G.R. No. 124715, 24 January 2000

FACTS:

Petitioner Rufina Luy Lim is the surviving spouse of late Pastor Y. Lim whose estate is the subject of probate proceedings in Special Proceedings Q-95-23334. Private respondents Auto Truck Corporation, Alliance Marketing Corporation, Speed Distributing, Inc., Active Distributing, Inc. and Action Company are corporations formed, organized and existing under Philippine laws and which owned real properties covered under the Torrens system.

On 11 June 1994, Pastor Y. Lim died intestate. Herein petitioner, as surviving spouse and duly represented by her nephew George Luy, fried on 17 March 1995, a joint petition for the administration of the estate of Pastor Y. Lim before the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City.Private respondent corporations, whose properties were included in the inventory of the estate of Pastor Y. Lim, then filed a motion for the lifting of lis pendens and motion for exclusion of certain properties from the estate of the decedent.

In an order dated 08 June 1995, the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City, Branch 93, sitting as a probate court, granted the private respondents’ twin motions. Rufina Luy Lim filed a verified amended petition showing the properties of the decedent as part of different entities including among others, the properties of Auto Truck Corp. these properties in litigation were personally acquired and owned by the decedent.

The lower court decided in favor of herein petitioner however, the CA reversed such order which renders the administrator of the decedent (herein petitioner). A petition for review has then been filed by the petitioner. Petitioner, in the present case, argues that the parcels of land covered under the Torrens system and registered in the name of private respondent corporations should be included in the inventory of the estate of the decedent Pastor Y. Lim.

ISSUE:

Whether the properties of the corporation be included in the inventory of the estate of the decedent.

RULING:

No. In as much as the real properties included in the inventory of the estate of the Late Pastor Y. Lim are in the possession of and are registered in the name of private respondent corporations, which under the law possess a personality separate and distinct from their stockholders, and in the absence of any cogency to shred the veil of corporate fiction, the presumption of conclusiveness of said titles in favor of private respondents should stand undisturbed.

Rudimentary is the rule that a corporation is invested by law with a personality distinct and separate from its stockholders or members. In the same vein, a corporation by legal fiction and convenience is an entity shielded by a protective mantle and imbued by law with a character alien to the persons comprising it.

It is settled that a corporation is clothed with personality separate and distinct from that of the persons composing it. It may not generally be held liable for that of the persons composing it. It may not be held liable for the personal indebtedness of its stockholders or those of the entities connected with it.

*Case digest by Paul Jason G. Acasio, JD-IV, Andres Bonifacio Law School, SY 2019-2020