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G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 - CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN,

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Philippine SupremeCourt Jurisprudence>Year 2016> February 2016Decisions >G.R.No.195026,February

22,2016CENTRALMINDANAOUNIVERSITY,REPRESENTEDBYITSPRESIDENT,DR.MARIALUISAR.SOLIVEN,
Petitioner, v. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND
NATURALRESOURCES,Respondent.:

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G.R.No.195026,February22,2016CENTRALMINDANAOUNIVERSITY,REPRESENTEDBYITS
PRESIDENT,DR.MARIALUISAR.SOLIVEN,Petitioner,v.REPUBLICOFTHEPHILIPPINES,
REPRESENTEDBYTHEDEPARTMENTOFENVIRONMENTANDNATURALRESOURCES,Respondent.

THIRDDIVISION
G.R.No.195026,February22,2016
CENTRALMINDANAOUNIVERSITY,REPRESENTEDBYITSPRESIDENT,DR.MARIALUISAR.
SOLIVEN,Petitioner,v.REPUBLICOFTHEPHILIPPINES,REPRESENTEDBYTHEDEPARTMENT
OFENVIRONMENTANDNATURALRESOURCES,Respondent.
DECISION
PERALTA,J.:

DebtKollectCompany,Inc.

ForthisCourt'sresolutionisapetitionforreviewoncertioraridatedJanuary14,2011filedbypetitioner
CentralMindanaoUniversity(CMU),seekingtoreverseandsetasidetheDecision1datedDecember30,
2010 of the Court of Appeals (CA), which annulled the Decision2 dated December 22, 1971, the
AmendedDecision3 dated October 7, 1972 and the Second Amended Decision4 dated September 12,
1974renderedbythethenCourtofFirstInstance(CFI),15thJudicialDistrict,BranchIIofBukidnonand
annulled the Decrees No. N154065, N154066 and N154067 issued in favor of petitioner and the
OriginalCertificateofTitle(OCT)No.0160,OCTNo.0161andOCTNo.0162registeredinpetitioner's
nameonJanuary29,1975.
Thefactsfollow:
PetitionerCentralMindanaoUniversity(CMU)isanagriculturaleducationalinstitutionownedandrunby
theStateestablishedbyvirtueofRepublicActNo.4498.5ItisrepresentedbyitsPresident,Dr.Maria
LuisaR.SoliveninaccordancewithCMUBoardofRegentsResolutionNo.02,s.2011.6
The subjects of the controversy are two parcels of land situated at Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon
identifiedas"Sheet1,Lot1ofIr1031D"consistingof20,619,175squaremeters,and"Sheet2,Lot2
ofIr1031D"consistingof13,391,795squaremeters,moreorless.7
In1946,CMUtookpossessionofthesubjectparcelsoflandandstartedconstructionfortheschoolsite
upontheconfirmationoftheSecretaryofPublicInstruction.8However,duringthefinalsurveyin1952,
CMU discovered that there were several adverse claimants, holders, possessors and occupants of the
portionsoflotsidentifiedasschoolsites.9

ChanRoblesIntellectualProperty
Division

OnJanuary16,1958,upontherecommendationoftheSecretaryofAgricultureandNaturalResources
andpursuanttotheprovisionsofSection8310ofCommonwealthAct(C.A.)No.141,otherwiseknown
as Public Land Act, President Carlos P. Garcia issued Proclamation No. 47611 which reserved certain
portions of the public domain in Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon for petitioner CMU's (formerly Mindanao
AgriculturalCollege)sitepurposes.12 The said parcels of land were withdrawn from sale or settlement
andreservedforCMU'sschoolsitepurposes,"subjecttoprivaterights,ifanytherebe."
InaletterdatedOctober27,1960,theDirectorofLandsZoiloCastrilloformallyrequestedtheSecretary
ofAgricultureandNaturalResourcesthathebeauthorizedunderSection87ofC.A.No.141,tofilein
the CFI of Bukidnon an application for the compulsory registration of the parcels of land reserved by
PresidentGarciaunderProclamationNo.476asCMU'sschoolsitepurposes.13
InthefirstindorsementdatedNovember9,1960,theOfficeoftheSecretaryofAgricultureandNatural
Resources, through its Undersecretary Salvador F. Cunanan, forwarded to the Executive Secretary a

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G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 - CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN,
recommendationthattheDirectorofLandsbeauthorizedtofilethesaidapplication.14
Thereafter,theOfficeofthePresident,throughtheAssistantExecutiveSecretaryEnriqueC.Quema,in
thesecondindorsementdatedDecember12,1960,authorizedanddirectedtheDirectorofLandstofile
the necessary petition in the CFI of Bukidnon for the compulsory registration of the parcels of land
reservedforCMU.15
Department Legal Counsel Alejandro V. Recto, in the indorsement dated December 28, 1960,
communicatedthesaiddirectiveandauthoritygrantedtotheDirectorofLandstofiletheapplicationfor
compulsoryregistration.16
On January 31, 1961, the Director of Lands filed a petition with the then Court of First Instance of
BukidnonforthesettlementandadjudicationofthetitleoftheparcelsoflandreservedinfavorofCMU,
andforthedeterminationoftherightsofadverseclaimantsinrelationtothereservationoftheland.17
Thecadastralcourt,initsDecisiondatedDecember22,1971inLandRegistrationCaseCadastralRec.
No.414,declaredthatthesubjectparcelsoflandaspubliclandincludedinthereservationforCMU,and
be registered in its name, except for specified portions adjudicated to other persons.18 The court also
gave the other 18 claimants an opportunity to acquire full ownership in the subject parcels of land.19
Hence, the court reduced the claim of CMU to 3,041 hectares of total land area.20 The dispositive
portionofthedecisionreads:
Inviewoftheforegoingconsiderations,judgmentisherebyrendereddeclaringLotNo.1
containinganapproximateareaof20,619,175squaremetersandLotNo.2containingan
areaof13,391,795squaremeters,bothsituatedinthebarrioofMusuan,municipalityof
Maramag,Bukidnon,asdescribedinthesurveyplansandtechnicaldescriptionsapproved
by the Director of Lands as IR1031D, marked as Exhibits "D" and "Dl" of the Central
MindanaoUniversity,aspubliclandincludedinthereservationinfavorofsaidUniversity
by virtue of Proclamation No. 476, series of 1958, of the President of the Philippines,
which may be registered in its name, except such portions hereinbelow specified which
areadjudicatedinfavorofthefollowing:
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1.VenancioOlohoy,married,andEsmeraldaLauga,marriedtoJulioSagde,
both of legal ages and residents of Valencia, Bukidnon 17.75 hectares of
LotNo.lasshowninthesurveyplan(Exh."D")
2.MartinaSongkit,oflegalage,marriedtoMartinBinanosandresidentof
Maramag,Bukidnon3hectaresofLotNo.2asshownintheplanExh."D
l"
3.PabloSaldivar,widower,oflegalageandresidentofDologon,Maramag,
Bukidnon12hectaresofLotNo.2asindicatedinthesurveyplanExh."D
l"abovementioned
4. Fernando Bungcas, married to Feliciana Gayonan and resident of
Dologon,Maramag6hectaresofLotNo.2
5. Cerilo Salicubay, married to Valentina Bento, and Virginia Salicubay,
marriedtoRicardoTunasan,bothoflegalagesandresidentsofPanalsalan,
Maramag,Bukidnon,shareandsharealike,4hectaresofLotNo.2
6.RositaLupiahan,oflegalage,marriedtoSimplicioAlbaandresidentof
Maramag,Bukidnon4hectaresofLotNo.2.

Theareashereinadjudicatedtotheabovenamedprivateindividualsshouldbesurveyed
andeachlotgivenaseparatenumberwiththeircorrespondingtechnicaldescriptions.

