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Republic of the Philippines
SUPREME COURT

THIRD DIVISION

G.R. No. 159521 December 16, 2005

FRANCISCO L. GONZALES, Petitioner,
vs.
ERMINDA F. GONZALES, Respondents.

D E C I S I O N

SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ, J.:

This petition for review on certiorari seeks the reversal of the Decision dated April 2, 2003 and Resolution dated August 8, 2003, both issued by the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No. 66041, entitled, "Erminda F. Gonzales, plaintiff-appellee versus Francisco L. Gonzales, defendant-appellant."

In March 1977, Francisco Gonzales, petitioner, and Erminda Gonzales, respondent, started living as husband and wife. After two (2) years, or on February 4, 1979, they got married. From this union, four (4) children were born, namely: Carlo Manuel, Maria Andres, Maria Angelica and Marco Manuel.

On October 29, 1992, respondent filed a complaint with the Regional Trial Court, Branch 143, Makati City, for annulment of marriage with prayer for support pendente lite, docketed as Civil Case No. 32-31111. The complaint alleges that petitioner is psychologically incapacitated to comply with the obligations of marriage. He beats her for no justifiable reason, humiliates and embarrasses her, and denies her love, sexual comfort and loyalty. During the time they lived together, they acquired properties. She managed their pizza business and worked hard for its development. She prays for the declaration of the nullity of their marriage and for the dissolution of the conjugal partnership of gains.

In his answer to the complaint, petitioner averred that it is respondent who is psychologically incapacitated. He denied that she was the one who managed the pizza business and claimed that he exclusively owns the properties "existing during their marriage."

In her reply, respondent alleged that "she controlled the entire generation of Fiesta Pizza representing 80% of the total management of the same and that all income from said business are conjugal in nature."

The public prosecutor, in compliance with the directive of the trial court, and pursuant Section 48 of the Family Code,1 certified that no collusion exists between the parties in asking for the declaration of the nullity of their marriage and that he would appear for the state to see to it that the evidence is not fabricated or suppressed.

Each party submitted a list of the properties with their valuation, acquired during their union, thus:

	Valuation of respondent (Record, p. 110)	Valuation of petitioner (Record, p. 111)
1. Acropolis property 2. Baguio City property 3. Nasugbu, Batangas property 4. Corinthian house and lot 5. Sagitarius condominium 6. Office 7. Greenmeadows lot 8. White Plains 9. Corinthian lot	None P 10,000,000 5,000,000 18,000,000 2,500,000 30,000,000 10,000,000 7,000,000 12,000,000	P 6,000,000 10,000,000 5,000,000 23,000,000 2,000,000 24,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 None
Personal Property (Vehicles)
1. Galant ’83 model 2. Toyota Corona ’79 model 3. Coaster ’77 model 4. Pajero ’89 model 5. Corolla ’92 model 6. L-300 ’90 model 7. Mercedes Sedan ’79 model 8. Pick-up ’89 model 9. Mercedes wagon ’80 model 10. Nissan Sentra ’89 model 11. 8’Tamaraws	None - - - -	P 120,000 80,000 150,000 500,000 180,000 350,000 220,000 100,000 300,000 200,000 -

Evidence adduced during the trial show that petitioner used to beat respondent without justifiable reasons, humiliating and embarrassing her in the presence of people and even in front of their children. He has been afflicted with satyriasis, a personality disorder characterized by excessive and promiscuous sex hunger manifested by his indiscriminate womanizing. The trial court found that:

"The evidence adduced by plaintiff was overwhelming to prove that the defendant by his infliction of injuries on the plaintiff, his wife, and excessive and promiscuous hunger for sex, a personality disorder called satyriasis, was, at the time of the celebration of marriage, psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential obligations of marriage although such incapacity became manifest only after its solemnization. The defendant’s evidence, on the other hand, on the psychological incapacity of plaintiff did not have any evidentiary weight, the same being doubtful, unreliable, unclear and unconvincing."

On February 12, 1997, the trial court rendered its Decision, the dispositive portion of which reads:

"WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, judgment is rendered:

1) Declaring the marriage contracted by and between FRANCISCO L. GONZALEZ and ERMINDA F. FLORENTINO solemnized by Rev. Fr. Alberto Ampil, S.J. on February 4, 1979, at the Manila Hilton Chapel, Nuestra de Guia Parish, Ermita, Manila, NULL and VOID ab initio with all legal effects as provided for under applicable laws;

2) Awarding the custody of minors Maria Andrea and Marco Manuel to the plaintiff, and Carlo Manuel and Maria Angela with rights of visitation given to both parties under an arrangement mutually acceptable to both of them;

