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Delfina Vda. De Rigonan, et al. vs. Zoroaster Derecho, et al

DELFINA Vda. de RIGONAN and Spouses VALERIO LAUDE and VISMINDA LAUDE, Petitioners, versus ZOROASTER DERECHO Representing the Heirs of RUBEN DERECHO, ABEL DERECHO, HILARION DERECHO, NUNELA D. PASAOL, EFRAIM DERECHO, NOEL DERECHO, CORAZON D. OCARIZA Representing the Heirs of Marcial Derecho, LANDILINO D. PRIETO Representing the Heirs of Pilar D. Prieto, JUSTA D. BUENO, ADA D. MAPA, EMMANUEL DERECHO, POMPOSO DERECHO Representing the Heirs of Apolinar Derecho, VICENTE D. RIGONAN, RUFA D. JAYME Representing the Heirs of Gerardo Derecho, MARDONIO D. HERMOSILLA Representing the Heirs of Oliva D. Hermosilla, Respondents.

G.R. No. 159571 | 2005-07-15

THIRD DIVISION

D E C I S I O N 

PANGANIBAN, J.: 

Owners who, for a long period of time, fail to assert their rights to unregistered real property may be deprived of it through prescription. Although the present respondents initially owned part of the subject property by virtue of succession, their inaction for several decades bars them from recovering it from petitioners who have possessed it as owners since 1928. The purpose of prescription is to protect the diligent and vigilant, not those who sleep on their rights. 

The Case 

Before us is a Petition for Review[1] under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court, challenging the...