Considering,however,thattheCourtrejectedmostoftheclaimduetothedubiousnature
oftheoccupationoftheclaimantspriortothetakeoverbytheCollege,nowUniversity,in
1946 but most of them remained on the land up to the present time, in order to avoid
possibleinjusticeandinlinewiththenationalobjectiveofprovidinglandforthelandless,
it is hereby recommended that the claimants enumerated hereunder who filed answers
and presented evidence which, nevertheless, was found short of the requirements for a
decreeofregistration,begiventheopportunitytoacquirefullownershipthereofthrough
ahomestead,orfreepatentapplicationiftheyarelandlesspersons,otherwisebymeans
of a sales application if they are already owners of other pieces of real estate, after a
correspondingamendmentoftheExecutiveProclamationthroughtheavenuesallowedby
law.Thefollowingclaimantsmaybeconsideredforthatpurpose,namely:

February-2016 Jurisprudence
G.R. No. 212878, February 01, 2016 MARLOW
NAVIGATIONPHILS.,INC.,MARLOWNAVIGATIONCO.,
LTD., W. BOCKSTLEGEL REEDEREI (GERMANY),
ORLANDO D. ALIDIO AND ANTONIO GALVEZ, JR.,
Petitioners,v.WILFREDOL.CABATAY,Respondent.
G.R. No. 213910, February 03, 2016 VINSON* D.
YOUNGA.K.A.BENZONONGANDBENNYYOUNGA.K.A.
BENNY ONG, Petitioners, v. PEOPLE OF THE
PHILIPPINES,ASREPRESENTEDBYTHEOFFICEOFTHE
SOLICITORGENERAL,Respondent.

1. GeronimoAnicetoandhissisterFranciscaAniceto12hectaresofLotNo.2
2. BonifacioAniceto6hectaresofLotNo.2
3. JulitaAniceto12hectaresofLotNo.2
4. MaximoNulo5hectaresofLotNo.2
5. MagnoSepada3hectaresofLotNo.1
6. EulogioGuimba12hectaresofLotNo.2
7. MarioBaguhinandhiswife,TreponiaDagoplo18hectaresofLotNo.2
8. AnicetoNayawan12hectaresofLotNo.2
9. EduardoSaloayay13hectaresofLotNo.2
10. ArcadioBelmisandhiswifeBeatrizLauga24hectaresofLotNo.1
11. VitalianoLauga24hectaresofLotNo.1
12. ProcopioAbellar12hectaresofLotNo.1
13. RufinoDador12hectaresofLotNo.1
14. RoqueLarayan12hectaresofLotNo.1
15. BenitoLutad12hectaresofLotNo.1
16. JulianaPasamonte11hectaresofLotNo.1
17. TirsoPimentel19hectaresofLotNo.1and
18. DativaP.Velez18hectaresofLotNo.1.

G.R.No.198994,February03,2016IRISMORALES,
Petitioners, v. ANA MARIA OLONDRIZ, ALFONSO JUAN
OLONDRIZ, JR., ALEJANDRO MORENO OLONDRIZ,
ISABEL ROSA OLONDRIZ AND FRANCISCO JAVIER
MARIAOLONDRIZ,Respondent.
G.R. No. 181186, February 03, 2016 SIGUION
REYNA MONTECILLO AND ONGSIAKO LAW OFFICES,
Petitioners, v. HON. NORMA CHIONLOSIA, IN HER
CAPACITY AS PRESIDING JUDGE OF BRANCH 56 OF
THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF LUCENA CITY, AND
THE TESTATE ESTATE OF DECEASED SUSANO
RODRIGUEZ,
REPRESENTED
BY
THE
SPECIAL
ADMINISTRATRIX,Respondents.
A.M. No. RTJ132361 [Formerly OCA IPI No. 13
4144RTJ],February02,2016OFFICEOFTHECOURT
ADMINISTRATOR, Complainant, v. PRESIDING JUDGE
JOSEPH CEDRICK O. RUIZ, REGIONAL TRIAL COURT,
BRANCH61,MAKATICITY,Respondent.

Shouldtheaboverecommendationbegivenduecourse,itisfurthersuggestedthatthose
claimantsincludedinthesaidrecommendationwhoarenowoccupyingportionsofLotNo.
2situatedabovetheuniversitygroundsonthehillsidewhichtheyhavealreadydenuded,
shouldbetransferredtothelowerportionsofthelandnearoralongthePulangiriverin
order to enable the University to reforest the hillside to protect the watershed of its
irrigationsystemandwatersupply.

OCA I.P.I. No. 134148P, February 10, 2016 SPS.

JOSE AND MELINDA CAILIPAN, Complainants, v.
LORENZO O. CASTAEDA, SHERIFF IV, REGIONAL
TRIALCOURT,BRANCH96,QUEZONCITY,Respondents
G.R. No. 205814, February 15, 2016 SPOUSES
ALFREDO TEAO* AND VERONICA TEAO, Petitioners,
v. THE MUNICIPALITY OF NAVOTAS, REPRESENTED BY
MAYOR TOBIAS REYNALD M. TIANGCO, AND
MUNICIPAL TREASURER MANUEL T. ENRIQUEZ,
Respondents.

Afterthisdecisionbecomefinalandtheportionsadjudicatedtoprivatepersonshavebeen
segregated and their corresponding technical descriptions provided, the order of the
issuanceofthecorrespondingdecreeandthecertificatesoftitleshallbeissued.
SOORDERED.21

ChanRoblesVirtualawlibrary

Upon the submission of the parties of the compromise agreement through a Joint Manifestation, the
cadastralcourtrendereditsAmendedDecisiondatedOctober7,1972adjudicatinginfullownershipof
someportionsofthesubjectlotstothe29groupsofclaimants.22Aportionofthefallooftheamended

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G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 - CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN,

G.R. No. 195145, February 10, 2016 MANILA

ELECTRICCOMPANY, Petitioner, v. SPOUSESSULPICIO
ANDPATRICIARAMOS,Respondents.

decisionreads:
WHEREFORE, pursuant to the evidence presented and the compromise agreement
submitted by the parties, the decision rendered by this Court on December 22, 1971 is
hereby AMENDED and another one entered ADJUDICATING in full ownership to the
claimantshereinbelowspecifiedthefollowingportionsofthelotsinquestions,towit:

G.R.No.192075,February10,2016ROBERTOPALO
YDEGULA,Petitioner,v.PEOPLEOFTHEPHILIPPINES,
Respondent.
G.R.No.194548,February10,2016JUANAVDA.DE
ROJALES, SUBSTITUTED BY HER HEIRS, REPRESENTED
BY CELERINA ROJALESSEVILLA, Petitioner, v.
MARCELINO DIME, SUBSTITUTED BY HIS HEIRS,
REPRESENTEDBYBONIFACIAMANIBAY,Respondent.

xxxx
The remaining portions of Lots 1 and 2 not otherwise adjudicated to any of the above
named private claimants are hereby ADJUDICATED in full ownership to the Central
MindanaoStateUniversity.ItisherebydirectedthatthedifferentportionsofLots1and2
hereinabovegrantedtoprivateclaimantsmust[besegregated]byacompetentsurveyor
andgiventheirtechnicaldescriptionsandcorrespondinglotnumbersforpurposesofthe
issuanceofcertificatesoftitleintheirfavor.

G.R.No.218396,February10,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, PlaintiffAppellee, v. NESTOR ROXAS Y
CASTRO,AccusedAppellant.
G.R. No. 208343, February 03, 2016 SPOUSES
CEFERINO C. LAUS AND MONINA P. LAUS, AND
SPOUSES ANTONIO O. KOH AND ELISA T. KOH,
Petitioners, v. OPTIMUM SECURITY SERVICES, INC.,
Respondent.

It is, however, ordered that the area adjacent and around or near the watersheds or
sourcesofLotNo.2adjudicatedtoanyoftheprivateclaimantsspecifiedintheforegoing
paragraphmaybereplacedorsubstitutedtotheCentralMindanaoStateUniversitywith
otherareasofequalextentineitherLot1or2,shouldsaidUniversitydesiretodosoin
ordertoprotectandconservethewatersheds.

G.R. No. 199194, February 10, 2016 REPUBLIC OF

THE PHILIPPINES, Petitioner, v. JOSE B. SAREOGON,
JR.,Respondent.

ThefindingsandresolutionsmadebytheCourtinitsoriginaldecisionnotaffectedbythe
amendmentsincorporatedelsewherehereinshallstand.

A.C. No. 7618, February 02, 2016 SPOUSES

JONATHAN AND ESTER LOPEZ, Complainants, v. ATTY.
SINAMARE.LIMOS,Respondent.

