G.R. No. 216597 - Esguerra vs. Spouses Ignacio

Petitioner Rodolfo Santos filed a complaint for Reconveyance, Damages, Attorney’s Fees, and/or Annulment of Title against respondents Ronald C. Manalili (as heir or representative of deceased defendants Noli Belen C. Manalili and Reynaldo Manalili) and the Board of Liquidators (BOL).
The subject property is a 4,608 square-meter parcel of land in the District of Toril, Davao City, formerly part of the "Furukawa Plantation" owned by a Japanese national and later turned over to the Philippine government after World War II.

The land was administered first by the National Abaca and Other Fibers Corporation, and later by the respondent Board of Liquidators (BOL).
On August 6, 1970, Reynaldo Manalili, predecessor-in-interest of respondent Ronald C. Manalili, filed an application to purchase the subject property with the BOL, submitting an Occupant’s Affidavit.
On March 27, 1972, the BOL required Manalili to pay a downpayment of 10% or P1,865.28. Manalili thereafter declared the land for taxation purposes.

On March 25, 1981, petitioner Santos wrote an undated letter to the BOL protesting Manalili’s application.
The BOL’s Land Examiner recommended a formal investigation.
On October 7, 1981, the BOL’s Alien Property Unit reported that petitioner was not actually occupying the lot but had hired others to plant and maintain crops in an apparent attempt to establish occupancy. They recommended dismissal of petitioner’s protest and approval of sale to Manalili.

Manalili informed the local barrio captain of petitioner’s alleged illegal entry into the property.
On December 16, 1981, the BOL issued the Deed of Absolute Sale to Manalili, approved by the Office of the President on December 21, 1981.
On January 6, 1982, the Register of Deeds, Davao City, issued Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 86414 to Manalili.
On April 26, 1982, Santos filed his complaint against the BOL and the Manalilis.

The trial court initially dismissed Santos’s complaint for lack of jurisdiction and non-exhaustion of administrative remedies.
The Intermediate Appellate Court (IAC) reversed this dismissal and remanded the case for trial; this was later affirmed by the Supreme Court.
After trial, the Regional Trial Court rendered a decision on September 20, 1993, dismissing the complaint, ordering Santos to vacate the property, and awarding damages and attorneys’ fees to the Manalilis.
The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s decision on July 24, 2002, and denied petitioner’s motion for reconsideration on March 3, 2003.
Santos then filed the present petition for review on certiorari with the Supreme Court.

Whether the respondent Manalili had a better right of possession over the disputed land than petitioner Santos.
Whether the sale of the lot to respondent Manalili was fraudulent and whether petitioner’s protest was duly investigated.