Facts:

• The case involves a dispute over just compensation for a property in the Philippines that was taken by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) without prior notice or payment.
• The property in question is an 8.3027-hectare portion of three parcels of irrigated rice land located in Nueva Ecija.
• The property was transferred to farmer-beneficiaries without the knowledge or consent of the owner, Hernando T. Chico.
• Chico filed a petition for fixing just compensation, claiming that he was not properly compensated for the taking of his property.

Issue:

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Ruling:

• The Supreme Court (SC) upheld the Court of Appeals' (CA) ruling, finding that the absence of claim folders should not prevent Chico from receiving just compensation.
• The SC also held that the applicable law for determining just compensation is Republic Act No. 6657 (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law), and not Presidential Decree No. 27 or Executive Order No. 228.
• The SC agreed with the valuation of the subject property made by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) and CA, considering factors such as market value, nature of the land, and volume and value of its produce.
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Ratio:

• The absence of claim folders should not prevent Chico from receiving just compensation because it is the responsibility of the DAR and LBP to ensure that proper documentation is in place.
• The applicable law for determining just compensation is Republic Act No...continue reading