The petition from relief from judgment presented by Lucio Butad which the Court finds
withoutmeritisherebydenied.
Oncethedecisionbecomesfinalandthesubdivisiondirectedintheprecedingparagraph
has been accomplished, the order for the issuance of the corresponding decree of
registration and the certificates of title in favor of each and every adjudicatee shall
likewiseissue.

G.R. No. 199371, February 03, 2016 PETRON LPG

DEALERSASSOCIATIONANDTOTALGAZLPGDEALERS
ASSOCIATION,Petitioners,v.NENAC.ANG,ALISONC.
SY, NELSON C. ANG, RENATO C. ANG, AND/OR
OCCUPANTSOFNATIONALPETROLEUMCORPORATION,
Respondents.
G.R. No. 208451, February 03, 2016 MANILA
MEMORIALPARKCEMETERY,INC.,Petitioner,v.EZARD
D. LLUZ, NORMAN CORRAL, ERWIN FUGABAN,
VALDIMAR BALISI, EMILIO FABON, JOHN MARK
APLICADOR, MICHAEL CURIOSO, JUNLIN ESPARES,
GAVINO FARINAS, AND WARD TRADING AND
SERVICES,Respondents.
G.R.No.190846,February03,2016TOMASP.TAN,
JR.,Petitioner,v.JOSEG.HOSANA,Respondent.
G.R. No. 204970, February 01, 2016 SPOUSES
CLAUDIOANDCARMENCITATRAYVILLA,Petitioners,v.
BERNARDO
SEJAS
AND
JUVY
PAGLINAWAN,
REPRESENTEDBYJESSIEPAGLINAWAN,Respondents.

SOORDERED.23

ChanRoblesVirtualawlibrary

BasedontheOrdermadebythecourtthatthoseportionsoftheprivateclaimantsintheareaadjacent
andaround,ornearthewatershedsofLotNo.2maybereplacedorsubstitutedbyCMUwithareasof
equal extent, the 16 grantees entered into an agreement with CMU for the replacement of the areas
adjudicated to them with those outside the watershed vicinity or beyond the area necessary for the
properdevelopment,administration,supervisionandutilizationoftheportionadjudicatedtoCMU.24
Thereafter, the cadastral court, in its second amendment of the Decision dated September 12, 1974,
orderedthatthespecificportionsofthesubjectlotsbeadjudicatedtothe33claimantsasindicatedin
theiragreement.25ItalsoawardedtoCMULot1S(18,531,671squaremeters),Lot2A(10,001square
meters),andLot2Q(12,266,524squaremeters).26OnJanuary25,1975,thecourtissuedDecreesNo.
N154065, N154066, and N154067 in favor of CMU.27 Consequently, OCT Nos. 0160, 0161 and 0
162 were registered in the name of CMU on January 29, 1975.28 The decretal portion of the decision
reads:

G.R.No.205764,February03,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, PlaintiffAppellee, v. LEE QUIJANO
ENAD,AccusedAppellant.
G.R. No. 196651, February 03, 2016 UWE
MATHAEUS, Petitioner, v. SPOUSES ERIC AND
GENEVIEVEMEDEQUISO,Respondents.
G.R. No. 207355, February 03, 2016 JENNIFER A.
AGUSTINSE AND ROHERMIA J. JAMSANIRODRIGUEZ,
Petitioners,
v. OFFICE OF
THE
PRESIDENT,
REPRESENTED BY EXECUTIVE SECRETARY PAQUITO N.
OCHOA,JR.,ORLANDOC.CASIMIRO,OVERALLDEPUTY
OMBUDSMAN,OFFICEOFTHEOMBUDSMAN,ANDJOHN
I.C.TURALBA,ACTINGDEPUTYSPECIALPROSECUTOR,
OFFICEOFTHESPECIALPROSECUTOR,Respondents.
G.R.No.209212,February10,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, Plintiff and Appellee, v. ROMEL
SAPITULAYPACULAN,AccusedAppellant.
G.R. No. 191185, February 01, 2016 GUILBEMER
FRANCO, Petitioner, v. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES,
Respondent.
A.M. OCA IPI No. 093210RTJ, February 03, 2016
JUVYP.CIOCONREER,ANGELINAP.CIOCON,MARIVIT
P. CIOCONHERNANDEZ, AND REMBERTO C. KARAAN,
SR., Complainants, v. JUDGE ANTONIO C. LUBAO,
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT, BRANCH 22, GENERAL
SANTOSCITY,Respondent.
A.C. No. 7594, February 09, 2016 ADELPHA E.
MALABED, Complainant, v. ATTY. MELJOHN B. DE LA
PEA,Respondent.
G.R.No.207535,February10,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, PlaintiffAppellee, v. RICARDO LAGBO
A.K.A RICARDO LABONG Y MENDOZA, Accused
Appellant.
G.R. No. 201073, February 10, 2016 PHILIPPINE
AIRLINES,INC.Petitioner,v.PALEMPLOYEESSAVINGS
&LOANASSOCIATION,INC.,Respondent.
G.R.
No.
180402,
February
10,
2016

COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Petitioner, v.

PILIPINAS
SHELL
PETROLEUM
CORPORATION,
Respondent.
G.R. No. 208021, February 03, 2016 OSCAR S.
VILLARTA, Petitioner, v. GAUDIOSO TALAVERA, JR.,
Respondent.
G.R. No. 193748, February 03, 2016 MERVIC
REALTY, INC. AND VICCY REALTY, INC., Petitioners, v.

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WHEREFORE, finding said manifestation and agreement of the parties in order, the
dispositive portions of the amended decision rendered by this Court on October 7, 1972
aforementioned is further amended such that the lots specified hereunder and more
particularlyindicatedintherevisedplansandtechnicaldescriptionsabovementionedare
herebyadjudicatedasfollows:
chanRoblesvirtualLawlibrary

1. ToRoqueLarayan,Lot1Awithanareaof120.001squaremeters
2. ToFernandaBungcas,Lot1Bwithanareaof60.00squaremeters
3. ToTirsoPimentel,Lot1Cwithanareaof190.000squaremeters
4. To Juliana Pasamonte, Lot 1D with an area of 109.999 square
meters
5. ToDativaVelez,Lot1Ewithanareaof180.00squaremeters
6. ToMarioBagubin,Lot1Fwithanareaof60.00squaremeters
7. ToTriponiaDagoplo,Lot1Gwithanareaof60.001squaremeters
8. ToMarioBaguhin,Lot1Hwithanareaof60.001squaremeters
9. ToCelerinaGuimba,Lot11withanareaof30.001squaremeters
10. To Constantino Baston, Lot 1J with an area of 30.001 square
meters
11. ToMaximoNulo,Lot1Kwithanareaof49.999squaremeters
12. ToBeatrizLauga,Lot1Lwithanareaof100.00squaremeters
13. ToEvorcioOlohoy,Lot1Mwithanareaof177.500squaremeters
14. ToArcadioBelmis,Lot1Nwithanareaof140.000squaremeters
15. ToLucianoNamuag,Lot10withanareaof240.000squaremeters
16. ToVitalianoLauga,Lot1Pwithanareaof240.000squaremeters
17. ToRufinoDador,Lot1Qwithanareaof120.00squaremeters
18. ToProcopioAbellar,Lot1Bwithanareaof120.001squaremeters
19. To Eduardo Saloayay, Lot 2B with an area of 130.000 square
meters
20. To Francisco Anecito, Lot 2C with an area of 120.000 square
meters
21. ToJulitaAnecito,Lot2Dwithanareaof60.000squaremeters
22. ToVicenteBuntan,Lot2Ewithanareaof30.000squaremeters
23. To Victoriano Lacorda, Lot 2F with an area of 130.000 square
meters
24. ToCeriloSalicubay,Lot2Gwithanareaof40.000squaremeters
25. ToJulitaAnecito,Lot2Hwithanareaof60.000squaremeters
26. ToBenitoButad,Lot21withanareaof120.000squaremeters
27. ToPabloZaldivar,Lot2Jwithanareaof120.000squaremeters
28. ToMagnoSepada,Lot2Kwithanareaof30.000squaremeters
29. To Anecito Nayawan, Lot 2L with an area of 120.000 square
meters
30. ToBonifacioAnecito,Lot2Mwithanareaof60.001squaremeters
31. ToEulogioGuimba,Lot2Nwithanareaof120.001squaremeters
32. ToMartinaSongkit,Lot20withanareaof30.000squaremeters
33. ToRositaLapianan,Lot2Pwithanareaof40.000squaremeters
34. To Central Mindanao State University Lot 1S with an area of
18,531.671squaremeters
35. To Central Mindanao State University Lot 2A with an area of
10.001squaremeters

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G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 - CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN,
36. To Central Mindanao State University, Lot 2Q with an area of
12,266,524squaremeters

CHINABANKINGCORPORATION,Respondent.
G.R.No.181789,February03,2016GMANETWORK,
INC., Petitioner, v. NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION,CENTRALCATV,INC.,PHILIPPINEHOME
CABLE HOLDINGS, INC., AND PILIPINO CABLE
CORPORATION,Respondents.

