Heirs of Leopoldo Esteban, Sr. v. Lynda Lim Llaguno

Summary

This landmark case addressed whether co-owners can evict a lessee who contracted with only one co-owner without others' consent. The Supreme Court established that while an unauthorized lease of co-owned property by one co-owner without consent is invalid against non-consenting co-owners, it remains valid as to the leasing co-owner's ideal share under Civil Code Article 493. The Court applied co-ownership principles, ruling that since co-owners cannot eject each other from commonly-owned property, they similarly cannot eject someone possessing on behalf of a co-owner. The decision requires partition as a prerequisite to exclusive possession rights, protecting both co-ownership integrity and preventing unjust dispossession. While petitioners cannot evict the lessee, they remain entitled to their proportionate share of rentals from the unauthorized lease period, balancing co-owners' competing interests and establishing important precedent for similar co-ownership disputes.