TABLE OF CONTENTS (1ST NOTEBOOK)

1 Secretary of the DENR v. Yap, G.R. No. 167707, October 8, 2008

2 Republic v. Lao, GR 150413, July 1, 2003, 405 SCRA 291

Development of Regalian Doctrine

Cruz v. Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, GR
3
135385, Dec. 6, 2000, 347 SCRA 128

Ownership of reclaimed lands under the Regalian doctrine

4 Chavez v. Public Estates Authority, G.R. No. 133250, July 9, 2002

Ownership rights over public lands; how acquired; exception

Cariño v. Insular Government, GR 72, Feb. 23, 1909, 41 Phil. 935;
5
212 U.S., 449

2. Modes of Acquiring Ownership

6 Gonzalez v. Rojas, GR L-5449, Mar. 22, 1910, 16 Phil. 51

Registration is not a mode of acquiring ownership

7 Wee v. Mardo, G.R. No. 202414, June 4, 2014
8
Vagilidad v. Vagilidad, G.R. No. 161136, November 16, 2006

3. Laws governing registration of title

Purpose of Registration
Obras Pias vs. Devera Ignacio, G.R. No. L-17956, September 30,
9
1963
Aznar Brothers Realty vs. Court of Appeals and Aying, et. al., G.R.
10
No. 128102, March 7, 2000
11
Estrellado vs. Martinez, G.R. No. L-23847, November 18, 1925
12 Gatioan vs. Gafud, G.R. No. L-21953, March 28, 1969
13 Reyes vs. Noblejas, G.R. No. L-23691, November 25, 1967
Liong-Wong-Shih vs. Sunico and Peterson, G.R. No. 3072, March
14
21, 1978

4. The Torrens System and its purposes

Torrens system; reason for its adoption in the Philippines

Tenio-Obsequio v. CA, G.R. No. 107967, Mar. 1, 1994, 230 SCRA
15
550

Purpose of the Torrens system

16 Legarda Saleeby, G.R. No.-8936, Oct. 2, 1915, 31 Phil. 590
17 Salao vs. Salao, G.R. No. L-26699 March 16, 1976

Advantages of Torrens System

18 Grey Alba v. Dela Cruz, G.R. No. 5246, September 16, 2010

Key features of the Torrens system and what it seeks to ensure

19
Revilla v. Galindez, G.R. No. L-9940, Mar. 30, 1960, 107 Phil. 480

Probative value of Torrens title

20 Peralta v. Abalon, GR 183448, June 30, 2014, 727 SCRA 477

Torrens system does not confer but merely confirms title

Heirs of Doronio v. Heirs of Doronio, GR 169454, Dec. 27, 2007,
21
541 SCRA 479

The Torrens system only protects a title holder in good faith.

22 Walstron vs. Mapa, Jr., G.R. No. L-38387, January 29, 1990
digested under Probative
Spouses Peralta v. Heirs of Abalon, G.R. No. 183448, June 30, 2014Value of Torrens Title

The person in whose name the land is fraudulently registered

holds it as a mere trustee, with the legal obligation to reconvey
the property and that title thereto in veer of the true owner.

23 Pajarillo vs. IAC, 176, G.R. No. 72908, August 11, 1989 SCRA 340

Any registration procured by the presentation of a forged

duplicate certificate of title, or a forged deed or other
instruments shall be null and void
Gatmaytan and Valdellon v. Misibis Bay, G.R. No. 222166, June
24
10, 2020

May a forged instrument may become the “root of a valid

title”?
digested under Torrens
System only protects a title
Spouses Peralta v. Heirs of Abalon, G.R. No. 183448, June 30, 2014holder in good faith

The doctrine that a forged instrument may become the root of

a valid title cannot be applied where the owner holds a valid
and existing certificate of tile covering the same interest in
realty.
 Torres vs. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. L-63046 June 21, 1990 186
25
SCRA 672

The law “requires a higher degree of prudence from one who

buys from a person who is not the registered owner, although
the land object of the transaction is registered. While one who
buys from the registered owner does not need to look behind
the certificate of title, one who buys from one who is not the
registered owner is expected to examine not only the
certificate of title but all factual circumstances necessary for
[one] to determine if there are any flaws in the title of the
transferor, or in [the] capacity to transfer the land.
26 Abad vs. Guimba, G.R. No. 157002, July 29, 2005

