Virginia Ocampo Juarez v. The Hon. Court of Appeals

Summary

This Supreme Court case involves a property lease dispute where Virginia Ocampo Juarez was sued for ejectment by new landowner Cetus Development Corporation for subleasing without written consent, violating BP 877. The property at 502 Quezon Boulevard, Manila was originally leased in early 1900s to Servillano Ocampo, then inherited by his sister Angela, who subleased it to Roberto Capuchino in 1976. Lower courts initially dismissed the case, but Court of Appeals reversed, finding BP 877 applicable to the renewed sublease in 1985. The Supreme Court denied the petition, ruling that the month-to-month lease became subject to BP 877 when renewed after the law's effectivity, that retroactive application doesn't violate constitutional provisions due to public interest in housing regulation, and that Virginia was the proper defendant as the de facto administrator of the lease despite her mother Angela being the formal lessee.