G.R. No. 123417 - JAIME MORTA, SR. AND PURIFICACION PADILLA, VS. JAIME OCCIDENTAL, ATTY. MARIANO BARANDA, JR., AND DANIEL CORRAL. D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing considerations, judgment is rendered in favor of the plaintiffs and against the defendants in both cases as follows: "1) Ordering the defendants not to molest and disturb the peaceful possession of the plaintiffs in the lands in question situated at San Rafael, Guinobatan; "2) Condemning the defendants in Civil Cases No. 481 to jointly and severally pay the plaintiffs the total amount of P8,130.00 representing the value of the coconuts, pilinuts and anahaw leaves and for the destroyed plants; "3) Ordering the defendants in Civil Cases No. 481 jointly and severally to reimburse the plaintiffs the amount of P202.00 as legal expenses incurred in filing this suit; "4) Condemning the defendants in Civil Case No. 482 jointly and severally to pay the plaintiffs the total amount of P9,950.00 representing the value of the coconuts and anahaw leaves; "5) Ordering the said defendants in Civil Case No. 482 to jointly and severally reimburse the plaintiffs the sum of P202.00 as legal expenses in filing this suit." "Guinobatan, Albay, March 29, 1994. (signed) JAIME R. REMONTE Judge" [6] Respondents appealed to the Regional Trial Court, Ligao, Albay. They questioned the trial court's jurisdiction contending that the case was cognizable by the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudicatory Board (DARAB). They alleged that petitioners engaged in forum shopping and that the trial court erred in granting the reliefs prayed for. On August 10, 1994, the Regional Trial Court rendered decision reversing that of the Municipal Trial Court and dismissing the above cases, [7] ruling that these cases for damages are tenancy-related problems which fall under the original and exclusive jurisdiction of the DARAB. The court also declared that the filing of Civil Cases Nos. 481 and 482, while a case involving the same issue was pending before the DARAB, amounted to forum shopping. On September 9, 1994, petitioners filed a petition for review [8] with the Court of Appeals, contesting the decision of the Regional Trial Court. On May 31, 1995, the Court of Appeals [9] rendered decision affirming the lower's court ruling that the cases fall within the original and exclusive jurisdiction of DARAB. However, it ruled that petitioners did not engage in forum shopping. On June 6, 1995, petitioners filed a motion for reconsideration. [10] On June 13, 1995 , they filed a supplemental motion for reconsideration, [11] stressing that there was no tenancy relationship between the parties, as certified by the Municipal Agrarian Reform Office (MARO). [12] On December 8, 1995, the Court of Appeals denied the motions. [13] Hence, this petition for review on certiorari . Petitioners claim that Morta is not a tenant of either Jaime Occidental or Josefina Opiana-Baraclan, as shown by the MARO certification. They argue that the civil actions for damages are not tenancy-related, and, hence, are properly cognizable by the trial court, not the DARAB. We resolve to grant th