9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

232 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Alvarico vs. Sola

*
G.R. No. 138953. June 6, 2002.

CASTORIO ALVARICO, petitioner, vs. AMELITA L.

SOLA, respondent.

Land Registration; Notarial Law; The execution of public

documents, as in the case of Affidavits of Adjudication, is entitled
to the presumption of regularity, hence convincing evidence is
required to assail and controvert them; It requires more than a
party’s bare allegation to defeat the Original

_______________

* SECOND DIVISION.

233

VOL. 383, JUNE 6, 2002 233

Alvarico vs. Sola

Certificate of Title which on its face enjoys the legal presumption of

regularity of issuance.—Petitioner claims that respondent was in
bad faith when she registered the land in her name and, based on
the abovementioned rules, he has a better right over the property
because he was first in material possession in good faith.
However, this allegation of bad faith on the part of Amelita Sola
in acquiring the title is devoid of evidentiary support. For one, the
execution of public documents, as in the case of Affidavits of
Adjudication, is entitled to the presumption of regularity, hence

www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 1/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

convincing evidence is required to assail and controvert them.

Second, it is undisputed that OCT No. 3439 was issued in 1989 in
the name of Amelita. It requires more than petitioner’s bare
allegation to defeat the Original Certificate of Title which on its
face enjoys the legal presumption of regularity of issuance. A
Torrens title, once registered, serves as notice to the whole world.
All persons must take notice and no one can plead ignorance of its
registration.
Same; Actions; Reversion; Only the State can institute
reversion proceedings under Section 101 of the Public Land Act.—
Even assuming that respondent Amelita Sola acquired title to the
disputed property in bad faith, only the State can institute
reversion proceedings under Sec. 101 of the Public Land Act.
Thus: Sec. 101.—All actions for reversion to the Government of
lands of the public domain or improvements thereon shall be
instituted by the Solicitor General or the officer acting in his
stead, in the proper courts, in the name of the Republic of the
Philippines.
Same; Same; Same; A private individual may not bring an
action for reversion or any action which would have the effect of
canceling a free patent and the corresponding certificate of title
issued on the basis thereof, such that the land covered thereby will
again form part of the public domain.—In other words, a private
individual may not bring an action for reversion or any action
which would have the effect of canceling a free patent and the
corresponding certificate of title issued on the basis thereof, such
that the land covered thereby will again form part of the public
domain. Only the Solicitor General or the officer acting in his
stead may do so. Since Amelita Sola’s title originated from a grant
by the government, its cancellation is a matter between the
grantor and the grantee. Clearly then, petitioner has no standing
at all to question the validity of Amelita’s title. It follows that he
cannot “recover” the property because, to begin with, he has not
shown that he is the rightful owner thereof.

PETITION for review on certiorari of a decision and

resolution of the Court of Appeals.

234

234 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Alvarico vs. Sola

www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 2/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.

     Alejandro V. Peregrino for petitioner.
     Eduardo P. Gabriel, Jr. for respondent.

QUISUMBING, J.:

This is a petition for review on certiorari of the decision

dated March 23, 1999 of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R.
CV No. 54624, reversing the decision of the Regional Trial
Court of Cebu City, Branch 10, for reconveyance. Also
sought to be reversed is the CA resolution dated June 8,
1999 denying petitioner’s motion for reconsideration.
The facts of this case are as follows:
Petitioner Castorio Alvarico is the natural father of
respondent Amelita Sola while Fermina Lopez is
petitioner’s aunt, and also Amelita’s adoptive mother.
On June 17, 1982, the Bureau of Lands approved and
granted the Miscellaneous Sales Application (MSA) of
Fermina over Lot 5, SGS-3451, 1
with an area of 152 sq. m.
at the Waterfront, Cebu 2
City.
On May 28, 1983, Fermina executed 3
a Deed of Self-
Adjudication and Transfer of Rights over Lot 5 in favor of
Amelita, who agreed to assume all the obligations, duties,
and conditions imposed upon Fermina under MSA
Application No. V-81066. The 4document of transfer was
filed with the Bureau of Lands. The pertinent portions of
the deed provide:

xxx
That I, FERMINA A. LOPEZ, of legal age, Filipino, widow of
Pedro C. Lopez and a resident of Port San Pedro, Cebu City,
Philippines, am the AWARDEE of Lots Nos. 4, 5, 3-B, 3-C and 6-
B, Sgs-3451 And being the winning bidder at the auction sale of
these parcels by the Bureau of Lands held on May 12, 1982, at the
price of P150.00 per square meter taking a

