Republic of the Philippines, petitioner v. Domingo Espinosa, respondent G.R. No.

171514, July 18, 2012 Nature: Petition for review on certiorari Topic: Property, Aliena le an! !i"po"a le lan! Facts: Re"pon!ent #o$in%o &"pino"a file! wit' t'e (unicipal )rial *ourt +()*, of *on"olacion, *e u an application for lan! re%i"tration coverin% a parcel of lan!. &"pino"a alle%e! t'at t'e property i" aliena le an! !i"po"a le- 'e purc'a"e! t'e property fro$ 'i" $ot'er, ."a el &"pino"a +."a el,, on July 4, 1/70 an! t'e latter0" ot'er 'eir" 'a! waive! t'eir ri%'t" t'ereto- an! 'e an! 'i" pre!ece""or1in1intere"t 'a! een in po""e""ion of t'e property in t'e concept of an owner for $ore t'an t'irty +20, year". ()* ren!ere! a Ju!%$ent %rantin% &"pino"a0" petition for re%i"tration. &"pino"a wa" a le to prove t'at t'e property i" aliena le an! !i"po"a le an! t'at 'e co$plie! wit' t'e re3uire$ent" of 4ection 14+1, of Pre"i!ential #ecree +P.#., No. 152/. )'e "u 5ect lot w'ic' i" wit'in t'e area con"i!ere! y t'e #epart$ent of &nviron$ent an! Natural Re"ource" +#&NR, a" aliena le an! !i"po"a le lan! of t'e pu lic !o$ain. Petitioner appeale! to t'e *A an! pointe! &"pino"a0" failure to prove t'at 'i" po""e""ion an! t'at of 'i" pre!ece""or1in1intere"t were for t'e perio! re3uire! y law. Issue: 6'et'er &"pino"a 'a" ac3uire! an i$perfect title over t'e "u 5ect property t'at i" wort'y of confir$ation an! re%i"tration. Ruling: .n "u$, t'e *A, a" well a" t'e ()*, erre! in not applyin% t'e pre"ent te7t of 4ection 48+ , of t'e P8A. )'at t'ere were in"tance" w'erein application" were %rante! on t'e a"i" of po""e""ion an! occupation for t'irty +20, year" wa" for t'e "ole rea"on !i"cu""e! a ove. Re%retta ly, "uc' rea"on !oe" not o tain in t'i" ca"e. 9ein% clear t'at it i" 4ection 14+2, of P.#. No. 152/ t'at "'oul! apply, it follow" t'at t'e "u 5ect property ein% "uppo"e!ly aliena le an! !i"po"a le will not "uffice. A" 4ection 14+2, cate%orically provi!e", only private propertie" $ay e ac3uire! t'ru pre"cription an! un!er Article" 420 an! 421 of t'e *ivil *o!e, only t'o"e propertie", w'ic' are not for pu lic u"e, pu lic "ervice or inten!e! for t'e !evelop$ent of national wealt', are con"i!ere! private. Accor!in%ly, t'ere $u"t e an e7pre"" !eclaration y t'e 4tate t'at t'e pu lic !o$inion property i" no lon%er inten!e! for pu lic "ervice or t'e !evelop$ent of t'e national wealt' or t'at t'e property 'a" een converte! into patri$onial. 6it'out "uc' e7pre"" !eclaration, t'e property, even if cla""ifie! a" aliena le or !i"po"a le, re$ain" property of t'e pu lic !o$inion, pur"uant to Article 420+2,, an! t'u" incapa le of ac3ui"ition y pre"cription. .t i" only w'en "uc' aliena le an! !i"po"a le lan!" are e7pre""ly !eclare! y t'e 4tate to e no lon%er inten!e! for pu lic "ervice or for t'e !evelop$ent of t'e national wealt' t'at t'e perio! of ac3ui"itive pre"cription can e%in to run. 4uc' !eclaration "'all e in t'e for$ of a law !uly enacte! y *on%re"" or a Pre"i!ential Procla$ation in ca"e" w'ere t'e Pre"i!ent i" !uly aut'ori:e! y law. At any rate, a" petitioner correctly pointe! out, t'e notation on t'e "urvey plan !oe" not con"titute incontroverti le evi!ence t'at woul! overco$e t'e pre"u$ption t'at t'e property elon%" to t'e inaliena le pu lic !o$ain. All lan!" of t'e pu lic !o$ain elon% to t'e 4tate, w'ic' i" t'e "ource of any a""erte! ri%'t to any owner"'ip of lan!. All lan!" not appearin% to e clearly wit'in private owner"'ip are pre"u$e! to elon% to t'e 4tate. Accor!in%ly, pu lic lan!" not "'own to 'ave een recla""ifie! or relea"e! a" aliena le a%ricultural lan!, or alienate! to a private per"on y t'e 4tate, re$ain part of t'e inaliena le pu lic !o$ain. )'e ur!en of proof in overco$in% t'e pre"u$ption of 4tate owner"'ip of t'e lan!" of t'e pu lic !o$ain i" on t'e per"on applyin% for re%i"tration +or clai$in% owner"'ip,, w'o $u"t prove t'at t'e lan! "u 5ect of t'e application i" aliena le or !i"po"a le. )o overco$e t'i" pre"u$ption, incontroverti le evi!ence $u"t e e"ta li"'e! t'at t'e lan! "u 5ect of t'e application +or clai$, i" aliena le or !i"po"a le. ;or t'e ori%inal re%i"tration of title, t'e applicant +petitioner" in t'i" ca"e, $u"t overco$e t'e pre"u$ption t'at t'e lan! "ou%'t to e re%i"tere! for$" part of t'e pu lic !o$ain. <nle"" pu lic lan! i" "'own to 'ave een recla""ifie! or alienate! to a private per"on y t'e 4tate, it re$ain" part of t'e inaliena le pu lic !o$ain. .n!ee!, =occupation t'ereof in t'e concept of owner, no $atter 'ow lon%, cannot ripen into owner"'ip an! e re%i"tere! a" a title.= )o overco$e "uc' pre"u$ption, incontroverti le evi!ence $u"t e "'own y t'e applicant. A "ent "uc' evi!ence, t'e lan! "ou%'t to e re%i"tere! re$ain" inaliena le. >erily, a $ere "urveyor 'a" no aut'ority to recla""ify lan!" of t'e pu lic !o$ain. 9y relyin% "olely on t'e "ai! "urveyor0" a""ertion, petitioner" 'ave not "ufficiently proven t'at t'e lan! in 3ue"tion 'a" een !eclare! aliena le.=