Paulino Doliendo v. Santos Depiño

Summary

This case involves a dispute over inherited land among heirs following judicial sale. When Santos Depiño's creditor attached and sold 36 parcels of family land, the property eventually passed to Ruperto Montinola. Plaintiffs claimed they purchased the land from Montinola pursuant to an agreement with fellow heirs to keep the property within the family. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's finding that such agreement existed, allowing plaintiffs possession with heirs working as tenants until the P800 purchase price was reimbursed from land proceeds. The decision established that informal agreements among co-heirs regarding family property can be enforced despite lack of public instruments, and that judicial sales of co-owned property only affect the debtor's proportionate share.