Mapa Vs CA

EN BANC
G.R. No. L-38972 September 28, 1987

PAZ GARCIA vda. de MAPA, SEGUNDO MAPA, PRISCILLA M.
MONZON, TERESA MAPA, IGNACIO SALAZAR AND JOSE
SALAZAR, Petitioners,
vs.
COURT OF APPEALS, LUIS HIDROSOLLO and TEODORO
HIDROSOLLO, in their own behalf and as Joint Administrators of
the testate estate of Ludovico Hidrosollo, and VICTORIA **
HIDROSOLLO, CORAZON HIDROSOLLO, ROSARIO HIDROSOLLO
and MAGDALENA HIDROSOLLO, Respondents.
PONENTE: FERNAN, J.
Facts:
In 1965, petitioners filed in CFI Manila an action to recover
from the estate of the late Ludovico Hidrosollo [husband],
then the subject of SP:52229 of same court, the properties left
by the testator Concepcion Mapa de Hidrosollo [wife]. They
claimed that: (1) Concepcion, in her will [probated in
SP:46015], instituted Ludovico as universal heir to the residue
of her estate with the obligation as trustee to hold the same in
trust for petitioners [nephews and nieces of Concepcion] and
for respondents [nephews and nieces of Ludovico]; and (2)
Ludovico died without fulfilling the obligation so that the estate
of Concepcion formed part of his estate.
The action prayed for the declaration of a trust in their favor

over the residue of Concepcions estate; or, of the institution
of Ludovico as universal heir with a provision for
fideicommissary substitution in their favor as null and void.
Respondents denied the existence of a trust. CFI however
ruled in petitioners favor. Upon appeal, the CA reversed the
CFI order ruling that there was neither trust nor
fideicommissary substitution was created in Concepcions will.
Hence, the present petition.
Issue:
Whether or not Concepcions will created a fideicommissary
substitution in their favor. [NO]
Ruling:
CA Decision is Reversed
We find both contentions meritorious.
A careful perusal and scrutiny of the pertinent provisions of

Concepcion Mapa de Hidrosollo's Will reveal that she intended
to create a trust in favor of both petitioners and private
respondents. These provisions read:
OCTAVA: Del resto de todos mis bienes parafernales y ganaciales,

instituyo por mi unico y universal heredero, a mis esposo Ludovico
Hidrosollo, a quien, al mismo tiempo, nombro como mi Abacea (sic)
testamentario con relvacin (sic) de fianza.
NOVENA: Encargo a mi esposo que en el caso de que me abreviva (sic),

disponga de los bienes que le queden a favor de nuestros sobrinos, todos
en partes iguales, a saber:
1. Jose Agustin Mapa 8. Victorina Hidrosollo
2. Segundo Mapa 9. Corazon Hidrosollo
3. Priscilla Mapa 10. Luis Hidrosollo
4. Teresa Mapa 11. Violeta Hidrosollo
5. Ignacio Salazar 12. Rosario Hidrosollo
6. Jose Salazar 13. Magdalena Hidrosollo
7. Teodoro Hidrosollo
DECIMA: Los beneficiarios nombrados en la clausula que antecede

tendran la obligacion de entregar, cada ano a Salvador Genova, centras
esta viva, doce cavanes de palay, con la condicion de que dicho Salvador
ayude a Luis Hidrosollo en la recoleccion de cada cosecha. Dichos
beneficiarios tendran iqualmente la obligacion de permitir al menciado
Salvador Genova a tener su casa en nuestro solar en I laud, dentro de la
poblacion de Dumarao, sin pago alguno.
UNDECIMA: Encargo igualmente a mi esposo, como heredero universal

mio que, si a su muerte, hubiese alguna dueda contraida por el durante
su supervivencia sobre mi dicha deuda sea cargada a la parte que
corresponda a sus sobrinos por consagunidad todos appellidados
Hidrosollo, y no debera en mio alguno afectar la participacion de mis
sobrinos, cuatro de ellos appellidados Mapa y dos appellidados Salazar.
xxx xxx xxx

DECIMA TERCERA: Es tambien mi voluntad la desque los bienes
permanezcan en todo tiempo en comunidad, y que los beneficiarios se
abstengan an absoluto de venderos o gravarlos en cualquier forma, en
respeto a la memoria de sus tios que solo miran el proprio bien de sus
dichos sobrinos.
xxx xxx xxx

DECIMA QUINTO: Encargo a mis sobrinos nombrados en esta
testamento que la administracion de los bienes de la comunidad sea
encomendada a Ignacio Salazar y a Luis Hidrosollo conjuntamente, y en
el caso de que ambos o cualquiera de ellos no pudiere por cualquier
motive, complier con el cometido, que dicha administracion se ponga en
manos de los sobrinos, uno del groupo Mapa o Salazar y el otro del grupo
Hidrosollo. (pp. 58-59, Rollo).
Thus, under paragraph 8 of the Will, Ludovico Hidrosollo was