ThefindingsandresolutionsmadebythisCourtinitsoriginaldecisionnotaffectedbythe
amendmentsincorporatedhereinshallremaininforce.
Oncethisdecisionbecomesfinal,theorderfortheissuanceofthecorrespondingdecrees
of registration and the certification of title in favor of each and every adjudicates shall
likewiseissue.

G.R.No.202978,February01,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, PlaintiffAppellee, v. VICTOR P. PADIT,
AccusedAppellant.

SOORDERED.29

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A.C. No. 9807, February 02, 2016 ERLINDA

SISTUAL, FLORDELISA S. LEYSA, LEONISA S. ESPABO
AND ARLAN C. SISTUAL, Complainants, v. ATTY.
ELIORDOOGENA,Respondent.
G.R.No.180642,February03,2016NUEVAECIJAI
ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE INCORPORATED (NEECO I),
Petitioner, v. ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION,
Respondent.
G.R. No. 194134, February 01, 2016 JOSE ROMULO
L. FRANCISCO, Petitioner, v. LOYOLA PLANS
CONSOLIDATED INC., JESUSA CONCEPCION AND
GERARDOB.MONZON,Respondents.
G.R.No.187417,February24,2016CHRISTINEJOY
CAPINCADIZ, Petitioner, v. BRENT HOSPITAL AND
COLLEGES,INC.,Respondent.

OnDecember15,2003,theRepublicofthePhilippines,representedbytheDepartmentofEnvironment
andNaturalResourcesthroughtheOfficeoftheSolicitorGeneral(OSG),filedbeforetheCAapetition
forannulmentoftheDecisiondatedSeptember12,1974bythecadastralcourtgrantinginfavorofCMU
thetitletothesubjectparcelsofland.
The Republic argued that the cadastral court should have summarily dismissed the registration
proceedingssincetheSolicitorGeneraldidnotsignorfilethepetitionforcompulsoryregistrationofthe
parcelsofland,asprovidedinSections5330and8731ofCommonwealthActNo.141.32Italsoalleged
thatthesubjectparcelsoflandareinalienablelandsofpublicdomain.33Itmaintainedthatthecadastral
courtdidnotacquirejurisdictionoverthereshence,theentireproceedingsofthecaseshouldbenull
andvoid.
Accordingly,theCAruledinfavoroftherespondent.Thedispositiveportionofthedecisionreads:
ACCORDINGLY, the instant petition is GRANTED. The 1) Decision dated December 22,
1971, 2) Amended Decision dated October 7, 1972 and 3) Second Amended Decision
dated September 12, 1974, all rendered by the Court of First Instance, 15th Judicial
District, Branch II, Bukidnon Province, in "L.R.C. Cad. Rec. No. 414, Sec. 87 of
Commonwealth Act 141, Ir1031D (Lots 1 & 2), Maramag, Bukidnon, insofar as they
adjudicated a portion of the land covered by Proclamation No. 476 to the Central
MindanaoUniversity,aredeclaredNULLandVOID.

G.R.No.170192,February10,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES,
PlaintiffsAppellees,
v.
MARISSA
BAYKER,AccusedAppellant.
G.R.No.202187,February10,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, Appellee, v. ELISEO D. VILLAMOR,
Appellant.
G.R. No. 210542, February 24, 2016 ROSALINA
CARODAN,
Petitioner,
v.
CHINA
BANKING
CORPORATION,Respondent.

Consequently,1)DecreesNo.N154065,N154066andNl54067issuedinfavorofthe
University on January 24, 1975 and 2) Original Certificates of Title (OCT) No. 0160
(coveringLot1S),No.0161(forLot2A)andNo.0162(forLot2Q)registeredinthe
University'snameonJanuary29,1975,arelikewisedeclaredNULLANDVOID.

G.R. No. 215014, February 29, 2016 REBECCA

FULLIDO,Petitioner,v.GINOGRILLI,Respondent.

SOORDERED.34

ChanRoblesVirtualawlibrary

G.R. No. 215107, February 24, 2016 REPUBLIC OF

THE PHILIPPINES, REPRESENTED BY THE TOLL
REGULATORY BOARD, Petitioner, v. C.C. UNSON
COMPANY,INC.,Respondent.
A.M.No.P153300(FormerlyOCAI.P.I.No.124011
P), February 10, 2016 JOSEPHINE E. LAM,
Complainant, v. NILA M. GARCIA, JUNIOR PROCESS
SERVER, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT, SIATON, NEGROS
ORIENTAL,Respondent.
A.M. No. P163423 [Formerly A.M. No. 13989
MTCC], February 16, 2016 RE: CIVIL SERVICE
EXAMINATION IRREGULARITY (IMPERSONATION) OF
MS. ELENA T. VALDEROSO, CASH CLERK II, OFFICE OF
THE CLERK OF COURT, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT IN
CITIES,ANTIPOLOCITY.

TheCAruledthattherewasnosufficientproofofapositiveactbythegovernment,suchaspresidential
proclamation, executive order, administrative action, investigation reports of Bureau of Lands
investigators,oralegislativeactorstatute,whichdeclaredthelandofthepublicdomainalienableand
disposable.35ThedocumentsadducedbyCMUdidnotexpresslydeclarethatthecoveredlandisalready
alienableanddisposableandthatoneofsuchdocumentswasmerelysignedbytheAssistantExecutive
Secretary.36
According to the CA, CMU was unable to prove that the subject land ceased to have the status of a
reservation.37However,theCAclarifiedthatdespitenullificationofthetitlesinitsfavor,CMUisstillthe
rightfulpossessorofthesubjectpropertybyvirtueofProclamationNo.476.38
Hence,thepetitionerCMUfiledthepresentpetitionbeforethisCourtraisingthesoleissue:
WhetherornottheCourtofAppeals:

G.R. No. 210233, February 15, 2016 REPUBLIC OF

THE PHILIPPINES, Petitioner, v. THE COURT OF
APPEALS, SPOUSES RODOLFO SY AND BELEN SY,
LOLITA SY, AND SPOUSES TEODORICO AND LEAH
ADARNA,Respondents.

1. committed a serious and grave error and gravely abused its discretion on a
questionoflaw,and
2. ruledanddecidedaquestionofsubstanceinawayandmannernotinaccordwith
lawandapplicabledecisionsofthisHonorableCourt

G.R. No. 206256, February 24, 2016 ALBERT C.

AUSTRIA, Petitioner, v. CRYSTAL SHIPPING, INC.,
AND/OR LARVIK SHIPPING A/S, AND EMILY MYLA A.
CRISOSTOMO,Respondents.
G.R.
No.
202695,
February
29,
2016

COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Petitioner, v.

GJM
PHILIPPINES
MANUFACTURING,
INC.,
Respondent.
A.C.No.5325,February09,2016NEMESIOFLORAN
AND CARIDAD FLORAN, Complainants, v. ATTY. ROY
PRULEEDIZA,Respondent.
G.R. No. 201927, February 17, 2016 VICENTE D.
CABANTING AND LALAINE V. CABANTING, Petitioners,
v.BPIFAMILYSAVINGSBANK,INC.,Respondent.
G.R. No. 184332, February 17, 2016 ANNA TENG,
Petitioner,
v.
SECURITIES
AND
EXCHANGE
COMMISSION(SEC)ANDTINGPINGLAY,Respondents.
G.R. No. 198434, February 29, 2016 HEIRS OF
LEANDRO NATIVIDAD AND JULIANA V. NATIVIDAD,
Petitioners, v. JUANA MAURICIONATIVIDAD, AND
SPOUSES JEAN NATIVIDAD CRUZ AND JERRY CRUZ,
Respondents.

