REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, vs. DEMOCRITO T. MENDOZA, SR., GWENDOLYN MENDOZA, VILMA MENDOZA, DEMOCRITO MENDOZA, JR., MENCA DEVELOPMENT CORP., CARMEN VELEZ TING and JACINTO VELEZ, JR.,
[G.R. No. 153726. March 28, 2007.] FACTS
Democratico T. T. Mendoza re!"ondent# i! in "o!!e!!ion o$ 70 or !o hectare! in %i&ot 'a( thro)*h an +rdinar( i!h"ond -ermit. +n an 16, 1/67, -re!. Marco! ordered a memorand)m that ao)t 700,000 !h"ond area! inc&)din* re!"ondent! &and# !ha&& e re&ea!ed ( the ')rea) o$ ore!tr( to the ')rea) o$ and! a! a&iena&e and di!"o!a&e, )t !)4ect to the d i!"o!a& o$ the ')rea) o$ i!herie! $or $i!h"ond ")r"o!e! -)r!)ant to that, re!"ondent i!!)ed a !a&e! "atent a""&ication in order to ")rcha!e the !aid &and and a! a""roed, th)! an a)ction a! !ched)&ed. De!"ite o4ection o$ the &oca& Ma(or, on 21 Ma( 1/7, then -re!identia& 9ec)tie :!!i!tant :!!i!tant acoo ;. ;&ae i!!)ed a Memorand)m in$ormin* the %ecretar( o$ the De"artment o$ Nat)ra& Re!o)rce! that -re!ident Marco! had a""roed the recommendation adi!in* a""roa& o$ the re<)e!t o$ Democrito Mendoza, %r. $or the i!!)ance o$ a "atent o er the di!")ted "ro"ert(. -rior to the a""roa&, Democrito !)diided the &ot! and a!!i*ned ri*ht! and intere!t! in e<)a& !hare! to each o$ hi! da)*hter!. +n 26 )ne 1/7, :ctin* :ctin* Director o$ the ')rea) o$ and! Ramon N. ;a!anoa i!!)ed an +rder aardin* the !a&e! "atent! oer the di!")ted "ro"ert( to Democrito Mendoza, %r. and hi! three chi&dren Gendo&(n, =i&ma, and Democrito, r., re!"ectie&( %ometime in 1/88, a "rote!t a! &ed ( the !herman>re!ident! o$ i&oan a*ain!t the i!!)ance o$ the !a&e! "atent! to the Mendoza!. :ctin* thereon, the De"artment o$ nironment and Nat)ra& Re!o)rce! DNR# Re*iona& +ffice No. 7, ;e) ;it(, cond)cted an ine!ti*ation +n 23 +ctoer 1//0, a!ed a !ed on the in$ormation *athered ( the DNR, !hoin* that there ere a&&e*ed irre*)&aritie! in the i!!)ance o$ the !a&e! "atent! aarded to the Mendoza!, the Re")&ic o$ the -hi&i""ine!, re"re!ented ( the Director o$ the and Mana*ement ')rea), &ed ith the RT; o$ ;e), a com"&aint $or ;ance&&ation o$ %a&e! -atent! and Tit&e! a*ain!t Democrito Mendoza, %r. and hi! three chi&dren Gendo&(n, =i&ma, and Democrito, r., r., to*ether ith the Re*i!ter o$ Deed! o$ ;e) ;it(
:$ter tria& on the merit!, the tria& co)rt, co)rt, on 3 )ne 1//6, rendered rendered a Deci!ion dec&arin* dec&arin* the !a&e! "atent!, "atent!, a! e&& a! the ori*ina& certicate! o$ tit&e i!!)ed to the Mendoza! a! n)&& and oid a initio. Dec&arin* that? 1. The !a&e! "aten "atentt i!!)ed i!!)ed e dec&are dec&ared d oid oid a initi initio o 2. +rder +rderin* in* !aid !aid de$endant! de$endant! to to !)rrender !)rrender their their +;T! +;T! to to the re*i!ter re*i!ter o$ deed! deed! and order orderin* in* the !aid !aid re*i!ter o$ deed! to cance& the !ame and a&& "atent tit&e! emanatin* there$rom. 3. Dec& Dec&arin* arin* the the &ot a! ina&iena ina&iena&e &e and non>di!"o non>di!"o!a&e !a&e ein* ein* "art! "art! o$ %i&ot 'a(. 'a(. :**rieed ( the Deci!ion, de$endant! de$endant! a""ea&ed the ;a!e o$ o$ the ;:, and accordin*&( accordin*&(,, ;: reer!ed the RT;! deci!ion? ISSUE ?
@hether or not !aid " ro"ert( i! a&iena&e and di!"o!a&e and, there$ore, !)4ect to "riate a""ro"riation thro)*h mode! reco*nized )nder the -)&ic and :ct. HELD
Ae!, the "ro"ert( i! a&iena&e and di!"o!a&e. De!"ite "etitioner!B a!!ertion that %i&ot 'a( i! a nai*a&e od( o$ ater and ( it! er( nat)re and inherent character i! o$ ")&ic dominion, th)!, there i! no need $or a dec&aration ( an( a""ro"riate *oernment a*enc( that it i! a comm)na& !hin* *ro)nd e$ore %i&ot 'a( ma( e reco*nized a! !)ch, it cannot e *ain!aid that the "rero*atie o$ c&a!!i$(in* ")&ic &and! "ertain! to admini!tratie a*encie! hich hae een !"ecia&&( ta!Ced ( !tat)te! to do !o and that the co)rt! i&& not inter$ere on matter! hich are addre!!ed to the !o)nd di!cretion o$ *oernment andor <)a!i>4)dicia& a*encie! entr)!ted ith the re*)&ation o$ actiitie! comin* )nder their !"ecia& technica& Cno&ed*e and trainin*. Et !ho)&d e !tre!!ed that the $)nction o$ admini!terin* and di!"o!in* o$ &and! o$ the ")&ic domain in the manner "re!cried ( &a i! not entr)!ted to the co)rt! )t to e9ec)tie officia&!. :nd a! !)ch, co)rt! !ho)&d re$rain $rom &ooCin* into the )nder&(in* rea!on! or *ro)nd! hich im"e&&ed the c&a!!ication and dec&aration o$ %i&ot 'a( a! timer&and and it! !)!e<)ent re&ea!e a! a&iena&e and di!"o!a&e &and. rom the $act! o$ the ca!e, it i! eident that the ')rea) o$ ore!tr( re&ea!ed %i&ot 'a( a! a&iena&e and di!"o!a&e ( irt)e o$ the Memorand)m i!!)ed ( then -re!ident Marco! on 16 an)ar( 1/67 hich c&ear&( em"oered !aid )rea) to identi$( and &ocate the 700,000 hectare! o$ !h"ond area! and to re&ea!e !aid area! a! a&iena&e and di!"o!a&e. Fence, the co)rt!, in ie o$ the c&ear &e*a& directie ( hich !aid area a! re&ea!ed a! a&iena&e and di!"o!a&e, i&& re$rain $rom <)e!tionin* the i!dom o$ !)ch c&a!!i$ication or dec&aration. :$ter a care$)& "er)!a& o$ the record! o$ the ca!e, @e r)&e that the !a&e! "atent! handed o)t to Democrito T. Mendoza, %r., Gendo&(n Mendoza, =i&ma Mendoza and Democrito Mendoza, r., ere "ro"er&( i!!)ed.
