SO ORDERED.

Carpio (Chairperson), Peralta, Abad and Sereno,** JJ.,

concur.

Petition denied.

Note.The imperatives of orderly, if not speedy, justice

frown on a piecemeal presentation of evidence and on the
practice of parties of going to trial haphazardly. (Roque, Jr.
vs. Commission on Elections, 612 SCRA 178 [2010])
o0o

G.R. No. 175080. November 24, 2010.*

EUGENIO R. REYES, joined by TIMOTHY JOSEPH M.

REYES, MA. GRACIA S. REYES, ROMAN GABRIEL M.
REYES, and MA. ANGELA S. REYES, petitioners, vs.
LIBRADA F. MAURICIO (deceased) and LEONIDA F.
MAURICIO, respondents.

Remedial Law Appeals In a petition for review under Rule

45, only questions of law may be raised.In the main, Eugenio
insists that no tenancy relationship existed between him and
Godofredo. This is a question of fact beyond the province of this
Court in a petition for review under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court
in which only questions of law may be raised. Absent any of the
obtaining exceptions to this rule, the findings of facts of the
Provincial Adjudicator, as affirmed by DARAB and especially by
the Court of Appeals, are binding on this Court.

_______________

** Designated as additional member in lieu of Associate Justice Antonio

Eduardo B. Nachura, per Raffle dated November 22, 2010.

*FIRST DIVISION.

80
80 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Reyes vs. Mauricio

Tenancy Relations Agrarian Reform Law Agricultural

Tenancy Act Code of Agrarian Reforms of the Philippines
Agricultural Leasehold Relation Not Extinguished by Expiration
of Period.Assuming that the leasehold contract between Susana
and Godofredo is void, our conclusion remains. We agree with the
Court of Appeals that a tenancy relationship cannot be
extinguished by mere expiration of term or period in a leasehold
contract or by the sale, alienation or the transfer of legal
possession of the landholding. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 1199
or the Agricultural Tenancy Act provides: xxx Moreover, Section
10 of Republic Act No. 3844 (Code of Agrarian Reforms of the
Philippines) likewise provides: SEC. 10. Agricultural Leasehold
Relation Not Extinguished by Expiration of Period, etc.The
agricultural leasehold relation under this Code shall not be
extinguished by mere expiration of the term or period in a
leasehold contract nor by the sale, alienation or transfer of the
legal possession of the landholding. In case the agricultural
lessor sells, alienates or transfers the legal possession of the
landholding, the purchaser or transferee thereof shall be
subrogated to the rights and substituted to the obligations
of the agricultural lessor.
Civil Law Filiation Filiation cannot be collaterally attacked.
It is settled law that filiation cannot be collaterally attacked.
Wellknown civilista Dr. Arturo M. Tolentino, in his book Civil
Code of the Philippines, Commentaries and Jurisprudence, noted
that the aforecited doctrine is rooted from the provisions of the
Civil Code of the Philippines. He explained thus: The legitimacy
of the child cannot be contested by way of defense or as a
collateral issue in another action for a different purpose. The
necessity of an independent action directly impugning the
legitimacy is more clearly expressed in the Mexican code (article
335) which provides: The contest of the legitimacy of a child by
the husband or his heirs must be made by proper complaint before
the competent court any contest made in any other way is void.
This principle applies under our Family Code. Articles 170 and
171 of the code confirm this view, because they refer to the action
to impugn the legitimacy. This action can be brought only by the
husband or his heirs and within the periods fixed in the present
articles.
Same Adoption Adoption cannot be made subject to a
collateral attack.The same rule is applied to adoption such that
it cannot also be made subject to a collateral attack. In Reyes v.
Sotero,
 81

VOL. 636, NOVEMBER 24, 2010 81

Reyes vs. Mauricio

482 SCRA 520 (2006), this Court reiterated that adoption cannot
be assailed collaterally in a proceeding for the settlement of a
decedents estate. Furthermore, in Austria v. Reyes, 31 SCRA 754
(1970), the Court declared that the legality of the adoption by the
testatrix can be assailed only in a separate action brought for that
purpose and cannot be subject to collateral attack.

PETITION for review on certiorari of the decision and

resolution of the Court of Appeals.
The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.
Medialdea, Ata, Bello, Guevarra for petitioners.
Valeriano B. Mariano for respondents.

