Francisco G. Calma v. Arsenio Santos

Summary

This case involves a complex property dispute over the Calangain Fishpond in Pampanga. Petitioner Francisco Calma purchased multiple undivided shares from the Santos family co-owners and sought partition when they refused to segregate his portions. The central issue was whether Celestino Santos validly sold his 1/2 share to his son Arsenio Santos one month before his death in 1975. The Supreme Court upheld the validity of this sale based on the presumption of regularity of notarized documents, despite suspicious circumstances. The Court recognized the legal redemption rights of remaining co-owners under Article 1623 of the Civil Code, allowing them to buy back the shares sold to Calma within 30 days. The decision balanced property rights, co-ownership principles, and the evidentiary value of notarized documents while addressing the complex web of sales, inheritance rights, and rental obligations in this family property dispute.