EN BANC

[G.R. No. 59801. May 31, 1988.]

LEONOR P. FERNANDEZ, CONNIE P. HALL, BERNARDO PERALTA and
MARIANO FERNANDEZ, petitioners, vs. THE HONORABLE FRANCIS J.
MILITANTE, in his capacity as Jd!", C#$t #% Fi$st Instanc" #% C"&, B$anch 'II,
ESTRELITO P. CAP(TOLAN, )ONZALO P. CAP(TOLAN, RA*(EL C. ANIBAN,
ESTANISLAO L. CAP(TOLAN and +ILFREDO ANIBAN, respondents.
Fernando B. Yu for petitioners.
Valeriano S. Carrillo for respondents.
S,LLAB(S
1.REME!A" "A#$ %A&AR'NGANG (AMBARANGA)$ N*N+C*M("!ANCE #!&,
C*NC!"!A&!*N (R*CE-- C*'" A..EC& ("A!N&!../- CA'-E *. AC&!*N. 0 &1is Co2rt
1as repeated3y r23ed t1at t1e 4on4i3iation pro4ess at t1e Baran5ay 3e6e3 is a 4ondition pre4edent for
fi3in5 of a4tions 7efore t1e re523ar tria3 4o2rts and ordinari3y, non+4o8p3ian4e t1ere9it1 4o23d affe4t
t1e s2ffi4ien4y of p3aintiff/s 4a2se of a4tion and 8a:e 1is 4o8p3aint 623nera73e to dis8issa3 on t1e
5ro2nd of 3a4: of 4a2se of a4tion or pre8at2rity.
;.!.$ !.$ C*N!&!*N (RECEEN&$ -'B<EC& &* #A!=ER. 0 .ai32re to raise it as a defense in
t1e ans9er or in a ti8e3y 8otion to dis8iss is dee8ed a 9ai6er of s241 pre4ondition.
3.!.$ !.$ C*NC!"!A&!*N (R*CE'RE$ N*& A <'R!-!C&!*NA" RE>'!REMEN&. 0 &1e
4on4i3iation pro4ed2re 2nder (res. e4. No. 1508 is not a ?2risdi4tiona3 re@2ire8ent and its non+
4o8p3ian4e 4annot affe4t t1e ?2risdi4tion 91i41 t1e 4o2rt 1as a3ready a4@2ired o6er t1e s27?e4t 8atter
or o6er t1e person of t1e defendant.
A.!.$ %A&AR'NGAN (AMBARANGA)$ "'(*N ,A- N* A'&,*R!&) *=ER !-('&E-
#,ERE (AR&!E- RE-!E- !N !..EREN& C!&!E- *R M'N!C!(A"!&!E-. 0 -e4tion ; Bof (res.
e4. No. 1508C spe4ifies t1e 4onditions 2nder 91i41 t1e "2pon of a 7aran5ay Ds1a33 1a6e a2t1orityD to
7rin5 to5et1er t1e disp2tants for a8i4a73e sett3e8ent of t1eir disp2teE &1e parties 82st 7e Da4t2a33y
residin5 in t1e sa8e 4ity or 82ni4ipa3ity.D At t1e sa8e ti8e, -e4tion 3 0 91i3e reiteratin5 t1at t1e
disp2tants 82st 7e Da4t2a33y residin5 in t1e sa8e 7aran5ayD or in Ddifferent 7aran5ays 9it1in t1e sa8e
4ity or 82ni4ipa3ity 2ne@2i6o4a73y de43ares t1at t1e "2pon s1a33 1a6e Dno a2t1orityD o6er disp2tes
Din6o36in5 parties 91o a4t2a33y reside in 7aran5ays of different 4ities or 82ni4ipa3ities,D eF4ept 91ere
s241 7aran5ays ad?oin ea41 ot1er.
D E C I S I O N
CORTES, J pE
&1e 4ase at 7ar in6o36es t1e ass28ption of ?2risdi4tion 7y a tria3 4o2rt o6er a 4o8p3aint 9it1o2t prior
4on4i3iation pro4eedin5s 7et9een t1e parties 7efore t1e Lupong Tagapayapa as pres4ri7ed 7y (res.
e4. No. 1508 B%atar2n5an5 (a87aran5ay "a9C. &1is Co2rt iss2ed a &e8porary Restrainin5 *rder on
Mar41 9, 198; en?oinin5 respondent <2d5e fro8 ta:in5 f2rt1er a4tion in t1e 4ase d2rin5 t1e penden4y
of t1e petition.
