Former Filipinos can own lands in the country

#20 VIVENCIO C. VELASQUEZ | March 21, 2011

I would like to enquire about some properties we own in the Philippines. As a nearly-to-retire couple, my wife (a Filipino citizen) and I (a naturalized Danish citizen)had plan of staying in the Philippines during winter time, and in Denmark during summer. So in 2003, we both agreed to make a huge loan, making our house in Copenhagen as collateral, to pay in full two (2) small condominium units in the Philippines. Diagnosed of breast cancer in 2004, my wife passed away in the year 2010 leaving no testaments.

Given the above mentioned information, I would like to ask some questions related to the given facts above, and at the same time I would like to solicit for your advice.
1. Are the two small condominium units which we bought out of the huge loan we made in Copenhagen considered conjugal properties? If so, will the properties be automatically transferred to me? 
2. I was informed by a close family friend of my wife that my in-laws have also the right over the two small condominium units because we do not have children and I have renounced my Filipino citizenship and became a Danish citiozen. Is this correct?

Sagot:

Sa unang katanungan:  Ang dalawang maliliit ng condominium units ay maituturing na conjugal properties ninyong mag-asawa.  Pero kung kayo ay ikinasal pagkatapos ng taong 1987, ang mga ito ay naging absolute community of properties ninyong mag-asawa.  Bilang asawa, ikaw ay may-ari ng kalahati ng conjugal properties o ng absolute community property. 

Maliban dito, ikaw ay tagapagmana rin ng iyong yumaong asawa sa natitirang kalahati.  At ayon sa batas, kung ang naiwang tagapagmana ay asawa at mga magulang ng yumao, ang nabubuhay ng asawa ay may mamanahin ika-apat na bahagi ng kayamanan ng yumao at ang natitira ay pupunta lahat sa kanyang magulang.

Sa pangalawang katanungan:  Totoong may karapatang magmana ang iyong biyenan sa mga kayamanang naiwan ng kanilang anak ngunit dahil ito ay conjugal properties kailangang bawasin muna ang kalahati na iyong pag-aari bilang partner ng yumao.  Ang natitirang kalahati naman ang kayamanan ng yumao kung saan manggagaling ang mamanahin ng kanyang mga magulang.  Ang natitirang buhay na asawa ay magmamana ng ika-apat na bahagi sa kayamanang iniwan ng kanyang asawa.

Ikaw bilang dating Filipino na ngayon sa isang Danish ay may karapatang magmay-ari ng lupain sa Pilipinas na ang limitasyon ay 3 hectares of rural agricultural land at 1,000 square meters of residential land.