate proceedings. (1008) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 18 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Art. 1052. If the heir repudiates the inheritance to the __________________________________________________


prejudice of his own creditors, the latter may petition the court __________________________________________________
to authorize them to accept it in the name of the heir. __________________________________________________
The acceptance shall benefit the creditors only to an __________________________________________________
extent sufficient to cover the amount of their credits. The __________________________________________________
excess, should there be any, shall in no case pertain to the __________________________________________________
renouncer, but shall be adjudicated to the persons to whom, in __________________________________________________
accordance with the rules established in this Code, it may __________________________________________________
belong. (1001) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1053. If the heir should die without having accepted __________________________________________________
or repudiated the inheritance his right shall be transmitted to __________________________________________________
his heirs. (1006) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1054. Should there be several heirs called to the __________________________________________________
inheritance, some of them may accept and the others may __________________________________________________
repudiate it. (1007a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1055. If a person, who is called to the same
__________________________________________________
inheritance as an heir by will and ab intestato, repudiates the
__________________________________________________
inheritance in his capacity as a testamentary heir, he is
__________________________________________________
understood to have repudiated it in both capacities.
__________________________________________________
Should he repudiate it as an intestate heir, without
__________________________________________________
knowledge of his being a testamentary heir, he may still accept
__________________________________________________
it in the latter capacity. (1009)
__________________________________________________
Art. 1056. The acceptance or repudiation of an __________________________________________________
inheritance, once made, is irrevocable, and cannot be __________________________________________________
impugned, except when it was made through any of the causes __________________________________________________
that vitiate consent, or when an unknown will appears. (997) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 1057. Within thirty days after the court has issued an __________________________________________________
order for the distribution of the estate in accordance with the __________________________________________________
Rules of Court, the heirs, devisees and legatees shall signify to __________________________________________________
the court having jurisdiction whether they accept or repudiate __________________________________________________
the inheritance. __________________________________________________
If they do not do so within that time, they are deemed to __________________________________________________
have accepted the inheritance. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Uson v. Del Rosario __________________________________________________
92 Phil. 530 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Rights recognized for the first time in the NCC shall __________________________________________________
be given retroactive effect subject to the exception __________________________________________________
when an acquired or vested right shall be impaired. __________________________________________________
- Article 2253 provides that "if a right should be __________________________________________________
declared for the first time in this Code, it shall be __________________________________________________
effective at once, even though the act or event which __________________________________________________
gives rise thereto may have been done or may have __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 19 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

occurred under the prior legislation, provided said __________________________________________________


new right does not prejudice or impair any vested or __________________________________________________
acquired right, of the same origin." The right of __________________________________________________
ownership of Uson became vested in 1945 upon the __________________________________________________
death of her husband this is so because of Art. 777. __________________________________________________
The new right recognized under the NCC in favor of __________________________________________________
illegitimate children of the deceased cannot be __________________________________________________
asserted to the impairment of the vested right of Uson __________________________________________________
over the lands. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
De Borja v. De Borja __________________________________________________
46 SCRA 577 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The claim of the defendants that Maria Uson (legal __________________________________________________
wife) has relinquished her right over the lands in __________________________________________________
question because she expressly renounced to inherit __________________________________________________
any future property that her husband may acquire and __________________________________________________
leave upon his death in the deed of separation they __________________________________________________
had entered into cannot be entertained for the simple __________________________________________________
reason that future inheritance cannot be the object of __________________________________________________
a contract nor can it be renounced. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Bonilla v. Barcena __________________________________________________
71 SCRA 491 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- From the moment of the death of the decedent, the __________________________________________________
heirs become the absolute owners of his property, __________________________________________________
subject to the rights and obligations of the decedent, __________________________________________________
and they cannot be deprived of their rights thereto __________________________________________________
except by the methods provided for by law. The __________________________________________________
moment of death is the determining factor when the __________________________________________________
heirs acquire a definite right to the inheritance __________________________________________________
whether such right be pure or contingent. The right of __________________________________________________
the heirs to the property of the deceased vests in them __________________________________________________
even before judicial declaration of their being heirs in __________________________________________________
the testate or intestate proceedings. __________________________________________________
- The question as to whether an action survives or not __________________________________________________
depends on the nature of the action and the damage __________________________________________________
sued for. In the causes of action which survive, the __________________________________________________
wrong complained [of] affects primarily and __________________________________________________
principally property and property rights, the injuries __________________________________________________
to the person being merely incidental, while in the __________________________________________________
causes of action which do not survive, the injury __________________________________________________
complained of is to the person, the property and __________________________________________________
rights of property affected being incidental. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 20 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Cruz v. Cruz __________________________________________________


G.R. No. 173292, September 1, 2010 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- A Petition for Declaration of Nullity of Deed of Sale __________________________________________________
of Real Property is one relating to property and __________________________________________________
property rights, and therefore, survives the death of __________________________________________________
the petitioner. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Bough v. Modesto __________________________________________________
Jan 28, 1954, 94 Phil. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The contract is valid. It is well settled that rights by __________________________________________________
inheritance are acquired and transmitted upon the __________________________________________________
death of the decedent. If this is so, it must necessarily __________________________________________________
follow that it is perfectly legal for an heir to enter into __________________________________________________
a contract of the nature of the document (Modesto __________________________________________________
agreed that he would share with Restituto whatever __________________________________________________
property he might inherit from his deceased wife) in __________________________________________________
this case, the understanding to be, of course, that the __________________________________________________
contract would be effective only if and when he is __________________________________________________
really declared an heir and only as regards any __________________________________________________
property that might be adjudicated to him as such. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Borromeo-Herrera v. Borromeo __________________________________________________
152 SCRA 171 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The heirs could waive their hereditary rights in 1967 __________________________________________________
even if the order to partition the estate was issued __________________________________________________
only in 1969. The prevailing jurisprudence on waiver __________________________________________________
of hereditary rights is that "the properties included in __________________________________________________
an existing inheritance cannot be considered as __________________________________________________
belonging to third persons with respect to the heirs, __________________________________________________
who by fiction of law continue the personality of the __________________________________________________
former. Nor do such properties have the character of __________________________________________________
future property, because the heirs acquire a right to __________________________________________________
succession from the moment of the death of the __________________________________________________
deceased. __________________________________________________
- For a waiver to exist, three elements are essential: (1) __________________________________________________
the existence of a right; (2) the knowledge of the __________________________________________________
existence thereof; and (3) an intention to relinquish __________________________________________________
such right. The intention to waive a right or __________________________________________________
advantage must be shown clearly and convincingly. __________________________________________________
The circumstances of this case show that the __________________________________________________
signatories to the waiver document did not have the __________________________________________________
clear and convincing intention to relinquish their __________________________________________________
rights, in fact on a later date, an agreement to __________________________________________________
partition was signed by the heirs and was approved __________________________________________________
by the trial court. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 21 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

