Sen Po Ek Marketing Corporation v. Court of Appeals

Summary

Sen Po Ek Marketing Corporation leased property from Sofia Martinez since 1961, constructing a commercial building. After Sofia sold to daughter Teodora, who then sold to Tiu Uyping brothers in 1990, the new owners filed ejectment proceedings. Sen Po Ek countered with an annulment action claiming right of first preference. The Supreme Court ruled that pendency of annulment proceedings does not suspend ejectment cases, municipal trial courts have jurisdiction over ejectment regardless of rental amounts, and that the original lease had expired creating only a month-to-month tenancy. Even though the RTC later ruled in favor of Sen Po Ek in the annulment case, this decision was not yet final due to pending appeal, so the ejectment order remained valid. The case establishes that ejectment proceedings have priority over pending annulment actions involving the same property.