G.R. No. 182629, February 24, 2016 MERCEDES N.

ABELLA, MA. THERESA A. BALLESTEROS AND
MARIANITO N. ABELLA, Petitioners, v. HEIRS OF
FRANCISCA C. SANJUAN namely: GLICERIASAN JUAN
CAPISTRANO,
BENIGNA SAN
JUAN
VASQUEZ,
EVARISTO SAN JUAN, NIEVES SAN JUAN LUSTRE AND
MATILDESANJUANQUILONIO,Respondents.
G.R.No.207389,February17,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, PlaintiffAppellee, v. FEDERICO DE LA
CRUZYSANTOS,AccusedAppellant.

ingrantingthepetitionforannulmentofjudgmentfiledbyrespondentonthegroundthat
the cadastral court has no jurisdiction over the subject matter or the specific res of the
subjectmatterofthepetitionbelowforthereasonthatthesubjectlandsareinalienable
andnondisposablelandsofthepublicdomain.39
CMUmaintainsthattheCAhascompletelymisconstruedthefactsofthecadastralproceedingssincethe
documents it presented showed that the subject property has already been declared, classified, and
certifiedbytheOfficeofthePresidentasalienableanddisposablelands.40
cralawred

Particularly, CMU alleges that the specific and express authorization and the directive, as embodied in
the Second Indorsement41 dated December 12, 1960, from the President, through the then Assistant
ExecutiveSecretaryEnriqueC.Quema,authorizingtheDirectorofLandstofilethenecessarypetitionin
theCFIofBukidnonforcompulsoryregistrationoftheparcelsoflandreservedforCMU'ssitepurposes
isequivalenttoadeclarationandcertificationbytheOfficeofthePresidentthatthesubjectparcelsof
landarealienableanddisposable.42
CMUhascitedthecaseofRepublicv.JudgeDelaRosa43whereinthethenPresidentQuirinoissuedon
June 22, 1951 a directive authorizing the Director of Lands to file the necessary petition in the CFI of
IsabelaforthesettlementandadjudicationofthetitlestothetractoflandinvolvedintheGamuPublic
LandsSubdivision,Pls62,Case5.ThisCourtheldthatthesaidpresidentialdirectivewasequivalentto
adeclarationandcertificationthatthesubjectlandareaisalienableanddisposable.44
ThisCourtfindstheinstantpetitionwithoutmerit.
UndertheRegaliandoctrine,alllandsofthepublicdomainbelongtotheState,andthattheStateisthe
source of any asserted right to ownership of land and charged with the conservation of such
patrimony.45Also,thedoctrinestatesthatalllandsnototherwiseappearingtobeclearlywithinprivate
ownership are presumed to belong to the State.46 Consequently, the person applying for registration
hastheburdenofprooftoovercomethepresumptionofownershipoflandsofthepublicdomain.47
Toprovethatalandisalienable,theexistenceofapositiveactofthegovernment,suchaspresidential
proclamation or an executive order an administrative action investigation reports of Bureau of Lands
investigatorsandalegislativeactorastatutedeclaringthelandasalienableanddisposablemustbe
established.48Hence,apubliclandremainspartoftheinalienablepublicdomainunlessitisshownto

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G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 - CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN,
havebeenreclassifiedandalienatedbytheStatetoaprivateperson.49

G.R. No. 216566, February 17, 2016 MAGELLAN

AEROSPACE CORPORATION, Petitioner, v. PHILIPPINE
AIRFORCE,Respondent.

Asnoted,ProclamationNo.476issuedbythenPresidentGarcia,decreeingcertainportionsofthepublic
domaininMusuan,Maramag,BukidnonforCMU'ssitepurposes,wasissuedpursuanttoSection83of
C.A. No. 141. Being reserved as CMU's school site, the said parcels of land were withdrawn from sale
andsettlement,andreservedforCMU.UnderSection88ofthesameAct,thereservedparcelsofland
would ordinarily be inalienable and not subject to occupation, entry, sale, lease or other disposition,
subjecttoanexception,viz.:

G.R. No. 175760, February 17, 2016 REPUBLIC OF

THEPHILIPPINES,Petitioner,v.SOGODDEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION,Respondent.
G.R. No. 199537, February 10, 2016 REPUBLIC OF
THE PHILIPPINES, Petitioner, v. ANDREA TAN,
Respondent.

Section 88. The tract or tracts of land reserved under the provisions of section eighty
threeshallbenonalienableandshallnotbesubjecttooccupation,entry,sale,lease,or
otherdispositionuntilagaindeclaredalienableundertheprovisionsofthisActor
byproclamationofthePresident.(Emphasissupplied)

G.R. No. 179287, February 01, 2016 PCI JIMMY M.

FORTALEZA AND SPO2 FREDDIE A. NATIVIDAD,
Petitioners, v. HON. RAUL M. GONZALEZ IN HIS
CAPACITY AS THE SECRETARY OF JUSTICE AND
ELIZABETHN.OROLAVDA.DESALABAS,Respondents.
G.R. NO. 182090 ELIZABETH N. OROLA VDA. DE
SALABAS, Petitioner, v. HON. EDUARDO R. ERMITA,
HON.MANUEL B. GAITE,P/INSP. CLARENCEDONGAIL,
P/INSP. JONATHAN LORILLA,1 PO3 ALLEN WINSTON
HULLEZAANDPO2BERNARDOCIMATU,Respondent.
G.R. No. 206758, February 17, 2016 MARICEL S.
NONAY, Petitioner, v. BAHIA SHIPPING SERVICES,
INC., FRED OLSEN LINES AND CYNTHIA MENDOZA,
Respondents.
G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 CENTRAL
MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS
PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN, Petitioner,
v. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, REPRESENTED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL
RESOURCES,Respondent.
G.R. No. 174462, February 10, 2016 PHILIPPINE
OVERSEAS TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
(POTC), PHILIPPINE COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE
CORPORATION
(PHILCOMSAT),
Petitioners,
v.
SANDIGANBAYAN (3rd DIVISION), REPUBLIC OF THE
PHILIPPINES
REPRESENTED
BY
PRESIDENTIAL
COMMISSION ON GOOD GOVERNMENT (PCGG),
Respondents.

In the case of Navy Officers' Village Association, Inc. v. Republic,50 it was held that parcels of land
classified as reservations for public or quasipublic uses: (1) are nonalienable and nondisposable in
view of Section 88 (in relation with Section 8) of C.A. No. 141, specifically declaring them as non
alienableandnotsubjecttodispositionand(2)theyremainpublicdomainlandsuntiltheyareactually
disposed of in favor of private persons.51 In other words, lands of the public domain classified as
reservations remain to be property of the public dominion until withdrawn from the public or quasi
publicuseforwhichtheyhavebeenreserved,byactofCongressorbyproclamationofthePresident,or
otherwisepositivelydeclaredtohavebeenconvertedtopatrimonialproperty.52
Inthecaseatbar,CMUreliesontheCourt'srulingintheDelaRosa53casethatthedirectivefromthe
PresidentauthorizingtheDirectorofLandstofilethenecessarypetitionforthecompulsoryregistration
oftheparcelsoflandsoreservedistheequivalentofthedeclarationandcertificationthatthesubject
land is alienable and disposable. As such, CMU avows that the subject lots, as declared alienable and
disposable,areproperlyregisteredinitsname.
ThisCourtfindsthattheDelaRosacasedoesnotapplyintheinstantpetitionbecauseofthevarying
factualsettings,towit:
a.In De la Rosa, the Mallig Plains Reservation was reserved by the President for
settlement purposes under the administration of National Land Settlement
Administration (NLSA), later replaced by Land Settlement and Development
Corporation(LASEDECO),while thesubject lotsinthe present casewasreserved
foreducationalpurposes,e.g.asCMU'sschoolsite,undertheadministrationofthe
BoardofTrusteesofCMU.

G.R. No. 199683, February 10, 2016 ARLENE T.