G. Kinds of Succession __________________________________________________


__________________________________________________
Art. 778. Succession may be: __________________________________________________
(1) Testamentary; __________________________________________________
(2) Legal or intestate; or __________________________________________________
(3) Mixed. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
1. Testamentary __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 779. Testamentary succession is that which results __________________________________________________
from the designation of an heir, made in a will executed in the __________________________________________________
form prescribed by law __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. Legal or Intestate
__________________________________________________
Art. 960. Legal or intestate succession takes place: __________________________________________________
(1) If a person dies without a will, or with a void will, or __________________________________________________
one which has subsequently lost its validity; __________________________________________________
(2) When the will does not institute an heir to, or dispose __________________________________________________
of all the property belonging to the testator. In such case, legal __________________________________________________
succession shall take place only with respect to the property of __________________________________________________
which the testator has not disposed; __________________________________________________
(3) If the suspensive condition attached to the institution __________________________________________________
of heir does not happen or is not fulfilled, or if the heir dies __________________________________________________
before the testator, or repudiates the inheritance, there being __________________________________________________
no substitution, and no right of accretion takes place; __________________________________________________
(4) When the heir instituted is incapable of succeeding, __________________________________________________
except in cases provided in this Code. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. Mixed __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 780. Mixed succession is that effected partly by will __________________________________________________
and partly byoperation of law. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
4. Contractual __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 130. The future spouses may give each other in their
__________________________________________________
marriage settlements as much as one-fifth of their present
__________________________________________________
property, and with respect to their future property, only in the
__________________________________________________
event of death, to the extent laid down by the provisions of
__________________________________________________
this Code referring to testamentary succession.
__________________________________________________
Art. 1347. All things which are not outside the commerce __________________________________________________
of men, including future things, may be the object of a __________________________________________________
contract. All rights which are not intransmissible may also be __________________________________________________
the object of contracts. __________________________________________________
No contract may be entered into upon future inheritance __________________________________________________
except in cases expressly authorized by law. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 22 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

All services which are not contrary to law, morals, good __________________________________________________
customs, public order or public policy may likewise be the __________________________________________________
object of a contract. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Art. 752. The provisions of Article 750 notwithstanding, __________________________________________________
no person may give or receive, by way of donation, more than __________________________________________________
he may give or receive by will. __________________________________________________
The donation shall be inofficious in all that it may exceed __________________________________________________
this limitation. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
(Family Code) Art. 84. If the future spouses agree upon a __________________________________________________
regime other than the absolute community of property, they __________________________________________________
cannot donate to each other in their marriage settlements more __________________________________________________
than one-fifth of their present property. Any excess shall be __________________________________________________
considered void. __________________________________________________
Donations of future property shall be governed by the __________________________________________________
provisions on testamentary succession and the formalities of __________________________________________________
wills. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
5. Compulsory
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 23 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

TESTAMENTARY SUCCESSION __________________________________________________


__________________________________________________
II. WILLS __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
A. Definition. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 783. A will is an act whereby a person is
__________________________________________________
permitted, with the formalities prescribed by law, to control to
__________________________________________________
a certain degree the disposition of this estate, to take effect
__________________________________________________
after his death. (667a)
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
B. Characteristics
__________________________________________________
Article 783. A will is an act whereby a person is __________________________________________________
permitted, with the formalities prescribed by law, to control to __________________________________________________
a certain degree the disposition of this estate, to take effect __________________________________________________
after his death. (667a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 839. The will shall be disallowed in any of the __________________________________________________
following cases: __________________________________________________
xxx __________________________________________________
(3) If it was executed through force or under duress, or the __________________________________________________
influence of fear, or threats; __________________________________________________
(4) If it was procured by undue and improper pressure and __________________________________________________
influence, on the part of the beneficiary or of some other __________________________________________________
person; __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 828. A will may be revoked by the testator at any __________________________________________________
time before his death. Any waiver or restriction of this right is __________________________________________________
void. (737a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 796. All persons who are not expressly prohibited __________________________________________________
by law may make a will. (662) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 797. Persons of either sex under eighteen years of
__________________________________________________
age cannot make a will. (n)
__________________________________________________
Article 798. In order to make a will it is essential that the __________________________________________________
testator be of sound mind at the time of its execution. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 777. The rights to the succession are transmitted __________________________________________________
from the moment of the death of the decedent. (657a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 818. Two or more persons cannot make a will __________________________________________________
jointly, or in the same instrument, either for their reciprocal __________________________________________________
benefit or for the benefit of a third person. (669) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 784. The making of a will is a strictly personal
__________________________________________________
act; it cannot be left in whole or in part to the discretion of a
__________________________________________________
third person, or accomplished through the instrumentality of
__________________________________________________
an agent or attorney. (670a)

Atty. Uribe 24 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Article 785. The duration or efficacy of the designation of __________________________________________________


heirs, devisees or legatees, or the determination of the portions __________________________________________________
which they are to take, when referred to by name, cannot be __________________________________________________
left to the discretion of a third person. (670a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 786. The testator may entrust to a third person the __________________________________________________
distribution of specific property or sums of money that he may __________________________________________________
leave in general to specified classes or causes, and also the __________________________________________________
designation of the persons, institutions or establishments to __________________________________________________
which such property or sums are to be given or applied. (671a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 787. The testator may not make a testamentary
__________________________________________________
disposition in such manner that another person has to
__________________________________________________
determine whether or not it is to be operative. (n)
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
C. Interpretation of Wills
__________________________________________________
Article 788. If a testamentary disposition admits of __________________________________________________
different interpretations, in case of doubt, that interpretation __________________________________________________
by which the disposition is to be operative shall be preferred. __________________________________________________
(n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 789. When there is an imperfect description, or __________________________________________________
when no person or property exactly answers the description, __________________________________________________
mistakes and omissions must be corrected, if the error appears __________________________________________________
from the context of the will or from extrinsic evidence, __________________________________________________
excluding the oral declarations of the testator as to his __________________________________________________
intention; and when an uncertainty arises upon the face of the __________________________________________________
will, as to the application of any of its provisions, the testator's __________________________________________________
intention is to be ascertained from the words of the will, taking __________________________________________________
into consideration the circumstances under which it was made, __________________________________________________
excluding such oral declarations. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 790. The words of a will are to be taken in their __________________________________________________
ordinary and grammatical sense, unless a clear intention to use __________________________________________________
them in another sense can be gathered, and that other can be __________________________________________________
ascertained. __________________________________________________
Technical words in a will are to be taken in their technical __________________________________________________
sense, unless the context clearly indicates a contrary intention, __________________________________________________
or unless it satisfactorily appears that the will was drawn __________________________________________________
solely by the testator, and that he was unacquainted with such __________________________________________________
technical sense. (675a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 791. The words of a will are to receive an __________________________________________________
interpretation which will give to every expression some effect, __________________________________________________
rather than one which will render any of the expressions __________________________________________________
inoperative; and of two modes of interpreting a will, that is to __________________________________________________
be preferred which will prevent intestacy. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 25 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Article 792. The invalidity of one of several dispositions __________________________________________________


