Title
People vs. Cainglet
Case
G.R. No. L-21493-94
Decision Date
Apr 29, 1966
Wilfredo Cainglet prosecuted for falsifying documents in a cadastral case; Supreme Court ruled final cadastral judgment doesn’t bar falsification charges, remanding for trial.
A

Case Digest (G.R. No. L-21493-94)

Facts:

On December 13, 1962 WILFREDO G. CAINGLET was prosecuted before the Court of First Instance of Zamboanga del Sur in Criminal Cases Nos. 2230 and 2231 for alleged falsification of public and/or official documents. The informations charged that on or about April 22, 1959 in Ipil, Zamboanga del Sur, the accused prepared and caused to be filed in Cadastral Case No. 19, LRC Cadastral Record No. N-184 Judicial Form No. 106, an Answer under Section 9 of Act No. 2259, containing knowingly false averments that he was the owner and in possession of Lots Nos. 8479 and 8492, that he had possessed them for several years, that they were acquired by occupation and purchase from predecessors in interest, and that no other person had an interest therein; the informations alleged that these statements were made with the intent to deceive the cadastral court and resulted in a decision dated October 30, 1959, rendered by the Court of First Instance of Pagadian, declaring the lots private property of Cainglet. Before arraignment, on January 16, 1963 the accused moved to quash the informations under Section 2(g) of Rule 133 of the Rules of Court on the ground that the informations themselves averred a final judicial determination in the cadastral proceedings that his ownership and possession were established, which, if true, would constitute a justification or excuse; the trial court granted the motion and dismissed the informations, and the provincial fiscal appealed to this Court.

Issues:

Does the final judgment in Cadastral Case No. 19, LRC Cadastral Record No. N-184 declaring WILFREDO G. CAINGLET owner of Lots Nos. 8479 and 8492 bar his subsequent prosecution for falsely stating in his answers in said cadastral case that he possessed and owned those lots? Would a conviction in the falsification or perjury prosecutions nullify the Torrens titles or amount to a collateral attack upon the final cadastral judgment?

Ruling:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Ratio:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Doctrine:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

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