Bokingco v CA

4 May 2006 | Ponente: Callejo, Sr.

Overview: The action involved here is to enjoin Bokingco, et. al. from committing acts that would tend to prevent the survey
of the subject land. It is not one of a possessory action. s such, the subject matter of litigation is incapable of pecuniary
estimation and properly cogni!able e"clusively by the #T$ pursuant to B% &'(, as amended.
Statement of the Case
- Heirs of Celestino Busa, Heirs of Felicia Busa-Panal an t!e Heirs of Concoria Busa file a co"#laint for
injunction an a"a$es a$ainst Bo%in$co, et. al. &it! t!e '(C of Butuan City #rayin$ to enjoin #er"anently t!e
acts of Bo%in$co, et. al. of #re)entin$ t!e sur)ey of lan su*ject "atter of t!e case.
- Bo%in$co, as one of t!e efenants, file a "otion to is"iss alle$in$ t!at t!e '(C !as no jurisiction o)er t!e
su*ject "atter of t!e case. +ccorin$ to !i", t!e issue *et&een t!e #arties in)ol)es t!e #ossession of lan &it! an
assesse )alue of less t!an P20,000 ,i.e. P-4,4-0. so jurisiction #ro#erly *elon$e to t!e M(C.
- '(C: M/ enie. 'elief sou$!t in t!e co"#laint is injunction in orer t!at t!e ri$!t to !a)e t!e su*ject lan *e
sur)eye &oul not *e efeate.
- Sec. 2 of '0C 12: + #reli"inary injunction "ay *e $rante *y t!e court &!ere t!e action or #roceein$ is
#enin$.
- Bo%in$co file a #etition for certiorari &it! t!e C+ alle$in$ $ra)e a*use of iscretion.
- C+: Petition is"isse for lac% of "erit. 'e"ey is una)ailin$ *ecause ,-. an orer enyin$ a M/ is interlocutory
cannot *e t!e su*ject of t!e e3traorinary #etition for certiorari or "ana"us4 ,2. failure to isclose t!at a "otion
for reconsieration &as file4 ,5. i not s!o& t!at t!e court acte &it! $ra)e a*use of iscretion.
- Hence, t!is #resent #etition for re)ie& on certiorari file *y Bo%in$co.
Statement of Facts
- Bo%in$co, et. al. file an a##lication for t!e titlin$ of a #arcel of lan locate at Baan, Butuan City *efore t!e /67',
0ffice of t!e C67'0. 8t a##ears t!at t!e lan in 9uestion is t!e sa"e lan in!erite *y t!e !eirs of Felicia Busa-
Panal an Concoria Busa, an 'eynalo Busa ,Heirs. fro" t!eir late fat!er so t!e !eirs file a #rotest a$ainst
Bo%in$co, et. al:s a##lication. Protest &as resol)e in fa)or of t!e !eirs.
- (!e !eirs re9ueste for a Sur)ey +ut!ority to t!e sur)ey t!e lan. (!is &as su*se9uently aut!ori;e *ut &!en t!e
sur)ey $rou# &ent to t!e area su*ject "atter of t!e case, sai $rou# &as #re)ente fro" enterin$ t!e area *y
SP05 /acillo an Bo%in$co.
- Heirs a)aile of t!e Baran$ay <ustice Syste" to resol)e t!e contro)ersy re$arin$ t!e sur)ey *ut to no a)ail,
Bo%in$co et. al. still refuse to allo& t!e" to sur)ey t!e lan. + Certificate to File +ction &as su*se9uently issue *y
t!e =u#on$ (a$a"a#aya#a.
- ,See State"ent of t!e Case..
Applicable Laws:
- Section -> ,-. of BP -2>, as a"ene: '(C s!all e3ercise e3clusi)e ori$inal jurisiction in all ci)il actions in &!ic!
t!e su*ject "atter is inca#a*le of #ecuniary esti"ation.
Issues:
-. ?07 C+ err in enyin$ Bo%in$co:s #etition for certiorari ,70.
2. ?07 jurisiction #ro#erly #ertaine to t!e '(C ,@6S.
Rationale
-. (!e "ere fact t!at Bo%in$co faile to "o)e for t!e reconsieration of t!e court a 9uo:s orer enyin$ !is "otion to
is"iss &as sufficient cause for t!e outri$!t is"issal of t!e sai #etition. Certiorari as a s#ecial ci)il action &ill not
lie unless a M' is first file *efore t!e res#onent court to allo& it an o##ortunity to correct its errors, if any.
Moreo)er, Bo%in$o faile to e)en alle$e $ra)e a*use of iscretion on t!e #art of t!e court a 9uo in renerin$ t!e
orer enyin$ !is "otion to is"iss.
2. +s $leane fro" t!e co"#laint, t!e #rinci#al relief sou$!t *y t!e !eirs in t!eir co"#laint is for t!e court a 9uo to
issue an injunction a$ainst Bo%in$o an !is re#resentati)es to #er"anently enjoin t!e" fro" #re)entin$ t!e sur)ey
of t!e su*ject lan. (!e !eirs: co"#laint !as not sou$!t to reco)er t!e #ossession or o&ners!i# of t!e su*ject lan.
8t is not a #ossessory action. +s suc!, t!e su*ject "atter of liti$ation is inca#a*le of #ecuniary esti"ation an
#ro#erly co$ni;a*le e3clusi)ely *y t!e court a 9uo, a 'e$ional (rial Court uner Section -> ,-. of BP Bl$. -2>, as
a"ene *y '+ A6>-.
a. )anila v $: B8n eter"inin$ &!et!er an action is one t!e su*ject "atter of &!ic! is not ca#a*le of
#ecuniary esti"ation, t!e nature of t!e #rinci#al action, or re"ey sou$!t "ust first *e ascertaine. 8f it is
#ri"arily for t!e reco)ery of a su" of "oney, t!e clai" is consiere ca#a*le of #ecuniary esti"ation, an
jurisiction o)er t!e action &ill e#en on t!e a"ount of t!e clai". Ho&e)er, &!ere t!e *asic issue is
so"et!in$ ot!er t!an t!e ri$!t to reco)er a su" of "oney, &!ere t!e "oney clai" is #urely inciental to,
or a conse9uence of, t!e #rinci#al relief sou$!t, t!e action is one &!ere t!e su*ject of liti$ation "ay not *e
esti"ate in ter"s of "oney, &!ic! is co$ni;a*le e3clusi)ely *y 'e$ional (rial Courts.B
Judgment: C+ affir"e. Petition enie.