contained in a will does not result in the invalidity of the other __________________________________________________
dispositions, unless it is to be presumed that the testator would __________________________________________________
not have made such other dispositions if the first invalid __________________________________________________
disposition had not been made. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 793. Property acquired after the making of a will __________________________________________________
shall only pass thereby, as if the testator had possessed it at the __________________________________________________
time of making the will, should it expressly appear by the will __________________________________________________
that such was his intention. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 794. Every devise or legacy shall cover all the
__________________________________________________
interest which the testator could device or bequeath in the
__________________________________________________
property disposed of, unless it clearly appears from the will
__________________________________________________
that he intended to convey a less interest. (n)
__________________________________________________
Article 930. The legacy or devise of a thing belonging to __________________________________________________
another person is void, if the testator erroneously believed that __________________________________________________
the thing pertained to him. But if the thing bequeathed, though __________________________________________________
not belonging to the testator when he made the will, __________________________________________________
afterwards becomes his, by whatever title, the disposition shall __________________________________________________
take effect. (862a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Solla v. Ascuenta __________________________________________________
49 Phil. 333 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Where the testator's intention is manifest from the __________________________________________________
context of the will and surrounding circumstances, __________________________________________________
but is obscured by inapt and inaccurate modes of __________________________________________________
expression, the language will be subordinated to the __________________________________________________
intention, and in order to give effect to such intention, __________________________________________________
as far as possible, the court may depart from the strict __________________________________________________
wording and read word or phrase in a sense different __________________________________________________
from that which is ordinarily attributed to it, and for __________________________________________________
such purpose may mould or change the language of __________________________________________________
the will. such as restricting its application or __________________________________________________
supplying omitted words or phrases. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
III. TESTAMENTARY CAPACITY AND INTENT
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
A. Who may make a will?
__________________________________________________
Article 796. All persons who are not expressly prohibited __________________________________________________
by law may make a will. (662) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 797. Persons of either sex under eighteen years of __________________________________________________
age cannot make a will. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 798. In order to make a will it is essential that the __________________________________________________
testator be of sound mind at the time of its execution. (n) __________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 26 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Article 799. To be of sound mind, it is not necessary that __________________________________________________


the testator be in full possession of all his reasoning faculties, __________________________________________________
or that his mind be wholly unbroken, unimpaired, or __________________________________________________
unshattered by disease, injury or other cause. __________________________________________________
It shall be sufficient if the testator was able at the time of __________________________________________________
making the will to know the nature of the estate to be disposed __________________________________________________
of, the proper objects of his bounty, and the character of the __________________________________________________
testamentary act. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 800. The law presumes that every person is of __________________________________________________
sound mind, in the absence of proof to the contrary. __________________________________________________
The burden of proof that the testator was not of sound __________________________________________________
mind at the time of making his dispositions is on the person __________________________________________________
who opposes the probate of the will; but if the testator, one __________________________________________________
month, or less, before making his will was publicly known to __________________________________________________
be insane, the person who maintains the validity of the will __________________________________________________
must prove that the testator made it during a lucid interval. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 801. Supervening incapacity does not invalidate
__________________________________________________
an effective will, nor is the will of an incapable validated by
__________________________________________________
the supervening of capacity. (n)
__________________________________________________
Article 802. A married woman may make a will without __________________________________________________
the consent of her husband, and without the authority of the __________________________________________________
court. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 803. A married woman may dispose by will of all __________________________________________________
her separate property as well as her share of the conjugal __________________________________________________
partnership or absolute community property. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
B. Supervening incapacity __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 801. Supervening incapacity does not invalidate __________________________________________________
an effective will, nor is the will of an incapable validated by __________________________________________________
the supervening of capacity. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Baltazar v. Laxa
__________________________________________________
G.R. No. 174489, April 11, 2012
__________________________________________________
- The burden of proving the testators incapacity lies __________________________________________________
on those who assail the validity of his will. It must be __________________________________________________
proven with clear and convincing evidence and not __________________________________________________
just bare allegation of forgetfulness. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
IV. SOLEMNITIES OF WILLS __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
A. Kinds of Wills __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 804. Every will must be in writing and executed __________________________________________________
in a language or dialect known to the testator. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 27 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Article 810. A person may execute a holographic will __________________________________________________


which must be entirely written, dated, and signed by the hand __________________________________________________
of the testator himself. It is subject to no other form, and may __________________________________________________
be made in or out of the Philippines, and need not be __________________________________________________
witnessed. (678, 688a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
B. Notarial Wills __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
1. General requirements. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 804. Every will must be in writing and executed
__________________________________________________
in a language or dialect known to the testator. (n)
__________________________________________________
Suroza v. Honrado __________________________________________________
110 SCRA 388 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- A will written in a language not known to the testator __________________________________________________
is void. It runs contrary to the mandatory provision of __________________________________________________
Article 804 of the Civil Code that every will must be __________________________________________________
executed in a language or dialect known to the __________________________________________________
testator. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- In the opening paragraph of the will, it was stated that __________________________________________________
English was a language understood and known to __________________________________________________
the testatrix. But in its concluding paragraph, it was __________________________________________________
stated that the will was read to the testatrix and __________________________________________________
translated into Filipino language. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. Specific requirements. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 805. Every will, other than a holographic will,
__________________________________________________
must be subscribed at the end thereof by the testator himself or
__________________________________________________
by the testator's name written by some other person in his
__________________________________________________
presence, and by his express direction, and attested and
__________________________________________________
subscribed by three or more credible witnesses in the presence
__________________________________________________
of the testator and of one another.
__________________________________________________
The testator or the person requested by him to write his
__________________________________________________
name and the instrumental witnesses of the will, shall also
__________________________________________________
sign, as aforesaid, each and every page thereof, except the last,
__________________________________________________
on the left margin, and all the pages shall be numbered
__________________________________________________
correlatively in letters placed on the upper part of each page.
__________________________________________________
The attestation shall state the number of pages used upon
__________________________________________________
which the will is written, and the fact that the testator signed
__________________________________________________
the will and every page thereof, or caused some other person
__________________________________________________
to write his name, under his express direction, in the presence
__________________________________________________
of the instrumental witnesses, and that the latter witnessed and
__________________________________________________
signed the will and all the pages thereof in the presence of the
__________________________________________________
testator and of one another.
__________________________________________________
If the attestation clause is in a language not known to the
__________________________________________________
witnesses, it shall be interpreted to them. (n)
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 28 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Article 806. Every will must be acknowledged before a __________________________________________________


