Case Summary (G.R. No. 234445)
Claims and Allegations
The plaintiffs Cacnio and de la Cruz contend that they are the rightful owners of their respective building lots, which they have possessed for over forty years. They seek a legal declaration affirming their ownership, request damages amounting to $600, and ask for a preliminary injunction to halt further proceedings related to an ejectment action against them. They claim Baens has never possessed the land in question.
Procedural History and Defendant's Response
After initially issuing a preliminary injunction in favor of the plaintiffs, Baens filed a demurrer and answered the complaint, generally denying all allegations. The plaintiffs subsequently amended their complaint to clarify the basis of their ownership as inheritance from their parents. The defendant did not object to the amendments but contested the validity of the plaintiffs’ claims, insisting that the legal documents they presented lacked substance.
Court Proceedings and Evidence
The Court of First Instance heard the evidence presented, which included title deeds from Baens issued by the Direccion General de Administracion Civil, affirming his ownership of a larger tract of land that included the disputed parcels. The plaintiffs challenged the validity of these deeds but did not denounce their recording in the Registry of Property, an essential factor in property law.
Legal Findings on Title and Registration
The court concluded that the documentary evidence presented by Baens, a public instrument duly recorded, constituted competent proof of his title, thereby exerting legal effect against third parties, including the plaintiffs. It emphasized that public legal documents are admissible and that the registration of such documents in the real estate registry precludes claims from parties not involved in their creation.
Implications of the Mortgage Law
The judgment relied on provisions of the Mortgage Law, stipulating that deeds of conveyance recorded in the Registry of Property carry profound legal weight. No substantial defects were established concerning Baens's title deed, nor was there evidence that the necessary legal processes for the deed’s registration had not been followed. Thus, the court upheld that
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Case Background
- The defendant, Lazaro Baens, initiated legal action in the justice of the peace court of Tambobong against the plaintiffs for the recovery of several tracts of land.
- The trial court rendered judgment against the plaintiffs, prompting them to appeal to the Court of First Instance.
- The plaintiffs, Bernardino Cacnio and Severino de la Cruz, claimed absolute ownership of their respective lots in the barrio of Hulong Duhat, detailing the boundaries and dimensions of each tract.
- They sought a declaration of ownership and possession, damages amounting to $600, and costs of the proceedings, alongside a preliminary injunction to halt ongoing ejectment proceedings against them.
Claims and Defenses
- The plaintiffs alleged they inherited their land from their parents, who had possessed it for over forty years, asserting that Baens had never been in possession of the property.
- Baens denied all allegations in his answer to the complaint, specifically contesting the claim that he acted without just cause.
- The plaintiffs amended their complaint to clarify their inheritance from their parents and sought to nullify Baens' recorded claim to the land.
Court Proceedings
- The defendant did not oppose the amendments made by the plaintiffs but denied the new allegations.
- The plaintiffs focused on challenging the probative value of the defendant's e