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[RUFINA v. EULALIO VENIDA](https://www.lawyerly.ph/juris/view/c12d0?user=fbGU2WFpmaitMVEVGZ2lBVW5xZ2RVdz09)
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[ GR No. 25084, Sep 04, 1926 ]

RUFINA v. EULALIO VENIDA +

DECISION

49 Phil. 358

[ G. R. No. 25084, September 04, 1926 ]

RUFINA, WIDOW OF PIMENTEL, ET AL., PLAINTIFFS AND APPELLEES, VS. EULALIO VENIDA, AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE INTESTATE ESTATE OF PABLO VENIDA, DECEASED, DEFENDANT AND APPELLANT.

D E C I S I O N

VILLAMOR, J.:

On February 19,  1915,  the Court of First Instance of Camarines  Norte rendered judgment in case  No.  1747 of that court, ordering Pablo Venida to pay Ramon Pimentel the sum of P7,781.52 with interest  at the rate of 6 per cent per annum from July 9,  1905, to the date of the filing of the complaint and, furthermore, to pay the sum of P550, the value  of 50 piculs of abaca which had not been delivered and  the  costs of the action.  This judgment became final, no appeal having been  taken by the  defeated  party.

The present action was  brought by the widow and children of Ramon Pimentel to recover  the sums specified in the said judgment.  Pablo Venida having  died, the claim was presented to the  committee on  appraisal and  claims in the intestate proceeding for the settlement of the estate of Pablo Venida.

The committee  admitted  the claim declaring  that the estate of the deceased Pablo Venida owed the heirs of Ramon Pimentel the sum  of P16,850.90.  From this admission of the claim, the administrator of the estate appealed, alleging that the commissioners failed to furnish him with a copy of their report and that the report does not show by whom the said claim was admitted.

The appeal of the administrator and the original action of the plaintiffs were tried in the present case.

The court below  after considering the  action  of the plaintiffs and the grounds for the appeal of the defendant, reached the conclusion that the plaintiffs have proven their right, but  not the defendant administrator, in regard to the defenses set up by  him, and therefore rendered judgment against the  defendant Eulalio  Venida, as  administrator of the estate  of  Pablo Venida, for the payment to the plaintiffs of the following sums: P7,781.52  with interest at 6 per cent per annum  from July 9,  1905,  until the execution of this judgment; P550 for  50 piculs of abaca which had not been  delivered, with interest at 6  per cent per annum from the date of the filing of  the complaint until  the execution of  the judgment; P44 the amount of the costs in case No. 1747, with interest at 6 per cent per annum also from the date of the filing of  the complaint until the execution of the judgment and the payment of the costs of the action.

The defendant appealed and now alleges that  the trial court erred  in  sustaining the validity  of  the  judgment rendered by the Court of First Instance of  Ambos Camarines in  civil case No.  1747, entitled Ramon Pimentel vs. Pablo Venida.

The appellant contends that the said judgment had been rendered without jurisdiction over the person of the defendant,  because he  had not been summoned  in the  case.

Two witnesses  were presented by the defendant,  namely, Pablo Venida and Proceso Venida, in order to prove that the defendant Pablo Venida had not been notified nor had he had any knowledge of the case.  The contention of  the appellant is untenable.  The plaintiffs presented as evidence a certified copy of the record of the proceedings had in  said case No. 1747 and it appears that the complaint was  filed on June  10, 1914;  on January 9, 1915, the attorneys for the then plaintiff filed a motion alleging that the defendant was duly summoned on August 11,  1914, and as  the period prescribed by the rules  for  entering  an appearance  had elapsed without the defendant having appeared  up to  that date,  they prayed that the defendant  be  declared in default.  On January  16, 1915, the court granting  the  said motion and finding  the  reasons  alleged therein just  and proper, issued an order declaring Pablo Venida  in default and ordered the inclusion of this case in the court calendar upon  the instance of the plaintiff.  On  February 19, 1915, the plaintiffs presented his evidence and the court thereupon rendered judgment against the defendant for the payment to the plaintiffs of the sums above-mentioned.

In  regard to the  alleged prescription of the  action by the plaintiffs,  suffice  it to  say  that the judgment sued on in this case was  rendered  on February 19, 1915, and the complaint herein having been filed on  March 24, 1924,  it is clear that the period of ten years provided in section 43, paragraph No. 1, of  the Code  of Civil Procedure has not yet elapsed.   The other error alleged by  the  appellants refers to the credibility of the witnesses.   We are of the opinion that the  trial court  did  not commit an error in weighing  said evidence, and  the  judgment  appealed from being in accordance with law, it  must be,  as it  is hereby, affirmed, with  the costs against the  appellant.  So  ordered.

Avanceña, C. J., Street, Ostrand, Johns, Romualdez,  and Villa-Real, JJ., concur.

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