5. Title and Certificate of Title; distinctions

Castillo v. Escutin, G.R. No. 171056, March 13, 2009, 581 SCRA
27
258

6. Nature of registration proceedings

Republic v. Court of Appeals and Ribaya, G.R. No. 113549, July 5,
28
1996, 258 SCRA 223

digested under Advantage of

Grey Alba v. Dela Cruz, G.R. No. 5246, September 16, 2010 Torrens Sytem

Rights of innocent third persons; public confidence in the

Torrens certificate
29 Director of Lands vs. Abache, et al., 73 Phil., 606 (1942)
Lopez, et al. vs. Court of Appeals, et al., G.R. No. L-49739,
30
January 20, 1989

A certificate of title shall not be subject to collateral attack. It

cannot be altered, modified or cancelled except in a direct
proceedings in accordance with law.
31 Lopez vs. Alberto, G.R. No. L-27559 May 18, 197212.
32
Toyota Motors Philippines vs. Court of Appeals, 216 SCRA 23613
33 National Grain Authority vs. IAC, 157 SCRA 380

Registration as the operative act that validates conveyance of

land

34 Reynes v. Barrera, G.R. No. 46724, Sept. 30, 1939, 68 Phil. 656

Exceptions to the rule

 State Investment House, Inc. v. CA, GR 115548, Mar. 05, 1996,
35
254 SCRA 368

Curtain principle

36 Republic v. CA, G.R. No. L-46626-27, Dec. 27, 1979, 94 SCRA 865

Exceptions to the doctrine or principle

37 Sandoval v. CA, G.R. No. 106657, Aug. 1, 1996, 260 SCRA 283

Ministerial Duty of the Register of Deed

Office of the Ombudsman v. Manalastas, G.R. No. 208264, July
38
27, 2016

Denial of Registration
Gabriel vs. Register of Deeds of Rizal, et. al., G.R. No. L-17956,
39
Sept. 30, 19631
Almirol vs. The Register of Deeds of Agusan, G.R. No. L-22486,
40
March20, 1968
Separate Opinion of J. Kapunan, J in Cruz v. Secretary of
Environment and Natural Resources, GR 135385, Dec. 6, 2000,
347 SCRA 128

Possession required to support claim of title through

prescription
Republic v. Bacas, GR 182913, Nov. 20, 2013, 710 SCRA 411

Accretion distinguished from Alluvium; Riparian owner

2. Santulan v. Executive Secretary, GR L-28021, Dec. 15, 1977, 80
SCRA 548
3. Grande v. CA, GR L-17652, June 30, 1962, 5 SCRA 524

Foreign national may apply for registration of land acquired

while still a Filipino citizen
4. Republic v. CA, GR 108998, Aug. 24, 1994, 235 SCRA 567

Land ownership by aliens; when permitted

5. City Treasurer of Makati v. BA Lepanto Condominium Corp.,
GR 154993, Oct. 25, 2005, 474 SCRA 258

Constitutional limitation on alienability of public land Classes

of A & D lands of the public domain
6. Director of Forestry v. Villareal, GR 32266, Feb. 27, 1989, 170
SCRA 598
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2ND NOTEBOOK

Positive government act of reclassifying public land into A & D

7. Republic v. Bautista Vda. De Joson, GR 163767, Mar. 10, 2014,
718 SCRA 228

PUBLICATION, OPPOSITION AND DEFAULT

Notice of the initial hearing jurisdictional

8. Po v. Republic, GR L-27443, July 19, 1971, 40 SCRA 37

Purpose of publication requirement

9. Republic v. CA, GR 100995, Sept. 14, 1994, 236 SCRA 442

Effect on non-publication in a newspaper of general circulation

10. Director of Lands v. CA, GR 102858, July 28, 1997, 276 SCRA

Effect of absence of opposition

11. Director of Lands v. Agustin, GR 16179, Oct. 6, 1921, 42 Phil.
227

Effect of an order of default to the defendant

12. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. v. CA, GR L-54040, Aug. 14, 1990, 188
Phil. 579

HEARING JUDGMENT, AND DECREE OF

REGISTRATION

Remedies before judgment becomes final (a) Motion for

reconsideration; grounds (b) Motion for new trial; grounds

Appeal from judgment

Land title not finally adjudicated until after the lapse of one (1)
year from issuance of decree of registration

