Walang “K” ang manugang sa naiwang ari-arian ng biyenan

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | October 21, 2021

Dear Chief Acosta,

Namatay ang aking asawa noong isang taon at kami ay may isang anak. Noong nakaraang buwan ay namatay rin ang kanyang ina, na aking biyenan. Gusto ko malaman kung may karapatan ba kami ng aking anak sa naiwang ari-arian ng aking biyenan kahit naunang namatay sa kanya ang aking asawa, sa kadahilanang kami ng aking anak ay tagapagmana ng aking asawa? – Ashley

Dear Ashley,

Ang batas na sumasaklaw tungkol sa inyong katanungan ay ang Republic Act (R. A.) No. 386, o mas kilala bilang The Civil Code of the Philippines. Nakasaad sa Article 970, 971 at 972 ng nasabing batas ang mga sumusunod:

“Article 970. Representation is a right created by fiction of law, by virtue of which the representative is raised to the place and the degree of the person represented, and acquires the rights which the latter would have if he were living or if he could have inherited. (942a)

Article 971. The representative is called to the succession by the law and not by the person represented. The representative does not succeed the person represented but the one whom the person represented would have succeeded. (n)

Article 972. The right of representation takes place in the direct descending line, but never in the ascending.

In the collateral line, it takes place only in favor of the children of brothers or sisters, whether they be of the full or half blood.”

Samantala, inihayag ng Korte Suprema sa kaso ng Intestate Estate of Petra V. Rosales et al. vs. Fortunato Rosales et al. (G.R. No. L-40789, February 27, 1987, Ponente: Honorable former Associate Justice Emilio A. Gancayco) ang sumusunod:

“Article 971 explicitly declares that Macikequerox Rosales is called to succession by law because of his blood relationship. He does not succeed his father, Carterio Rosales (the person represented) who predeceased his grandmother, Petra Rosales, but the latter whom his father would have succeeded. Petitioner cannot assert the same right of representation as she has no filiation by blood with her mother-in-law.

Petitioner however contends that at the time of the death of her husband Carterio Rosales he had an inchoate or contingent right to the properties of Petra Rosales as compulsory heir. Be that as it may, said right of her husband was extinguished by his death that is why it is their son Macikequerox Rosales who succeeded from Petra Rosales by right of representation. He did not succeed from his deceased father, Carterio Rosales.”

Alinsunod sa batas at sa nabanggit na desisyon ng Korte Suprema, ang inyong anak ay may karapatang n magmana sa naiwang ari-arian ng kanyang yumaong lola sa pamamagitan ng pagrepresenta niya sa kanyang ama. Iginawad ng batas sa kanya ang right of representation na kung saan, sa pagpanaw ng kanyang ama, siya ay magmamana mula sa kanyang lola. Subalit, ikaw bilang manugang ng yumao ay walang karapatan magmana sa kanya, bagama’t ikaw ay tagapagmana ng inyong yumaong asawa. Sa kadahilanang naunang yumao ang inyong asawa, ang kanyang mana noong siya ay namatay ay hindi pa ganap sapagkat buhay pa ang kanyang ina.

Sa pagpanaw ng inyong asawa, ang kanyang karapatan sa mana mula sa kanyang ina ay maililipat sa inyong anak.

Nawa ay nasagot namin ang inyong mga katanungan. Nais naming ipaalala sa inyo na ang opinyong ito ay nakabase sa inyong mga naisalaysay sa inyong liham at sa pagkakaintindi namin dito. Maaaring maiba ang opinyon kung mayroong karagdagang-impormasyon na ibibigay. Mas mainam kung personal kayong sasangguni sa abogado.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.