Case Summary (G.R. No. 4293)
Key Dates
The decision was rendered on March 21, 1908.
Applicable Law
The case is decided based on statutory interpretations relevant to land registration and boundary disputes as they were understood during the governing laws of the Philippines at the time.
Factual Background
The petitioner sought to have the hacienda "Santa Cruz" registered in the name of the heirs of Charles A. Cross. The respondent, Maria Gay, contested this registration on grounds pertaining to the delineation of the estate boundaries, specifically, the river Panoolan which was identified as the boundary between "Santa Cruz" and "Fortuna." Gay argued that the river indicated in the petitioner's plan was not the correct boundary.
Argument by Respondent
Maria Gay's appeal was grounded in a singular argument asserting that the Court of Land Registration erred in declaring that the river Panoolan, which served as a boundary, was the one indicated in the petitioner’s plan rather than the one marked by the witness F. Eugenio Lopez. This challenge focused on the factual accuracy concerning the true location of the river.
Judicial Inquiry
The Court of Land Registration referred the matter to a commissioner to gather evidence and analyze the situation concerning the boundaries. The commissioner was tasked with investigating the location of the river Panoolan and probing witness testimonies regarding its identity.
Findings
The commissioner reported that there were two channels or rivers in the vicinity: one located north of hacienda "Santa Cruz," which did not hold water during the dry season, and another to the south that consistently held water year-round, identified as the river Panoolan. The report concluded that the channel with perennial water flow was indeed the true river Panoolan, validated by consistent testimony from the witnesses.
Court's Conclusion
Upon review, the Court of Land Registration affirmed the commissioner's findings, indicating
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Case Overview
- This case originates from the Court of Land Registration regarding the boundary dispute between two haciendas, specifically the hacienda of Santa Cruz owned by the heirs of Charles A. Cross and the hacienda of Fortuna owned by Maria Gay.
- The primary issue at hand is to determine which of the two channels forming the estero Panoolan is the legitimate boundary between the two haciendas.
Parties Involved
- Petitioner and Appellee: William A. Keay, representing the heirs of Charles A. Cross.
- Respondent and Appellant: Maria Gay, owner of the hacienda Fortuna.
- Counsel for Appellant: Carlos Ledesma and Ramon Fernandez.
- Counsel for Appellee: Rosado, Sanz & Opisso.
Facts of the Case
- The petitioner sought to have the hacienda of Santa Cruz inscribed in the name of the heirs of Charles A. Cross.
- Maria Gay filed an opposition to this petition, contesting the designated boundary of the river Panoolan.
- The appellant's sole assignment of error was a claim that the Court of Land Registration incorrectly identified the r