1oday |s 3aturday, 0ocombor 08, 2012

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

5uPRENE COuR1
Van||a
|ll31 0lvl3lOl
C.R. No. 77204 Docombor 12, 1088
ANCEL|CAV|AJAR and CEL5O V|AJAR, p|a|nt|tts-appo||ants,
vs.
COuR1 OF APPEAL5, LEONOR P. LADR|DO, LOuRDE5 LADR|DO |CNAC|O, EuCEN|O P. LADR|DO and L P.
LADR|DO, dotondants-appo||oos.
Romoo A. Ooozo|os or potltlooor.
Vlro|oros Low Olcos or rospooooots.
NED|ALDEA,
1h|s |s a pot|t|on tor rov|ow on cortlororl ot tho doc|s|on ot tho Court ot Appoa|s datod 0ocombor 20, 1080, |n CA-
G.l. Cv lo. 00042 ont|t|od, "ANOELlCA VlA1AR, ot. o|., P|olotls-Appo||oots, vorsos LEONOR LALRlLO, ot. o|.,
Loooooots-Appo||oos," att|rm|ng tho doc|s|on ot tho Court ot ||rst lnstanco (now log|ona| 1r|a| Court) ot l|o||o
datod 0ocombor 10, 1081.
1ho antocodont tacts |n tho |nstant caso aro as to||ows: 1ho spousos l|cardo Y. ladr|do and loonor l. ladr|do
woro tho ownors ot lot lo. 7b11 ot tho Cadastra| 3urvoy ot lototan s|tuatod |n barangay Cawayan, lototan, l|o||o.
1h|s |ot conta|nod an aroa ot 1b4,207 squaro motors and was rog|storod |n tho namos ot tho spousos undor
1ranstor Cort|t|cato ot 1|t|o lo. 1-21040 ot tho log|stor ot 0oods ot l|o||o.
3pousos losondo |. 1o and Ana 1o woro a|so tho rog|storod ownors ot a parco| ot |and doscr|bod |n tho|r t|t|o as
lot lo. 7840 ot tho Cadastra| 3urvoy ot lototan.
On 3optombor 0, 1078, losondo |. 1o, w|th tho contorm|ty ot Ana 1o, so|d th|s |ot to Ango||ca |. v|ajar and Co|so
|. v|ajar tor lb,000. A 1orrons t|t|o was |ator |ssuod |n tho namos ot Ango||ca |. v|ajar and Co|so |. v|ajar.
lator, Ango||ca |. v|ajar had lot lo. 7840 ro|ocatod and tound out that tho proporty was |n tho possoss|on ot
l|cardo Y. ladr|do. Consoquont|y, sho domandod |ts roturn but ladr|do rotusod.
On |obruary 1b, 1074, Ango||ca |. v|ajar and Co|so |. v|ajar |nst|tutod a c|v|| act|on tor rocovory ot possoss|on
and damagos aga|nst l|cardo Y. ladr|do. 1h|s caso was dockotod as C|v|| Caso lo. 0000 ot tho Court ot ||rst
lnstanco ot l|o||o. 3ummonod to p|oad, dotondant ladr|do t||od h|s answor w|th a countorc|a|m. l|a|nt|tts t||od tho|r
rop|y to tho answor.
3ubsoquont|y, tho comp|a|nt was amondod to |mp|oad losondo |. 1o as anothor dotondant. l|a|nt|tts sought tho
annu|mont ot tho dood ot sa|o and tho rost|tut|on ot tho purchaso pr|co w|th |ntorost |n tho ovont tho possoss|on ot
dotondant ladr|do |s susta|nod. 0otondant 1o t||od h|s answor to tho amondod comp|a|nt and ho countor c|a|mod
tor damagos. l|a|nt|tts answorod tho countorc|a|m.
0ur|ng tho pondoncy ot tho caso, p|a|nt|tt Co|so |. v|ajar so|d h|s r|ghts ovor lot lo. 7840 to h|s mothor and co-
p|a|nt|tt, Ango||ca |. v|ajar. |or th|s roason, p|a|nt|tt Ango||ca |. v|ajar now appoars to bo tho so|o rog|storod ownor
ot th|s |ot.
On Vay 2b, 1078, dotondant ladr|do d|od. |o was subst|tutod |n tho c|v|| act|on by h|s w|to, loonor l. ladr|do, and
ch||dron, namo|y: lourdos ladr|do-lgnac|o, Eugon|o l. ladr|do and Vanuo| l. ladr|do, as part|os dotondants.
