Rule 72 No. 5 Case - Sheker vs. Estate of Alice Sheker

ALAN JOSEPH A. SHEKER vs. ESTATE OF ALICE O.
SHEKER
Facts:
-The holographic will of Alice O. Sheker was admitted for probate in the RTC of Iligan City. Thereafter, the RTC
issued an order for all the creditors to file their respective claims against the estate.
- In compliance, petitioner, Allan Sheker filed a contingent claim for agent's commission due him amounting to
approximately P206,250.00 in the event of the sale of certain parcels of land belonging to the estate of Alice
Sheker, and the amount of P275,000.00, as reimbursement for expenses incurred and/or to be incurred by Allan
Sheker in the course of negotiating the sale of said realties.
-The executrix of the Estate of Alice O. Sheker (respondent) moved for the dismissal of said money claim against
the estate on the grounds that :
(1) the requisite docket fee had not been paid;
(2) petitioner failed to attach a certification against non-forum shopping; and
(3) petitioner failed to attach a written explanation why the money claim was not filed and served personally.
- RTC issued the assailed Order dismissing without prejudice the money claim based on the grounds advanced by
respondent. Allan Sheker filed a motion for reconsideration but the same was denied . Hence, the petition for
review on certiorari.
-Allan Sheker maintains that the RTC erred in strictly applying to a probate proceeding the rules requiring a
certification of non-forum shopping, a written explanation for non-personal filing, and the payment of docket fees
upon filing of the claim. He insists that Section 2, Rule 72 of the Rules of Court provides that rules in ordinary
actions are applicable to special proceedings only in a suppletory manner
Issue :
Whether or not Allan Shekers contention that rules in ordinary actions are only supplementary to rules in special
proceedings is entirely correct.
Held: No.
Section 2, Rule 72, Part II of the same Rules of Court provides:
Sec. 2. Applicability of rules of Civil Actions. - In the absence of special provisions, the
rules provided for in ordinary actions shall be, as far as practicable, applicable in special
proceedings.
Stated differently, special provisions under Part II of the Rules of Court govern special proceedings; but in
the absence of special provisions, the rules provided for in Part I of the Rules governing ordinary civil actions shall
be applicable to special proceedings, as far as practicable.
The word practicable is defined as: possible to practice or perform; capable of being put into practice,
done or accomplished.1[4]
This means that in the absence of special provisions, rules in ordinary actions may be applied in special
proceedings as much as possible and where doing so would not pose an obstacle to said proceedings.
Nowhere in the Rules of Court does it categorically say that rules in ordinary actions are inapplicable or
merely suppletory to special proceedings.
Provisions of the Rules of Court requiring a certification of non-forum shopping for complaints and
initiatory pleadings, a written explanation for non-personal service and filing, and the payment of filing fees for
money claims against an estate would not in any way obstruct probate proceedings, thus, they are applicable to
special proceedings such as the settlement of the estate of a deceased person as in the present case.
Notes:
Certification of non forum shopping:
The certification of non-forum shopping is required only for complaints and other initiatory pleadings. The RTC
erred in ruling that a contingent money claim against the estate of a decedent is an initiatory pleading. In the
present case, the whole probate proceeding was initiated upon the filing of the petition for allowance of the
decedent's will. Under Sections 1 and 5, Rule 86 of the Rules of Court, after granting letters of testamentary or of
administration, all persons having money claims against the decedent are mandated to file or notify the court and
the estate administrator of their respective money claims; otherwise, they would be barred, subject to certain
exceptions.
Such being the case, a money claim against an estate is more akin to a motion for creditors' claims to be
recognized and taken into consideration in the proper disposition of the properties of the estate.
A money claim is only an incidental matter in the main action for the settlement of the decedent's estate; more so
if the claim is contingent since the claimant cannot even institute a separate action for a mere contingent claim.
Hence, herein petitioner's contingent money claim, not being an initiatory pleading, does not require a
certification against non-forum shopping.
Docket fees:
the trial court has jurisdiction to act on a money claim (attorney's fees) against an estate for services rendered by a
lawyer to the administratrix to assist her in fulfilling her duties to the estate even without payment of separate
docket fees because the filing fees shall constitute a lien on the judgment pursuant to Section 2, Rule 141 of the
Rules of Court, or the trial court may order the payment of such filing fees within a reasonable time. After all, the
trial court had already assumed jurisdiction over the action for settlement of the estate. Clearly, therefore, nonpayment of filing fees for a money claim against the estate is not one of the grounds for dismissing a money claim
against the estate.
Written explanation why the money claim was not filed and served personally:
Section 11, Rule 13 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure, personal service and filing is the general rule, and resort to
other modes of service and filing, the exception. Henceforth, whenever personal service or filing is practicable, in
the light of the circumstances of time, place and person, personal service or filing is mandatory. Only when
personal service or filing is not practicable may resort to other modes be had, which must then be accompanied by
a written explanation as to why personal service or filing was not practicable to begin with.
In the present case, petitioner holds office in Salcedo Village, Makati City, while counsel for respondent and the
RTC which rendered the assailed orders are both in Iligan City. The lower court should have taken judicial notice of
the great distance between said cities and realized that it is indeed not practicable to serve and file the money
claim personally. Thus, following Medina v. Court of Appeals,2[12] the failure of petitioner to submit a written
explanation why service has not been done personally, may be considered as superfluous and the RTC should have
exercised its discretion under Section 11, Rule 13, not to dismiss the money claim of petitioner, in the interest of
substantial justice.

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ALAN JOSEPH A. SHEKER vs. ESTATE OF ALICE O.

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