LAND TITLE AND DEEDS OUTLINE WITH CASES

Governing Laws:

1. P.D. 1529 “The Property Registration Decree”

2. Civil Code Provisions (Art. 708 – 711)

3. Torrens Systema. Legal Basis and Natureb. Purpose and meaning of Torrens

System- Legarda vs. Saleeby 31 Phil. 590- Traders Royal Bank vs. CA 315

SCRA 190- CasimiroDev’t Corp vs. Mateo G.R.

No. 175485c. Administration of the Torrens

System- Land Registration Authority- Register of Deeds

MODES OF ACQUIRING TITLES

1. Original Registration under Sec. 14 P.D. 1529who may apply:

a. open, continuous, exclusive and notorious possession

- Republic vs CA and Corazon Naguit GR No 144057, January 17,2005

b. By prescriptionHeirs of BatiogLacamen vs. Heirs of Lanian 65 SCRS 605

c. By accretion- BinalayvsManolo, 195 SCRA374d. by reclamationRepublic vs. CA 299 SCRAChavez vs. PEA AMARI July 9, 2002

2. Judicial Confirmation of Imperfect Title under C.A. 141Sec. 2 R.A. 9176Director of Lands vs. Abairo 90 SCRA 422Oh Cho vs. Dir. Of Lands 75 Phil. 890Dir. Of Lands vs. IAC 146 SCRA 509Republic vs. CA 235 SCRA 5673. Cadastral Act 22594. Administrative Method

a. Free Patent, Homestead and Sale

b. Emancipation Patentc. Indefeasibility of title thru

administrative method- Heirs of Gregorio Tingcovs

Heirs of Jose Alinaias, 168 SCRA198

5. Comprehensive Agrarian Reform (R.A. 6657)

6. IPRA Cruz vs. Sec. of Env’t G.R. No. 135385. December 6, 2000 read separate opinion by Justice Puno

LIMITATIONS ON LAND OWNERSHIP BY CORPORATIONS

NON REGISTRABLE PROPERTIES

Bureau of Forestry vs. CA 153 SCRA 351Republic vs. Vera 120 SCRA 210Republic vs. Heirs of Alejaga 393 SCRA 361Republic vs. Southside Homeowner’s Asso. Sept. 22, 2006

STEPS IN ORIGINAL REGISTRATIONOF TITLE

1. Survey- Director of Lands vs. Reyes, et

al, 68 SCRA 177 -1822. Application

- Divina vs. CA 352 SCRA- D of L vs. Tesalona 236 SCRA

3. Setting the Date of Initial Hearing4. Transmittal of the Order of the

Court to the LRA5. Preparation and Issuance of the

Notice of Initial Hearing6. Publication, registered mail and

posting (Sec 3, Pd 1529)- Director of Lands vs. CA 276 SCRA 276-287- Francisco vs. CA 97 SCRA 22

7. Opposition- Albano vs. CA 362 SCRA- City of Davao vs. Monteverde-Consuji 357 SCRA- Yabut Lee vs. Punzalan 99 SCRA 567

8. Initial Hearing and Presentation of Evidence- PNB vs. ICB 199 SCRA 508- Ignacio vs. CA 245 SCRA- Gonzaga vs CA 327 SCRA - Republic vs CA and Lapiña, 235 SCRA 567- Republic vs CA 155 SCRA 344- Santiago vs. SBMA Nov. 20, 2006

9. Judgment and Decree of Registration of land issued by LRA

- Laburadavs LRA 286 SCRA- Navarro vs D of L 5 SCRA834

10. Original Certificate of Title

CHARACTERISTICS OF TORRENS SYSTEM

Best Evidence of Ownership

- A Torrens Certificate of Title is the bestevidence of ownership of the land described therein.

Vilanuevavs CA, 198 SCRA 482 Chingvs CA, 181 SCRA 9,Heirs of George Bofillvs CA, 237 SCRA 451Halilivs National Labor Relations Commissions, 257 SCRA 174Lee Tek Sheng vs CA, 292 SCRA 544

Notice to the Whole World

- A Torrens title gives notice to the whole world- Torrens title binds the whole world.

Egaovs CA, 174 SCRA 484National Grains Authority vs IAC, 157 SCRA 380Chingvs Malaya, 153 SCRA 412People vs Reyes, 175 SCRA 597

- The issuance of certificate of title is a constructive notice thereof to all persons.

Serna vs CA, 308 SCRA 527, 529

- Registration of a deed sale in the Registry of Deeds constitutesconstructive notice thereof to the whole world.

Calalangvs ROD of Quezon City, 208 SCRA 215, People vsPacificador, 354 SCRA 310

- No one can plead ignorance of the registration.

Egaovs CA, 174 SCRA 484,Jacob vs CA, 244 SCRA 189

A torrens title bars all prior claims not registered.

