This case has been cited 1 times or more.
|
2012-07-11 |
PEREZ, J. |
||||
| To our mind, TPC's erroneous availment of the wrong mode of appeal and direct resort to this Court instead of the CTA both warrant the dismissal of the petition at bench. The rule is settled that the perfection of an appeal in the manner and within the period fixed by law is not only mandatory but jurisdictional and non-compliance with these legal requirements is fatal to a party's cause. [28] In Zamboanga Forest Managers Corp. vs. Pacific Timber and Supply Co.,[29] we ruled as follows: Although appeal is an essential part of our judicial process, it has been held, time and again, that the right thereto is not a natural right or a part of due process but is merely a statutory privilege. Thus, the perfection of an appeal in the manner and within the period prescribed by law is not only mandatory but also jurisdictional and failure of a party to conform to the rules regarding appeal will render the judgment final and executory. Once a decision attains finality, it becomes the law of the case irrespective of whether the decision is erroneous or not and no court not even the Supreme Court has the power to revise, review, change or alter the same. The basic rule of finality of judgment is grounded on the fundamental principle of public policy and sound practice that, at the risk of occasional error. the judgment ol courts and the award of quasi-judicial agencies must hccomc final at some dct"initc date fixed by law. | |||||