LAND BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES vs THE COURT OF APPEALS and HEIRS of MANUEL BOLAÑOS (G.R. No. 221636, July 11, 2016) FACTS The Dept. of Agrarian Reform subjected the land of the private respondents to the coverage of the Comprehensive Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. Private respondents rejected the valuation of the petitioner but the later still deposited the amount of the valuation in their favor. Private respondents filed before Branch 23 of the Regional Trial Court of Naga City, sitting as a Special Agrarian Court (SAC), a case for determination of just compensation. The SAC ordered the petitioner to re-value the property, which it did, but the new valuation was still rejected by the private respondent. A notice of appeal under Rule 41 was filed by the private respondent. Petitioner filed a motion to dismiss on the ground that private respondents availed a wrong mode of appeal. The Court of Appeals denied petitioner’s motion to dismiss on grounds of liberality in the t he construction of the Rules of Court. ISSUE Whether or not the Court of Appeals committed grave abuse of discretion considering considering that there is a longstanding jurisprudence jurisprudence that appeals from the decision of the t he SAC must be via a petition for review under Rule 42 and not by an ordinary appeal and considering further that the CA excused a technical lapse to give way to the need to aptly dispense substantial justice in the normal course RULING Yes, the CA committed grave abuse of discretion. The proper mode of appeal from the decisions of RTCs sitting as SACs is by petition for review under Rule 42 of the Rules of Court and not through an ordinary appeal under Rule 41. Section 60 of R.A. No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law clearly and categorically states that said mode of appeal should be adopted. While it is true that the Court have applied a liberal application of the rules of procedure in a number of cases, the Court have stressed that this can be invoked only in proper cases and under justifiable causes and circumstances.