notary public by the testator and the witnesses. The notary __________________________________________________
public shall not be required to retain a copy of the will, or file __________________________________________________
another with the office of the Clerk of Court.(n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Garcia v. Lacuesta __________________________________________________
90 Phil. 489 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- An attestation clause must state that another person __________________________________________________
wrote the testators name under the latters express __________________________________________________
direction. __________________________________________________
- A cross cannot be taken as the signature of the __________________________________________________
testator absent proof unless it is his usual signature. __________________________________________________
- The cross was not proven to be the signature of the __________________________________________________
testator. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Balonan v. Abellana __________________________________________________
109 Phil. 358 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The law requires that the testator himself sign the __________________________________________________
will, or if he cannot do so, the testator's name must be __________________________________________________
written by some other person in his presence and by __________________________________________________
his express direction. __________________________________________________
- The present law, Article 805 of the Civil Code, in __________________________________________________
part provides as follows: Every will, other than a __________________________________________________
holographic will, must be subscribed at the end __________________________________________________
thereof by the testator himself or by the testator's __________________________________________________
name written by some other person in his presence, __________________________________________________
and by his express direction, and attested and __________________________________________________
subscribed by three or more credible witness in the __________________________________________________
presence of the testator and of one another. __________________________________________________
- Note that the old law as well as the new requires that __________________________________________________
the testator himself sign the will, or if he cannot do __________________________________________________
so, the testator's name must be written by some other __________________________________________________
person in his presence and by his express direction. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Nera v. Rimando __________________________________________________
18 Phil. 450 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The true test of presence of the testator and the __________________________________________________
witnesses in the execution of a will is not whether __________________________________________________
they actually saw each other sign, but whether they __________________________________________________
might have been seen each other sign, had they __________________________________________________
chosen to do so, considering their mental and __________________________________________________
physical condition and position with relation to each __________________________________________________
other at the moment of inscription of each signature. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 29 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

- The position of the parties with relation to each other __________________________________________________


at the moment of the subscription of each signature, __________________________________________________
must be such that they may see each other sign if __________________________________________________
they choose to do so. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Taboada v. Rosal __________________________________________________
118 SCRA 195 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- When the testator signs at the left hand margin of the __________________________________________________
last page instead of the attestation clause, it is __________________________________________________
considered an unsubstantial defect which must be __________________________________________________
ignored in order to fulfill the wishes of the decedent. __________________________________________________
- Defects: __________________________________________________
o No indication of total number of pages = __________________________________________________
disposition stated total number of pages; __________________________________________________
o Signature of testatrix at the left hand margin __________________________________________________
and not at the end = it is an unsubstantial __________________________________________________
defect which may be ignored. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Echavez v. Dozen Construction __________________________________________________
G.R. No. 192916, October 11, 2010 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- An acknowledgment is made by one executing a __________________________________________________
deed, declaring before a competent officer or court __________________________________________________
that the deed or act is his own. On the other hand, the __________________________________________________
attestation of a will refers to the act of the __________________________________________________
instrumental witnesses themselves who certify to the __________________________________________________
execution of the instrument before them and to the __________________________________________________
manner of its execution. __________________________________________________
- An attestation must state all the details the third __________________________________________________
paragraph of Article 805 requires. In the absence of __________________________________________________
the required avowal by the witnesses themselves, no __________________________________________________
attestation clause can be deemed embodied in the __________________________________________________
Acknowledgement of the Deed of Donation Mortis __________________________________________________
Causa. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
In re Enrique Lopez. Lopez v. Lopez __________________________________________________
G.R. No. 189984, November 12, 2012 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The law is clear that the attestation must state the __________________________________________________
number of pages used upon which the will is written. __________________________________________________
The purpose of the law is to safeguard against __________________________________________________
possible interpolation or omission of one or some of __________________________________________________
its pages and prevent any increase or decrease in the __________________________________________________
pages. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 30 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

- It held that while Article 809 of the same Code __________________________________________________


requires mere substantial compliance of the form in __________________________________________________
Article 805, the rule only applies if the number of __________________________________________________
pages is reflected somewhere else in the will with no __________________________________________________
evidence aliunde or extrinsic evidence required. __________________________________________________
While the acknowledgment portion stated that the __________________________________________________
will consists of 7 pages including the page on which __________________________________________________
the ratification and acknowledgment are written, the __________________________________________________
RTC observed that it has 8 pages including the __________________________________________________
acknowledgment portion. As such, it disallowed the __________________________________________________
will for not having been executed and attested in __________________________________________________
accordance with law. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Icasiano v. Icasiano __________________________________________________
11 SCRA 422 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The prevailing policy is to require satisfaction of the __________________________________________________
legal requirements in order to guard against fraud and __________________________________________________
bad faith but without undue or unnecessary __________________________________________________
curtailment of testamentary privilege. __________________________________________________
- The inadvertent failure of one witness to affix his __________________________________________________
signature to one page of a testament, due to the __________________________________________________
simultaneous lifting of two pages in the course of __________________________________________________
signing, is not per se sufficient to justify denial of __________________________________________________
probate. Impossibility of substitution of this page is __________________________________________________
assured not only the fact that the testatrix and two __________________________________________________
other witnesses did sign the defective page, but also __________________________________________________
by its bearing the coincident imprint of the seal of the __________________________________________________
notary public before whom the testament was ratified __________________________________________________
by testatrix and all three witnesses. __________________________________________________
- The law should not be so strictly and literally __________________________________________________
interpreted as to penalize the testatrix on account of __________________________________________________
the inadvertence of a single witness over whose __________________________________________________
conduct she had no control, where the purpose of the __________________________________________________
law to guarantee the identity of the testament and its __________________________________________________
component pages is sufficiently attained, no __________________________________________________
intentional or deliberate deviation existed, and the __________________________________________________
evidence on record attests to the full observance of __________________________________________________
the statutory requisites. The prevailing policy is to __________________________________________________
require satisfaction of the legal requirements in order __________________________________________________
to guard against fraud and bad faith but without __________________________________________________
undue or unnecessary curtailment of testamentary __________________________________________________
privilege. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 31 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Cruz v. Villasor __________________________________________________


