1oday |s Wodnosday, lovombor 21, 2012

lopub||c ot tho lh|||pp|nos

5uPRENE COuR1
Van||a
|ll31 0lvl3lOl
C.R. No. L-80478 AriI 80, 1070
REPuBL|C OF 1EE PE|L|PP|NE5, pot|t|onor,
vs.
EON. COuR1 OF APPEAL5 and |5ABEL LA51|NADO, rospondonts.
Eoooroo O. Voko|loto| or prlvoto rospooooot.

NELENC|O-EERRERA,
1h|s |s a lot|t|on tor lov|ow (Appoa|) by cort|orar| t||od by tho lopub||c ot tho lh|||pp|nos trom tho 0oc|s|on ot tho
Court ot Appoa|s promu|gatod on 3optombor 80, 1074 |n CA-G.l. lo. 3p-01b04 dony|ng tho 3tato's lot|t|on tor
cort|orar| and Vandamus.
3r|ot|y, tho tacts ot tho caso aro as to||ows:
lr|vato rospondont, lsabo| last|mado, t||od on 3optombor 11, 1007, |n tho Court ot ||rst lnstanco ot 3ataan,
3ranch l, a lot|t|on tor tho roopon|ng ot cadastra| procood|ngs ovor a port|on ot lot lo. 020 ot tho Var|vo|os
Cadastro, cons|st|ng ot 071.0b00 hoctaros, pursuant to lopub||c Act lo. 081, as amondod by lopub||c Act lo.
2001, dockotod as Cad. Caso lo. 10, llC Cad. loc. lo. 1007. ln tho absonco ot any oppos|t|on, whothor trom
tho Govornmont or trom pr|vato |nd|v|dua|s, pr|vato rospondont was a||owod to prosont hor ov|donco ox-porto. On
Octobor 14, 1007, tho tr|a| Court rondorod a 0oc|s|on grant|ng tho lot|t|on and adjud|cat|ng tho |and |n tavor ot
pr|vato rospondont. 1ho tr|a| Court |ssuod an ordor tor tho |ssuanco ot a docroo ot rog|strat|on on lovombor 20,
1007, and on lovombor 21, 1007, tho land log|strat|on Comm|ss|on |ssuod 0ocroo lo. l-117b78 |n tavor ot
pr|vato rospondont. Evontua||y, Or|g|na| Cort|t|cato ot 1|t|o lo. l-144 was a|so |ssuod |n hor tavor. lr|vato
rospondont thoroattor subd|v|dod tho |and |nto ton |ots, and tho corrospond|ng t|t|os. 1ranstor Cort|t|catos ot 1|t|o
los. 1800b to 18014 |nc|us|vo, woro |ssuod by tho log|stor ot 0oods.
On 1uno 8, 1008, or w|th|n ono yoar trom tho ontry ot tho docroo ot rog|strat|on, pot|t|onor t||od a lot|t|on tor
lov|ow pursuant to 3oc. 88, Act lo. 400, on tho ground ot traud a||og|ng that dur|ng tho por|od ot a||ogod advorso
possoss|on by pr|vato rospondont, sa|d parco| ot |and was part ot tho U.3. V|||tary losorvat|on |n 3ataan. wh|ch
was torma||y turnod ovor to tho lopub||c ot tho lh|||pp|nos on|y on 0ocombor 22, 100b, and that tho samo |s
|ns|do tho pub||c torost ot Var|vo|os, 3ataan and, thorotoro, not subjoct to d|spos|t|on or acqu|s|t|on undor tho
lub||c land law. lospondont t|o|d an Oppos|t|on thoroto, wh|ch was cons|dorod by tho tr|a| Court, as a Vot|on to
0|sm|ss, and on 0ocombor 20,1008, sa|d Court (1udgo 1|to v. 1|zon, pros|d|ng) |ssuod an Ordor d|sm|ss|ng tho
lot|t|on tor lov|ow ma|n|y on tho ground that tho 3o||c|tor Gonora| had ta||od to t||o oppos|t|on to tho or|g|na|
lot|t|on tor roopon|ng ot tho cadastra| procood|ngs and was, thorotoro, ostoppod trom quost|on|ng tho docroo ot
rog|strat|on ordorod |ssuod thoro|n. On 1anuary 28, 1000, pot|t|onor movod tor rocons|dorat|on, wh|ch was don|od
by tho tr|a| Court |n |ts Ordor datod Vay 20, 1000, tor |ack ot mor|t.
