G.R. No. 210504 - Heirs of Yusingco vs. Busilak

Petitioners: Heirs of Alfonso Yusingco, represented by their attorney-in-fact Teodoro K. Yusingco, claiming ownership over Lots 519, 520 and 1015 in Barangay Taft, Surigao City, inherited from their predecessor.
Respondents: Amelita Busilak, Cosca Navarro, Flavia Curayag and Lexberto Castro (and Reynaldo Peralta, Adriano Solamo), occupying portions of the same lots without petitioners’ consent.

On August 11, 2005, petitioners filed five consolidated complaints for accion publiciana and/or recovery of possession before the MTCC, alleging prior possession before WWII, loss during the war, judicial declaration of ownership in Civil Case No. 1645 (CI) and CA-G.R. CV No. 66508-R, and respondents’ subsequent illegal occupation.
Respondents asserted over 30 years of possession, denied petitioners’ title and claimed superior possessory rights.
MTCC, Branch 1, Surigao City, rendered an Omnibus Judgment (Feb. 25, 2011) ordering respondents to vacate, remove improvements and pay monthly compensation.
RTC, Branch 30, Surigao City, affirmed with modification as to certain respondents (Aug. 17, 2011).
CA, in CA-G.R. SP No. 04500, set aside the RTC decision and dismissed the consolidated cases for lack of merit (July 31, 2013).
Petitioners filed a petition for review on certiorari under Rule 45, now before the Supreme Court (Jan. 24, 2018).

Whether the final and executory judgments in the prior accion reivindicatoria declaring petitioners as owners are binding on respondents who were not parties thereto.
Whether respondents, as alleged long-time possessors, have a better right to possession than petitioners despite petitioners’ judicially declared ownership.