SAMONTE, VLADIMIR P. SAMONTE, MA. AUREA S.
ELEPANO, Petitioners, v. LA SALLE GREENHILLS, INC.,
BRO.BERNARDS.OCA,Respondents.

b. The National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration, when it replaced

LASEDECO,excludedtheMalligPlainsReservationamongthepropertiesitneeded
incarryingoutthepurposesandobjectivesofRepublicActNo.1160,54thus,the
Reservationeventuallyrevertedtoandbecamepublicagriculturalland.Therewas
no evidence that CMU ceased to use and occupy the reserved lots in Musuan,
Maramag,Bukidnonasitsschoolsiteorthatitspublicpurposeisabandoned,for
thelotstoreverttoandbecomepublicagriculturalland.

G.R. No. 183486, February 24, 2016 THE

HONGKONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION,
LIMITED,
Petitioner,
v.
NATIONAL
STEEL
CORPORATION
AND
CITYTRUST
BANKING
CORPORATION (NOW BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE
ISLANDS),Respondents.

c. At the time that President Quirino issued the directive, the Gamu Public Land
Subdivision in the Mallig Plains Reservation was not reserved for public or quasi
public purpose or has ceased to be so. On the other hand, the subject lots in
Bukidnon are reserved for public purpose when the President, through the
AssistantExecutiveSecretary,issuedthesaiddirective.

G.R.No.194960,February03,2016PROBUILDERS,
INC., Petitioner, v. TG UNIVERSAL BUSINESS
VENTURES,INC.,Respondent.
G.R. No. 203678, February 17, 2016 CONCORDE
CONDOMINIUM, INC., BY ITSELF AND COMPRISING
THE UNIT OWNERS OF CONCORDE CONDOMINIUM
BUILDING, Petitioner, v. AUGUSTO H. BACULIO NEW
PPI
CORPORATION
ASIAN
SECURITY
AND
INVESTIGATION AGENCY AND ITS SECURITY GUARDS
ENGR. NELSON B. MORALES, IN HIS CAPACITY AS
BUILDING
OFFICIAL
OF
THE
MAKATI
CITY
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT SUPT. RICARDO C.
PERDIGON, IN HIS CAPACITY AS CITY FIRE MARSHAL
OF THE MAKATI CITY FIRE STATION F/C SUPT.
SANTIAGOE.LAGUNA,INHISCAPACITYASREGIONAL
DIRECTOROFTHEBUREAUOFFIREPROTECTIONNCR,
ANDANY AND ALL PERSONSACTING WITH OR UNDER
THEM,Respondents.
G.R.No.174481,February10,2016THEPEOPLEOF
THE PHILIPPINES, PlaintiffAppellee, v. CRISTY
DIMAANOYTIPDAS,AccusedAppellant.
G.R. No. 218867, February 17, 2016 SPOUSES
EDMOND LEE AND HELEN HUANG, Petitioners, v. LAND
BANKOFTHEPHILIPPINES,Respondent.

d. In the De la Rosa case, the private respondent was a qualified private claimant
with the requisite period of possession of the subject residential lot in his favor.
Meanwhile,CMUisnotaprivateclaimantofthelandsoreserved.
ItwasexplicatedinDelaRosa55 that the authority of the President to issue such a directive, held as
equivalenttoadeclarationandcertificationthatthesubjectlandareaisalienableanddisposable,finds
supportinSection7ofC.A.No.141,towit:
Sec. 7. For purposes of the administration and disposition of alienable or
disposable public lands, the President, upon recommendation by the Secretary of
Agriculture and Commerce, shall from time to time declare what lands are open to
dispositionorconcessionunderthisAct.(Emphasissupplied).
However,thesaiddirectivebythePresidentislimitedtothoseenumeratedinSection8ofC.A.No.141,
whichprovidesthat:
Section8.Onlythoselandsshallbedeclaredopentodispositionorconcessionwhich
havebeenofficiallydelimitedandclassifiedand,whenpracticable,surveyed,and
whichhavenotbeenreservedforpublicorquasipublicuses,norappropriatedby
the Government, nor in any manner become private property, nor those on
which a private right authorized and recognized by this Act or any other valid
lawmaybeclaimed,orwhich,havingbeenreservedorappropriated,haveceased
tobeso.However,thePresidentmay,forreasonsofpublicinterest,declarelandsofthe
publicdomainopentodispositionbeforethesamehavehadtheirboundariesestablished
or been surveyed, or may, for the same reason, suspend their concession or disposition
until they are again declared open to concession or disposition by proclamation duly
publishedorbyActoftheNationalAssembly.(Emphasessupplied)

G.R. No. 190534, February 10, 2016 C.F. SHARP

CREW MANAGEMENT, INC., RONALD AUSTRIA, AND
ABU DHABI NATIONAL TANKER CO., Petitioners, v.
LEGAL HEIRS OF THE LATE GODOFREDO REPISO,
REPRESENTED BY HIS WIFE LUZVIMINDA REPISO,
Respondents.
A.C. No. 10945 (Formerly CBD 092507), February
23, 2016 ANGELITO RAMISCAL AND MERCEDES
ORZAME, Complainants, v. ATTY. EDGAR S. ORRO,
Respondent.
G.R.No.208406,February29,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, Appellee, v. ALLAN RODRIGUEZ Y
GRAJO,Appellant.
G.R.No.177382,February17,2016VIVASHIPPING
LINES, INC., Petitioner, v. KEPPEL PHILIPPINES
MINING, INC., METROPOLITAN BANK & TRUST
COMPANY,
PILIPINAS
SHELL
PETROLEUM
CORPORATION, CITY OF BATANGAS, CITY OF LUCENA,
PROVINCE OF QUEZON, ALEJANDRO OLIT, NIDA
MONTILLA, PIO HERNANDEZ, EUGENIO BACULO, AND
HARLANBACALTOS,Respondents.
G.R.No.203322,February24,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES,Appellee,v.REMANSARIEGO,Appellant.

As can be gleaned from the above provision, the lands which can be declared open to disposition or
concessionarethosewhichhavebeenofficiallydelimitedandclassified,orwhenpracticablesurveyed
thosenotreservedforpublicorquasipublicpurposethosenotappropriatedbytheGovernmentthose
which have not become private property in any manner those which have no private right authorized
andrecognizedbyC.A.No.141oranyothervalidlawmaybeclaimedorthosewhichhaveceasedto
bereservedorappropriated.
ForthesaidPresident'sdirectivetofilethenecessarypetitionforcompulsoryregistrationofparcelsof
land be considered as an equivalent of a declaration that the land is alienable and disposable, the
subjectland,amongothers,shouldnothavebeenreservedforpublicorquasipublicpurposes.
Therefore,thesaiddirectiveonDecember12,1960cannotbeconsideredasadeclarationthatsaidland
isalienableanddisposable.UnlikeinDelaRosa,thelands,havingbeenreservedforpublicpurposeby
virtue of Proclamation No. 476, have not ceased to be so at the time the said directive was made.

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G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 - CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN,

G.R. No. 186102, February 24, 2016 NATIONAL

TRANSMISSION CORPORATION, Petitioner, v. HEIRS
OF TEODULO EBESA, NAMELY: PORFERIA L. EBESA,
EFREN EBESA, DANTE EBESA AND CYNTHIA EBESA,
ANDATTY.FORTUNATOVELOSO,Respondents.

Hence, the lots did not revert to and become public agricultural land for them to be the subject of a
declarationbythePresidentthatthesamearealienableanddisposable.
We have ruled in the case of CMU v. DARAB56 that the CMU land reservation is not alienable and
disposablelandofpublicdomain,viz.:

G.R.No.192233,February17,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, Plaintiff and Appellee, v. SPO1
CATALINOGONZALES,JR.,AccusedAppellant.

Itisouropinionthatthe400hectaresorderedsegregatedbytheDARABandaffirmedby
the Court of Appeals in its Decision dated August 20, 1990, is not covered by the
[ComprehensiveAgrarianReformProgram]CARPbecause:

A.M. No. P153393 [Formerly OCA IPI No. 134055

P],February23,2016SEGUNDINAP.NOCESDELEON
AND LEONOR P. ALAVE, Petitioners, v. TERENCIO G.
FLORENDO,SHERIFFIV,BRANCH21,REGIONALTRIAL
COURT,VIGANCITY,ILOCOSSUR,Respondent.

chanRoblesvirtualLawlibrary

(1)Itisnotalienableanddisposablelandofthepublicdomain
(2) The CMU land reservation is not in excess of specific limits as
determinedbyCongress

IPI No. 1535SBJ, February 23, 2016 RE:

VERIFIED COMPLAINT DATED JULY 13, 2015 OF
ALFONSOV. UMALI,JR., Complainant,v. HON. JOSE R.
HERNANDEZ, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE, SANDIGANBAYAN,
Respondent.