_______________

1 Rollo, p. 24.
2 May 23, 1983 in the CA decision.
3 Records, pp. 47-48.
4 Rollo, p. 24.

235

www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 3/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

VOL. 383, JUNE 6, 2002 235

Alvarico vs. Sola

purchase price of P282,900.00 for the tract; That I have made as

my partial payment the sum of P28,290.00 evidenced by Official
Receipt No. 1357764-B representing ten (10%) per cent of my bid,
leaving a balance of P254,610.00 that shall be in not more than
ten (10) years at an equal installments of P25,461.00 beginning
June 17, 1983 until the full amount is paid.
. . . the Transferee Mrs. Amelita L. Sola, agrees to assume, all
the obligations, duties and conditions imposed upon the Awardee
in relation to the MSA Application No. V-81066 entered in their
records as Sales Entry No. 20476.
. . . [I] hereby declare that I accept this Deed of Self-
Adjudication and Transfer 5 of Rights and further agree to all
conditions provided therein.

Amelita assumed payment of the lot to 6the Bureau of

Lands. She paid a total amount of P282,900.
On April 7, 1989, the Bureau of Lands issued an order
approving the transfer of rights and granting the7
amendment of the application from Fermina to Amelita.
On May 2, 1989, Original Certificate 8
of Title (OCT) No.
3439 was issued in favor
9
of Amelita.
On June10 24, 1993, herein petitioner filed Civil Case No.
CEB14191 for reconveyance against Amelita. He claimed 11
that on January 4, 1984, Fermina donated the land to him
and immediately thereafter, he took possession of the
same. He averred that the donation to him had 12
the effect of
withdrawing the earlier transfer to Amelita.
For her part, Amelita maintained that the donation to
petitioner is void because Fermina was no longer the owner
of the property when it was allegedly donated to petitioner,
13
the property having been transferred earlier to her. She
added that the donation was

_______________

5 Records, p. 47.
6 Rollo, p. 24.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 June 23, 1993 in the CA decision.
10 CEB-15191 in other parts of the records.

www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 4/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

11 Deed of Donation, Exh. “C”, Records, pp. 180-181.

12 Rollo, p. 24.
13 Id., at 24-25.

236

236 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Alvarico vs. Sola

void because of lack of approval from the Bureau of Lands,

and that she had validly acquired the land as Fermina’s
rightful heir. She 14also denied that she is a trustee of the
land for petitioner.
After trial, the RTC rendered a decision in favor of
petitioner, the decretal portion of which reads:

“WHEREFORE, premises considered, judgment is hereby

rendered in favor of plaintiff and against the defendant. Lot 5,
Sgs-3451, is hereby declared as lawfully owned by plaintiff and
defendant is directed to reconvey the same to the former.
No pronouncement as to damages and attorney’s fees, plaintiff
having opted to forego
15
such claims.
SO ORDERED.”

On appeal, the Court of Appeals in its decision dated

March 23, 1999 reversed the RTC. Thus:

“WHEREFORE, foregoing considered, the appealed decision is

hereby REVERSED and SET ASIDE. The complaint filed by
plaintiff-appellee against defendant-appellant is hereby
DISMISSED.
Costs against plaintiff-appellee.
16
SO ORDERED.”

Petitioner
17
sought reconsideration, but it was denied by the
CA.
Hence, the instant petition for certiorari seasonably filed
on the following grounds:

I.

THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS COMMITTED

SERIOUS ERROR, REFLECTIVE OF UNMINDFUL
RECKLESSNESS WHICH IS THE VERY OPPOSITE OF
JUDICIAL CIRCUMSPECTION, IN DECLARING THAT THE
www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 5/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

DEED OF DONATION DATED JANUARY 4, 1984 (ANNEX “C”)

IN FAVOR OF PETITIONER WAS EMBODIED ONLY IN A
PRIVATE DOCUMENT (Page 6, Decision, Annex “A”),
ALTHOUGH, BY

_______________

14 Id., at 25.
15 Id., at 49.
16 Id., at 30-31.
17 Id., at 32.

237

VOL. 383, JUNE 6, 2002 237

Alvarico vs. Sola

A MERE CASUAL LOOK AT THE DOCUMENT, IT CAN BE

READILY DISCERNED THAT IT IS NOTARIZED;

II.

THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS COMMITTED

SERIOUS ERROR IN APPLYING ON THE CASE AT BAR THE
PRINCIPLE IN LAW THAT IT IS REGISTRATION OF THE
SALES PATENT THAT CONSTITUTE THE OPERATIVE ACT
THAT WOULD CONVEY OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND TO THE
APPLICANT (Pp. 3-6, Decision, Annex “A”) BECAUSE THE
LEGAL CONTROVERSY BETWEEN PETITIONER AND
RESPONDENT DOES NOT INVOLVE CONFLICTING CLAIMS
ON SALES PATENT APPLICATIONS;

III.

THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS GRAVELY

ABUSED ITS DISCRETION AND COMMITTED SERIOUS
ERROR IN MAKING A FINDING THAT RESPONDENT
ACQUIRED THE LAND IN QUESTION, IN GOOD FAITH (Page
7, Decision, Annex “A”), ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO BASIS NOR
NEED TO MAKE SUCH A FINDING; and

IV.

THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS COMMITTED

SERIOUS ERROR IN ENUNCIATING THAT POSSESSION
MENTIONED IN ARTICLE 1544 OF THE NEW CIVIL CODE
www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 6/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

INCLUDE SYMBOLIC POSSESSION, UPON WHICH THE

APPELLATE COURT BASED ITS CONCLUSION THAT
RESPONDENT WAS FIRST IN POSSESSION BECAUSE THE
DEED OF SELF-ADJUDICATION AND TRANSFER OF
RIGHTS IN FAVOR OF RESPONDENT DATED MAY 28, 1983
WAS EXECUTED MUCH EARLIER THAN THE DEED OF
DONATION IN FAVOR OF PETITIONER 18
DATED JANUARY 4,
1984 (Pages 7-8, Decision, Annex “A”).

The crucial issue to be resolved in an action for

reconveyance is: Who between petitioner and respondent
has a better claim to the land?
To prove she has a better claim, respondent Amelita
Sola submitted19 a copy of OCT No. 3439 in her name and
her husband’s, a

_______________

18 Id., at 9-10.
19 Exh. “4”, Records, p. 56.

238

238 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Alvarico vs. Sola

20
Deed of Self-Adjudication and Transfer of Rights over the
property dated 1983 executed by Fermina in her favor, and
a certification from the municipal treasurer that she had
been declaring the land as her
21
and her husband’s property
for tax purposes since 1993.
For his part, petitioner
22
Castorio Alvarico presented, a
Deed of Donation dated January 4, 1984, showing that the
lot was given to him by Fermina and according to him, he
immediately took possession 23
in 1985 and continues in
possession up to the present.
Petitioner further contests the CA ruling that declared
as a private document said Deed of Donation dated
January 4, 1984, despite the fact that a certified true and
correct copy of the same was obtained from the Notarial
Records Office, Regional Trial Court, Cebu City on June 11,
1993 and acknowledged before Atty.24 Numeriano
Capangpangan, then Notary Public for Cebu.

www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 7/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

Given the circumstances in this case and the contentions

of the parties, we find that no reversible error was
committed by the appellate court in holding that herein
petitioner’s complaint against respondent should be
dismissed. The evidence on record and the applicable law
indubitably favor respondent.
Petitioner principally relies on Articles 744 and 1544 of
the New Civil Code, which provide:

Art. 744. Donations of the same thing to two or more different

donees shall be governed by the provisions concerning the sale of
the same thing to two or more different persons.
Art. 1544. If the same thing should have been sold to different
vendees, the ownership shall be transferred to the person who
may have first taken possession thereof in good faith, if it should
be movable property.

_______________

20 Exh. “1”, Records, pp. 47-48.

21 Exhs. “4-6”, Records, pp. 57-65.
22 Exh. “C”, Records, pp. 180-181.
23 TSN, July 26, 1993, p. 11.
24 Rollo, p. 10.

239

VOL. 383, JUNE 6, 2002 239

Alvarico vs. Sola

Should it be immovable property, the ownership shall belong to

the person acquiring it who in good faith first recorded it in the
Registry of Property.
Should there be no inscription, the ownership shall pertain to
the person who in good faith was first in the possession; and, in
the absence thereof, to the person who presents the oldest title,
provided there is good faith. (Emphasis supplied.)