54 SCRA, 31 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The notary public before whom the will was __________________________________________________
acknowledged cannot be considered as the third __________________________________________________
instrumental witness since he cannot acknowledge __________________________________________________
before himself his having signed the will. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Gabucan v. Manta __________________________________________________
95 SCRA 752 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- If the will bears no required documentary stamp, the __________________________________________________
court should not dismiss the probation of a will but __________________________________________________
rather require the petitioner to affix the required __________________________________________________
documentary stamp to the notarial acknowledgment __________________________________________________
of the will. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Javellana v. Ledesma __________________________________________________
97 Phil. 258 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The New Civil Code does not require that the signing __________________________________________________
of the testator, witnesses and the notary be __________________________________________________
accomplished in one single act. All that is required is __________________________________________________
that every will must be acknowledged before a notary __________________________________________________
public by the testator and witnesses. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Witnesses to a will __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
a. Who are competent? __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 820. Any person of sound mind and of the age of
__________________________________________________
eighteen years or more, and not blind, deaf or dumb, and able
__________________________________________________
to read and write, may be a witness to the execution of a will
__________________________________________________
mentioned in article 805 of this Code. (n)
__________________________________________________
Article 821. The following are disqualified from being __________________________________________________
witnesses to a will: __________________________________________________
(1) Any person not domiciled in the Philippines; __________________________________________________
(2) Those who have been convicted of falsification of a __________________________________________________
document, perjury or false testimony. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 824. A mere charge on the estate of the testator __________________________________________________
for the payment of debts due at the time of the testator's death __________________________________________________
does not prevent his creditors from being competent witnesses __________________________________________________
to his will. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 32 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

b. Supervening incompetency __________________________________________________


__________________________________________________
Article 822. If the witnesses attesting the execution of a __________________________________________________
will are competent at the time of attesting, their becoming __________________________________________________
subsequently incompetent shall not prevent the allowance of __________________________________________________
the will. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
c. Competency of interested witness
__________________________________________________
Article 823. If a person attests the execution of a will, to __________________________________________________
whom or to whose spouse, or parent, or child, a devise or __________________________________________________
legacy is given by such will, such devise or legacy shall, so far __________________________________________________
only as concerns such person, or spouse, or parent, or child of __________________________________________________
such person, or any one claiming under such person or spouse, __________________________________________________
or parent, or child, be void, unless there are three other __________________________________________________
competent witnesses to such will. However, such person so __________________________________________________
attesting shall be admitted as a witness as if such devise or __________________________________________________
legacy had not been made or given. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. Special Requirements for deaf, deaf-mute & blind __________________________________________________
testators. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 807. If the testator be deaf, or a deaf-mute, he __________________________________________________
must personally read the will, if able to do so; otherwise, he __________________________________________________
shall designate two persons to read it and communicate to him, __________________________________________________
in some practicable manner, the contents thereof. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 808. If the testator is blind, the will shall be read
__________________________________________________
to him twice; once, by one of the subscribing witnesses, and
__________________________________________________
again, by the notary public before whom the will is
__________________________________________________
acknowledged. (n)
__________________________________________________
Garcia v. Vasquez __________________________________________________
32 SCRA 489 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Art. 808 of the NCC provides that: if the testator is __________________________________________________
blind, the will shall be read to him twice; once by one __________________________________________________
of the subscribing witnesses, and again by the notary __________________________________________________
public before whom the will is acknowledged. The __________________________________________________
rationale behind the requirement of reading the will __________________________________________________
to the testator if he is blind or incapable of reading is __________________________________________________
to make the provisions thereof known to him, so that __________________________________________________
he may able to object if they are not in accordance __________________________________________________
with his wishes. The aim of the law is to ensure that __________________________________________________
the dispositions of the will are properly __________________________________________________
communicated to and understood by the handicapped __________________________________________________
testator, thus, making them truly reflective of his __________________________________________________
desire. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 33 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

4. Substantial Compliance. __________________________________________________


__________________________________________________
Article 809. In the absence of bad faith, forgery, or fraud, __________________________________________________
or undue and improper pressure and influence, defects and __________________________________________________
imperfections in the form of attestation or in the language used __________________________________________________
therein shall not render the will invalid if it is proved that the __________________________________________________
will was in fact executed and attested in substantial __________________________________________________
compliance with all the requirements of article 805. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
C. Holographic Wills __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
1. General requirements.
__________________________________________________
Article 804. Every will must be in writing and executed __________________________________________________
in a language or dialect known to the testator. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. Specific requirements. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 810. A person may execute a holographic will __________________________________________________
which must be entirely written, dated, and signed by the hand __________________________________________________
of the testator himself. It is subject to no other form, and may __________________________________________________
be made in or out of the Philippines, and need not be __________________________________________________
witnessed. (678, 688a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 812. In holographic wills, the dispositions of the
__________________________________________________
testator written below his signature must be dated and signed
__________________________________________________
by him in order to make them valid as testamentary
__________________________________________________
dispositions. (n)
__________________________________________________
Article 813. When a number of dispositions appearing in __________________________________________________
a holographic will are signed without being dated, and the last __________________________________________________
disposition has a signature and a date, such date validates the __________________________________________________
dispositions preceding it, whatever be the time of prior __________________________________________________
dispositions. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Roxas v. De Jesus __________________________________________________
134 SCRA 245 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- A date containing the month and year, without __________________________________________________
indicating the specific day, is valid compliance with __________________________________________________
art 810 (holographic will must be dated) there being __________________________________________________
no appearance of fraud, bad faith, undue influence __________________________________________________
and pressure. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 34 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Kalaw v. Relova __________________________________________________


132 SCRA 237 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- As a general rule only parts which are under erasures, __________________________________________________
corrections, and interlineations made by the testator __________________________________________________
in a holographic will litem not been noted under his __________________________________________________
signature shall be deemed void, HOWEVER if those __________________________________________________
particular words are erased or corrected if made void __________________________________________________
would not leave the will with anything to stand on, is __________________________________________________
shall be void as a whole. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
V. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENT __________________________________________________
BY REFERENCE __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 827. If a will, executed as required by this Code,
__________________________________________________
incorporates into itself by reference any document or paper,
__________________________________________________
such document or paper shall not be considered a part of the
__________________________________________________
will unless the following requisites are present:
__________________________________________________
(1) The document or paper referred to in the will must be
__________________________________________________
in existence at the time of the execution of the will;
__________________________________________________
(2) The will must clearly describe and identify the same,
__________________________________________________
stating among other things the number of pages thereof;
__________________________________________________
(3) It must be identified by clear and satisfactory proof as
__________________________________________________
the document or paper referred to therein; and
__________________________________________________
(4) It must be signed by the testator and the witnesses on
__________________________________________________
each and every page, except in case of voluminous books of
__________________________________________________
account or inventories. (n)
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
VI. CODICILS
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
A. Definition
__________________________________________________
Article 825. A codicil is supplement or addition to a will, __________________________________________________
made after the execution of a will and annexed to be taken as a __________________________________________________
part thereof, by which disposition made in the original will is __________________________________________________
explained, added to, or altered. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 830. No will shall be revoked except in the __________________________________________________
following cases: __________________________________________________
(1) By implication of law; or __________________________________________________
(2) By some will, codicil, or other writing executed as __________________________________________________
provided in case of wills; or __________________________________________________
(3) By burning, tearing, cancelling, or obliterating the will __________________________________________________
with the intention of revoking it, by the testator himself, or by __________________________________________________
some other person in his presence, and by his express __________________________________________________
direction. If burned, torn, cancelled, or obliterated by some __________________________________________________
other person, without the express direction of the testator, the __________________________________________________
will may still be established, and the estate distributed in __________________________________________________
accordance therewith, if its contents, and due execution, and __________________________________________________
the fact of its unauthorized destruction, cancellation, or __________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 35 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

