Gonzales v. CA
90 SCRA 183
FACTS:
Isabel Gabriel died on June 7, 1961 without issue. Lutgarda Santiago (respondent), niece of Isabel, filed a petition for probate of Isabel’s will designating her as the principal beneficiary and executrix. The will was typewritten in Tagalog and was executed 2 months prior to death of Isabel.
The petition was opposed by Rizalina Gonzales (petitioner), also a niece of Isabel, on the following grounds: 1. the will is not genuine, 2. will was not executed and attested as required by law, 3. the decedent at the time of the making of the will did not have testamentary capacity due to her age and sickness, and 4. the will was procured through undue influence.
The trial court disallowed the probate of the will but the Court of Appeals Reversed the said decision of the trial court. The petitioner filed a petition for review with SC claiming that the CA erred in holding that the will of the decedent was executed and attested as required by law when there was absolutely no proof that the 3 instrumental witnesses are credible.
ISSUE:
1. 1. Can a witness be considered competent under Art 820-821 and still not be considered credible as required by Art. 805?
2. Is it required that there must be evidence on record that the witness to a will has good standing in his/her community or that he/she is honest or upright?
HELD:
1.Yes. The petitioner submits that the term credible in Article 805 requires something more than just being competent and, therefore, a witness in addition to being competent under Articles 820-821 must also be credible under Art. 805. The competency of a person to be an instrumental witness to a will is determined by the statute (Art. 820 and 821), whereas his credibility depends on the appreciation of his testimony and arises from the belief and conclusion of the Court that said witness is telling the truth. In the case of Vda. de Aroyo v. El Beaterio del Santissimo Rosario de Molo, No. L-22005, May 3, 1968, the Supreme Court held and ruled that: “Competency as a witness is one thing, and it is another to be a credible witness, so credible that the Court must accept what he says. Trial courts may allow a person to testify as a witness upon a given matter because he is competent, but may thereafter decide whether to believe or not to believe his testimony.”
2.No. There is no mandatory requirement that the witness testify initially or at any time during the trial as to his good standing in the community, his reputation for trustworthiness and for being reliable, his honesty and uprightness (such attributes are presumed of the witness unless the contrary is proved otherwise by the opposing party) in order that his testimony may be believed and accepted by the trial court. It is enough that the qualifications enumerated in Article 820 of the Civil Code are complied with, such that the soundness of his mind can be shown by or deduced from his answers to the questions propounded to him, that his age (18 years or more) is shown from his appearance, testimony , or competently proved otherwise, as well as the fact that he is not blind, deaf or dumb and that he is able to read and write to the satisfaction of the Court, and that he has none of the disqualifications under Article 821 of the Civil Code.
