- Petitioner
- Norie C. Paghubasan
- Respondent
- Amparo Y. Apostol
- Citation
- G.R. No. 250372
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- Second Division
- Decided
- February 3, 2020
Summary
This Supreme Court case involved a property ownership dispute between Norie C. Paghubasan and Amparo Y. Apostol over a property that Rafael Apostol (Amparo's deceased husband) had registered under Norie's name. The SC affirmed the Court of Appeals' ruling that the property was conjugal property belonging to Amparo and Rafael. The Court found that Rafael and Norie's relationship constituted co-ownership under Article 148 of the Family Code, but since Norie failed to prove her financial contribution to the property purchase, it was deemed solely financed by Rafael. Consequently, Rafael's act of registering the property under Norie's name was ruled as a void donation under Article 739(1) of the Civil Code, which prohibits donations between persons guilty of adultery or concubinage. The Court ordered the reconveyance of the property to Amparo and Rafael's estate, establishing important precedent on property rights in adulterous relationships and the application of co-ownership rules under the Family Code.