PD 1529 , Sec 44; Republic vsUmali 171 SCRA 647

PD 1529 Sec 44 and 46,

Republic vsUmali 171 SCRA 647,

Felix Gochan and Sons Realty Corp vsCañada, 165 SCRA 207;Ferre-Lopez vs CA 150 SCRA 393;Curegvs IAC, 177 SCRA 313,

Indefeasibility:

A Torrens certificate of title serves as evidence of an indefeasible title to the property in favor of the person whose names appear therein.

Republic vs CA, 204 SCRA 160, Muycovs CA, 204 SCRA 358,Jacob vs CA, 266 SCRA189PD 1529, Sec 32 Calalang vs. Register of Deeds of Quezon City, 208 SCRA 215 Jacob vs Court of Appeals, 224 SCRA 189Trinidad vs IAC, 204 SCRA 524TiradovsSevilla, 188 SCRA 321Cagayan de Oro City Landless Residents Association, Inc, vs CA, 254 SCRA 220 Republic vs CA, 204 SCRA 160 Muycovs CA, 204 SCRA 358 Ortegas vs. Hidalgo, 198 SCRA 635 Republic vs De Guzman, 326 SCRA 267 Heirs of Simplicio Santiago vs Heirs of Mariano E. Santiago, 404 SCRA 193Feliciano vs. Spouses Zaldivar September 26, 2006

Torrens title is imprescriptible

PD 1529, Sec 47; Vda.de Villanueva vs CA, 351 SCRA 12

PD 1529, Sec 17 Jacob vs. CA, 224 SCRA 198 Caiña vs. CA, 239 SCRA 252 Rivera vs. CA, 244 SCRA 218Bishop vs CA, 208 SCRA 636 Ruveravs CA, 244 SCRA 218 J.M. Tuason and Co., Inc. vs CA, 93 SCRA 146 Egaovs CA, 174 SCRA 484 Claudel vs. CA, 199 SCRA 133Jacob vs. CA, 224 SCRA 198 Caiña vs. CA, 239 SCRA 252 Vda.de Villanueva vs CA, 351 SCRA 12

Integrity of TitlesNot subject to collateral attack

PD. 1529. Sec. 48; National Grains Authority vs IAC, 157 SCRA 380;

Tan vs. Philippines Banking Corp., 355 SCRA 292; Windows and Orphans Association, Inc. vs CA, 201 SCRA 165;Toyota Motor Phils. Corp vs CA, 216 SCRA236

Presumption that title is regular and valid

SalaovsSalao, 70 SCRA 65,Ching vs. Malaya, 153SCRA 412; Ofrecio vs. Lising, 159 SCRA 366, Republic vs. Umali, 171 SCRA 647;People vs. Reyes, 175 SCRA 597, Bishop vs. CA, 208 SCRA 636

Reliance on Title

Halilivs Court of Industrial Relations, 257 SCRA 174;Khovs CA, 214 SCRA 329;Legardavs CA, 208 SCRA 642; Ibarra vs. Ibarra, Sr, 156 SCRa 616Sandoval vs CA, 260, SCRA 283State Investment House, Inc. vs CA, 254 SCRA 368Luz vsManipon, 381 SCRA 788

Exception: Domingo vs.Roces, 401 SCRA 197Erasusta vs. CA July 17, 2006

Effect of Fraudulent Registration

Pajarillovs IAC, 176 SCRA 340Walstrom vs. Mapa, Jr., 181 SCRA 431Philippine Commercial &Industrial Bank vsVillalva, 48 SCRA 31Adille vs. CA, 157 SCRA 672

Effect of Forgery

PD 1529 Sec 23Torres vs CA, 186 SCRA 672

Effect of Loss:

Legardavs CA, 280 SCRA 642; Cabuhatvs CA, 366 SCRA 176;Tomas vs. Tomas, 98 SCRA280; Traders Royal Bank vs. CA, 315 SCRA 190Baltazar vs. CA, 168 SCRA 354; Torres vs CA, 186 SCRA672

Double titles;

Garcia vs CA, 95 SCRA 380Angeles vs Sec of Justice G. R. No. 142549

Title from void titles are also void

De Santos vs IAC, 157 SCRA 295 Calalangvs Register of Deeds of Quezon City, 231 SCRA 88Mathayvs CA, 295 SCRA 556

REMEDIES OF PERSONS AGGRIEVED IN LAND REGISTRATION PROCEEDINGSFrancisco vs. Puno 108 SCRA 427Serna vs. Fontanilla 307 SCRA Villanueva-Mijares vs. CA 330 SCRA

VOLUNTARY DEALINGS

DBP vs RD of Nueva Ecija, 162 SCRA 450Chu SrvsBenelda Estate Dev. Corp, 353 SCRA 424Power and Ind.Corp.vs CA, 274 SCRA 59Republic vs CA 281, SCRA 639Fule vs. Legare 7 SCRA 351Dela Merced vs. GSIS 365 SCRA 1Egeo vs. CA 174 SCRA 484

INVOLUNTARY DEALINGS

Sajonasvs CA, 258 SCRA 79ViewmastervsMaulit, GR 136283, Feb 29, 2000Diaz-Duarte vs. Ong 298 SCRA 388Heirs of Marasigan vs. IAC 152 SCRA 253