1ho tacts adm|ttod by tho part|os dur|ng tho pro-tr|a| show that tho p|oco ot roa| proporty wh|ch usod to bo lot lo.
7840 ot tho Cadastra| 3urvoy ot lototan was |ocatod |n barangay Gu|buanogan lototan, l|o||o, that |t cons|stod ot
20,080 squaro motors, that at tho t|mo ot tho cadastra| survoy |n 1020, lot lo. 7b11 and lot lo. 7840 woro
soparatod by tho 3uaguo l|vor, that tho aroa ot 11,810 squaro motors ot what was lot lo. 7840 has boon |n tho
possoss|on ot tho dotondants, that tho aroa ot 14,080 squaro motors, wh|ch was tormor|y tho r|vor bod ot tho
3uaguo l|vor por cadastra| survoy ot 1020, has a|so boon |n tho possoss|on ot tho dotondants, and that tho
p|a|nt|tts havo novor boon |n actua| phys|ca| possoss|on ot lot lo. 7840.
Attor tr|a| on tho mor|ts, a socond amondod comp|a|nt wh|ch |nc|udod damagos was adm|ttod.
1ho p|a|nt|tts ra|sod tho to||ow|ng |ssuos to bo roso|vod:
1. Whothor tho chango |n tho courso ot tho 3uaguo l|vor was suddon as c|a|mod by tho
p|a|nt|tts or gradua| as contondod by tho dotondants,
2. Assum|ng arguondo |t was gradua|, whothor or not tho p|a|nt|tts aro st||| ont|t|od to lot
3' appoar|ng |n Exh|b|t 4 and to ono-ha|t (/) ot lot A, a|so |nd|catod |n Exh|b|t 4,
and
8. 0amagos (pp. 12-18, Ro||o).
On 0ocombor 10, 1081, tho tr|a| court rondorod |ts doc|s|on, tho d|spos|t|vo port|on ot wh|ch roads:
W|ElE|OlE, judgmont |s horoby rondorod |n tavor ot tho dotondants and aga|nst tho p|a|nt|tts:
|awph||
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1. 0|sm|ss|ng tho comp|a|nt ot p|a|nt|tts Ango||ca |. v|ajar and Co|so |. v|ajar w|th costs
aga|nst thom,
2. 0oc|ar|ng dotondants loonor l. ladr|do, lourdos ladr|do-lgnac|o, Eugon|o l. ladr|do
and Vanuo| l. ladr|do as ownor ot tho parco| ot |and |nd|catod as lots A and 3 |n tho
skotch p|an (Exhs. 'C' as wo|| as '4,' '4-3' and '4-C') s|tuatod |n barangays Cawayan and
Gu|buanogan lototan, l|o||o, and conta|n|ng an aroa ot 2b,8bb squaro motors, moro or
|oss, and
8. lronounc|ng that as ownors ot tho |and doscr|bod |n tho procod|ng paragraph, tho
dotondants aro ont|t|od to tho possoss|on thoroot.
0otondants' c|a|m tor mora| damagos and attornoy's toos aro d|sm|ssod.
3O Ol0ElE0 (p. 80, Ro||o).
lot sat|st|od w|th tho doc|s|on, tho p|a|nt|tts appoa|od to tho Court ot Appoa|s and ass|gnod tho to||ow|ng orrors:
l.
1|E lOWEl COUl1 EllE0 ll lO1 |Ol0llG 1|A1 llAll1l||3 AlE El1l1lE0 1O lO1 3
AllEAlllG ll EX|l3l1 4 Al0 1O OlE-|Al| (/) O| lO1 A ll 1|E 3Al0 EX|l3l1 4.
ll
1|E lOWEl COUl1 EllE0 ll lO1 AWAl0llG 0AVAGE3 1O llAll1l||3 (p. 42, Ro||o).
As oar||or statod, tho Court ot Appoa|s att|rmod tho doc|s|on ot tho court o qoo. l|a|nt|tts (tho pot|t|onors horo|n)
now como to Us c|a|m|ng that tho Court ot Appoa|s pa|pab|y orrod |n att|rm|ng tho doc|s|on ot tho tr|a| court on tho
ground that tho chango |n tho courso ot tho 3uaguo l|vor was gradua| and not suddon.
ln tho doc|s|on appoa|od trom, tho Court ot Appoa|s ho|d:
1h|s appoa| |s not |mprossod w|th mor|t.
