Sunday, July 9, 2023

Case Digest: Tordilla vs. Tordilla, 60 Phil. 162

Tordilla vs. Tordilla, 60 Phil. 162 

Subject: Obligations and Contracts

FACTS

This is an appeal from a decision of the Court of First Instance of Camarines Sur providing for the distribution of the estate of one Francisco Tordilla, who died intestate in Naga, Camarines Sur, on December 18, 1925, leaving as his only heirs his widow, a legitimate son, the defendant-appellant, and a recognized natural daughter, petitioner-appellee.

The defendendat-appellant laid down several assignments of error of the court a quo. One of which: the seventh, eighth, and ninth assignments of error refer to the validity of Exhibit H, a contract entered into between the appellee and the appellant in another case and signed shortly before the death of their father. The contract is in the nature of a compromise and covered two items, namely, first, the support of the natural daughter which the brother agreed to assume for one year and, second, a proposed division of their future inheritance upon the death of their father. It is assumed that appellant has complied with his terms of the contract, and the father died before the obligation of the brother terminated. The second portion of the contract Exhibit H clearly relates to the anticipated future inheritance and, therefore, is null and void under the provisions of Article 1271 of of the Civil Code.

ISSUE

Whether or not there is a valid contract.

RULING

No.

Under the law (Art 1347, NCC), no contract may be entered into upon future inheritance except in cases expressly authorized by law.

In this case, there was no valid contract because the object of the contract here is really future inheritance, and the particular contract in this case is not one of those authorized by law regarding inheritance.

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