PEREZ, J.:
Subject of this petition is the Decision1 of the Court of
Appeals dated 10 August 2006 in CAG.R. SP No. 87148,
affirming the Decision dated 7 July 1998 and Resolution
dated 28 September 2004 of the Department of Agrarian
Reform Adjudication Board (DARAB).
Eugenio Reyes (Eugenio) was the registered owner of a
parcel of land located at Turo, Bocaue, Bulacan, with an
area of four thousand five hundred twentyseven (4,527)
square meters, more or less, and covered by Transfer
Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 109456(M). Said title came
from and cancelled TCT No. T62290 registered in the
name of Eufracia and Susana Reyes, siblings of Eugenio.
The subject property was adjudicated to Eugenio by virtue
of an extrajudicial settlement among the heirs following
the death of his parents.
The controversy stemmed from a complaint filed before
the DARAB of Malolos, Bulacan by respondents Librada F.
Mauricio (Librada), now deceased, and her alleged
daughter

_______________

1 Penned by Associate Justice Juan Q. Enriquez, Jr. with Associate

Justices Godardo A. Jacinto and Magdangal M. De Leon, concurring.
Rollo, pp. 4451.

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82 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
Reyes vs. Mauricio

Leonida F. Mauricio (Leonida) for annulment of contract

denominated as Kasunduan and between Librada and
Eugenio as parties. Respondents also prayed for
maintenance of their peaceful possession with damages.
Respondents alleged that they are the legal heirs of the
late Godofredo Mauricio (Godofredo), who was the lawful
and registered tenant of Eugenio through his predecessors
ininterest to the subject land that from 1936 until his
death in May 1994, Godofredo had been working on the
subject land and introduced improvements consisting of
fruitbearing trees, seasonal crops, a residential house and
other permanent improvements that through fraud, deceit,
strategy and other unlawful means, Eugenio caused the
preparation of a document denominated as Kasunduan
dated 28 September 1994 to eject respondents from the
subject property, and had the same notarized by Notary
Public Ma. Sarah G. Nicolas in Pasig, Metro Manila that
Librada never appeared before the Notary Public that
Librada was illiterate and the contents of the Kasunduan
were not read nor explained to her that Eugenio took
undue advantage of the weakness, age, illiteracy,
ignorance, indigence and other handicaps of Librada in the
execution of the Kasunduan rendering it void for lack of
consent and that Eugenio had been employing all illegal
means to eject respondents from the subject property.
Respondents prayed for the declaration of nullity of the
Kasunduan and for an order for Eugenio to maintain and
place them in peaceful possession and cultivation of the
subject property. Respondents likewise demanded payment
of damages.2 During trial, respondents presented a
leasehold contract executed between Susana and Godofredo
to reaffirm the existing tenancy agreement.3
Eugenio averred that no tenancy relationship existed
between him and respondents. He clarified that
Godofredos

_______________

2Id., at pp. 5557.

3Id., at pp. 6566.

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VOL. 636, NOVEMBER 24, 2010 83

 Reyes vs. Mauricio

occupation of the subject premises was based on the

formers mere tolerance and accommodation. Eugenio
denied signing a tenancy agreement, nor authorizing any
person to sign such an agreement. He maintained that
Librada, accompanied by a relative, voluntarily affixed her
signature to the Kasunduan and that she was fully aware
of the contents of the document. Moreover, Librada
received P50,000.00 from Eugenio on the same day of the
execution of the Kasunduan. Eugenio also questioned the
jurisdiction of the DARAB since the principal relief sought
by respondents is the annulment of the contract, over
which jurisdiction is vested on the regular courts. Eugenio
also asserted that Leonida had no legal personality to file
the present suit.4
Based on the evidence submitted by both parties, the
Provincial Adjudicator5 concluded that Godofredo was the
tenant of Eugenio, and Librada, being the surviving
spouse, should be maintained in peaceful possession of the
subject land. The dispositive portion of the decision reads:

WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, judgment is hereby

rendered in favor of plaintiff Librada Mauricio and against defendant
Eugenio R. Reyes and order is hereby issued:
1. Declaring the kasunduan null and void
2. Ordering defendant to respect the peaceful possession of herein
plaintiff Librada Mauricio over the subject landholding
3. Ordering plaintiff to return the amount of P50,000.00 to herein
defendant
4. No pronouncement as to costs.6

On appeal, two issues were presented to and taken up

by the DARAB, namely: (1) Whether or not there is tenancy
relation between the parties and (2) whether or not the
Ka

_______________

4Id., at pp. 6875.

