117.
MORALIDAD v PARTIES INVOLVED: ISSUE: Whether or not respondents’ right to possess
PERNES Petitioner: Mercedes Moralidad, registered owner of the parcel of land in the land had been terminated
Davao City
Respondent: Sps. Diosdado and Arlene Pernes, (pamangkin of Mercedes) HELD: Yes.
HOW THE CASE STARTED The document executed by the petitioner
constitutes the title creating and sets forth the
Petitioner worked in the USA until her retirement. She would spend conditions of the usufruct.
her 2-month summer vacation in Mandug, Davao City, and would Petitioner had given the respondents the
usually stay in the house of her niece, respondent Arlene Pernes. usufructuary rights over the portion of the land
Respondent Arlene informed petitioner that Mandug was infested and the duration of which being dependent on
by NPA rebels, thereafter petitioner sent money to buy a lot in how long respondents would like to occupy the
Davao City proper where respondents could transfer and settle property.
down The term or period of the usufruct originally
The subject lot was initially for the respondents’ benefit but later specified provides only one of the bases for the
petitioner wanted the property to also be available to any of her right of a usufructuary to hold and retain
family members thus she executed a document which provides the possession of the thing given in usufruct.
ff: The occurrence of any of the following: the loss of
o Sps Pernes may build their house therein & stay as long as the atmosphere of cooperation, the bickering or
they like the cessation of harmonious relationship among
o Anybody of Mercedes’ kins who wishes to stay on the real the family members constitutes a resolutory
property should maintain an atmosphere of cooperation, condition which, by express wish of the petitioner,
live in harmony and must avoid bickering with one another extinguishes the usufruct.
o Anyone of Mercedes’ kins may enjoy the privilege to stay The continuing animosity between the petitioner
therein and may avail the use thereof and respondents are enough factual bases to
Petitioner came back to the Phil. to stay with respondents however consider the usufruct as having been terminated.
in the course of time their relations turned sour
o There were incidents with violent confrontations wherein FALLO:
petitioner claimed that she sustained cuts and wounds Wherefore, the petition is GRANTED. The assailed
Decision and Resolution of the CA are REVERSED and
PETITIONER FILED AN UNLAWFUL DETAINER SUIT AGAINST SET ASIDE. Accordingly, the decision of the MTCC is
RESPONDENTS REINSTATED with MODIFICATION that all of
respondents’ counterclaims are dismissed, including
Alleged that she is the registered owner of the land on which their claims for reimbursement of useful and necessary
respondents build their house; that she demanded respondents to expenses.
vacate the premises but they refused
Respondents contention: Petitioner had full knowledge and express
consent of their stay in the property as stipulated in the document
she executed
RULING OF THE MTCC: In favor of petitioner
Respondents’ continued possession of the premises become
unlawful upon the petitioner’s demand to vacate
RULING OF THE RTC: Reversed MTCC decision
Respondents’ possession of the property was not be mere
tolerance but rather by express consent
RULING OF THE CA : Dismissed the case
The ejectment suit was premature: the issue of whether
respondents’ right to possess a portion of petitioner’s land had
already expired or was terminated was not yet resolved
What governs the right of the parties is the law on usufruct but
petitioner failed to establish that respondents’ right to possess had
already ceased