The fruit of litigation

Every prevailing party to a suit enjoys the corollary right to the fruits of the judgment and, thus, court rules provide a procedure to ensure that every favorable judgment is fully satisfied.[1] It is almost trite to say that execution is the fruit and end of the suit. Hailing it as the “life of the law,” ratio legis est anima,[2] the Supreme Court has zealously guarded against any attempt to thwart the rigid rule and deny the prevailing litigant his right to savour the fruit of his victory.[3] A judgment, if left unexecuted, would be nothing but an empty triumph for the prevailing party.[4]

[1] Solar Resources, Inc. v. Inland Trailways, Inc., 579 Phil. 548, 560 (2008).

[2] The reason is its soul.

[3] Florentino v. Rivera, 515 Phil. 494, 504 (2006).

[4] Id. at 505.