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RP vs CA, Sps Santos, St Jude Enterprise

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, (Represented by the Acting Commissioner of Land Registration), petitioner, vs. COURT OF APPEALS, Spouses CATALINO SANTOS and THELMA BARRERO SANTOS, ST. JUDE'S ENTERPRISES, INC., Spouses DOMINGO CALAGUIAN and FELICIDAD CALAGUIAN, VIRGINIA DE LA FUENTE and LUCY MADAYA, respondents.

G.R. No. 116111 | 1999-01-21

D E C I S I O N


PANGANIBAN, J.:

Is the immunity of the government from laches and estoppel absolute? May it still recover the ownership of lots sold in good faith by a private developer to innocent purchasers for value. Notwithstanding its approval of the subdivision plan and its issuance of separate individual certificates of title thereto?

The Case

These are the main questions raised in the Petition for Review before us, seeking to set aside the November 29, 1993 Decision1 [Rollo, pp. 29-37.] of the Court of Appeals2 [Second Division, composed of JJ. Lourdes K. Tayao-Jaguros (ponente); concurred in by Vicente V. Mendoza (then...