13. Laburada v. LRA, GR 101387, Mar. 11, 1998, 287 SCRA 333

Remedies after judgment becomes final

(a) Reliefs from judgments, orders and other proceedings

14. Trust International Paper Corp. v. Pelaez, GR 164871, Aug. 22,
2006, 499 SCRA 552
(b) Annulment of judgments, or final orders and resolutions;
grounds

15. Diona v. Balangue, GR 173559, Jan. 7, 2013, 688 SCRA 22

Indefeasibility of decree of registration

16. Eduarte v. CA, GR 105944, Feb. 9, 1996, 323 Phil. 462

Requisites for the availment of the remedy of petition for

review
17. Serna v. CA, GR 124605, June 18, 1999, 308 SCRA 527

One-year period starts to run from the date of entry of decree

18. Gomez v. CA, GR 77770, Dec. 15, 1988, 168 SCRA 491

Moral and exemplary damages where a person committed

fraud in obtaining title
19. Valenzuela v. Sps. Mano, GR 172611, July 9, 2010, 624 SCRA
664

(b) Action for reconveyance Reconveyance

20.Lacorte v. CA, GR 124574, Feb. 2, 1998, 286 SCRA 24

Requirements that must concur to warrant reconveyance of

land
21. New Regent Sources, Inc. v. Tanjuatco, Jr., GR 168800, Apr.
16, 2009, 585 SCRA 329

Only the State can institute reversion proceedings

22.Cawis v. Cerilles, GR 170207, Apr. 19, 2010, 618 SCRA 357

Action for reversion distinguished from action for declaration

of nullity of free patent and certificate of title
23.Heirs of Kionisala v. Heirs of Dacut, GR 147370, Feb. 27, 2002,
378 SCRA 206

(c) Quieting of title Twin requisites for quieting of title

24.Eland Philippines, Inc. v. Garcia, GR 173289, Feb. 17, 2010,
613 SCRA 66

Nature and purpose of reconstitution proceedings

25.Angat v. Republic, GR 175788, June 30, 2009, 591 SCRA 364

Requisites for an order of reconstitution to issue
26.Layos v. Fil-Estate Golf and Development, Inc., GR 150470,
Aug. 6, 2008, 561 SCRA 75

CERTIFICATE OF TITLE
OCT; when issued and when to take effect
27. Manotok Realty, Inc. v. CLT Realty Development Corp., GR
123346, Nov. 29, 2005, 476 SCRA 305

Distinction between entry of decree and entry of certificate of

title

28.Antiporda v. Mapa, GR 34118, Oct. 28, 1930, 55 Phil. 89

Statutory liens affecting title: Lien distinguished from notice of

lis pendens
29. People v. RTC of Manila, GR 81541, Oct. 4, 1989, 178 SCRA
299

Collateral attack and direct attack; distinctions Torrens title

may only be attacked in a direct proceeding

30.Lagrosa v. CA, GR 115981-82, Aug. 12, 1999, 312 SCRA 298

SUBSEQUENT REGISTRATION
Unregistered sale of land cannot bind third parties
31. Bulaong v. Gonzales, GR 156318, Sept. 05, 2011, 656 SCRA
666

Registered mortgage inferior to that of unregistered sale

32.Reyes v. De Leon, GR L-22331, June 6, 1967, 126 Phil 710

Voluntary and involuntary registration distinguished

33.Levin v. Bass, GR L-4340, May 28, 1952, 91 Phil. 420

Governing principle in double sale

34.Olivares v. Gonzales, GR L-34500, Mar. 18, 1988, 159 SCRA 33

Forged deed does not divest registered owner of title

35. Soliven v. Francisco, GR L-48974, Nov. 29, 1989, 170 SCRA
218
Subsequent registration procured by fraud deemed void
Instances when a forged deed may be the root of a valid title
1054
35.Inquimboy v. Vda. De Cruz, GR L-13953, July 26, 1960, 108
Phil.

Lis pendens
Notice of lis pendens not a lien or encumbrance but a mere
notice
36.People v. RTC of Manila, GR 81541, Oct. 4, 1989, 178 SCRA
299

Grounds for cancellation of notice of lis pendens

37. Romero v. CA, GR 142406, May 16, 2005, 458 SCRA 483