8/18/2019 Cavili vs Florendo Case Digest (Evidence)

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PERFECTA, PRIMITIVO and QUIRINO CAVILIvs.

HON. TEODORO N. FLORENDO, CLARITA, ULPIANO, ESTRELL, and PLACIDACAVILI, ET AL.

(G.R. No. 73039 October 9, 1987)

FACTS: Private respondents fed !ivi !ase No. "880 a#ainst $erein petitioners %or&$ic$ s'ons &as iss'ed to t$e.

'ons &as not served to Priitivo and *'irino, b't on+ to Per%ecta.tt+. -ose P. aino fed a otion %or etension to ans&er in be$a% o% t$e

de%endants, ani%estin# t$e representation o% $is cient Per%ecta !avii t$at s$e &iin%or $er brot$ers Priitivo and *'irino abo't t$e case.

%ter %aiin# to fe an ans&er &it$in t$e tie ao&ed, t$e+ &ere decared inde%a't, and /'d#ent b+ de%a't soon %oo&ed.

o&ever, an order %or ne& tria &as iss'ed 'pon order o% tt+. -ose P. aio,on #ro'nds o% ac o% /'risdiction and, &it$ a eritorio's de%ense t$at t$e propertiesso'#$t to be partitioned $ave aread+ been t$e s'b/ect o% a &ritten partitiona#reeent bet&een t$e direct $eirs o% t$e parties.

2$en t$e case &as rera4ed, -'d#e !ipriano 5aenta set aside t$e order %orne& tria and reinstated t$e /'d#ent b+ de%a't.

 6$e 'pree !o'rt reversed t$e said decision and ordered ne& tria 'ponpetition %or certiorari fed b+ respondents

Respondent /'d#e orendo dis'aifed petitioner Per%ecta as a &itness 'pona otion %or $er dis'aifcation fed b+ private respondents, ae#in# t$at Per%ecta$as ost $er standin# in co'rt and s$e cannot be ao&ed to participate in apreise t$e even as a &itness.

Petitioners fed t$is petition %or certiorari be%ore t$e 'pree !o'rt.

ISSUE: 

2$et$er Per%ecta s$o'd be dis'aifed to appear as &itness

RULING: 

No! Sh sho"d # $a"%&d 'o a((a) as *%'nss!

ection 18, R'e 130 o% t$e Revised R'es o% !o'rt states &$o are 'aifed tobe &itnesses. t provides:

ection 18. 2itnesses t$eir 'aifcations. ;

8/18/2019 Cavili vs Florendo Case Digest (Evidence)

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+"ds 'h o()a'%on o- +ass o- d%sa#%"%'7 o'h) 'han 'hos n'%ond%n 'h R"s. As a 8n)a" )", *h) 'h) a) ()ss +('%ons 'hs+o()%s 'h on"7 "%%'a'%ons on 'h o()a'%on o- a s'a'' and no o'h)+('%on *%"" # %("%d.

R'e 18, ection =, ie&ise, does not s'pport respondent>s contention. ?nder

t$is r'e, a part+ decared in de%a't s$a not be entited to notice o% s'bse'entproceedin#s nor to tae part in t$e tria. part+ in de%a't oses $is ri#$t to present$is de%ense, contro t$e proceedin#s, and eaine or crosseaine &itnesses.

 6$ere is not$in# in t$e r'e, $o&ever, &$ic$ contepates a dis'aifcation to be a&itness or an opponent in a case. @e%a't does not ae $i an incopetent.

s opposed to a part+ iti#ant, a *%'nss %s )"7 a #ho"d), as(+'a'o) o) on"oo9), +a""d (on 'o 's'%-7 'o *ha' h has sn, ha)d, o)o#s)vd. As s+h, h 'a9s no a+'%v (a)' %n 'h +on's' o- )%8h's#'*n 'h (a)'%s. A (a)'7 %n d-a"' a7 'hs # +%'d as a *%'nss #7h%s +od-ndan's *ho hav 'h s'and%n8 and 'h )%8h' 'o ()sn'v%dn+ *h%+h 'h -o)) a7 ()ov%d. 6o re/ect Per%ects !aviiAs presentation

o% testionia evidence &o'd be to treat Priitivo and *'irino, as i% t$e+ too &erein de%a't.

 6$e petition is $ereb+ GRN6