3) Ordering the parties to deliver the children’s legitimes pursuant to Article 50, in relation to Article 51 of the Family Code;

4) Ordering the defendant to give monthly support to Maria Andrea and Marco Manuel in the amount of Forty Thousand (₱40,000.00) Pesos within five (5) days of each corresponding month delivered at the residence of the plaintiff staring January 1997 and thereafter;

5) Ordering the dissolution of the conjugal partnership of gains and dividing the conjugal properties between the plaintiff and the defendant as follows:

A. 1) Plaintiff’s share of real properties:

1. Corinthian lot -------------------- ₱ 12,000,000

2. Acropolis property ------------- 6,000,000

3. Baguio property ----------------- 10,000,000

4. Nasugbu property -------------- 5,000,000

5. Greenmeadows property ----- 12,500,000

6. Sagitarius condominium ------ 2,250,000

₱ 47,750,000

2) Personal:

1. Pajero ’89 model --------------- ₱ 500,000

2. L-300 ’90 model ---------------- 350,000

3. Nissan Sentra ’89 model ----- 200,000

₱ 1,050,000

B. 1) Defendant’s share of real properties:

1. Corinthian house and lot ---- ₱ 20,500,000

2. Office ----------------------------- 27,000,000

₱ 47,500,000

2) Personal:

1. Galant ’83 model --------------- ₱ 120,000

2. Toyota Corona ’79 model ---- 80,000

3. Coaster ’77 model -------------- 150,000

4. Corolla ’92 model -------------- 180,000

5. Mercedes Sedan ’79 model --- 220,000

6. Pick-up ’89 model -------------- 100,000

7. Mercedes wagon ’80 model— 300,000

₱ 1,150,000

8. Four (4) Tamaraws -------------

6) Ordering the plaintiff to pay the defendant in cash the amount of ₱2,196,125.

7) Ordering the defendant who has actual possession of the conjugal properties to deliver to plaintiff her share of the real and personal properties, including four (4) Tamaraws, above-described, and execute the necessary documents valid in law conveying the title and ownership of said properties in favor of the plaintiff."

Not satisfied with the manner their properties were divided, petitioner appealed to the Court of Appeals. He did not contest that part of the decision which declared his marriage to respondent void ab initio.

In its Decision dated April 2, 2003, the Appellate Court affirmed the assailed Decision of the trial court.

Petitioner filed a motion for reconsideration but it was denied in an Order dated July 23, 1997.

Hence, the instant petition for review on certiorari.

The sole issue for our resolution is whether the court of Appeals erred in ruling that the properties should be divided equally between the parties.

Let it be stressed that petitioner does not challenge the Appellate Court’s Decision declaring his marriage with respondent void. Consequently, their property relation shall be governed by the provisions of Article 147 of the Family Code quoted as follows:

"ART. 147. When a man and a woman who are capacitated to marry each other, live exclusively with each other as husband and wife without the benefit of marriage or under a void marriage, their wages and salaries shall be owned by them in equal shares and the property acquired by both of them through their work or industry shall be governed by the rules on co-ownership.

In the absence of proof to the contrary, properties acquired while they lived together shall be presumed to have been obtained by their joint efforts, work or industry, and shall be owned by them in equal shares. For purposes of this Article, a party who did not participate in the acquisition by the other party of any property shall be deemed to have contributed jointly in the acquisition thereof if the former's efforts consisted in the care and maintenance of the family and of the household."

These provisions enumerate the two instances when the property relations between spouses shall be governed by the rules on co-ownership. These are: (1) when a man and woman capacitated to marry each other live exclusively with each other as husband and wife without the benefit of marriage; and (2) when a man and woman live together under a void marriage. Under this property regime of co-ownership, properties acquired by both parties during their union, in the absence of proof to the contrary, are presumed to have been obtained through the joint efforts of the parties and will be owned by them in equal shares.

Article 147 creates a presumption that properties acquired during the cohabitation of the parties have been acquired through their joint efforts, work or industry and shall be owned by them in equal shares. It further provides that a party who did not participate in the acquisition by the other party of any property shall be deemed to have contributed jointly in the acquisition thereof if the former’s efforts consisted in the care and maintenance of the family and of the household.

While it is true that all the properties were bought from the proceeds of the pizza business, petitioner himself testified that respondent was not a plain housewife and that she helped him in managing the business. In his handwritten letter to her dated September 6, 1989, he admitted that "You’ve helped me for what we are now and I won’t let it be destroyed."

It appeared that before they started living together, petitioner offered respondent to be his partner in his pizza business and to take over its operations. Respondent started managing the business in 1976. Her job was to: (1) take care of the daily operations of the business; (2) manage the personnel; and (3) meet people during inspection and supervision of outlets. She reported for work everyday, even on Saturdays and Sundays, without receiving any salary or allowance.