lot|t|onor soasonab|y t||od a lot|co ot Appoa| and a locord on Appoa|, wh|ch was objoctod to by pr|vato
rospondont. On 1u|y 1b, 1072, or throo yoars |ator, tho tr|a| Court (1udgo Abraham l. vora, pros|d|ng) rotusod to
g|vo duo courso to tho appoa|. lot|t|onor t||od a Vot|on tor locons|dorat|on but tho tr|a| Court don|od |t |n |ts Ordor
ot Octobor 14, 1072 on tho ground that tho propor romody ot pot|t|onor was a cort|orar| pot|t|on, not an ord|nary
appoa|, and that tho Ordor sought to bo appoa|od trom had |ong bocomo t|na| and oxocutory as pot|t|onor's Vot|on
tor locons|dorat|on was pro-ormo and d|d not suspond tho runn|ng ot tho rog|omontary por|od ot appoa|.
On lovombor 0, 1072, pot|t|onor t||od a lot|t|on tor cort|orar| and mandamus w|th tho Court ot Appoa|s c|a|m|ng
that tho tr|a| Court gravo|y abusod |ts d|scrot|on, amount|ng to |ack ot jur|sd|ct|on whon, w|thout tho bonot|t ot
hoar|ng, |t summar||y d|sm|ssod tho lot|t|on tor lov|ow, and s|nco sa|d lot|t|on ra|sod corta|n |ssuos ot tact wh|ch
cannot bo doc|dod oxcopt |n a tr|a| on tho mor|ts, tho d|sm|ssa| ot tho lot|t|on on tho bas|s ot pr|vato rospondont's
Oppos|t|on, cons|dorod as a Vot|on to 0|sm|ss, const|tutod a don|a| ot duo procoss ot |aw. lot|t|onor thon prayod
that tho Ordor ot tho tr|a| Court, datod 0ocombor 20, 1008 d|sm|ss|ng tho lot|t|on tor lov|ow, bo doc|arod nu|| and
vo|d, and that sa|d tr|a| Court bo d|roctod to g|vo duo courso to tho lot|t|on tor lov|ow, or, |n tho a|tornat|vo, to
g|vo duo courso to pot|t|onor's appoa|.
On 3optombor 80, 1074, tho Court ot Appoa|s upho|d tho tr|a| Court's d|sm|ssa| ot tho lot|t|on tor lov|ow stat|ng:
... Wo cannot t|nd any a||ogat|on |n tho pot|t|on tor rov|ow wh|ch shows that pr|vato rospondont had comm|ttod
traud aga|nst pot|t|onor. lts roprosontat|ons and ott|c|a|s woro du|y not|t|od ot pr|vato rospondont's pot|t|on tor
roopon|ng and rog|strat|on ot t|t|o |n hor namo. ln sa|d pot|t|on, tho tochn|ca| doscr|pt|ons ot tho port|on ot lot
lo. 020 ot tho Var|vo|os (3ataan) Cadastro, subjoct-mattor ot tho pot|t|on woro oxpross|y statod, tho
boundar|os, spoc|t|ca||y do||noatod. 1ho a||ogod ground that tho |and torms part ot a torost |and ox|sts at tho
t|mo pot|t|onor was du|y not|t|od ot sa|d pot|t|on. |a||uro to t||o oppos|t|on |s |n ottoct, an adm|ss|on that tho
pot|t|on |s actua||y not part ot a torost |and. lndub|tab|y, thorotoro, no just|t|ab|o roason ox|sts tor tho annu|mont
ot tho Ordor, datod 0ocombor 20, 1008 (Annox 0-lot|t|on) ot tho |owor court d|sm|ss|ng horo|n pot|t|onor's
pot|t|on tor rov|ow ot tho docroo |ssuod |n tavor ot pr|vato rospondont last|mado.
1
1ho Court ot Appoa|s thon d|sposod as to||ows:
|awph||
convortoo by wob2blConvort.com
W|ElE|OlE, t|nd|ng that tho rospondont 1udgo has not comm|ttod any gravo abuso ot d|scrot|on
amount|ng to |ack ot jur|sd|ct|on |n tho |ssuanco ot an Ordor, datod 0ocombor 20, 1008 (Annox 0-
lot|t|on) d|sm|ss|ng horo|n pot|t|onor's pot|t|on tor rov|ow, tho prosont pot|t|on tor rov|ow |s horoby
don|od.