(3)Itisprivatelandregisteredandtitledinthenameofitslawfulowner,
theCMU
(4)ItisexemptfromcoverageunderSection10ofR.A.6657becausethe
landsareactually,directlyandexclusivelyusedandfoundtobenecessary
for school site and campus, including experimental farm stations for
educationalpurposes,andforestablishingseedandseedlingresearchand
pilotproductioncenters.

A.M. No. P153361 [Formerly OCA IPI No. 103381

P], February 23, 2016 ATTY. JOHN V. AQUINO,
Petitioner,v.ELENAS.ALCASID,CLERKIII,REGIONAL
TRIAL COURT, OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT,
OLONGAPOCITY,Respondent.
G.R. No. 185603, February 10, 2016 REPUBLIC OF
THE PHILIPPINES, Petitioner, v. LOCAL SUPERIOR OF
THE INSTITUTE OF THE SISTERS OF THE SACRED
HEARTOFJESUSOFRAGUSA,Respondent.

The inalienable character of the lands as part of the long term functions of autonomous agricultural
educationalinstitutionisreiteratedinCMUv.ExecutiveSecretary:57
It did not matter that it was President Arroyo who, in this case, attempted by
proclamation to appropriate the lands for distribution to indigenous peoples and cultural
communities. As already stated, the lands by their character have become inalienable
fromthemomentPresidentGarciadedicatedthemforCMU'suseinscientificand
technological research in the field of agriculture. They have ceased to be alienable
publiclands.58

G.R.No.208404,February24,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES,PlaintiffAppellee,v.VICENTELUGNASIN
ANDDEVINCIOGUERRERO,AccusedAppellants.
G.R. No. 183529, February 24, 2016 OFELIA C.
CAUNAN, Petitioner, v. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES
ANDTHESANDIGANBAYAN,Respondents.
G.R.No.207816,February24,2016PEOPLEOFTHE
PHILIPPINES, PlaintiffAppellee, v. RAUL YAMON
TUANDO,AccusedAppellant.
G.R. No. 171041, February 10, 2016 REPUBLIC OF
THEPHILIPPINES,Petitioner,v.MOLDEXREALTY,INC.,
Respondent.
G.R. No. 188720, February 23, 2016 QUEZON CITY
PTCA FEDERATION, INC., Petitioner, v. DEPARTMENT
OFEDUCATION,REPRESENTEDBYSECRETARYJESLIA.
LAPUS,Respondent.
A.C. No. 8037, February 17, 2016 RE: DECISION
DATED AUGUST 19, 2008, 3RD DIVISION, COURT OF
APPEALS IN CAG.R. SP NO. 79904 [HON. DIONISIO
DONATO T. GARCIANO, ET AL. V. HON. PATERNO G.
TIAMSON,ETC.,ETAL.],Petitioner,v.ATTY.JOSEDEG.
FERRER,Respondent.

ChanRoblesVirtualawlibrary

ThisCourtisnotunmindfulofitsearlierpronouncementinCMUv.DARABthatthelandreservationisa
privatelandregisteredandtitledinthenameofitslawfulowner,theCMU.Thispronouncement,which
is now being argued by CMU as one of its bases in convincing this Court that the subject property is
ownedbyitandalreadyalienable,isspecious.The1992CMUcasemerelyenumeratedthereasonswhy
thesaidportionofthepropertyisbeyondthecoverageofCARP.Moreover,thefactthattheCourthad
alreadysettledtheinalienablecharacterofthesubjectpropertyaspartofthelongtermfunctionsofthe
autonomous agricultural educational institution in the case of CMUv.DARAB and reiterated in CMU v.
Executive Secretary, belies CMU's contention that this Court has recognized that the said land is a
privatepropertyorthatthelandisalienableanddisposable.
As to what constitutes alienable and disposable land of the public domain, this Court expounds in its
pronouncementsinSecretaryoftheDepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesv.Yap:59
xxxx
Apositiveactdeclaringlandasalienableanddisposableisrequired.Inkeepingwiththe
presumption of State ownership, the Court has time and again emphasized that there
mustbeapositiveactofthegovernment,suchasanofficialproclamation,declassifying
inalienable public land into disposable land for agricultural or other purposes. In fact,
Section 8 of CA No. 141 limits alienable or disposable lands only to those lands which
havebeen"officiallydelimitedandclassified."

G.R. No. 220481, February 17, 2016 VICTOR S.

LIMLINGAN AND EMMANUEL A. LEYCO, Petitioners, v.
ASIAN
INSTITUTE
OF
MANAGEMENT,
INC.,
Respondent. G.R. No. 220503 ASIAN INSTITUTE OF
MANAGEMENT, INC., Petitioner, v. VICTOR S.
LIMLINGANANDEMMANUELA.LEYCO,Respondents.

TheburdenofproofinovercomingthepresumptionofStateownershipofthelandsofthe
public domain is on the person applying for registration (or claiming ownership), who
must prove that the land subject of the application is alienable or disposable. To
overcome this presumption, incontrovertible evidence must be established that the land
subject of the application (or claim) is alienable or disposable. There must still be a
positiveactdeclaringlandofthepublicdomainasalienableanddisposable.Toprovethat
thelandsubjectofanapplicationforregistrationisalienable,theapplicantmustestablish
theexistenceofapositiveactofthegovernmentsuchasapresidentialproclamationor
an executive order an administrative action investigation reports of Bureau of Lands
investigators and a legislative act or a statute. The applicant may also secure a
certification from the government that the land claimed to have been nossessed for the
requirednumberofyearsisalienableanddisposable.60

G.R. No. 208976, February 22, 2016 THE

HONORABLE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN, Petitioner,
v.LEOVIGILDODELOSREYES,JR.,Respondent.
A.C. No. 10605, February 17, 2016 BIENVENIDO T.
CANLAPAN, Complainant, v. ATTY. WILLIAM B.
BALAYO,Respondent.
G.R. No. 209180, February 24, 2016 REPUBLIC OF
THEPHILIPPINES,Petitioner,v.REGHISM.ROMEROII
ANDOLIVIALAGMANROMERO,Respondents.G.R.NO.
209253 OLIVIA LAGMAN ROMERO, Petitioner, v.
REGHISM.ROMEROII,Respondent.
G.R.No.208948,February24,2016JOSEB.LURIZ,
Petitioner, v. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES,
Respondents.
G.R. No. 173921, February 24, 2016 PHILIPPINE
AIRLINES,INC.,Petitioner,v.ISAGANIDAWAL,LORNA
CONCEPCION,
AND
BONIFACIO
SINOBAGO,
Respondents. G.R. No. 173952 ISAGANI DAWAL,
LORNA CONCEPCION, AND BONIFACIO SINOBAGO,
Petitioners,
v.
NATIONAL
LABOR
RELATIONS
COMMISSION, PHILIPPINE AIRLINES, INC., AVELINO
L.ZAPANTA,ANDCESARB.LAMBERTE,Respondents.
A.M. No. P163419 [Formerly OCAIPI No. 113648
P], February 23, 2016 AUGUSTO V. SANTOS,
Complainant, v. SHERIFF IV ANTONIO V. LEAO, JR.,
SHERIFFIIIBENJIEE.LACSINA,SHERIFFIIIALVINS.
PINEDA,Respondent.
G.R. No. 184288, February 16, 2016 ERIC N.
ESTRELLADO AND JOSSIE M. BORJA, Petitioners, v.
KARINA CONSTANTINO DAVID, THE CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION,HIPOLITOR.GABORNIANDROBERTOS.
SE,Respondents.
G.R.No.175210,February01,2016MARIOJOSEE.
SERENO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASSOCIATION
OF PETROCHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS OF THE

