FIRST DIVISION

[G.R. No. 116426. April 12, 2000]

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, rpr!"#$ %& #' (ir)#or o*
L+"$!, petitioner, vs. GERAR(O SO(SO(,respondent. Chiefx
( E C I S I O N
PAR(O, J.,
What is before the Court for review via appeal by certiorari is the decisio of the Court
of !ppeals
"#$
affir%i& that of the trial court
"'$
orderi& (ot No) #*+,- of the Cadastral
Survey of Oas. !lbay to be re&istered ad cofir%ed i the a%es of /erardo SodSod
ad Felicidad Rellores)
The facts are as follows0
So%eti%e prior to 1uly #2-+. the Director of (ads filed with the Court of first Istace
of !lbay. (i&ao cadastral proceedi&s
"+$
for the covera&e uder the torres syste% of the
lads i Oas Cadastre. Oas. !lbay)
O 1uly #2. #2-+. spouses /erardo Sodsod ad Felicidad Rellores filed a aswer to
the petitio. clai%i& owership of (ot No) #*+,-. Oas Cadastre. cosisti& of 3'.45-
s6uare %eters. located at Tablo. Oas. !lbay. by virtue of their %ore tha thirty 7+*8
years possessio icludi& that of their predecessor9i9iterest)
Duri& the cadastral heari&s. the lot was ucotested)
The evidece showed that respodet Sodsod ad his predecessor9i9iterest occupied
ad possessed the lot i 6uestio i the cocept of ower. opely. cotiuously.
adversely. otoriously ad exclusively sice #2'2. or for %ore tha thirty 7+*8 years)
O 1uly '-. #22*. the Re&ioal Trial Court redered decisio. the dispositive portio of
which reads0 :s%%is
;W<:R:FOR:. (ot No) #*+,- of the Cadastral Survey of Oas. !lbay
%ore particularly described i the pla ad techical descriptio thereof is
hereby ordered re&istered ad cofir%ed i the a%es of the S=O>S:S
/:R!RDO SODSOD ad F:(ICI!NO R:((OR:S. Filipios. of le&al
a&es. ad residets of Tablo. Oas. !lbay)
;Oce this decisio beco%es fial. let the decree ad ori&ial certificate of
title be issued i their favor)
;SO ORD:R:D)
;(i&ao. !lbay. =hilippies. 1uly '-. #22*);
"5$
I due ti%e. petitioer appealed to the Court of !ppeals)
"3$
O 1uly '3. #225. the Court of !ppeals pro%ul&ated its decisio affir%i& that of the
trial court)
",$
<ece. this petitio)
"-$
We dey the petitio) The issue is whether respodet ad his predecessor9i9iterest
possessed the lad i 6uestio for %ore tha thirty years sufficiet to vest i hi%
re&istrable title over the sa%e)
The issue is factual) The factual fidi&s of the Court of !ppeals are coclusive ad
%ay ot be reviewed o appeal)
"4$
Noetheless. loo?i& ito the facts of this case. we a&ree with the Court of !ppeals that
respodet has fully co%plied with the re6uire%ets uder Sectio 54 7b8. C)!) No) #5#
for cofir%atio of title over the lot i 6uestio) Ipso jure. respodet has ac6uired
private owership of the lad by %ere possessio ad occupatio for %ore tha thirty
7+*8 years uder clai% of owership)
"2$
Sice #2'2 up to the fili& of the cadastral case. respodet ad his predecessor had
bee i actual. ope. cotiuous. exclusive. peaceful ad otorious possessio ad
occupatio of the lot ivolved i the cocept of owers)
<ece. they have ac6uired private owership of the lad. ad are etitled to
cofir%atio of re&istrable title) @ses%
-HEREFORE. we DIS@ISS the appeal ad !FFIR@ in toto the decisio of the Court of
!ppeals i C! A /)R) CV No) '23--)
No cost)
SO OR(ERE(.
Davide, Jr., C.J., (Chairman), Puno, Kapunan, ad Ynares-Santiago, JJ., cocur)

[1]
In CA-G. R. CV No. 29577, promulgated on Jul 25, 199!, I"nan#, J., ponente, $ur#"#ma and I%a-&omera, J.J.,
'on'urr#ng.
[2]
Reg#onal (r#al Court, )#gao, Al%a, *ran'+ 12, Judge Ra,ael $. &antel#'e".
[-]
Cada"tral Ca"e No. N-11-)V, )RC Re'ord No. N-55!5, )ot No. 1.-/7.
[!]
$enned % Judge Ra,ael $. &antel#'e", Rollo, pp. 20-29.
[5]
1o'2eted a" CA- G. R. CV No. 29577.
[/]
Rollo, pp. !5-!7.
[7]
3#led on &eptem%er 5, 199!, Rollo, pp. 7-22.
[0]
$olotan, &r. vs. Court o, Appeal", 29/ &CRA 2!7 4199056 &erna 7". 3ontan#lla, G.R. No. 12!/.5, June 10, 1999.
[9]
Nat#7#dad vs. Court o, Appeal", 2.2 &CRA !9- 4199156 $#neda vs. Court o, Appeal" 10- &CRA /.2 4199.56
1#re'tor o, )and" vs. Intermed#ate Appellate Court, 1!/ &CRA 5.9 4190/5