1ho |ssuanco ot tho wr|t ot mandamus as prayod tor |n tho pot|t|on |s no |ongor nocossary as th|s Court, |n tho
oxorc|so ot |ts appo||ato jur|sd|ct|on and author|ty to suporv|so ordor|y adm|n|strat|on ot just|co, has a|roady
roso|vod on tho mor|ts tho quost|on whothor or not tho d|sm|ssa| ot tho pot|t|on tor rov|ow had boon dono w|th
gravo abuso ot d|scrot|on amount|ng to |ack ot jur|sd|ct|on.
2
|rom th|s 0oc|s|on, pot|t|onor t||od tho prosont lot|t|on tor lov|ow (Appoa|) by cort|orar| ass|gn|ng tho to||ow|ng
orrors to tho Court ot Appoa|s and to tho tr|a| Court:
1. 1ho lowor Court as wo|| as tho Court ot Appoa|s orrod |n t|nd|ng that thoro can bo possoss|on,
ovon tor tho purposo ot c|a|m|ng t|t|o, ot |and wh|ch at tho t|mo ot possoss|on |s subjoct to a m|||tary
rosorvat|on.
2. 1ho lowor Court as wo|| as tho Court ot Appoa|s orrod |n t|nd|ng that such |and wh|ch |s subjoct to
a govornmont rosorvat|on, may appropr|ato|y bo tho subjoct ot cadastra| procood|ngs, and honco.
a|so ot a pot|t|on to roopon cadastra| procood|ngs.
8. 1ho lowor Court as wo|| as tho Court ot Appoa|s orrod |n t|nd|ng that a parco| ot |and wh|ch |s part
ot tho pub||c torost |s suscopt|b|o ot occupat|on and rog|strat|on |n tavor ot pr|vato |nd|v|dua|.
4. 1ho lowor Court as wo|| as tho Court ot Appoa|s orrod |n not t|nd|ng that tho lopub||c ot tho
lh|||pp|nos |s not ostoppod trom quost|on|ng tho docroo ot rog|strat|on and tho t|t|o |ssuod pursuant
thoroto |n tavor ot rospondont last|mado ovor tho parco| ot |and |n quost|on.
b. 1ho lowor Court orrod |n d|sm|ss|ng tho pot|t|on tor rov|ow ot tho lopub||c ot tho lh|||pp|nos.
0. 1ho Court ot Appoa|s orrod |n dony|ng lot|t|onor's pot|t|on tor cort|orar| and mandamus.
3oct|on 88 ot tho land log|strat|on Act (Act 400) prov|dos:
3oct|on 88. 0ocroo ot rog|strat|on, and romod|os attor ontry ot docroo.
lt tho court attor hoar|ng t|nds that tho app||cant or advorso c|a|mant has t|t|o as statod |n h|s app||cat|on or
advorso c|a|m and propor tor rog|strat|on, a docroo ot cont|rmat|on and rog|strat|on sha|| bo ontorod. Evory
docroo ot rog|strat|on sha|| b|nd tho |and, and qu|ot t|t|o thoroto. subjoct on|y to tho oxcopt|ons statod |n tho
to||ow|ng soct|on. lt sha|| bo conc|us|vo upon and aga|nst a|| porsons, |nc|ud|ng tho lnsu|ar Govornmont and a||
tho branchos thoroot, whothor mont|onod by namo |n tho app||cat|on, not|co ot c|tat|on, or |nc|udod |n tho
gonora| doscr|pt|on 1o a|| whom |t may concorn. 3uch docroo sha|| not bo oponod by roason ot tho absonco,
|ntancy, or othor d|sab|||ty ot any porson attoct thoroby, nor by any procood|ng |n any court tor rovors|ng
judgmonts or docroos, subjoct, howovor, to tho r|ght ot any porson dopr|vod ot |and or ot any ostato or |ntorost
thoro|n by docroo ot rog|strat|on obta|nod by traud to t||o |n tho compotont Court ot ||rst lnstanco a pot|t|on tor
rov|ow w|th|n ono yoar attor ontry ot tho docroo prov|dod no |nnocont purchasor tor va|uo has acqu|rod an
|ntorost. ...
8
1ho ossont|a| o|omonts tor tho a||owanco ot tho roopon|ng or rov|ow ot a docroo aro: a) that tho pot|t|onor has a
roa| and dom|n|ca| r|ght, b) that ho has boon dopr|vod thoroot, c) through traud, d) that tho pot|t|on |s t||od w|th|n
ono yoar trom tho |ssuanco ot tho docroo, and o) that tho proporty has not as yot boon transtorrod to an |nnocont
purchasor.
