Bernardo de Los Santos v. Faustino B. Reyes

Summary

This civil case involved a property ownership dispute over land in Angono, Rizal. Petitioner Bernardo de los Santos sought reconveyance claiming he inherited the property through his deceased wife Virginia and child. Respondent Faustino B. Reyes, Virginia's father, claimed he was the true owner who merely used his daughter's name for registration due to the hacienda owner's purchase restrictions. The key legal issue was whether the property was gifted to Virginia (creating inheritance rights for petitioner) or whether Faustino remained the owner. All three court levels ruled in favor of Faustino, finding that the disputable presumption of gift under Civil Code Article 1448 was successfully rebutted by evidence showing he was the actual purchaser. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition, emphasizing that the case involved questions of fact conclusively determined by lower courts and that no trust relationship existed between the parties.