obliteration are established according to the Rules of Court. __________________________________________________


(n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
B. Solemnities __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 826. In order that a codicil may be effective, it __________________________________________________
shall be executed as in the case of a will. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
VII. REVOCATION OF WILLS AND __________________________________________________
TESTAMENTARY DISPOSITIONS __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
A. Definition of revocation __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
B. When may revocation be effected __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 828. A will may be revoked by the testator at any __________________________________________________
time before his death. Any waiver or restriction of this right is __________________________________________________
void. (737a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
C. Law governing revocation
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 829. A revocation done outside the Philippines,
__________________________________________________
by a person who does not have his domicile in this country, is
__________________________________________________
valid when it is done according to the law of the place where
__________________________________________________
the will was made, or according to the law of the place in
__________________________________________________
which the testator had his domicile at the time; and if the
__________________________________________________
revocation takes place in this country, when it is in accordance
__________________________________________________
with the provisions of this Code. (n)
__________________________________________________
D. Modes of revocation. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 830. No will shall be revoked except in the __________________________________________________
following cases: __________________________________________________
(1) By implication of law; or __________________________________________________
(2) By some will, codicil, or other writing executed as __________________________________________________
provided in case of wills; or __________________________________________________
(3) By burning, tearing, cancelling, or obliterating the will __________________________________________________
with the intention of revoking it, by the testator himself, or by __________________________________________________
some other person in his presence, and by his express __________________________________________________
direction. If burned, torn, cancelled, or obliterated by some __________________________________________________
other person, without the express direction of the testator, the __________________________________________________
will may still be established, and the estate distributed in __________________________________________________
accordance therewith, if its contents, and due execution, and __________________________________________________
the fact of its unauthorized destruction, cancellation, or __________________________________________________
obliteration are established according to the Rules of Court. __________________________________________________
(n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 36 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Gago v. Mamuyac __________________________________________________


49 Phil. 902 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Where the will which cannot be found is shown to __________________________________________________
have been in possession of the testator, when last __________________________________________________
seen, the presumption is, in the absence of other __________________________________________________
competent evidence, that the same was cancelled or __________________________________________________
destroyed; __________________________________________________
- The fact that such cancellation or revocation has __________________________________________________
taken place must either remain unproved or be __________________________________________________
inferred from evidence showing that after due search __________________________________________________
the original will cannot be found. __________________________________________________
- In view of the fact that the original will of 1919 could __________________________________________________
not be found after the death of the testator Miguel __________________________________________________
Mamuyac and in view of the positive proof that the __________________________________________________
same had been cancelled, the Court is of the __________________________________________________
conclusion that the will presented for probate had __________________________________________________
been cancelled by the testator in 1920. __________________________________________________
- Duplicate copy of a will may be admitted in evidence __________________________________________________
when it is made to appear that the original has been __________________________________________________
lost and was not cancelled or destroyed by the __________________________________________________
testator. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Casiano v. CA __________________________________________________
158 SCRA 451 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- In this case, while animus revocandi or the intention __________________________________________________
to revoke, may be conceded, for that is a state of __________________________________________________
mind, yet the requisite alone would not suffice. __________________________________________________
Animus revocandi is only one of the necessary __________________________________________________
elements for the effective revocation of a last will and __________________________________________________
testament. The intention to revoke must be __________________________________________________
accompanied by the overt physical act of burning, __________________________________________________
tearing, obliterating, or cancelling the will carried out __________________________________________________
by the testator or by another person in his presence __________________________________________________
and under his express direction. __________________________________________________
- There is paucity of evidence to show compliance __________________________________________________
with these requirements. For one, the documents or __________________________________________________
papers burned by Adrianas maid, Guadalupe, was __________________________________________________
not satisfactorily established to be a will at all, much __________________________________________________
less the will of Adriana Maloto. For another, the __________________________________________________
burning was not proven to be under the express __________________________________________________
direction of Adriana. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
E. Effect of revocation. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 831. Subsequent wills which do not revoke the __________________________________________________
previous ones in an express manner, annul only such __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 37 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

dispositions in the prior wills as are inconsistent with or __________________________________________________


contrary to those contained in the later wills. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 832. A revocation made in a subsequent will shall __________________________________________________
take effect, even if the new will should become inoperative by __________________________________________________
reason of the incapacity of the heirs, devisees or legatees __________________________________________________
designated therein, or by their renunciation. (740a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 833. A revocation of a will based on a false cause
__________________________________________________
or an illegal cause is null and void. (n)
__________________________________________________
Article 834. The recognition of an illegitimate child does __________________________________________________
not lose its legal effect, even though the will wherein it was __________________________________________________
made should be revoked. (741) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
F. Doctrine of Dependent Relative Revocation __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Molo v. Molo __________________________________________________
90 Phil. 3 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- This doctrine is known as that of dependent relative __________________________________________________
revocation, and is usually applied where the testator __________________________________________________
cancels or destroys a will or executes an instrument __________________________________________________
intended to revoke a will with a present intention to __________________________________________________
make a new testamentary disposition as a substitute __________________________________________________
for the old, and the new disposition is not made or, if __________________________________________________
made, fails of effect for same reason. __________________________________________________
- The doctrine is limited to the existence of some other __________________________________________________
document, however, and has been applied where a __________________________________________________
will was destroyed as a consequence of a mistake of __________________________________________________
law. __________________________________________________
- Revocation of the first will, will be conditional and __________________________________________________
dependent upon the efficacy of the new disposition; __________________________________________________
and if, for any reason, the new will intended to be __________________________________________________
made as a substitute is inoperative, the revocation __________________________________________________
fails and the original will remains in full force. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
VIII. REPUBLICATION AND __________________________________________________
REVIVAL OF WILLS __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 835. The testator cannot republish, without __________________________________________________
reproducing in a subsequent will, the dispositions contained in __________________________________________________
a previous one which is void as to its form. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 836. The execution of a codicil referring to a
__________________________________________________
previous will has the effect of republishing the will as
__________________________________________________
modified by the codicil. (n)
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 38 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Article 837. If after making a will, the testator makes a __________________________________________________


