Republic vs. CA and Tancinco

REPUBLIC VS. COURT OF APPEALS AND TANCINCO

GR No. L-61647 October 12, 1984 132 SCRA 514

Facts:

Respondents, en!"#$n %"nc$nco, A&'cen" %"nc$nco Re(es, )"r$" %"nc$nco *#per$"+ "nd )"r$o C. %"nc$nco "re re$stered oners o " p"rce+ o +"nd co/ered b( %C% 0 %-8979 s$t'"ted $n "rr$o b$n"n, )e(c"'"("n, '+"c"n border$n on te )e(c"'"("n " nd oc"'e r$/ers. On 'ne 24, 1974, te pr$/"te respondents $+ed "n "pp+$c"t$on or te re$str"t$on o te tree +ots "d!"cent to te$r $spond propert(. On Apr$+ 5, 1974, Ass$st"nt ro/$nc$"+ $sc"+ Ar#"ndo C. $cente, $n represent"t$on o te 're"' o L"nds $+ed " r$tten oppos$t$on to te "pp+$c"t$on or re$str"t$on. %e Loer Co'rt rendered " dec$s$on r"nt$n te "pp+$c"t$on on te $nd$n t"t te +"nds $n 'est$on "re "ccret$ons to te p r$/"te respondents $sponds. CA "$r#ed Loer Co'rts dec$s$on. Rep'b+$c contended t"t tere $s no "ccret$on to spe": o 'nder Art$c+e 457 o te ne C$/$+ Code bec"'se "t "ct'"++( "ppened $s t"t te pr$/"te respondents s$#p+( tr"nserred te$r d$:es 'rter  don te r$/er bed o )e(c"'"("n r$/er, "nd t's, $ tere $s "n( "ccret$on to spe": o, $t $s te #"n-#"de "nd "rt$$c$"+ "nd not te res'+t o te r"d'"+ "nd $#percept$b+e sed$#ent"t$on sed$#ent"t$on b( te "ters o te r$/er. Issue:

 ;eter or not te "ccret$on c"n be " /"+$d s'b!ect o re$str"t$on. Held:

%"t te test$#on( o te pr$/"te respondents +one $tness to te eect t"t "s e"r+( "s 1939 tere "+re"d( "+re"d( e<$sted s'c "++eed "++eed "++'/$"+ depos$ts, depos$ts, deser/es deser/es no #er$t. *t so'+d be noted t"t te +ots $n 'est$on ere not $nc+'ded $n te s'r/e( o te$r "d!"cent propert( cond'cted on )"( 1, 194 "nd $n te C"d"str"+ S'r/e( o te ent$re )'n$c$p"+$t( o )e(c"'"("n cond'cted beteen te (e"rs 1958 to 196. %e "++eed "ccret$on "s dec+"red or t"<"t$on p'rposes on+( $n 1972 or 33 (e"rs "ter $t "d s'pposed+( per#"nent+( or#ed. %e on+( /"+$d conc+'s$on tereore tereore $s t"t te s"$d "re"s co'+d not "/e been tere $n 1939. %e( e<$sted on+( "ter te pr$/"te respondents tr"nserred te$r d$:es to"rds te bed o te )e(c"'"("n R$/er $n 1951. ;"t pr$/"te respondents c+"$# c+"$# "s "ccret$on $s re"++( re"++( "n encro"c#ent o " port$on o te )e(c"'"("n R$/er b( rec+"#"t$on. %e +oer co'rt c"nnot /"+$d+( order te re$str"t$on o +ots 1 "nd 2 $n te n"#es o te pr$/"te respondents. %ese +ots ere port$ons o te bed o te )e(c"'"("n R$/er "nd "re tereore c+"ss$$ed "s propert( o te p'b+$c do#"$n. %e( "re not open to re$str"t$on 'nder te L"nd re$str"t$on Act. %e "d!'d$c"t$on o te +"nds $n 'est$on "s propert( $n te n"#es o te pr$/"te respondents $s n'++ "nd /o$d.