4
|owovor, tor traud to just|ty tho rov|ow ot a docroo, |t must bo oxtr|ns|c or co||atora| and tho tacts upon wh|ch |t |s
basod havo not boon controvortod or roso|vod |n tho caso whoro tho judgmont sought to bo annu||od was
rondorod.
5
1ho to||ow|ng ru||ng spo||s out tho d|ttoronco botwoon oxtr|ns|c and |ntr|ns|c traud:
Extr|ns|c or co||atora| traud, as d|st|ngu|shod trom |ntr|ns|c traud, connotos any traudu|ont schomo oxocutod by
a prova|||ng ||t|gant outs|do tho tr|a| ot a caso aga|nst tho dotoatod party, or h|s agonts, attornoys or w|tnossos,
whoroby sa|d dotoatod party |s provontod trom prosont|ng tu||y and ta|r|y h|s s|do ot tho caso. 3ut |ntr|ns|c
traud takos tho torm ot acts ot a party |n a ||t|gat|on dur|ng tho tr|a| such as tho uso ot torgod |nstrumonts or
porjurod tost|mony, wh|ch d|d not attoct tho prosont act|on ot tho caso, but d|d provont a ta|r and just
dotorm|nat|on ot tho caso.
0
1ho traud |s ono that attocts and goos |nto tho jur|sd|ct|on ot tho Court.
7
ln |ts lot|t|on tor lov|ow t||od botoro tho tr|a| Court, pot|t|onor a||ogod that traud was comm|ttod by pr|vato
rospondont whon sho m|sroprosontod that sho and hor prodocossors-|n-|ntorost had boon |n possoss|on ot tho
|and pub||c|y, poacotu||y, oxc|us|vo|y and advorso|y aga|nst tho who|o wor|d as ownor tor moro than torty yoars
whon, |n tact, tho subjoct |and was |n. s|do tho tormor U.3. V|||tary losorvat|on, wh|ch was torma||y turnod ovor to
tho lopub||c ot tho lh|||pp|nos on|y on 0ocombor 22, 100b, and that sho ||kow|so contondod that hor r|ghts, as
dor|vod trom tho or|g|na| and pr|m|t|vo occupants ot tho |and |n quost|on, aro capab|o ot jud|c|a| cont|rmat|on undor
ox|st|ng |aws, whon tho truth |s, sa|d parco| ot |and |s w|th|n tho pub||c torost ot Var|vo|os, 3ataan, and |s not
subjoct to d|spos|t|on or acqu|s|t|on by pr|vato porsons undor tho lub||c land law.
1ho tr|a| Court ru|od, and was upho|d by tho Court ot Appoa|s, that no traud was comm|ttod by pr|vato rospondont,
wh|ch dopr|vod pot|t|onor ot |ts day |n Court as thoro was no show|ng that sho was awaro ot tho tacts a||ogod by
tho Govornmont, so that sho cou|d not havo supprossod thom w|th |ntont to doco|vo. 1ho tr|a| Court a|so notod
that pot|t|onor had ta||od to t||o an oppos|t|on to tho roopon|ng ot tho cadastra| procood|ngs dosp|to not|cos sont
not on|y to tho 3o||c|tor Gonora| as roqu|rod by lopub||c Act lo. 081. but to tho 3uroau ot lands and tho 3uroau
ot |orostry as wo||. lt thon conc|udod that tho romody grantod by soct|on 88 ot tho land log|strat|on Act |s
dos|gnod to g|vo ro||ot to v|ct|ms ot traud, not to thoso who aro v|ct|ms ot tho|r own nog|oct, |nact|on or
caro|ossnoss, ospoc|a||y whon no attompt |s ovor mado to oxcuso or just|ty tho nog|oct. W|th tho torogo|ng as tho
ossont|a| bas|s, tho tr|a| Court d|sm|ssod tho lot|t|on tor lov|ow.
