DelaCruzv.

DelaCruz
Petition:AppealfromjudgmentofCFIofNegrosOccidental
Plaintiffappellee:EstrelitadelaCruz
Defendantappellant:SeverinodelaCruz
Facts:
EstrelitadelaCruzfiledacomplaintallegingthatherhusband,Severino:
1. Abandonedher
Defendanthadnotsleptintheirconjugaldwelling(althoughhepaid
shortvisits)
DefendantlivedinManilawithhisConcubine,NenitaHernandez
2. Mismanagedtheirconjugalpartnershipproperties
Defendantrefusedtoinformheroftheprogressoftheirvarious
businessconcerns
DefendantMIGHTsquanderanddisposepropertiesinfavorofhis
concubine
Inthecomplaint,Estrelitaprayedfor:
1. Separationofproperty
2. MonthlysupportofPhp2,500
3. Php20,000forattorneysfeesandcosts
TrialcourtgrantedEstrelitasprayer
Severinoappealed
Issues:
1. Didtheseparationofthedefendantfromtheplaintiffconstituteabandonment?
2. Wasthedefendantsfailuretoinformplaintiffofthestateoftheirbusiness
enterprisesconstituteamismanagement/abuseoftheirconjugalpartnership
properties?
Ruling:
1. NO.Defendantcontinuedtogivefinancialsupporttohiswifeandfamily.Hewas
givingherPhp500monthlysupport.Hiswifeandchildrendrawallowancesfrom
hisofficerangingfromPhp1,200toPhp1,500amonth.Hefinancededucationof
theirchildren.
Theabandonmentmustnotonlybephysicalestrangementbutalsoamountto
financialandmoraldesertion.Abandonmentistheactofthehusbandin
voluntarilyleavinghiswifewithintentiontoforsakeherentirely,nevertoreturn
toher,andnevertoresumemaritalduties.Thatthehusbandcontinuedtogive
supporttohisfamilydespitehisabsenceprovesthathedidnotintendtoleavehis
wife.

Also,proofthatNenitaHernandezisaconcubineistooindefinite.
2. NO.Thereisnoevidencetoshowthathehassquanderedtheconjugalassets.In
facttheconjugalassetsincreased.Forabusetoexist,itisnotenoughthatthe
husbandperformanactprejudicialtothewifeorthepartnershipbecausethese
maybetheresultofinefficientornegligentadministration.Abuseconnoteswillful
andutterdisregardoftheinterestsofthepartnershipthrougharepetitionof
deliberateactsprejudicialtothelatter.
Held:
Separationofconjugalpropertiesisreversedandsetaside.Defendanthoweveristopay
plaintiffPhp3,000permonthuntilhehasrejoinedherintheconjugalhome.Attorneys
feeswillalsobeawardedtotheplaintiffbutisreducedtoPhp10,000.