Petitioner claims that respondent was in bad faith when

she registered the land in her name and, based on the
abovementioned rules, he has a better right over the
property because he was first in material possession in
good faith. However, this allegation of bad faith on the part
of Amelita Sola in acquiring the title is devoid of
www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 8/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

evidentiary support. For one, the execution of public

documents, as in the case of Affidavits of Adjudication, is
entitled to the presumption of regularity, hence convincing 25
evidence is required to assail and controvert them.
Second, it is undisputed that OCT No. 3439 was issued in
1989 in the name of Amelita. It requires more than
petitioner’s bare allegation to defeat the Original
Certificate of Title which on its face26 enjoys the legal
presumption of regularity of issuance. A Torrens title,
once registered, serves as notice to the whole world. All
persons must take27
notice and no one can plead ignorance of
its registration.
Even assuming that respondent Amelita Sola acquired
title to the disputed property in bad faith, only the State
can institute reversion
28
proceedings under Sec. 101 of the
Public Land Act. Thus:

Sec. 101.—All actions for reversion to the Government of lands of

the public domain or improvements thereon shall be instituted by
the

_______________

25 Cacho vs. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 123361, 269 SCRA 159, 172 (1997).
26 Chan vs. Court of Appeals, (Special Seventh Division), G.R. No. 118516, 298
SCRA 713, 729 (1998).
27 Egao vs. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 79787, 174 SCRA 484, 492 (1989).
28 Urquiaga vs. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 127833, 301 SCRA 738, 745 (1999).

240

240 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Alvarico vs. Sola

Solicitor General or the officer acting in his stead, in the proper

courts, in the name of the Republic of the Philippines.

In other words, a private individual may not bring an

action for reversion or any action which would have the
effect of canceling a free patent and the corresponding
certificate of title issued on the basis thereof, such that the
land covered thereby will again form part of the public
domain. Only the Solicitor
29
General or the officer acting in
his stead may do so. Since Amelita Sola’s title originated

www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 9/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

from a grant by the government, its cancellation

30
is a
matter between the grantor and the grantee. Clearly then,
petitioner has no standing at all to question the validity of
Amelita’s title. It follows that he cannot “recover” the
property because, to begin with, he has not shown that he
is the rightful owner thereof.
Anent petitioner’s contention that it was the intention of
Fermina for Amelita to hold the property in trust for him,
we held that if this was really the intention of Fermina,
then this should have been clearly stated in the Deed of
Self-Adjudication executed in 1983, in the Deed of Donation
executed in 1984, or in a subsequent instrument. Absent
any persuasive proof of that intention in any written
instrument, we are not prepared to accept petitioner’s bare
allegation concerning the donor’s state of mind.
WHEREFORE, the appealed decision of the Court of
Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No. 54624 is hereby AFFIRMED.
The complaint filed by herein petitioner against respondent
in Civil Case No. CEB-14191 is declared properly
DISMISSED. Costs against petitioner.
SO ORDERED.

          Bellosillo (Actg. C.J., Chairman), Mendoza, De

Leon, Jr. and Corona, JJ., concur.

Judgment affirmed, complaint dismissed.

_______________

29 Supra, note 27 at 492-493.

30 De Ocampo vs. Arlos, G.R. No. 135527, 343 SCRA 716, 728 (2000).

241

VOL. 383, JUNE 6, 2002 241

People vs. Manrique

Notes.—Even after the lapse of one year, the State may

still bring an action under §101 of the Public Land Act for
the reversion to the public domain of lands which have
been fraudulently granted to private individuals. (Republic
vs. Court of Appeals, 255 SCRA 335 [1996])
It is only the State which may institute reversion
proceedings under Sec. 101 of the Public Land Act.
www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 10/11
9/19/2019 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 383

(Urquiaga vs. Court of Appeals, 301 SCRA 738 [1999])

——o0o——

© Copyright 2019 Central Book Supply, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000016d499818ff52d05027003600fb002c009e/p/AQE645/?username=Guest 11/11