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Republic vs. Numeriano G. Estenzo

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES and THE DIRECTOR OF LANDS, petitioners, vs. HON. NUMERIANO G. ESTENZO, as Judge of the Court of First Instance of Leyte, Branch V, Ormoc City, FELIPE ADOLFO and FRANCISCA PADILLA, spouses, respondents.

G.R. No. L-35512 | 1988-02-29

D E C I S I O N


CORTES, J.:

The parties in this case contest the ownership of a parcel of land situated in Barrio Valencia, Ormoc City. Herein petitioners maintain that the land is public land by virtue of a 1940 cadastral court decision. Private respondents meanwhile take the opposite view claiming the land as their own based on their purchase thereof from the original claimant, Apolonia Parrilla, and its subsequent adjudication in their favor in 1972.

The facts are undisputed.

On October 31, 1940, a decision was rendered by the Cadastral Court declaring Lot No. 8423 of the Ormoc Cadastre as public land.

Thirty-two years later, more...