second will expressly revoking the first, the revocation of the __________________________________________________
second will does not revive the first will, which can be revived __________________________________________________
only by another will or codicil. (739a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
IX. ALLOWANCE OF WILLS. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 838. No will shall pass either real or personal
__________________________________________________
property unless it is proved and allowed in accordance with
__________________________________________________
the Rules of Court.
__________________________________________________
The testator himself may, during his lifetime, petition the
__________________________________________________
court having jurisdiction for the allowance of his will. In such
__________________________________________________
case, the pertinent provisions of the Rules of Court for the
__________________________________________________
allowance of wills after the testator's a death shall govern.
__________________________________________________
The Supreme Court shall formulate such additional Rules
__________________________________________________
of Court as may be necessary for the allowance of wills on
__________________________________________________
petition of the testator.
__________________________________________________
Subject to the right of appeal, the allowance of the will,
__________________________________________________
either during the lifetime of the testator or after his death, shall
__________________________________________________
be conclusive as to its due execution. (n)
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
A. Concept of probate
__________________________________________________
Agtarap v. Agtarap __________________________________________________
G.R. No. 177099 and 177192, June 8, 2011 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- GR: The jurisdiction of the trial court, either as a __________________________________________________
probate or an intestate court, relates only to matters __________________________________________________
having to do with the probate of the will and/or __________________________________________________
settlement of the estate of deceased persons, but does __________________________________________________
not extend to the determination of questions of __________________________________________________
ownership that arise during the proceedings. __________________________________________________
- A probate court or one in charge of estate __________________________________________________
proceedings, whether testate or intestate, cannot __________________________________________________
adjudicate or determine title to properties claimed to __________________________________________________
be a part of the estate. All that the said court could do __________________________________________________
as regards said properties is to determine WON they __________________________________________________
should be included in the inventory of properties to __________________________________________________
be administered by the administrator. __________________________________________________
- XPNS: (1) the probate court may provisionally pass __________________________________________________
upon in an intestate or a testate proceeding the __________________________________________________
question of inclusion in, or exclusion from, the __________________________________________________
inventory of a piece of property w/o prejudice to the __________________________________________________
final determination of ownership in a separate action; __________________________________________________
(2) if the interested parties are all heirs to estate, or __________________________________________________
the question is one of collation or advancement, or __________________________________________________
the parties consent to the assumption of jurisdiction __________________________________________________
by the probate court and the rights of third parties are __________________________________________________
not impaired, then the probate court is competent to __________________________________________________
resolve issues on ownership. __________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 39 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

B. Necessity of probate __________________________________________________


__________________________________________________
De Borja v. De Borja __________________________________________________
46 SCRA 577 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Probate of a will is MANDATORY when the heirs __________________________________________________
SETTLE and DISTRIBUTE the estate of the __________________________________________________
decedent. __________________________________________________
- Probate of will is NOT NECESSARY in the __________________________________________________
CONVEYANCE of SHARE as a hereditary share in __________________________________________________
a decedents estate is transmitted or vested __________________________________________________
immediately from the moment of the death of such __________________________________________________
predecessor in interest. __________________________________________________
- Probate of will is NOT NECESSARY in the __________________________________________________
CONVEYANCE of share belonging to a compulsory __________________________________________________
heir; the compulsory heirs successional interest __________________________________________________
exists independent of the will and would exist even if __________________________________________________
such will were not probated at all. __________________________________________________
- A hereditary share in a decedents estate is __________________________________________________
transmitted or vested immediately from the moment __________________________________________________
of the death of the decedent (w/ requisite contracting __________________________________________________
capacity) disposing of his/her hereditary share __________________________________________________
immediately after such death, even if the actual __________________________________________________
extent of such share is not determined until the __________________________________________________
subsequent liquidation of the estate. __________________________________________________
- It is likewise worthy of note in this connection that as __________________________________________________
the surviving spouse of Francisco de Borja, Tasiana __________________________________________________
Ongsingco was his compulsory heir under article 995 __________________________________________________
of the NCC. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
C. Modes of probate __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
D. Requirements for probate __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 811. In the probate of a holographic will, it shall __________________________________________________
be necessary that at least one witness who knows the __________________________________________________
handwriting and signature of the testator explicitly declare that __________________________________________________
the will and the signature are in the handwriting of the testator. __________________________________________________
If the will is contested, at least three of such witnesses shall be __________________________________________________
required. __________________________________________________
In the absence of any competent witness referred to in the __________________________________________________
preceding paragraph, and if the court deem it necessary, expert __________________________________________________
testimony may be resorted to. (619a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 40 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Gan v. Yap __________________________________________________


104 Phil 509 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The courts will not distribute the property of the __________________________________________________
deceased in accordance with his holographic will, __________________________________________________
unless they are shown his handwriting and signature. __________________________________________________
- The execution and the contents of a lost/destroyed __________________________________________________
holographic will may not be proved by the bare __________________________________________________
testimony of witnesses who have seen and/or read __________________________________________________
such will. __________________________________________________
- In the case of a lost will, the three subscribing __________________________________________________
witnesses would be testifying to a fact which they __________________________________________________
saw, namely the act of the testator of subscribing the __________________________________________________
will; whereas in the case of a lost holographic will, __________________________________________________
the witnesses would testify as to their opinion of the __________________________________________________
handwriting which they allegedly saw, an opinion __________________________________________________
which can not be tested in court, nor directly __________________________________________________
contradicted by the oppositors, because the __________________________________________________
handwriting itself is not at hand. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Rodelas v. Aranza __________________________________________________
119 SCRA 16 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Pursuant to Art. 811 of the Civil Code, probate of __________________________________________________
holographic will is the allowance of the will by the __________________________________________________
court after its due execution has been proved. __________________________________________________
- The probate may be uncontested or not. If __________________________________________________
uncontested, at least one identifying witness is __________________________________________________
required and, if not witness is available, experts may __________________________________________________
be resorted to. If contested, at least three identifying __________________________________________________
witnesses are required. __________________________________________________
- However, if the holographic will has been __________________________________________________
lost/destroyed and no other copy is available, the will __________________________________________________
cannot be probated because the best and only __________________________________________________
evidence is the handwriting of the testator in said __________________________________________________
will. It is necessary that there be a comparison __________________________________________________
between sample handwritten statements of the __________________________________________________
testator and the handwritten will. But, a photostatic __________________________________________________
copy or xerox copy of the holographic will may be __________________________________________________
allowed because comparison can be made with the __________________________________________________
standard writings of the testator. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 41 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Azaola v. Singson __________________________________________________