5Gregorio D. Sapera.
6Rollo, p. 88.

84

84 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Reyes vs. Mauricio
 sunduan dated 28 September 1994 is valid and
enforceable. The DARAB held that the Mauricios are
former tenants of Spouses Reyes. It found that when
Spouses Reyes died, siblings Eufracia, Susana and
Eugenio, among others inherited the subject property.
Under the law, they were subrogated to the rights and
substituted to the obligations of their late parents as the
agricultural lessors over the farmholding tenanted by
respondents. Moreover, the DARAB banked on the
Kasunduang Buwisan sa Sakahan or the leasehold
contract executed by Susana in favor of Godofredo to
support the tenancy relationship. Furthermore, the
DARAB declared the other Kasunduan as void by relying
on the evaluation of the Provincial Adjudicator as to the
legal incapacity of Librada to enter into such a contract.7
Eugenio filed a motion for reconsideration which was
denied by the DARAB on 28 September 2004.8
Aggrieved by the DARAB ruling, Eugenio filed a petition
for review with the Court of Appeals. On 10 July 2006, the
Court of Appeals issued a resolution regarding the status of
Leonida as a legal heir and allowed her to substitute
Librada, who died during the pendency of the case.9 On 10
August 2006, the Court of Appeals affirmed the decision
and resolution of the DARAB. It sustained the factual
findings of the DARAB with respect to the tenancy relation
between Godofredo and Spouses Reyes and the nullity of
the Kasunduan.10
Undaunted, Eugenio filed the instant petition. Eugenio
submits that no tenancy relationship exists between him
and respondents. He insists that the Kasunduang Buwisan
sa Sakahan allegedly executed between Godofredo and
Susana in 1993 giving the former the right to occupy and
cultivate the subject property is unenforceable against
Eugenio, having

_______________

7 Id., at pp. 9597.

8 Id., at p. 172.
9 CA Rollo, p. 159.
10Rollo, pp. 4950.

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Reyes vs. Mauricio
been entered into without his knowledge and consent.
Eugenio further asserts that per records of the Department
of Agrarian Reform (DAR), no leasehold contract was
entered into by Godofredo and Eugenio with respect to the
disputed property. Eugenio attributes error on the part of
the Court of Appeals in concluding that a tenancy
relationship existed between the parties despite the
absence of some of the essential requisites of a tenancy
relationship such as personal cultivation and the subject
land being agricultural. Finally, Eugenio defends the
validity of the Kasunduan entered into between him and
Librada wherein the latter agreed to vacate the subject
property, in that it was voluntarily entered into and the
contents thereof were mutually understood by the
parties.11
In a Resolution dated 7 February 2007, this Court
denied the petition for failure to show that the Court of
Appeals committed reversible error in its challenged
decision and resolution. The Court also dismissed the
issues raised as factual. However, upon filing of a motion
for reconsideration by Eugenio, this Court reinstated the
petition and required respondent Leonida to comment on
the petition.12
In her comment, respondent prayed for the denial of the
petition because the jurisdiction of this Court is limited to
review of errors of law and not of facts.13
In the main, Eugenio insists that no tenancy
relationship existed between him and Godofredo. This is a
question of fact beyond the province of this Court in a
petition for review under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court in
which only questions of law may be raised.14 Absent any of
the obtaining exceptions15

_______________

11Id., at pp. 2330.

12Id., at p. 125.
13Id., at p. 238.
14 Tarona v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 170182, 18 June 2009, 589
SCRA 474, 482 Cornes v. Leal Realty Centrum Co., Inc., G.R. No. 172146,
30 July 2008, 560 SCRA 545, 567.

86

86 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Reyes vs. Mauricio
to this rule, the findings of facts of the Provincial
Adjudicator, as affirmed by DARAB and especially by the
Court of Appeals, are binding on this Court.
The DARAB ruling outlined how the tenancy
relationship between Godofredo and the Mauricios came
about, thus:

This Board, after a thorough evaluation of the evidences, is

convinced that the Mauricios are former tenants of the parents of
the herein DefendantAppellant. A perusal of Exhibit H which is
the Tax Declaration of the property in controversy proves that
upon the death of the parents of DefendantAppellant, the
property was the subject matter of their extrajudicial
partition/settlement and this property was initially under the
ownership of the appellants sisters, Eufracia and Susana Reyes
until the same property was finally acquired/transferred in the
name of RespondentAppellant. Obviously, in order to reaffirm
the fact that the Mauricios are really the tenants, Susana Reyes
had voluntarily executed the Leasehold Contract with Godofredo
Librada being the tenant on the property and to prove that she
(Susana Reyes) was the predecessorininterest of Respondent
Appellant Eugenio Reyes. x x x. The Kasunduang Buwisan sa
Sakahan alleging that their tenancy relationship began in the
year 1973 and their agreement as to the rental shall remain until
further revised.16