instituted as sole and universal heir to the rest of the
properties not covered by the legacies in the preceding
paragraphs. Under paragraph 9, however, said Ludovico
Hidrosollo was charged (encargo) with the obligation to deliver
the rest of the estate in equal parts to the Mapa, Salazar and
Hidrosollo nephews and nieces, who, as beneficiaries, were
directed to deliver annually to one Salvador Genova, during
his lifetime, 12 cavans of palay on the condition that the latter
assist Luis Hidrosollo in each harvest. Said beneficiaries were
likewise required to allow said Salvador Genova to maintain
his house on a parcel of land situated at Ilaud, Municipality of
Dumarao, without payment of any compensation (Par. 10 of
the Will).
In paragraph 11 of the same Will, the testatrix expressly
provided that any obligations which her husband might incur
after her death, shall be charged against the share
corresponding to the Hidrosollo nephews and nieces and in no
case shall the participation of her own nephews and nieces be
charged with said obligations. She likewise expressed the wish
that all her properties should always remain in co-ownership
among her beneficiaries, who should abstain from selling or
encumbering the same in any manner whatsoever (par. 13)
and that the same be administered jointly by Ignacio Salazar
and Luis Hidrosollo, or in case of their inability, by a nephew or
niece from each of the two groups (par. 15).
Although the word "trust" itself does not appear in the Will, the
testatrix's intent to create one is nonetheless clearly
demonstrated by the stipulations in her Will. In designating
her husband Ludovico Hidrosollo as universal and sole heir
with the obligation to deliver the properties to petitioners and
private respondents, she intended that the legal title should
vest in him, and in significantly referring to petitioners and
private respondents as "beneficiarios," she intended that the
beneficial or equitable interest to these properties should
repose in them. To our mind, these designations, coupled with
the other provisions for co-ownership and joint administration
of the properties, as well as the other conditions imposed by
the testatrix effectively created a trust in favor of the parties
over the properties adverted to in the Will. "No particular
words are required for the creation of an express trust, it being
sufficient that a trust is clearly intended. " (Art. 1443, Civil
Code of the Philippines).
However, we must not lose sight of the fact that as the

surviving spouse of the testatrix, Ludovico Hidrosollo was
entitled to a legitime of one-half (1/2) of her hereditary estate.
As that portion is reserved by law for the compulsory heirs, no
burden, encumbrance, condition or substitution of any kind
whatsoever may be imposed upon the legitime by the testator.
(Art. 904, second paragraph, Ibid) The trust created by
Concepcion Mapa should therefore be, as it is hereby declared
to be effective only on the free portion of her estate, i.e., that
portion not covered by Ludovico Hidrosollo's legitime.
Anent the issue of res judicata, We rule that the order denying
petitioners' motion for intervention in Special Proceedings No.
52229 did not constitute an adjudication on the merits and
therefore could not operate as a bar to Civil Case No. 59566.
The reason given by the probate court for denying petitioners

'motion for intervention is as follows:
... that there is no fideicommissary substitution because the

testatrix did not impose upon her spouse the absolute
obligation to deliver the property to said petitioners. When the
testatrix provided in her will that her husband dispose of in
favor of the petitioners his remaining properties it only shows
that he was not absolutely obligated to preserve and transmit
to the petitioners the properties by him acquired under the will
of his deceased wife. If the testatrix intended to entrust the
property to her husband with the obligation to preserve and to
transmit the remaining properties to the petitioners, she could
have said so in an express manner. However, even assuming
that Clause 9 could be interpreted to he a fideicommissary
substitution, such substitution can not be given effect in the
face of an opposition and in view of Art, 863 of the Civil Code
of the Philippines, requiring that substitution must not go
beyond one degree from the heir originally instituted. It will be
noticed that the second heirs instituted are merely "sobrinos"
of the fiduciary or first heir (surviving spouse). Upon these
facts, the Court is of the opinion that the movants for
intervention do not have a legal interest in the estate under
the present administration. (pp. 50-51, Record on Appeal, p.
101, Rollo).
Since the denial order was anchored primarily on the

nonexistence of, or the ineffectivity of a fideicommissary
substitution, and did not resolve the issue of trust alleged by
petitioners, said order cannot be considered an adjudication
on the merits of petitioners' claim against the estate.
- Digested [September 30, 2017], 10:19
***

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EN BANC

G.R. No. L-38972 September 28, 1987

The action prayed for the declaration of a trust in their favor

We find both contentions meritorious.

A careful perusal and scrutiny of the pertinent provisions of

OCTAVA: Del resto de todos mis bienes parafernales y ganaciales,

NOVENA: Encargo a mi esposo que en el caso de que me abreviva (sic),

1. Jose Agustin Mapa 8. Victorina Hidrosollo

2. Segundo Mapa 9. Corazon Hidrosollo

3. Priscilla Mapa 10. Luis Hidrosollo

4. Teresa Mapa 11. Violeta Hidrosollo

5. Ignacio Salazar 12. Rosario Hidrosollo

6. Jose Salazar 13. Magdalena Hidrosollo

DECIMA: Los beneficiarios nombrados en la clausula que antecede

UNDECIMA: Encargo igualmente a mi esposo, como heredero universal

xxx xxx xxx

xxx xxx xxx

Thus, under paragraph 8 of the Will, Ludovico Hidrosollo was

However, we must not lose sight of the fact that as the

The reason given by the probate court for denying petitioners

... that there is no fideicommissary substitution because the

Since the denial order was anchored primarily on the

- Digested [September 30, 2017], 10:19

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