CASELIST#2

CASENUMBER1
Rightofactiontoenforcerecognitionofitslegitimacylastduringthelifetimeofsuch
child,butrightofanaturalchildtocompelacknowledgementofitsstatuscontinuesonly
duringthelifeoftheallegedparents.Therightofactionforadeclarationoflegitimacy
istransmittedtotheheirsofthechildonlywhenthelatterdiesduringminorityorwhile
insaneorincasetheactionhasalreadyinstituted.Actionbyanaturalchildcanonlybe
broughtagainsttheheirsoftheparentsintheeventofthedeathoftheparentsduringthe
minorityofthechild,orupondiscoveryofadocument,afterthedeathoftheparents,
expresslyacknowledgingsuchchild.Thisrightofactionwhichthelawconcedestothis
naturalchildisnottransmittedtohisascendantsordescendants.
Condevs.Abaya
13Phil.249
CJArellano
FACTS: Casiano Abaya died intestate in 1899. In the intestate proceedings for the
settlementoftheestateofCasiano,hisbrotherRomanAbaya,whohadbeenappointed
administratoroftheestate,filedapetitionwherebyhemovedthathebedeclaredasthe
soleheirofthedecedent.
PaulaConde,motherofTeopistaandJose,unacknowledgednaturalchildrenof
Casiano, opposed Roman's petition. She contended that the right of her two natural
childrenbythedecedent,andconsequently,herrightsasheirofsuchnaturalchildren,was
superiortothatofRoman.Teopistadiedin1902andJosein1903,aftertheirfather's
deathbutbeforetheinstitutionofthisaction.
ISSUE:
PetitionersClaim:HerrightissuperiorthanRomanAbayabeingthemotherof
theCasianosnaturalchildrenandprayedthatshebedeclaredtohavepreferentialrightto
thepropertyleftbyCasiano.
RespondentsClaim: BeingthenearestrelativeofCasiano,movedthehebe
declaredasthesoleheirtotheexclusionofothers,andtobeentitledtothepossessionof
allCasianosproperty.
Istherightofactiononthepartofthechildtoobtaintheacknowledgmentofhisnatural
filiationtransmittedtohisdescendants?
HELD:No.
Therightofactionfortheacknowledgmentofanaturalchildis,extinguishedby
hisdeath,andcannotbetransmittedasaportionoftheinheritanceofthedeceasedchild.
Aslegalbasis,theSupremeCourtmadeacomparisonbetweenanactiontoclaim

thelegitimacy,andonetoenforceacknowledgment.
Art.118.Theactiontoclaimitslegitimacymaybebroughtbythechildatanytimeofitslifetime
andshallbetransmittedtoitsheirs,shoulditdieduringminorityorinastateofinsanity.
Insuchcasestheheirsshallbeallowedaperiodoffiveyearsinwhichtoinstitutethe
action.
Theactionalreadyinstitutedbythechildistransmittedbyitsdeathtotheheirs,ifithas
notlapsedbeforethen.
Art.137.Theactionsfortheacknowledgmentofnaturalchildrencanbeinstitutedonly
duringthelifeofthepresumedparents,exceptinthefollowingcases:
1.Ifthefatherormotherdiedduringtheminorityofthechild,inwhichcasethelatter
mayinstitutetheactionbeforetheexpirationofthefirstfouryearsofitsmajority.
2.If,afterthedeathofthefatherormother,someinstrument,beforeunknown,should
bediscoveredinwhichthechildisexpresslyacknowledged.
Inthiscasetheactionmustbeinstitutedwithinthesixmonthsfollowingthediscovery
ofsuchinstrument.
Fromtheexpressandprecisepreceptsofthecodethefollowingconclusionsarederived:
Therightofactionthatdevolves uponthechildtoclaimhislegitimacylasts
duringhiswholelife,whiletherighttoclaimtheacknowledgmentofanaturalchildlasts
onlyduringthelifeofhispresumedparents.
Inasmuchastherightofactionaccruingtothechildtoclaimhislegitimacylasts
duringhiswholelife,hemayexerciseiteitheragainstthepresumedparents,ortheir
heirs;whiletherightofactiontosecuretheacknowledgmentofanaturalchild,sinceit
doesnotlastduringhiswholelife,butdependsonthatofthepresumedparents,asa
generalrulecanonlybeexercisedagainstthelatter.Anactionfortheacknowledgmentof
anaturalchildmay,as anexception,beexercisedagainsttheheirs ofthepresumed
parentsintwocases:first,intheeventofthedeathofthelatterduringtheminorityofthe
child,andsecond,uponthediscoveryofsomeinstrumentofexpressacknowledgmentof
thechild,executedbythefatherormother,theexistenceofwhichwasunknownduring
thelifeofthelatter. Butassuchactionfortheacknowledgmentofanaturalchildcan
only be exercised by him. It cannot be transmitted to his descendants, or to his
ascendants.
NOTE:
Anotherissue,firstissue,wasraisedinthepetition,howevernonewasdiscussed,the
caseonlyreferredtoitasThiscourthasdecidedthepresentquestioninthemanner
showninthecaseofPimentelvs PalancaQuestioniswhetheranactiontoenforce
acknowledgementofnaturalchildofapersonfromwhomtheinheritanceisderivedbe
setupinaspecialproceedingfortheadministrationanddistributionofanintestateestate.
ThedoctrineinPimentelvsPalancaisWhileanestateisinthecourseofsettlementina
specialproceeding,noordinaryactioncanbemaintainedbyapersonclaimingtobean
heir,againsttheexecutororadministrator,forthepurposeofhavinghisrightsinthe
estatedetermined.