_______________

15 (1) the conclusion is a finding grounded entirely on speculation,

surmise and conjecture (2) the inference made is manifestly mistaken (3)
there is a grave abuse of discretion (4) the judgment is based on a
misapprehension of facts (5) the findings of fact are conflicting (6) the
Court of Appeals went beyond the issues of the case and its findings are
contrary to the admissions of both appellant and appellee (7) the findings
of fact of the Court of Appeals are contrary to those of the trial court (8)
said findings of fact are conclusions without citation of specific evidence on
which they are based (9) the facts set forth in the petition as well as in
the petitioner's main and reply briefs are not disputed by the respondents
and (10) the findings of fact of the Court of Appeals are premised on the
supposed absence of evidence and contradicted by the evidence on record.
See Cornes v. Leal Realty Centrum Co., Inc., id.
16Rollo, p. 95.

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Reyes vs. Mauricio
 This is a contest of Kasunduans. Respondents rely on a
Kasunduan of tenancy. Petitioners swear by a Kasunduan
of termination of tenancy.
Librada claims that her late husband had been working
on the land since 1936 until his death in 1994. She
presented the Kasunduang Buwisan sa Sakahan dated 26
May 1993 and executed by Godofredo and Susana which
reaffirmed the leasehold tenancy over the subject land. On
the other hand, Eugenio disputes the claims of Librada and
presented another Kasunduan executed between him and
Librada on 28 September 1994 which effectively terminates
the leasehold tenancy when the latter allegedly agreed to
vacate the subject premises in exchange of monetary
considerations.
This second Kasunduan is the subject of the instant
complaint. In its disquisition, the DARAB nullified the
second Kasunduan, to wit:

xxx Insofar as this Kasunduan is concerned, and after reading

the transcript of the testimony of the old woman Librada
Mauricio, this Board is convinced that indeed the purpose of the
document was to eject her from the farmholding but that Librada
Mauricio wanted to return the money she received because the
contents of the document was never explained to her being
illiterate who cannot even read or write. This Board is even
further convinced after reading the transcript of the testimonies
that while the document was allegedly signed by the parties in
Turo, Bocaue, Bulacan, the same document was notarized in
Pasig, Metro Manila, thus, the Notary Public was not in a position
to explain much less ascertain the veracity of the contents of the
alleged Kasunduan as to whether or not PlaintiffAppellee
Librada Mauricio had really understood the contents thereof. This
Board further adheres to the principle that it cannot substitute its
own evaluation of the testimony of the witnesses with that of the
personal evaluation of the Adjudicator a quo who, in the case at
bar, had the best opportunity to observe the demeanor of the
witness Librada Mauricio while testifying on the circumstances
relevant to the execution of the alleged Kasunduan.
Furthermore, this Board adheres to the principle that in all
contractual, property or other relations, when one of the parties is
at a disadvantage on account of his moral dependence, ignorance,
mental weakness or

88

88 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Reyes vs. Mauricio
other handicap, the courts (and in the case at bar, this Board)
must be vigilant for his protection (Art. 24, New Civil Code). In
the case at bar, PlaintiffAppellee is already eightyone (81) years
old who can neither read nor write, thus, she just simply signs her
name with her thumbmark.17

Applying the principle that only questions of law may be

entertained by this Court, we defer to the factual ruling of
the Provincial Adjudicator, as affirmed by DARAB and the
Court of Appeals, which clearly had the opportunity to
closely examine the witnesses and their demeanor on the
witness stand.
Assuming that the leasehold contract between Susana
and Godofredo is void, our conclusion remains. We agree
with the Court of Appeals that a tenancy relationship
cannot be extinguished by mere expiration of term or
period in a leasehold contract or by the sale, alienation or
the transfer of legal possession of the landholding. Section
9 of Republic Act No. 1199 or the Agricultural Tenancy Act
provides:

