Property
(31) Del Rosario-Igbeten v. Republic G. R. No. 158449 22 October 2004 Section 44 of the Public Land Act, as amended by RA No. 6940, which po!ides fo a pescipti!e peiod of thity "#0$ yeas possession, applies only to applications fo fee patents%
FACTS. On 08 Januar January y 1998, 1998, petit petition ioners ers file !it" !it" t"e t"e trial trial court court an applic applicati ation on #or #or re$istration o# lan uner Presiential %ecree &P%' No. 1529, ot"er!ise (no!n as t"e Property Re$istration %ecree. )"e application co*ere a parcel o# lan situate in +aran$ay alaba$, -ilan$, a*ite. Petitioners alle$e t"at t"ey ac/uire t"e -ubect Property by purc"ase, an t"at t"ey, by t"e t"ese sel* l*es es an an t"ro t"rou$ u$" " t"ei t"eirr pre preec eces esso sors rsi in nin inte tere rest st,, "a "a been been in actu actual al,, cont contin inuo uous us,, uninterrupte, open, public, an a*erse possession possession o# t"e -ubect Property in t"e concept o# o!ner #or ore t"an 30 years. No opposition !as file a$ainst t"e application an so petitioners proceee !it" t"e presentation o# t"eir e*ience. )"e -tate !as represente in t"e proceein$s by ssistant Pro*incial Prosecutor Jose . elasco, Jr. +ase on t"e testionial an ocuentary e*ience presente. )eooro alano$ cae into possession o# t"e -ubect Property in 1968. 7n t"e sae year, t"e -ubect Property !as trans#erre to spouses l#reo )onio an $atona alano$. #ter t"e eise o# $atona alano$, t"e rest o# t"e )onio #aily #aily,, consistin$ consistin$ o# l#reo l#reo an "is c"ilren c"ilren,, -auel, -auel, liabet" liabet",, +enain, +enain, 7ela an st"er, s"are possession o# t"e -ubect Property. On 21 No*eber 1995, t"e )onio #aily sol t"e -ubect Property to petitioners, as e*ience by a %ee o# bsolute -ale. )"e "istory o# possession o# t"e -ubect Property !as supporte by ta: eclarations in t"e nae o# petitioners an t"eir preecessorsininterest #ro 1958 to 1998. )"e trial court renere a ecision appro*in$ petitioners; application #or re$istration o# t"e -ubect Property. Property. )"e Republic o# t"e P"ilippines, represente by t"e O#fice o# t"e -olicitor General, appeale t"e ecision o# t"e trial court to t"e ourt o# ppeals. )"e ourt o# ppeals renere a ecision settin$ asie t"e ecision o# t"e trial court, an isissin$ t"e application #or re$istration o# petitioners. ID., ID., AR!" AR!"#$T #$T %F T&# '#TITI%$ '#TITI%$#R. #R. 7n t"e ori$inal application file by petitioners be#ore t"e trial court, t"ey clai t"at t"ey are entitle to confiration an re$istration o# t"eir title to t"e -ubect Property in accorance !it" -ection 14 o# t"e Property Re$istration Re$istration %ecree. ID., D#F#$S# D#F#$S# %F T&# R#S'%$D#$ R#S'%$D#$T T. )"e Republic alle$e t"at t"e petitioner #aile to pro*e open, continuous, e:clusi*e e:clusi*e an notorious possession an occupation o# t"e -ubect Property since since 12 June June 1945, 1945, or earlie earlierr, as re/ui re/uire re by -ecti -ection on 48&b' 48&b' o# oon oon!e !ealt alt" " ct No. 141, 141, ot"er!ise (no!n as t"e Public
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Property
#aile to prouce unients o# title to tac( t"eir possession to t"ose o# t"eir preecessorsin interest in copliance !it" t"e prescripti*e perio re/uire by la!. ISS!#. >"et"er or not t"e petitioners "a*e coplie !it" t"e perio o# possession an occupation re/uire by t"e Public
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