Wo t|nd rovors|b|o orror. A|though thoro was an agroomont by tho part|os to subm|t tor roso|ut|on tho Oppos|t|on to
convortoo by wob2blConvort.com
Wo t|nd rovors|b|o orror. A|though thoro was an agroomont by tho part|os to subm|t tor roso|ut|on tho Oppos|t|on to
tho lot|t|on tor lov|ow, wh|ch was troatod as a mot|on to d|sm|ss, tho tr|a| Court, |n tho oxorc|so ot sound jud|c|a|
d|scrot|on, shou|d not havo d|sm|ssod tho lot|t|on outr|ght but shou|d havo attordod pot|t|onor an opportun|ty to
prosont ov|donco |n support ot tho tacts a||ogod to const|tuto actua| and oxtr|ns|c traud comm|ttod by pr|vato
rospondont. 1hus, |n tho caso ot lopub||c vs. 3|oson, ot a|.,
8
|t was ho|d that tho act|on ot tho |owor Court |n
dony|ng tho pot|t|on tor rov|ow ot a docroo ot rog|strat|on t||od w|th|n ono yoar trom ontry ot tho d w|thout hoar|ng
tho ov|donco |n support ot tho a||ogat|on and c|a|m that actua| and oxtr|ns|c traud upon wh|ch tho pot|t|on |s
prod|catod, |s ho|d to bo |n orror, bocauso tho |owor Court shou|d havo attordod tho pot|t|onor an opportun|ty to
provo |t.
lt tho a||ogat|on ot pot|t|onor that tho |and |n quost|on was |ns|do tho m|||tary rosorvat|on at tho t|mo |t was c|a|mod
|s truo, thon, |t cannot bo tho objoct ot any cadastra| p nor can |t bo tho objoct ot roopon|ng undor lopub||c Act
lo. 081.
0
3|m||ar|y, |t tho |and |n quost|on, |ndood torms part ot tho pub||c torost, thon, possoss|on thoroot,
howovor |ong, cannot convort |t |nto pr|vato proporty as |t |s w|th|n tho oxc|us|vo jur|sd|ct|on ot tho 3uroau ot
|orostry and boyond tho powor and jur|sd|ct|on ot tho Cadastra| Court to rog|stor undor tho 1orrons 3ystom.
10
Evon assum|ng that tho govornmont agonc|os can bo tau|tod tor |nact|on and nog|oct (a|though tho 3o||c|tor
Gonora| c|a|ms that |t roco|vod no not|co), yot, tho samo cannot oporato to bar act|on by tho 3tato as |t cannot bo
ostoppod by tho m|stako or orror ot |ts ott|c|a|s or agonts.
11
|urthor, wo cannot |oso s|ght ot tho card|na|
cons|dorat|on that tho 3tato as porsona |n |aw |s tho jur|d|ca| ont|ty, wh|ch |s tho sourco ot any assortod r|ght to
ownorsh|p |n |and undor bas|c Const|tut|ona| lrocopts, and that |t |s moroovor chargod w|th tho consorvat|on ot
such patr|mony.
12
W|ElE|OlE, tho 0oc|s|on ot tho Court ot Appoa|s datod 3optombor 80, 1074, d|sm|ss|ng tho lot|t|on tor
cort|orar| and mandamus t||od botoro |t, as wo|| as tho Ordor ot tho Court ot ||rst lnstanco ot 3ataan (3ranch l)
datod 0ocombor 20, 1008, d|sm|ss|ng tho lot|t|on tor lov|ow, aro horoby sot as|do and tho rocords ot th|s caso
horoby od to tho |attor Court tor turthor procood|ngs to onab|o pot|t|onor to prosont ov|donco |n support ot |ts
lot|t|on tor lov|ow.
lo pronouncomont as to costs.
3O Ol0ElE0.
7oobookoo (Cbolrmoo), loroooooz, Ooorroro ooo Lo Costro, 11., coocor.
Vokoslor, 1., took oo port.

#Footnotoa
1ho do|ay was duo to tho tact that soon attor tho t|||ng ot tho locord on Appoa|, tho ont|ro rocords
ot tho caso woro transm|ttod to tho 0opartmont ot 1ust|co |n connoct|on w|th tho adm|n|strat|vo
|nvost|gat|on ot 1udgo 1|to v. 1|zon.
1 pp. 18-10 ot CA 0oc|s|on at pp. b4-bb, lo||o.
2 p. 10 CA 0oc|s|on at p. bb, lo||o.
8 As amondod by 3oc- 8, Act lo. 8021, and 3oc. 1, Act lo. 8080
4 l|budan vs. G||, 4b 3ClA 17 (1072)
b lblo.
0 lblo.
7 0o A|moda vs. Cruz, 84 lh||. 080, 041, 048 (1040), 3tor||ng lnvostmont Corporat|on vs. lu|z, 80
3ClA 818 (1000)
8 0 3ClA b88 (10b8)
0 lopub||c vs. Varcos, b2 3ClA 288 (1078)
10 0|roctor ot lands vs. Abanzado, 0b 3ClA b (107b)
11 lopub||c vs. Varcos, sopro.
12 lblo.
1ho lawph|| lrojoct - Aro||ano law |oundat|on
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