34. ROSA K. KALAW, petitioner, vs. HON. JUDGE BENJAMIN RELOA, !

resi"in# J$"#e
o% t&e '(I o% B)t)n#)s, Br)n*& I, Lip) 'it+, )n" GREGORIO K. KALAW, respon"ents.
G.R. No. L-40207 - September 28, 1984 - Melencio-Herrera
()*ts,
1. A olo!rapic "ill, a# $ir#t "ritten, name% Ro#a &. &ala", a #i#ter o$ te te#tratri' a# te #ole
eir(
)e olo!rapic *ill rea%# in $+ll a# $ollo"#(
M, La#t "ill an% )e#tament
-n te name o$ Go%, Amen.
- Nati.i%a% &. &ala" /ilipino 01,ear# o$ a!e, #in!le, an% a re#i%ent o$ Lipa 2it,, bein! o$ #o+n%
an% %i#po#in! min% an% memor,, %o ereb, %eclare t+# to be m, la#t "ill an% te#tament.
-t i# m, "ill tat -3ll be b+rie% in te cemeter, o$ te catolic c+rc o$ Lipa 2it,. -n accor%ance
"it te ri!t# o$ #ai% 2+rc, an% tat m, e'ec+tri' ereina$ter name% pro.i%e an% erect at te
e'po#e o$ m, #tate a #+itable mon+ment to perpet+ate m, memor,.
''' ''' '''
2. Hence, on No.ember 10, 1971- 4etitioner Ro#a &ala" oppo#e% te probate beca+#e te
olo!rapic "ill containe% alteration#, correction, an% in#ertion# "ito+t te proper
a+tentication b, te $+ll #i!nat+re o$ te te#tatri' a# re5+ire% b, Art. 814, 22.
1. Ro#a3# po#ition "a# tat te olo!rapic *ill, a# $ir#t "ritten, #o+l% be !i.en e$$ect an%
probate% #o tat #e co+l% be te #ole eir tere+n%er.
4. A$ter trial, re#pon%ent 6+%!e %enie% te probate o$ te "ill beca+#e te N7- reporte% tat
te an%"ritin!, #i!nat+re, te in#ertion# an%8or a%%ition# an% te initial "ere ma%e b, one
an% te #ame per#on.
9. Gre!orio mo.e% $or recon#i%eration ar!+in! tat #ince te alteration# an%8or in#ertion# "ere
te te#tatri', te %enial to probate o$ er olo!rapic "ill "o+l% be contrar, to er ri!t o$
te#tamentar, %i#po#ition.
0. Ho"e.er, te recon#i%eration "a# %enie%.
7. Ro#a $ile% a 4etition $or Re.ie" on 2ertiorari.
Iss$e, *eter or not te ori!inal +naltere% te't a$ter #+b#e5+ent alteration# an% in#ertion#
"ere .oi%e% b, te trial co+rt $or lac: o$ a+tentication b, te $+ll #i!nat+re o$ te te#tatri',
#o+l% be probate% or not, "it er a# #ole eir;
He-", <e#, te "ill #o+l% be probate%.
R$-in#,
1. =r%inaril,, "en a n+mber o$ era#+re#, correction#, an% interlineation# ma%e b, te te#tator
in a olo!rapic *ill litem not been note% +n%er i# #i!nat+re, ... te *ill i# not tereb,
in.ali%ate% a# a "ole, b+t at mo#t onl, a# re#pect# te partic+lar "or%# era#e%, correcte%
or interline%. Manre#a !a.e an -%entical commentar, "en e #ai% >la omi#ion %e la
#al.e%a% no an+la el te#tamento, #e!+n la re!la %e ?+ri#pr+%encia e#tableci%a en la
#entencia %e 4 %e Abril %e 1899.> @te omi##ion o$ te pro.i#o %oe# not o.erri%e te "ill,
accor%in! to te r+le o$ la" e#tabli#e% in te ?+%!ment o$ April 4, 1899A
2. Ho"e.er, "en a# in ti# ca#e, te olo!rapic *ill in %i#p+te a% onl, one #+b#tantial
pro.i#ion, "ic "a# altere% b, #+b#tit+tin! te ori!inal eir "it anoter, b+t "ic
alteration %i% not carr, te re5+i#ite o$ $+ll a+tentication b, te $+ll #i!nat+re o$ te te#tator,
te e$$ect m+#t be tat te entire *ill i# .oi%e% or re.o:e% $or te #imple rea#on tat notin!
remain# in te *ill a$ter tat "ic co+l% remain .ali%. )o #tate tat te *ill a# $ir#t "ritten
#o+l% be !i.en e$$icac, i# to %i#re!ar% te #eemin! can!e o$ min% o$ te te#tatri'. 7+t tat
can!e o$ min% can neiter be !i.en e$$ect beca+#e #e $aile% to a+tenticate it in te
manner re5+ire% b, la" b, a$$i'in! er $+ll #i!nat+re,
1. )e r+lin! in Bela#co, #+pra, m+#t be el% con$ine% to #+c in#ertion#, cancellation#,
era#+re# or alteration# in a olo!rapic *ill, "ic a$$ect onl, te e$$icac, o$ te altere%
"or%# tem#el.e# b+t not te e##ence an% .ali%it, o$ te *ill it#el$. A# it i#, "it te
era#+re#, cancellation# an% alteration# ma%e b, te te#tatri' erein, er real intention
cannot be %etermine% "it certit+%e.
Disposition, 4etition i# %i#mi##e%. Ceci#ion o$ re#pon%ent 6+%!e i# a$$irme%.