&1e fa4ts are si8p3e. (ri6ate respondents 7ro251t a4tion a5ainst petitioners 7efore t1e t1en Co2rt of
.irst !nstan4e of Ce72, Bran41 G!!, for De43aration of N233ity of eed of -a3e and of &ransfer
Certifi4ates of &it3eD and do4:eted as Ci6i3 Case No. R+;0105. (etitioners fi3ed on Mar41 9, 1981 t1eir
ans9er raisin5 spe4ia3 and affir8ati6e defenses in432din5 a 4o2nter43ai8. -27se@2ent3y, t1e 4ase 9as
set for pre+tria3 and on Apri3 15, 1981, t1e first pre+tria3 4onferen4e 9as 1e3d.
*n May ;H, 1981, petitioners fi3ed a Motion to is8iss on t1e 5ro2nd t1at t1e 4o2rt ne6er a4@2ired
?2risdi4tion o6er t1e 4ase for non+4o8p3ian4e 9it1 t1e re@2ire8ent of 4on4i3iation 7efore t1e Lupong
Tagapayapa. &1e tria3 4o2rt o6err23ed t1e ar528ents raised 7y t1e petitioners and denied t1eir 8otion
on <2ne 1H, 1981. Motion for re4onsideration 9as a3so denied for 7ein5 fi3ed o2t of ti8e. ,en4e, t1is
petition for 4ertiorari and pro1i7ition 9it1 pre3i8inary in?2n4tion.
&1e present petition is pre8ised on t1e ar528ent t1at inas8241 as t1e 4o8p3aint 7efore t1e tria3 4o2rt
is a proper s27?e4t of 4on4i3iation 7efore t1e Lupong Tagapayapa, non+4o8p3ian4e 9it1 s241
re@2ire8ent is a ?2risdi4tiona3 defe4t 91i41 renders t1e 4o8p3aint 623nera73e to dis8issa3.
&1e parties do not disp2te t1e fa4t t1at t1e 4ase no9 7efore t1e 3o9er 4o2rt 9as ne6er referred to t1e
Lupong Tagapayapa for 4on4i3iation. &1is Co2rt 1as repeated3y r23ed t1at t1e 4on4i3iation pro4ess at
t1e Baran5ay 3e6e3 is a 4ondition pre4edent for fi3in5 of a4tions 7efore t1e re523ar tria3 4o2rts and
ordinari3y, non+4o8p3ian4e t1ere9it1 4o23d affe4t t1e s2ffi4ien4y of p3aintiff/s 4a2se of a4tion and
8a:e 1is 4o8p3aint 623nera73e to dis8issa3 on t1e 5ro2nd of 3a4: of 4a2se of a4tion or pre8at2rity
[Roya3es 6. !nter8ediate Appe33ate Co2rt. G.R. No. I50H;, <an2ary 31, 198A, 1;H -CRA AH0$ =da. de
Borro8eo 6. (o5oy, G.R. No. I3;HH, No6e87er ;9, 1983, 1;I -CRA ;1H$ Morata 6. Go, G.R. No.
I;339, *4to7er ;H, 1983, 1;5 -CRA AAA]. ,o9e6er, fai32re to raise it as a defense in t1e ans9er or in
a ti8e3y 8otion to dis8iss is dee8ed a 9ai6er of s241 pre4ondition. ""pr
&1e re4ord s1o9s t1at petitioners/ ans9er to t1e 4o8p3aint ne6er raised t1e defense t1at t1e pri6ate
respondents/ 4o8p3aint did not 4o8p3y 9it1 t1e 4on4i3iation pro4ess pres4ri7ed 7y (res. e4. No. 1508.
&1e fai32re to raise said defense in t1e ans9er is dee8ed a 9ai6er t1ereof 91i41 no 7e3ated 8otion to
dis8iss 4an re4tify.
