FERRER

Case no. 64
Issue of Ownership
Sps. Pastor, Jr. v. CA, CFI Cebu and Quemada | 122 SCRA 885

FACTS: PASTOR, SR. died. QUEMADA (illegitimate child, administrator)

filed a petition for the probate and instituted against the legitimate child
an action for reconveyance of the properties subject of Quemada’s
legacy. The Probate Court set the hearing for the intrinsic validity of the
holographic and issued the assailed Order resolving the question of
ownership of the properties, and ordered the payment of legacy.

ISSUE: W/N before the provisions of the will can be implemented, the
questions of ownership and the intrinsic validity of the will must first be
resolved with finality

RULING: YES. In a special proceeding for the probate of a will, the

issue is restricted to the extrinsic validity of the will. The question of
ownership is an extraneous matter which the Probate Court cannot
resolve with finality. The Probate Court may pass upon the title thereto,
but such determination is provisional, not conclusive, and is subject to
the final decision in a separate action to resolve title.