ChanRoblesVirtualawlibrary

Inthecaseatbar,CMUfailedtoestablish,throughincontrovertibleevidence,thatthelandreservations
registered in its name are alienable and disposable lands of public domain. Aside from the series of
indorsementsregardingthefilingoftheapplicationforthecompulsoryregistrationoftheparcelsofland
and the said directive from the President, CMU did not present any proof of a positive act of the
governmentdeclaringthesaidlandsalienableanddisposable.
Forlackofproofthatthesaidlandreservationshavebeenreclassifiedasalienableanddisposable,the
said lands remain part of inalienable public domain, hence they are not registrable under Torrens
system.
This Court will not discuss the other issue raised by CMU, e.g., the filing of the petition for cadastral
proceeding was pursuant to the written consent, authorization and directive of the OSG, as the same
wasnotdiscussedintheassailedDecisionoftheCA.ThisCourtalsodismissestheotherissueraised
thatthetitlesinCMU'snameweresingledoutbyrespondentforlackofevidence.
chanrobleslaw

WHEREFORE, the petition for review on certiorari dated January 14, 2011 filed by petitioner Central
MindanaoUniversityisherebyDENIED.TheDecisiondatedDecember30,2010oftheCourtofAppeals
in CAG.R. SP No. 81301 is hereby AFFIRMED. The proceedings in the Court of First Instance, 15th
JudicialDistrict,BranchIIofBukidnonisNULLandVOID.Accordingly,OriginalCertificateofTitleNos.
0160,OCTNo.0161andOCTNo.0162issuedinthenameofpetitioner,areCANCELLED.Sheet1,
Lot1ofIr1031DandSheet2,Lot2ofIr1031DareORDEREDREVERTEDtothepublicdomain.
SOORDERED.

cralawlawlibrary

Velasco,Jr.,(Chairperson),Perez,Reyes,andJardeleza,JJ.,concur.

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G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 - CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN,

PHILIPPINES, INC. (APMP), Petitioner, v. COMMITTEE

ON TRADE AND RELATED MATTERS (CTRM) OF THE
NATIONALECONOMICAND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
(NEDA), COMPOSED OF THE DIRECTORGENERAL OF
THE NEDA SECRETARIAT, THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY,
THE SECRETARIES OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY,
FINANCE,
FOREIGN
AFFAIRS,
AGRICULTURE,
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, BUDGET
AND
MANAGEMENT,
TRANSPORTATION
AND
COMMUNICATION,
LABOR
AND
EMPLOYMENT,
AGRARIAN REFORM, THE GOVERNOR OF THE BANGKO
SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
TARIFF COMMISSION, AND BRENDA R. MENDOZA IN
HER CAPACITY AS DIRECTOR OF THE TRADE,
INDUSTRY&UTILITIESSTAFF,Respondents.

Endnotes:

G.R. No. 170631, February 10, 2016 CARAVAN

TRAVELANDTOURSINTERNATIONAL,INC.,Petitioner,
v.ERMILINDAR.ABEJAR,Respondent.
A.C. No. 8667, February 03, 2016 INOCENCIO I.
BALISTOY, Petitioner, v. ATTY. FLORENCIO A. BRON,
Respondent.
IPI No. 14222CAJ, February 23, 2016 RE:
COMPLAINTOFATTY.MARIANOR.PEFIANCOAGAINST
JUSTICES MARIA ELISA SEMPIO DIY, RAMON PAUL L.
HERNANDO,ANDCARMELITASALANDANANMANAHAN,
OFTHECOURTOFAPPEALSCEBU.

1PennedbyAssociateJusticeRomuloV.Borja,withAssociateJusticesEdgardoT.Lloren

andRamonPaulL.Hernando,concurring,rollo,pp.5166.

2PennedbyJudgeAbundioZ.Arrieta,CArollo,pp.3071.
3Idat7281.
4Id.at8298.
5ANACTTOCONVERTMINDANAOAGRICULTURALCOLLEGEINTOCENTRALMINDANAO

UNIVERSITY AND TO AUTHORIZE THE APPROPRIATION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS

THEREFOR.
6Rollo,pp.56.
7Id.at52.
8Id.at9.
9Id.at11.
10Section83.UpontherecommendationoftheSecretaryofAgricultureandCommerce,

the President may designate by proclamation any tract or tracts of land of the public
domainasreservationsfortheuseoftheCommonwealthofthePhilippinesorofanyofits
branches,oroftheinhabitantsthereof,inaccordancewithregulationsprescribedforthis
purpose, or for quasipublic uses or purposes when the public interest, requires it,
including reservations for highways, rights of way for railroads, hydraulic power sites,
irrigationsystems,communalpasturesorleguasconnmales,publicparks,publicquarries,
publicfishponds,workingmen'svillageandotherimprovementsforthepublicbenefit.
11Reserving for the Mindanao Agricultural College Site Purposes Certain Portions of the

Public Domain Situated in the Barrio of Musuan, Municipality of Maramag, Province of

Bukidnon,IslandofMindanao.
12Rollo,p.11.
13Id.at12.
14Id.at13.
15Id.
16Id.at14.
17CArollo,pp.104106.

18Rollo,pp.5253.
19Id.at53.
20Supranote11.
21Supranote2,at6971.
22Supranote19.
23Supranote3,at7881.
24Supranote4,at91.

cralawred

25Id.at9498.
26Id.at98.

cralawred

27Rollo,p.54.
28Id.
29CArollo,pp.9498.

30Section53.ItshallbelawfulfortheDirectorofLands,wheneverintheopinionofthe

President the public interests shall require it, to cause to be filed in the proper Court of
First Instance, through the SolicitorGeneral or the officer acting in his stead, a petition
against the holder, claimant, possessor, or occupant of any land who shall not have
voluntarily come in under the provisions of this chapter or of the Land Registration Act,
statinginsubstancethatthetitleofsuchholder,claimant,possessor,oroccupantisopen
to discussion or that the boundaries of any such land which has not been brought into
courtasaforesaidareopentoquestionorthatitisadvisablethatthetitletosuchlands
besettledandadjudicated,andprayingthatthetitletoanysuchlandortheboundaries
thereof or the right to occupancy thereof be settled and adjudicated. The judicial
proceedingsunderthissectionshallbeinaccordancewiththelawsonadjudicationoftitle
incadastralproceedings.
31

Section 87. If all the lands included in the proclamation of the President are not
registeredundertheLandRegistrationAct,theSolicitorGeneral,ifrequestedtodosoby
the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce, shall proceed in accordance with the
provisionofsectionfiftythreeofthisAct.
32CArollo,pp.14and16.
33Id.at15.
34Rollo,pp.6566.

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G.R. No. 195026, February 22, 2016 - CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, DR. MARIA LUISA R. SOLIVEN,
35Id.at5960.
36Idat60.
37Id.
38Idat65.
39Id.at21.

cralawred

40Id.at23.
41Id.at70.
42Id.at26.
43255Phil.(1989).
44Republicv.JudgeDelaRosa,supra,at22.
45Republicv.CapcodeTensuan,G.R.No.171136,October23,2013,708SCRA367382
46Id.
47Id.
48RepublicofthePhilippines,representedbyCommanderRaymondAlpuertooftheNaval

Base Camilla Osias, Port San Vicente, Sta. Ana, Cagayan v. Rev. Claudia R. Cortez, Sr.,
G.R.No.197472,September7,2015.
49Id.
50G.R.No.177168,August3,2015.
51NavyOfficers'VillageAssociation,Inc.v.Republic,supra.
52Id.
53Supranote42.
54ANACTTOFURTHERIMPLEMENTTHEFREEDISTRIBUTIONOFAGRICULTURALLANDS

OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AS PROVIDED FOR IN COMMONWEALTH ACT NUMBERED SIX

HUNDRED AND NINETYONE, AS AMENDED, TO ABOLISH THE LAND SETTLEMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CREATED UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBERED THREE
HUNDREDANDFIFTYFIVE,DATEDOCTOBERTWENTYTHREE,NINETEENHUNDREDAND
FIFTY, AND TO CREATE IN ITS PLACE THE NATIONAL RESETTLEMENT AND
REHABILITATIONADMINISTRATION,ANDFOROTHERPURPOSES.
55Supranote42.
56G.R.No.100091,October22,1992.
57645Phil.282(2010).
58CMUv.ExecutiveSecretary,supra,at291.(Emphasissupplied)
59589Phil.156(2008).
60Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources v. Yap, supra,at

182183.(Citationsandemphasisomitted)

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