Property Digests (2013 – 2014) Atty. Vivencio Abano

PROPERTY DIGESTS (2013 – 2014) G.R. No. 158687

ATTY. VIVENCIO ABANO January 22, 2008

DOMALSINversusSpousesVALENCIANO

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Plaintiffs:FRISCOF.DOMALSIN Defendant:JUANITOVALENCIANOandAMALIAVALENCIANO Ponente:Chico-Nazario J. Summary:Betterreadthebackground.It’stheverysummary. DOCTRINE/APPLIC DOCTRINE/APPLICATION(asapplica ATION(asapplicable):Aband ble):Abandonment onmentofa ofa thingisthe voluntaryrenunci voluntaryrenunciationofallrights ationofallrightswhichapersonmayhaveinathing, whichapersonmayhaveinathing, withtheintenttolosesuchth withtheintenttolosesuchthing.Athingisconsid ing.Athingisconsideredaban eredabandonedand donedand possessionthereoflostifthespesrecuperandi(thehopeofrecovery)is gone gone and thean theanimus imus reverte revertendi ndi(t (the he intent intention ion of return returning ing) ) is finally finally givenup.

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BACKGROUND:  

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PropertyisinSitioRiverside,Camp3,Tuba,Benguet FriscoB.Domalsin,alawyer-businessman,claimedthathewas in conti continu nuou ous, s, adve adverse rse posse possessi ssion on and and in the the conce concept pt of an ownerforthepast19yearssince1979asevidencedbyhisTax Declarationin1983. DomalsinlikewiseallegedthatSpousesValencianoenteredthe premise premises s on August August 1, 1998 1998 to constr construct uct a buildin building g made made of cementandstrongmaterials,withouttheauthorityandconsent ofrespondent,bymeansofforceandstrategy,andwithouta buildingpermitfromDPWH. Sps. Sps. Valen Valencia ciano no claime claimed d that that the the ongoi ongoing ng const constru ruct ction ion was was consentedbyDPWHwhiletheimprovementswereintroduced by the residen residents ts thereo thereof, f, includi including ng its first first residen residents, ts, William William andGloriaBanuca,andnotbyValenciano.Sps.Valencianowas

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 just starting the construction because the permission was just givenbyGloriaBanuca. Summary Summary of testimoniespro-Domalsin testimoniespro-Domalsin: : Domalsin Domalsin is a manager manager ofSalamanderEnteprisesengagedinhaulingofgravelandsand whogotthelandfromCastilloBinay-an(occupantoftheland) throughaDeedofWaiverandQuitclaim.Hisworkersincluding the truck truck driver drivers s Marian Mariano o and Tonsing Tonsing and forema foreman n William William Banucawereawarded Banucawereawardedwithhousestha withhousesthattheyconstru ttheyconstructedinthe ctedinthe areaasakindgesturetothe areaasakindgesturetothemandgiven mandgiventhenature thenatureoftheirjob oftheirjob exceptforthelandareaalongtheKennonroadwherethefirst housewaserected.Saidhouses,however,wascannibalizedand nowpossessedbytherespondents. Materialtestimonyfortherespondent:GloriaBanucadisclosed thatitwasshewhoinvitedthespousestotheland.Sheclaimed that that althoug although h Domalsin Domalsin operat operated ed his business business from from 1981, 1981, he ceasedand ceasedand never never return returnedfrom edfrom 1985.She 1985.She wasthe one who level level and improv improved ed the area area includi including ng the portio portion n ofKennon roadafterthesamewasdestroyedbytheearthquakeof1990. MCTCfavoredDomalsinandorder MCTCfavoredDomalsinandorderedthespousestovacate edthespousestovacatethe the land land and and remo remove ve the the stru struct ctur ure e base based d on mate materi rial al prio prior r possessionofthelandandthatthedestructionofhishouseby theearthquakewasnottantamounttoabandonment. RTC RTC affi affirm rmed ed the the decis ecisio ion n of the the MCTC MCTC sayi saying ng that that the the Domalsin’sactofpayingthetaxeswasaclearmanifestationof hisintentionnottoabandonthepropertyandsinceGloriaacted inbadfaithforpassingtheproperty,Art.449apply-Theyshall losewhatwasbuilt. CA reve revers rsed ed and and set set asid aside e RTC’ RTC’s s deci decisi sion on sayi saying ng that that the the property property is a portion portion of theroad-right-of-wayof theroad-right-of-wayof Kennon road which which form forms s part part of the the publ public ic domin dominio ion n not not susce suscept ptib ible le to private acquisitionof acquisitionof eitherparty regardless regardless of theprolonged occup occupat ation ion, , tax tax paym paymen ents, ts, and and impro improve veme ment nts s intr introd oduc uced ed thereon.

ISSUESTOBERESOLVED:

RACHELLEANNEGUTIERREZ

PROPERTY DIGESTS (2013 – 2014)

ATTY. VIVENCIO ABANO

1. Issue1:W/NDomalsinabandonedtheproperty? RESOLUTIONSANDARGUMENTS ISSUE1 Domalsinneverabandonedtheproperty

MajorPoint1:Hisoppositiontotheconstructionofrespondents’house uponlearningofthesameandthesubsequentfilingoftheinstantcase areclearindiciaofnon-abandonment.  Thefactthatthehousewasdestroyedbytheearthquakedonot signifyabandonment  GloriaBanucahadnorighttodemolishthenhousetantamount toforcibleentry MinorPoint:SCsaidthattheissueofabandonmentshouldhavebeen resolvedbythaCAbecauseitwilldeterminewhetherthespousescan begivenpossessionofthelandsinceabandonmentistheonlywayby whicha possessor may lose a possession. Moreover, priorpossession shallbethebasisofthelocusstandiforanactionofforcibleentryand notownershiportitle. FINAL VERDICT: Neither party can own the property. Respondents

JuanitoandAmaliaValencianoareorderedtoremovetheirstructureon thesubjectlandwithinsixty(60)daysfromreceiptofthisdecision,and tovacateanddeliverthephysicalpossessionthereoftotheOfficeofthe District Engineer, Benguet Engineering District, Department of Public WorksandHighways.

RACHELLEANNEGUTIERREZ