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Heirs of Cerila Gamos, et al. vs Heirs of Juliano Frando, et al.

HEIRS OF CERILA GAMOS and RICARDO GALAG, Namely, FELICITAS G. GARCERA, ENCARNACION G. FORTE, NARCISA G. GALAN; and DOMINGO, EDILBERTO, ROBERTO, HELEN, VIRGILIO, RICARDO, CONSTANTINO and VIOLETA, All Surnamed GALAG, Represented by VIOLETA GALAG as Their Attorney-in-Fact; AMBROCIO GUATAO, MIGUEL FUNGO and The DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF LANDS, Petitioners, versus HEIRS OF JULIANO FRANDO, Namely, PACIENCIA GALLANOSA FUELLAS; and RODOLFO, NERI, JUAN and ANTONIO, All Surnamed GIMPES, Respondents.

G.R. No. 149117 | 2004-12-16

D E C I S I O N

PANGANIBAN, J.:

A sales patent applicant who has complied with all the legal requirements is entitled to a grant of the disposable land of the public domain applied for. The execution and formal delivery of the patent becomes merely ministerial. Under these circumstances, the property applied for is, for all purposes, considered segregated from the public domain. Hence, the subsequent issuance to a third person of a free patent covering the same property is null and void. The government can no longer convey the ownership of a parcel of land it no longer owns.



The Case



Before the Court is a Petition for Review[1]...