In petitions for review on certiorari under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court, the general rule is that only questions of law may be raised by the parties and passed upon by this Court.2 Factual findings of the Appellate Court are generally binding on, especially this Court, when in complete accord with the findings of the trial court,3 as in this case. This is because it is not our function to analyze or weigh the evidence all over again.4

WHEREFOR, the instant petition is hereby DENIED. The assailed Decision and Resolution of the Court of Appeals, in CA-G.R. CV No. 66041, are AFFIRMED. Costs against petitioner.

SO ORDERED.

ANGELINA SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ

Associate Justice

WE CONCUR:

ARTEMIO V. PANGANIBAN Associate Justice Chairman
RENATO C. CORONA Associate Justice	CONCHITA CARPIO MORALES Associate Justice
CANCIO C. GARCIA Associate Justice

ATTESTATION

I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision were reached in consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Court's Division.

ARTEMIO V. PANGANIBAN

Associate Justice

Chairman, Third Division

CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to Article VIII, Section 13 of the Constitution, and the Division Chairman's Attestation, it is hereby certified that the conclusions in the above Decision were reached in consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Court.

HILARIO G. DAVIDE, JR.

Chief Justice

The petitioner wanted that the White Plains and Greenmeadows lots be classified as non-conjugal assets. The RTC agreed with respect to the While Plains property because it was purchased by petitioner before he started living with respondent. However, the RTC disagreed with respect to the Greenmeadows lot and declared that it is conjugal property because although it was purchased before they started living together, the payment of the purchase price was completed only after their marriage.

In dividing the properties between the parties, the RTC took the average of the petitioner’s and respondent’s valuation of a specific property. Thus, the RTC fixed the valuation of each property as follows:

1. Acropolis property --------------------- 2. Baguio City property ------------------ 3. Nasugbu, Batangas property ------- 4. Corinthian house and lot ------------- 5. Sagitarius condominium ------------- 6. Office ------------------------------------- 7. Greenmeadows lot -------------------- 8. Corinthian lot ---------------------------	P 6,000,000 10,000,000 5,000,000 20,500,000 2,250,000 27,000,000 12,500,000 12,000,000
	P 95,250,000

The valuation of the conjugal real properties as fixed by the Court was ₱95,250,000, excluding the White Plains property. Each spouse will get one-half of these properties, or ₱47,625,000.

Defendant will get the following:

1. Corinthian house and lot ------------- 2. Office -------------------------------------	P 20,500,000 27,000,000
	P 47,500,000

Plaintiff will get the following:

1. Corinthian lot --------------------------- 2. Acropolis property --------------------- 3. Baguio property ------------------------ 4. Nasugbu property --------------------- 5. Greenmeadows ------------------------ 6. Sagitarius condominium -------------	P 12,000,000 6,000,000 10,000,000 5,000,000 12,500,000 2,250,000
	P 47,750,000

With respect to the personal properties – vehicles – their total value was fixed at ₱2,200,000 by defendant. The husband or the wife will get said vehicles with total value of ₱1,100,000.

Plaintiff will get the following:

1. Pajero ’89 model ------------------- 2. L-300 ’90 model -------------------- 3. Nissan Sentra ’89 model ---------	P 500,000 350,000 200,000
	P 1,050,000

Defendant will get the following:

1. Galant ’83 model 2. Toyota Corona ’79 model 3. Coaster ’77 model 4. Corolla ’92 model 5. Mercedes Sedan ’79 model 6. Pick-up ’89 model 7. Mercedes wagon ’80 model	P 120,000 80,000 150,000 180,000 220,000 100,000 300,000
	P 1,150,000

Footnotes

1 Sec. 48. In all cases of annulment or declaration of absolute nullity of marriage, the Court shall order the prosecuting attorney or fiscal assigned to it to appear on behalf of the state to take steps to prevent collusion between the parties and take care that evidence is not fabricated or suppressed.

2 Vicente vs. Planters Development Bank, January 28, 2003, 396 SCRA 282; Almira vs. Court of Appeals, March 20, 2003, 399 SCRA 351; Philippine Airlines, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals, December 8, 2003, 417 SCRA 1960.

3 Lantin vs. Court of Appeals, April 30, 2003, 402 SCRA 202; Sevilla vs. Sevilla, April 30, 2003, 402 SCRA 501; Philippine Airlines, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals, supra.

4 Potenciano vs. Reynoso, April 22, 2003, 401 SCRA 391; Philippine Airlines, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals, id.

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