Art|c|o 4b7 ot tho low C|v|| Codo prov|dos that:
Art. 4b7. 1o tho ownors ot |ands adjo|n|ng tho banks ot r|vors bo|ong tho accrot|on wh|ch
thoy gradua||y roco|vo trom tho ottocts ot tho curront ot tho wators.
1ho prosumpt|on |s that tho chango |n tho courso ot tho r|vor was gradua| and causod by accrot|on
and oros|on (Vart|noz Canas vs. 1uason, b lh||. 008, layatas Estato lmprovomont Co. vs. 1uason,
b8 lh||. bb, C.|. |odgos vs. Garc|a, 100 lh||. 188). ln tho caso at bar, tho |owor court corroct|y tound
that tho ov|donco |ntroducod by tho p|a|nt|tt to show that tho chango |n tho courso ot tho 3uaguo
l|vor was suddon or that |t occurrod through avu|s|on |s not c|oar and conv|nc|ng.
Contrar|w|so, tho |owor court tound that:
... tho dotondants havo sutt|c|ont|y ostab||shod that tor many yoars attor 1020 a gradua| accrot|on on
tho oastorn s|do ot lot lo. 7b11 took p|aco by act|on ot tho curront ot tho 3uaguo l|vor so that |n
1070 an a||uv|a| dopos|t ot 20,012 squaro motors (2.0012 hoctaros), moro or |oss, had boon addod to
lot lo. 7b11. (Exhs. '1' as wo|| as Exhs. 'C' and '4'). Apropos |t shou|d bo obsorvod that tho accrot|on
cons|stod ot lot A w|th an aroa ot 14,080 squaro motors, lot 3, 11,810 squaro motors, and lot C,
4,0b7 squaro motors. (Exhs. '4-3,' '4-C' and '4-0'). On|y lot C |s not |nvo|vod |n th|s ||t|gat|on. (3oo
lro-tr|a| Ordor, sopro)
1ho ostab||shod tacts |nd|cato that tho oastorn boundary ot lot lo. 7b11 was tho 3uaguo l|vor
basod on tho cadastra| p|an. |or a por|od ot moro than 40 yoars (botoro 1040 to 1080) tho 3uaguo
l|vor ovort|owod |ts banks yoar|y and tho proporty ot tho dotondant gradua||y roco|vod dopos|ts ot
so|| trom tho ottocts ot tho curront ot tho r|vor. 1ho consoquont |ncroaso |n tho aroa ot lot lo. 7b11
duo to a||uv|on or accrot|on was possossod by tho dotondants whoso tonants p|owod and p|antod tho
samo w|th co|n and tobacco.
1ho quondam r|vor bod had boon t|||od by accrot|on through tho yoars. 1ho |and |s a|roady p|a|n and
thoro |s no |nd|cat|on on tho ground ot any abandonod r|vor bod. 1ho r|vor bod |s dot|n|to|y no |ongor
d|scorn|b|o now.
What usod to bo tho o|d r|vor bod (lot A) |s |n |ovo| w|th lot lo. 7b11. 3o aro tho two othor aroas to
tho East. (lots 3 and C) lots A, 3 and C aro st||| bo|ng cu|t|vatod.
Undor tho |aw, accrot|on wh|ch tho banks or r|vors may gradua||y roco|vo trom tho ottocts ot tho
curront ot tho wators bocomos tho proporty ot tho ownors ot tho |ands adjo|n|ng tho banks. (Art. 800,
O|d C|v|| Codo, Art. 4b7, low C|v|| Codo wh|ch took ottoct on August 80, 10b0 [lara v. 0o| losar|o, 04
lh||. 778|. 1horotoro, tho accrot|on to lot lo. 7b11 wh|ch cons|sts ot lots A and 3 (soo Exhs. 'C' and
'4') bo|ongs to tho dotondants (pp. 84-8b, locord on Appoa|).
Wo t|nd no cogont roason to d|sturb tho torogo|ng t|nd|ng and conc|us|on ot tho |owor court.
1ho socond ass|gnmont ot orror |s a moro ottshoot ot tho t|rst ass|gnmont ot orror and doos not
warrant turthor d|scuss|on (pp. 4244, Ro||o).
1ho pot|t|on |s w|thout mor|t.
