Heirs of Shomanay Paclit v. Cesar Belisario

Summary

The heirs of the original landowners sought to annul a 1965 land sale and recover property, claiming the buyer never fully paid the purchase price. The case was dismissed at all levels on the ground of prescription. The Supreme Court affirmed, ruling that the action to rescind the sale based on non-payment was governed by the 10-year prescriptive period under Civil Code Article 1144, which had clearly lapsed since the complaint was filed 38 years after the right of action accrued in 1965. The Court also emphasized that the petition was procedurally flawed due to the late filing of the motion for reconsideration with the Court of Appeals, making that decision final and executory. The case demonstrates the importance of timely assertion of rights and the finality of judicial decisions under procedural rules.