GR 45131; (September, 1936) (Digest)
G.R. No. 45131 ; September 17, 1936
RAMON SANTARROMANA and SOCORRO LEDESMA, petitioners, vs. CONRADO BARRIOS, Judge of First Instance of Iloilo.
FACTS
Teresa Magbanua, as judicial administratrix of her deceased husband Alejandro Balderas’s estate, filed a case against Ramon Santarromana and Socorro Ledesma (petitioners) to annul deeds of sale of properties executed by Balderas in favor of the petitioners, alleging the deeds were without consideration and the properties were either his exclusive or conjugal property. Four individuals—Sofronio Bastareche, Maxima Balderas, Cirilo Ledesma, and Custodio Castor—sought to intervene in the case as third-party claimants. They alleged they had purchased and possessed the lands in question from Alejandro Balderas long before the disputed transfers to the petitioners, claiming ownership through possession ranging from 20 to 50 years. The respondent judge granted their motions to intervene. The petitioners then filed this certiorari petition, arguing the judge acted without jurisdiction in allowing the intervention.
ISSUE
Whether the respondent judge acted without jurisdiction or with grave abuse of discretion in permitting the four individuals to intervene as third-party claimants in the main case.
RULING
No. The petition is denied. Under Section 121 of Act No. 190 (the Code of Civil Procedure), the grant or denial of permission to intervene is discretionary on the part of the courts. The intervenors had a direct interest in the case, as they claimed ownership and possession of the lands in dispute, and their interests were adverse to both the plaintiff and the defendants. The respondent judge did not act without jurisdiction or abuse his discretion; instead, allowing the intervention served to avoid a multiplicity of suits by resolving all antagonistic claims in a single case.
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