1ho pot|t|onors contond that tho t|rst |ssuo ra|sod dur|ng tho tr|a| ot tho caso on tho mor|ts |n tho Court ot ||rst
lnstanco, that |s, whothor tho chango |n tho courso ot tho 3uaguo l|vor was suddon as c|a|mod by tho p|a|nt|tts or
gradua| as contondod by tho dotondants, was abandonod and novor ra|sod by thom |n tho|r appoa| to tho Court
ot Appoa|s. |onco, tho Court ot Appoa|s, |n ho|d|ng that tho appoa| |s w|thout mor|t, bocauso ot tho chango ot tho
3uaguo l|vor was gradua| and not suddon, d|sposod ot tho appoa| on an |ssuo that was novor ra|sod and,
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accord|ng|y, |ts doc|s|on |s vo|d. ln support ot |ts contont|on, pot|t|onors c|to tho to||ow|ng author|t|os:
lt |s a wo||-known pr|nc|p|o |n procoduro that courts ot just|co havo no jur|sd|ct|on or powor to doc|do a
quost|on not |n |ssuo (l|m 1oco vs. Go |ay, 80 lh||. 100).
A judgmont go|ng outs|do tho |ssuos and purport|ng to adjud|cato somoth|ng upon wh|ch tho part|os
woro not hoard, |s not moro|y |rrogu|ar, but oxtra-jud|c|a| and |nva||d ( 3a|vanto vs. Cruz, 88 lh||. 280-
244, lazo vs. lopub||c 3uroty 8 lnsuranco Co., lnc., 81 3ClA 820, 884).
1ho p|vota| |ssuo |n tho pot|t|onors' appoa| was whothor tho chango |n tho courso ot tho 3uaguo l|vor was gradua|
or suddon bocauso tho tr|a| court bo|ow roso|vod tho samo |n |ts doc|s|on thus subjoct|ng tho samo to rov|ow by
rospondont appo||ato court. 3y s|mp|y abandon|ng th|s |ssuo, tho pot|t|onors cannot hopo that tho att|rmanco ot
tho doc|s|on whoro|n th|s |ssuo was roso|vod makos tho doc|s|on ot tho Court ot Appoa|s vo|d. ln ottoct, tho
pot|t|onors aro oxpound|ng a now procodura| thoory that to rondor a quost|onod doc|s|on vo|d, a|| that has to bo
dono |s to s|mp|y abandon on appoa| tho p|vota| |ssuo as roso|vod by tho |owor court and whon |ts doc|s|on |s
att|rmod on appoa|, attack tho doc|s|on ot tho appo||ato court as vo|d on tho pr|nc|p|o that a court ot just|co has no
jur|sd|ct|on or powor to doc|do tho quost|on not |n |ssuo. 1h|s |s not corroct. Evon tho author|t|os c|tod by tho
pot|t|onors, moro spoc|t|ca||y tho 3a|vanto and lazo casos, supra, do not support tho|r contont|on. 1hoy woro
hoard |n tho tr|a| court and thoy cannot comp|a|n that tho procood|ng bo|ow was |rrogu|ar and honco, |nva||d.
1ho tr|a| court tound that tho chango |n tho courso ot tho 3uaguo l|vor was gradua| and th|s t|nd|ng was att|rmod
by tho rospondont Court ot Appoa|s. Wo do not t|nd any va||d roason to d|sturb th|s t|nd|ng ot tact.
Art|c|o 4b7 ot tho low C|v|| Codo (roproducod trom Art|c|o 800 ot tho O|d), tho |aw app||od by tho courts o qoo
prov|dos:
Art. 4b7. 1o tho ownors ot tho |ands adjo|n|ng tho banks ot r|vors bo|ong tho accrot|on wh|ch thoy
gradua||y roco|vo trom tho ottocts ot tho curront ot tho wators.
lot|t|onors contond that th|s art|c|o must bo road togothor w|th 3oct|ons 4b an 40 ot Act lo. 400 wh|ch prov|dos:
3EC. 4b.
1
1ho obta|n|ng ot a docroo ot rog|strat|on and tho ontry ot a cort|t|cato ot t|t|o sha|| bo rogardod as an
agroomont runn|ng w|th tho |and, and b|nd|ng upon tho app||cant and a|| succossors |n t|t|o that tho |and sha||
bo and a|ways roma|n rog|storod |and, and subjoct to tho prov|s|ons ot th|s Act and a|| Acts amondatory
thoroot.
3EC. 40.
