Palaganas vs Palaganas Case Digest G.R. No. 169144 January 26, 2011 640 SCRA 538

Palaganas vs Palaganas Case Digest 

G.R. No. 169144 ; January 26, 2011 ; 640 SCRA 538

PRINCIPLE/S:

Special Proceedings

a) Wills that are executed abroad can be probated here in the Philippines even if it has not yet been probated and allowed in the country it was executed

- Article 816 of the Civil Code states that the will of an alien who is abroad produces effect in the Philippines if made in accordance with the formalities prescribed by the law of the place where he resides, or according to the formalities observed in his country.

b) Requisites for probate and allowance of will

(a) the jurisdictional facts;

Jurisdictional facts refer to the fact of death of the decedent, his residence at the time of his death in the province where the probate court is sitting, or if he is an inhabitant of a foreign country, the estate he left in such province.

(b) the names, ages, and residences of the heirs, legatees, and devisees of the testator or decedent;

(c) the probable value and character of the property of the estate;

(d) the name of the person for whom letters are prayed; and

(e) if the will has not been delivered to the court, the name of the person having custody of it.

NOTE: It does not require that a will executed abroad must have already been probated and allowed in the country it was executed.

c) Probate of a will that is presented for the first time before a competent court is different from Reprobate of a will already probated abroad

- Reprobate is governed by Rule 77 of the Rules of Court.

- In reprobate, the local court acknowledges as binding the findings of the foreign probate court provided its jurisdiction over the matter can be established.

FACTS: Ruperta, a Filipino who became a naturalized U.S. citizen, died single and childless. In the last will and testament she executed in California, she designated her brother, Sergio, as the executor of her will for she had left properties in the Philippines and in the U.S. Private respondent Ernesto filed with the RTC a petition for the probate of Ruperta’s will and for the former’s appointment as special administrator of her estate. Petitioners, nephews of Ruperta (the nephews), opposed the petition on the ground that Ruperta’s will should not be probated in the Philippines but in the U.S. where she executed it. The RTC allowed the will to be probated in the Philippines. This was affirmed by CA.  Hence petitioners files this instant Petition for Review on Certiorari under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court to this Court.

ISSUE/S: WON a will executed by a foreigner abroad may be probated in the Philippines although it has not been previously probated and allowed in the country where it was executed.

HELD: YES. Article 816 of the Civil Code states that the will of an alien who is abroad produces effect in the Philippines if made in accordance with the formalities prescribed by the law of the place where he resides, or according to the formalities observed in his country.

Moreover, our rules require merely that the petition for the allowance of a will must show, so far as known to the petitioner: (a) the jurisdictional facts; (b) the names, ages, and residences of the heirs, legatees, and devisees of the testator or decedent; (c) the probable value and character of the property of the estate; (d) the name of the person for whom letters are prayed; and (e) if the will has not been delivered to the court, the name of the person having custody of it. Jurisdictional facts refer to the fact of death of the decedent, his residence at the time of his death in the province where the probate court is sitting, or if he is an inhabitant of a foreign country, the estate he left in such province. The rules do not require proof that the foreign will has already been allowed and probated in the country of its execution. Hence our laws do not prohibit the probate of wills executed by foreigners abroad although the same have not as yet been probated and allowed in the countries of their execution.