Moreo6er, t1ere is no 8erit to t1e petitioners/ 4ontention t1at pri6ate respondents/ fai32re to 4o8p3y
9it1 t1e 4on4i3iation pro4ess is fata3 to t1e tria3 4o2rt/s ?2risdi4tion. &1e 4on4i3iation pro4ed2re 2nder
(res. e4. No. 1508 is not a ?2risdi4tiona3 re@2ire8ent and its non+4o8p3ian4e 4annot affe4t t1e
?2risdi4tion 91i41 t1e 4o2rt 1as a3ready a4@2ired o6er t1e s27?e4t 8atter or o6er t1e person of t1e
defendant. [GonJa3es 6. Co2rt of Appea3s, G.R. Nos. "+59A95+9H, <2ne ;I, 198H, 151 -CRA ;8H$
Mi33are 6. ,ernando, G.R. No. "+55A80, <2ne 30, 198H, 151 -CRA A8A].
!t is 3i:e9ise note9ort1y t1at petitioners 1a6e in6o:ed t1e ?2risdi4tion of t1e respondent tria3 4o2rt 7y
fi3in5 an ans9er and see:in5 affir8ati6e re3ief fro8 it. &1ey 4annot no9 rep2diate t1at ?2risdi4tion to
91i41 t1ey 1a6e s278itted t1e8se36es 6o32ntari3y [Roya3es 6. !nter8ediate Appe33ate Co2rt, 4itin5
&i?a8 6. -i7on51anoy, G.R. No. "+;1A50, Apri3 15, 19I8, ;3 -CRA ;9]. ""?2r
E6en ass28in5 t1at petitioners/ 8otion to dis8iss 1ad 7een fi3ed on ti8e, it is do27tf23 91et1er t1e
"2pon 1as a2t1ority o6er t1e 4ontro6ersy 4onsiderin5 a33e5ations re5ardin5 t1e residen4e of t1e parties
in6o36ed. (etitioners and pri6ate respondents are ad8itted3y a33 residents of <ones A6en2e, Ce72 City,
9it1 t1e eF4eption of petitioner Connie (. ,a33 91o is a 4itiJen of t1e 'nited -tates of A8eri4a and a
resident of Green7erry ri6e, "a (2erte, Ca3ifornia, '.-.A. &1e r23in5 in t1e 4ase of Tavora v. Velasco
[G.R. No. I03IH, -epte87er 30, 198;, 11H -CRA I13] reso36es t1is point.
. . . -e4tion ; Bof (res. e4. No. 1508C spe4ifies t1e 4onditions 2nder 91i41 t1e "2pon of a
7aran5ay Ds1a33 1a6e a2t1orityD to 7rin5 to5et1er t1e disp2tants for a8i4a73e sett3e8ent of t1eir
disp2teE &1e parties 82st 7e Da4t2a33y residin5 in t1e sa8e 4ity or 82ni4ipa3ity.D At t1e sa8e
ti8e, -e4tion 3 0 91i3e reiteratin5 t1at t1e disp2tants 82st 7e Da4t2a33y residin5 in t1e sa8e
7aran5ayD or in Ddifferent 7aran5ays 9it1in t1e sa8e 4ity or 82ni4ipa3ity 2ne@2i6o4a73y
de43ares t1at t1e "2pon s1a33 1a6e Dno a2t1orityD o6er disp2tes Din6o36in5 parties 91o a4t2a33y
reside in 7aran5ays of different 4ities or 82ni4ipa3ities,D eF4ept 91ere s241 7aran5ays ad?oin
ea41 ot1er.
Thus, by express statutory inclusion and exclusion, the Lupon shall have no urisdiction over
disputes !here the parties are not actual residents o" the sa#e city or #unicipality, except
!here the barangays in !hich they actually reside adoin each other. [E8p1asis s2pp3ied]
#,ERE.*RE, t1e petition is 1ere7y !-M!--E and t1e order of t1e respondent tria3 4o2rt in Ci6i3
Case No. R+;0105 denyin5 petitioners/ 8otion to dis8iss is A..!RME. &1e &e8porary Restrainin5
*rder iss2ed 7y t1is Co2rt on Mar41 9, 198; is 1ere7y "!.&E and -E& A-!E.
-* *RERE.
Yap, C. J., Fernan, $arvasa, %elencio&'errera, (utierre), Jr., Cru), *aras, Feliciano, (ancayco,
*adilla, Bidin, Sar#iento and (ri+o&,-uino, JJ., 4on42r.