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Heirs of Victoriana Villa Gracia, et al. Vs. CA, et al.

HEIRS OF VICTORIANA VILLAGRACIA represented by GREGORIO, EXEQUIEL and CLARA, all surnamed RAMIREZ; NATIVIDAD G. LAZARO, JULIA G. FADRI, ESTELA G. GAVIOLA, LUZ G. LEGASPI, NORBERTA OR ROBERTA DAACO, GERNARDA G. CUARTEL, LORENZO GEREZ, NATALIO DAACO, ROSARIO P. SOYOSA, SERGIA CONTILLO, LUCIANO BELTRAN, CONSTANTINO, FELISA and GABRIEL, all surnamed PRETENCIO, Petitioners, versus EQUITABLE BANKING CORPORATION, METROPOLITAN BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL TREASURER OF THE PHILIPPINES; RIZAL COMMERCIAL BANKING CORPORATION (Tacloban Branch), PHILLIPEOPLEINE VETERANS BANK (Tacloban Branch), BANK OF PHILIPPINE ISLANDS (Tacloban Branch) ROBERTO and LUCIANA, both surnamed NEBASA, VICENTE, JR. SILVESTRE, ROSITA C., TERESITA and JUANA, all surnamed DELA CRUZ, VICTORIA VDA. DE CONTILLO, AURELIA, CRESENCIO, MARDONIA, CONCEPCION, COSME, CLARO, JR. and INA, all surnamed CONTILLO, EULOGIO, ILUMINADA, MARIA and ROBERTO, all surnamed DAACO, ERLINDA CODILLA, ANTONIA DECENA and her husband PEDRO DECENA, MARLITA GO, ADELA CESAR, REGISTER OF DEEDS OF TACLOBAN CITY, DOCORRO OR ENGRACIA (Asiang) and CONSTANCIA, both surnamed OCTAVIANO, V & G BETTER HOMES SUBDIVISION, INC., UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK (Tacloban Branch), GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM (GSIS), ALFREDO A. ABORENZOSA, SARAH LENTEJAS DAPULA, RENATO G. BALGOS, EVANGELINE B. JAINGUE, BENEDICTO GEREZ, TERESITA D. LOPEZ, MARINDA T. CHAN, MARIA LORNA FABILLO, MARIA SONIA LIM, THELMA ARGANDA, LOURDES CORMERO, ARLINE CABILLA, ROLANDO DERION, ANTONIA B. CANDIDO, NESTOR C. PINEDA, LUCIANO T. BAYONA, SIXTO AZCARRAGA, VIRGILIO QUINTANA, PRUTO ADORA, SIXTO AZCARRAGA, MANUEL CASTILLO, JR., ARLITA Y. LUMIARES, RALPH PETER PRICE, SR., ORESTES COSTIBOLO, IBARRA C. MARIANO, SR., MILAGROS FABELLA, CIRILO SOLANO, NICOLAS P. VERGARA, AIDA CAMPOSANO, DAMIAN DACILLO, JEANNE L. CABUSBUSAN, LEONIL E. ABEJUELA, DULCE ANN DELGADO CALUDAS, CATALINO T. QUERO, THE UNKNOWN AWARDEES-OCCUPANTS OF: Lots 1, 2, 4, 5 & 6 of Block 1; Lots 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 of Block 2; Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12 of Block 3; Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, & 33 of Block 4; Lots 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, & 27 of Block 5; Lots 4, 6, 10, & 12 of Block 6; Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 & 15 of Block 7; and lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 of Block 12, ALL OF PHASE IV; V & G BETTER HOMES SUBDIVISION, INC., Respondents.

G.R. No. 136972 | 2008-03-28

DECISION


NACHURA, J.:

There are times when strict adherence to the rules of procedure must yield to the search for truth and the demands of substantial justice. One such moment is here and now.

Before us is a petition for review on certiorari assailing the Court of Appeals (CA) Resolution dated September 17, 1998, which dismissed the appeal of petitioners (plaintiffs-appellants therein) for failure to file the appellants' brief within the extended period, and the Resolution dated December 18, 1998 denying petitioners' motion for reconsideration in CA-G.R. CV-No. 32535.

The controversy arose when petitioners filed with Branch 7 of...