109 Phil. 102 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Whether the will is contested/not contested, Art. 811 __________________________________________________
of the NCC cannot be interpreted as to require the __________________________________________________
compulsory presentation of three witnesses to __________________________________________________
indentify the handwriting of the testator, under __________________________________________________
penalty of having the probate denied. __________________________________________________
- The three-witness rule in Art. 811 (when contested) __________________________________________________
can be considered mandatory only in the case of __________________________________________________
ordinary testaments, precisely because the presence __________________________________________________
of at least three witnesses at the execution of ordinary __________________________________________________
wills is made by law essential to their validity (Art. __________________________________________________
805). Where the will is holographic, no witness need __________________________________________________
be present (Art. 810), and the rule requiring __________________________________________________
production of three witnesses must be deemed merely __________________________________________________
permissive if absurd results are to be avoided. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Codoy v. Calugay __________________________________________________
312 SCRA 333 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Art. 811 is mandatory. The word shall in a statute __________________________________________________
commonly denotes an imperative obligation and is __________________________________________________
inconsistent with the idea of discretion and that the __________________________________________________
presumption is that the word shall, when used in a __________________________________________________
statute is mandatory. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
E. Effect of allowance of wills __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Gallanosa .v. Arcangel __________________________________________________
83 SCRA 676 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The 1939 decree of probate is conclusive as to the __________________________________________________
due execution or formal validity of the will. That __________________________________________________
means that the testator was of sound disposing mind __________________________________________________
at the time when he executed the will and was not __________________________________________________
acting under duress, menace, fraud or undue __________________________________________________
influence; that the will was signed by him, in the __________________________________________________
presence of the required number of witnesses, and __________________________________________________
that the will is genuine and not a forgery. __________________________________________________
Accordingly, these facts cannot again be questioned __________________________________________________
in subsequent proceeding, not even in a criminal __________________________________________________
action for the forgery of will. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 42 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

Roberts v. Leonides __________________________________________________


129 SCRA 33 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- The probate of the will is mandatory. It is anomalous __________________________________________________
that the estate of a person who died testate should be __________________________________________________
settled in an intestate proceeding. Therefore, the __________________________________________________
intestate case should be consolidated with the testate __________________________________________________
proceeding and the judge assigned to the testate __________________________________________________
proceeding should continue hearing two case. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Nepomuceno v. CA __________________________________________________
139 SCRA 206 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
- Citing Nuguid v. Nuguid: In view of certain unusual __________________________________________________
provisions of the will, which are of dubious legality, __________________________________________________
and because of the motion to withdraw the petition __________________________________________________
for probate, the trial court acted correctly in passing __________________________________________________
upon the wills intrinsic validity even before its __________________________________________________
formal validity had been established. The probate of a __________________________________________________
will might become an idle ceremony if on its face, it __________________________________________________
appears to be intrinsically void. __________________________________________________
- Where practical considerations demand that the __________________________________________________
intrinsic validity of the will be passed upon, even __________________________________________________
before it is probated, the court should meet the issue. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
X. DISALLOWANCE OF WILLS. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 839. The will shall be disallowed in any of the __________________________________________________
following cases: __________________________________________________
(1) If the formalities required by law have not been __________________________________________________
complied with; __________________________________________________
(2) If the testator was insane, or otherwise mentally __________________________________________________
incapable of making a will, at the time of its execution; __________________________________________________
(3) If it was executed through force or under duress, or the __________________________________________________
influence of fear, or threats; __________________________________________________
(4) If it was procured by undue and improper pressure and __________________________________________________
influence, on the part of the beneficiary or of some other __________________________________________________
person; __________________________________________________
(5) If the signature of the testator was procured by fraud; __________________________________________________
(6) If the testator acted by mistake or did not intend that __________________________________________________
the instrument he signed should be his will at the time of __________________________________________________
affixing his signature thereto. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 1335. There is violence when in order to wrest __________________________________________________
consent, serious or irresistible force is employed. __________________________________________________
There is intimidation when one of the contracting parties __________________________________________________
is compelled by a reasonable and well-grounded fear of an __________________________________________________
imminent and grave evil upon his person or property, or upon __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 43 AMDCManingas


Notes on Succession (Codal Provisions and Case Doctrines)

the person or property of his spouse, descendants or __________________________________________________


ascendants, to give his consent. __________________________________________________
To determine the degree of intimidation, the age, sex and __________________________________________________
condition of the person shall be borne in mind. __________________________________________________
A threat to enforce one's claim through competent __________________________________________________
authority, if the claim is just or legal, does not vitiate consent. __________________________________________________
(1267a) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 1337. There is undue influence when a person __________________________________________________
takes improper advantage of his power over the will of __________________________________________________
another, depriving the latter of a reasonable freedom of choice. __________________________________________________
The following circumstances shall be considered: the __________________________________________________
confidential, family, spiritual and other relations between the __________________________________________________
parties, or the fact that the person alleged to have been unduly __________________________________________________
influenced was suffering from mental weakness, or was __________________________________________________
ignorant or in financial distress. (n) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Article 1338. There is fraud when, through insidious __________________________________________________
words or machinations of one of the contracting parties, the __________________________________________________
other is induced to enter into a contract which, without them, __________________________________________________
he would not have agreed to. (1269) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Pascual v. de la Cruz __________________________________________________
28 SCRA 421 __________________________________________________
- Contradictions and inconsistencies appearing in the __________________________________________________
testimonies of the witnesses and the notary, pointed __________________________________________________
out by the oppositors-appellants, relate to __________________________________________________
unimportant details of the impressions of the __________________________________________________
witnesses about certain details which could have been __________________________________________________
affected by the lapse of time and the treachery of __________________________________________________
human memory, and which inconsistencies, by __________________________________________________
themselves, would not alter the probative value of __________________________________________________
their testimonies on the due execution of the will. __________________________________________________
- For purposes of determining the due execution of a __________________________________________________
will, it is not necessary that the instrumental __________________________________________________
witnesses should give an accurate and detailed __________________________________________________
account of the proceeding, such as recalling the order __________________________________________________
of the signing of the document by the said witnesses. __________________________________________________
It is sufficient that they have seen or at least were so __________________________________________________
situated at the moment that they could have seen each __________________________________________________
other sign, had they wanted to do so. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Atty. Uribe 44 AMDCManingas

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