#29 Civil Procedure (Jurisdiction Case #29)

KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY

Vda. De Borromeo vs. Pogoy

G.R. No. L-63277 (November 29, 1983)
Escolin, J.

Katarungang Pambarangay applies only to individuals and not to, as in this case, Estates

PROCEDURAL ANTECEDENTS: City Court of Cebu Atty. Reyes (Ejectment Case) = ruled in favor of Atty. Reyes SC
Petra (Certiorari).

FACTS: The intestate estate of the late Vito Borromeo is the owner of a building bearing the deceaseds name, located at
F. Ramos St., Cebu City. Said building has been leased and occupied by petitioner Petra Vda. de Borromeo at a monthly
rental of P500.00 payable in advance within the first five days of the month.

On August 28, 1982, Atty. Ricardo Reyes, administrator of the estate, served upon Petra a letter demanding that she pay
the overdue rentals corresponding to the period from March to September 1982, and thereafter to vacate the premises.
As Petra failed to do so, Atty. Reyes instituted on September 16, 1982 an ejectment case against the former in the
Municipal Trial Court of Cebu City.

On November 12, 1982, Petra moved to dismiss the case, advancing, among others, the want of jurisdiction of the trial
court. Pointing out that the parties are residents of the same city, as alleged in the complaint, Petra contended that the
court could not exercise jurisdiction over the case for failure of Atty. Reyes to refer the dispute to the Barangay Court, as
required by PD No. 1508, otherwise known as Katarungang Pambarangay Law.

ISSUE/s: WON this case should go through Katarungang Pambarangay first, and a cetification be issued before being
validly filed in the courts.
HELD: NO. It does not involve individuals. One party is the estate of Vito Borromeo.

RATIO: Under Section 4(a) of PD No. 1508, referral of a dispute to the Barangay Lupon is required only where the parties
thereto are "individuals." An "individual" means "a single human being as contrasted with a social group or institution."
Obviously, the law applies only to cases involving natural persons, and not where any of the parties is a juridical person
such as a corporation, partnership, corporation sole, testate or intestate, estate, etc.

In Civil Case No. R-23915, plaintiff Ricardo Reyes is a mere nominal party who is suing in behalf of the Intestate Estate of
Vito Borromeo. While it is true that Section 3, Rule 3 of the Rules of Court allows the administrator of an estate to sue or
be sued without joining the party for whose benefit the action is presented or defended, it is indisputable that the real
party in interest in Civil Case No. R-23915 is the intestate estate under administration. Since the said estate is a juridical
person plaintiff administrator may file the complaint directly in court, without the same being coursed to the Barangay
Lupon for arbitration.

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#29 Civil Procedure (Jurisdiction Case #29)
KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY

RULING: Petition is DISMISSED.

- Michael Joseph Nogoy

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