2
lo t|t|o to rog|storod |and |n dorogat|on to that ot tho rog|storod ownor sha|| bo acqu|rod by
proscr|pt|on or advorso possoss|on.
As a rosu|t, pot|t|onors contond, Art|c|o 4b7 ot tho low C|v|| Codo must bo construod to ||m|t tho accrot|on
mont|onod thoro|n as accrot|on ot unrog|storod |and to tho r|par|an ownor, and shou|d not oxtond to rog|storod
|and. 1hus, tho |ot |n quost|on hav|ng roma|nod tho rog|storod |and ot tho pot|t|onors, thon tho pr|vato rospondonts
cannot acqu|ro t|t|o thoro |n dorogat|on to that ot tho pot|t|onors, by accrot|on, tor that w||| dotoat tho |ndotoas|b|||ty
ot a 1orrons 1|t|o.
1ho ru|o that rog|strat|on undor tho 1orrons 3ystom doos not protoct tho r|par|an ownor aga|nst tho d|m|nut|on ot
tho aroa ot h|s rog|storod |and through gradua| changos |n tho courso ot an adjo|n|ng stroam |s wo|| sott|od. ln
Poyotos Estoto lmprovomoot Co. vs. 7oosoo, b8 lh||. bb, Wo ru|od:
1ho controvorsy |n tho prosont casos sooms to bo duo to tho orronoous concopt|on that Art. 800 ot
tho C|v|| Codo doos not app|y to 1orrons rog|storod |and. 1hat art|c|o prov|dos that any accrot|ons
wh|ch tho banks ot r|vors may gradua||y roco|vo trom tho ottocts ot tho curront bo|ong to tho ownors
ot tho ostatos bordor|ng thoroon. Accrot|ons ot that charactor aro natura| |nc|donts to |and bordor|ng
on runn|ng stroams and aro not attoctod by tho rog|strat|on |aws. lt to||ows that rog|strat|on doos not
protoct tho r|par|an ownor aga|nst d|m|nut|on ot tho aroa ot h|s |and through gradua| changos |n tho
courso ot tho adjo|n|ng stroam.
ln C.N. loogos vs. Oorclo, 100 lh||. 188, Wo a|so ru|od:
lt c|oar|y appoar|ng that tho |and |n quost|on has bocomo part ot dotondant's ostato as a rosu|t ot
accrot|on, |t to||ows that sa|d |and now bo|ongs to h|m. 1ho tact that tho accrot|on to h|s |and usod to
porta|n to p|a|nt|tts ostato, wh|ch |s covorod by a 1orrons Cort|t|cato ot 1|t|o, cannot proc|udo h|m
(dotondant) trom bo|ng tho ownor thoroot. log|strat|on doos not protoct tho r|par|an ownor aga|nst
tho d|m|nut|on ot tho aroa ot h|s |and through gradua| changos |n tho courso ot tho adjo|n|ng stroam.
Accrot|ons wh|ch tho banks ot r|vors may gradua||y roco|vo trom tho ottoct ot tho curront bocomo tho
proporty ot tho ownors ot tho banks (Art. 800 ot tho O|d C|v|| Codo, Art. 4b7 ot tho low). 3uch
accrot|ons aro natura| |nc|donts to |and bordor|ng on runn|ng stroams and tho prov|s|ons ot tho C|v||
Codo |n that rospoct aro not attoctod by tho log|strat|on Act.
Wo t|nd no va||d roason to rov|ow and abandon tho atoroc|tod ru||ngs.
As tho pr|vato rospondonts aro tho ownors ot tho prom|sos |n quost|on, no damagos aro rocovorab|o trom thom.
ACCOl0llGlY, tho pot|t|on |s 0l3Vl33E0 tor |ack ot mor|t w|thout pronouncomont as to costs.
3O Ol0ElE0.
Croz, Ooocoyco ooo Orloo-Aqoloo, 11., coocor.
Norvoso, 1., ls oo |oovo.

Footnotoa
1 3|nco thoro |s no prov|s|on |n l.0. 1b20 wh|ch |s |ncons|stont w|th or |n cont||ct w|th th|s 3oct|on ot
Act 400, 3oc. 4b thorotoro, |s st||| tho |aw on tho mattor.
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2 low 3oct|on 47, ot l.0. 1b20, othorw|so known as tho lroporty log|strat|on 0ocroo.
1ho lawph|| lrojoct - Aro||ano law |oundat|on
convortoo by wob2blConvort.com