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In Re: Petition Seeking for Clarification as to the Validity and Forceful Effect

In Re: Petition Seeking for Clarification as to the Validity and Forceful Effect of Two (2) Final and Executory but Conflicting Decisions of the Honorable Supreme Court. / Group Commander, Intelligence and Security Group, Philippine Army, represented by Colonel PEDRO R. CABUAY, JR., petitioner, vs. DR. POTENCIANO MALVAR and MARCELINO LOPEZ, respondents. / HEIRS OF ELINO ADIA, represented by JULIANA ADIA, intervenors.

G.R. No. 123780 | 2002-09-24

D E C I S I O N

SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ, J.:

Every litigation must come to an end once a judgment becomes final, executory and unappealable.[1] This is a fundamental and immutable legal principle. For "just as a losing party has the right to file an appeal within the prescribed period, the winning party also has the correlative right to enjoy the finality of the resolution of his case"[2] by the execution and satisfaction of the judgment, which is the "life of the law."[3] Any attempt to thwart this rigid rule and deny the prevailing litigant his right to savour the fruit of his victory, must immediately be struck down.[4]

For resolution is...