SECTION 9. Severance of Relationship.The tenancy

relationship is extinguished by the voluntary surrender of the
land by, or the death or incapacity of, the tenant, but his heirs or
the members of his immediate farm household may continue to
work the land until the close of the agricultural year. The
expiration of the period of the contract as fixed by the
parties, and the sale or alienation of the land does not of
themselves extinguish the relationship. In the latter case,
the purchaser or transferee shall assume the rights and
obligations of the former landholder in relation to the
tenant. In case of death of the landholder, his heir or heirs shall
likewise assume his rights and obligations. (Emphasis supplied)

Moreover, Section 10 of Republic Act No. 3844 (Code of

Agrarian Reforms of the Philippines) likewise provides:

SEC. 10. Agricultural Leasehold Relation Not Extinguished

by Expiration of Period, etc.The agricultural leasehold relation

_______________

17Id., at pp. 9697.

89

VOL. 636, NOVEMBER 24, 2010 89

Reyes vs. Mauricio
under this Code shall not be extinguished by mere expiration of
the term or period in a leasehold contract nor by the sale,
alienation or transfer of the legal possession of the landholding.
In case the agricultural lessor sells, alienates or transfers
the legal possession of the landholding, the purchaser or
transferee thereof shall be subrogated to the rights and
substituted to the obligations of the agricultural lessor.
(Emphasis supplied)

As an incidental issue, Leonidas legal standing as a

party was also assailed by Eugenio. Eugenio submitted
that the complaint was rendered moot with the death of
Librada, Godofredos sole compulsory heir. Eugenio
contended that Leonida is a mere ward of Godofredo and
Librada, thus, not a legal heir.18
We are in full accord with the Court of Appeals when it
ruled that Eugenio cannot collaterally attack the status of
Leonida in the instant petition.19
It is settled law that filiation cannot be collaterally
attacked.20 Wellknown civilista Dr. Arturo M. Tolentino,
in his book Civil Code of the Philippines, Commentaries
and Jurisprudence, noted that the aforecited doctrine is
rooted from the provisions of the Civil Code of the
Philippines. He explained thus:

The legitimacy of the child cannot be contested by way of

defense or as a collateral issue in another action for a different
purpose. The necessity of an independent action directly
impugning the legitimacy is more clearly expressed in the
Mexican code (article 335) which provides: The contest of the
legitimacy of a child by the husband or his heirs must be made by
proper complaint before the competent court any contest made in
any other way is void. This principle applies under our Family
Code. Articles 170 and 171 of the code confirm this view, because
they refer to the action to impugn

_______________

18Id., at p. 32.
19Id., at p. 49.
20Trinidad v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 118904, 20 April 1998, 289 SCRA 188,
210.

90

90 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Reyes vs. Mauricio
 the legitimacy. This action can be brought only by the husband or
his heirs and within the periods fixed in the present articles.21

In Braza v. City Civil Registrar of Himamaylan City,

Negros Occidental,22 the Court stated that legitimacy and
filiation can be questioned only in a direct action
seasonably filed by the proper party, and not through
collateral attack.23
The same rule is applied to adoption such that it cannot
also be made subject to a collateral attack. In Reyes v.
Sotero,24 this Court reiterated that adoption cannot be
assailed collaterally in a proceeding for the settlement of a
decedents estate.25 Furthermore, in Austria v. Reyes,26 the
Court declared that the legality of the adoption by the
testatrix can be assailed only in a separate action brought
for that purpose and cannot be subject to collateral
attack.27
Against these jurisprudential backdrop, we have to leave
out the status of Leonida from the case for annulment of
the Kasunduan that supposedly favors petitioners cause.
WHEREFORE, based on the foregoing premises, the
instant petition for review on certiorari is DENIED and the
Decision dated 10 August 2006 of the Court of Appeals in
CAG.R. SP No. 87148 is AFFIRMED.

_______________

21 TOLENTINO, CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, COMMENTARIES AND

JURISPRUDENCE, Vol. I, 1990 ed., p. 536. See Rosales v. CastilloRosales,

G.R. No. L31712, 28 September 1984, 132 SCRA 132, 141142.
22G.R. No. 181174, 4 December 2009, 607 SCRA 638.
23Id., at p. 643.
24 G.R. No. 167405, 16 February 2006, 482 SCRA 520, 531 citing
Santos v. Aranzanso, G.R. No. L26940, 21 August 1982, 116 SCRA 1.
25Santos v. Aranzanso, id., at pp. 56.
26G.R. No. L23079, 27 February 1970, 31 SCRA 754.
27Id., at pp. 762763.

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