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Spouses Nicanor Tumbokon, et al. Vs. Apolonia G. Legaspi and Paulina S. De Magtanum

SPOUSES NICANOR TUMBOKON (deceased), substituted by: ROSARIO SESPE?E and their Children, namely: NICANOR S. TUMBOKON, JR., NELIA S. TUMBOKON, NEMIA T. SEGOVIA, NOBELLA S. TUMBOKON, NABIGAIL T. TAAY, NAZARENE T. MONTALVO, NORGEL S. TUMBOKON, NEYSA S. TUMBOKON, SILVESTRE S. TUMBOKON, NORA T. MILCZAREK, NONITA T. CARPIO, NERLYN S. TUMBOKON, and NINFA T. SOLIDUM, Petitioners, versus APOLONIA G. LEGASPI, and PAULINA S. DE MAGTANUM, Respondents.

G.R. No. 153736 | 2010-08-12

D E C I S I O N


BERSAMIN, J.:

The question presented in this appeal is whether the ruling in a criminal prosecution for qualified theft (involving coconut fruits) bound the complainant (petitioners herein) and the accused (respondents herein) on the issue of ownership of the land, which was brought up as a defense, as to preclude the Regional Trial Court (RTC) or the Court of Appeals (CA) from adjudicating the same issue in a civil case filed prior to the promulgation of the decision in the criminal case.

Under contention herein are the ownership and possession of that parcel of land with an area of 12,480 square meters, more or less,...