Spouses Bulaong v. Gonzales

8/10/2019 Spouses Bulaong v. Gonzales

1/15

Republic of the Philippines

Supreme Court

Manila

SECOND DIVISION

SPOUSES ANSELMO[!"n#

PRISCILLA $ULAON%&

Petitioners,

- versus -

VERONICA %ON'ALES&

Respondent.

%(R( No( )*+,

Present:

CARPIO, J., Chairperson,

BRION,

PEREZ,

MENDOZA,*and ERENO,JJ.

Pro!ul"ated:

epte!#er $, %&''

(------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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D E C I S I O N

$RION&J(-

Petitioners Ansel!o Bulaon" and Pris)illa Bulaon"

)olle)tivel+ reerred to as teBulaongs see, trou" teir petition

or revie/ on certiorari, te reversal o te de)ision0%1o te Court o

Appeals 2CA3 dated 4ul+ 5', %&&% in CA-6.R. P No. $$7%5 and te

su#se8uent resolution o Nove!#er %9, %&&%051reiteratin" tis

de)ision. ese CA rulin"s reversed and set aside te de)ision 071o te

Re"ional rial Court 2RTC3 o Malolos, Bula)an, Bran) '%, tat

ordered te )an)ellation o ranser Certii)ate o itle 2TCT3 No. -

;%&&% and C No. -;%&&5.

.AC/UAL AN/ECEDEN/S

is )ase tra)es its roots to te )onli)tin" )lai!s o t/o sets o

parties over t/o par)els o land. e irst par)el o land, /it an area

o %59 s8uare !eters and )overed #+ C No. -%7i!po.0;1e oter par)el o land, /it an area o ?; s8uare

!eters and )overed #+ C No. -%7


2/15

Bula)an to )e) te titles o te properties to #e

!ort"a"ed. Accor#in0 to the $ul"on0s& the Re0ister of Dee#s&

Att1( Elenit" Corpus& "ssure# them th"t /C/ Nos( /2345*+5 "n#

/2345*4 6ere completel1 cle"r of "n1 liens or encumbr"nces from

"n1 p"rt1. Rel+in" on tis assuran)e, Ansel!o Bulaon" a"reed to te

e(e)ution o te !ort"a"e over te t/o properties.0''1

Ater te e(e)ution o te !ort"a"e, te Bulaon"s on)e a"ain

/ent to te Oi)e o te Re"ister o Deeds o Bula)an to re"ister and

annotate te !ort"a"e on te titles. e+ learned ten tat te

Re"ister o Deed@s )opies o te t/o titles /ere a!on" te re)ords tat

/ere #urned in te ire tat destro+ed te entire oi)e o te Re"ister

o Deeds o Bula)an on Mar) 9, '


3/15

Entr+ No. $7?7 ind: Mort"a"e: E(e). In avoro: ps. Ansel!o Bulaon" Pris)illa Bulaon"

Condition: Coverin" te par)el o land erein

des)ri#ed, or te su! o P7,5&&,&&&.&& su#e)t to allte )onditions stipulated in te deed o !ort"a"e on ile

in tis oi)e. Do). No. 7%?, Pa"e ?;, Boo FFF, . o'ENIA

E. CORP Re"ister o

Deeds

Entr+ No. $7?7 ind: Mort"a"e: E(e). In avor

o: ps. Ansel!o Bulaon" Pris)illa Bulaon"Condition: Coverin" te par)el o land erein

des)ri#ed, or te su! o P7,5&&,&&&.&& su#e)t to allte )onditions stipulated in te deed o !ort"a"e on ile

in tis oi)e. Do). No. 7%?, Pa"e ?;, Boo FFF, . o

'


4/15

Entr+ No. 9?&?: ind: NOICE O= >EH ON

EFECION: Conditions: Noti)e is ere#+ "iven tat

#+ virtue o te Jrit o E(e)ution, issued in Cri!.Cases Nos. ourdes 2Bon"3 DiaL + 6a!ir, et al., A))used

#+ te Re"ional rial Court, ird 4ud. Re"ion, Bran)'%, Malolos, Bula)an, under date o De). %


5/15

Heroni)a tereater iled a petition or te surrender to te

Re"ister o Deeds o te o/ner@s )opies o C Nos. -5&5i!po!arried to Ni)anor C. in)io)o

%. Orderin" te E(-Oi)io eri o Bula)an toe(e)ute a inal deed o sale in avor o petitioner

spouses Ansel!o Bulaon" and Pr0i1s)illa Bulaon"on te #asis o te re"istered Certii)ate o ale

e(e)uted #+ said )ourt oi)er on Au"ust %5, '


6/15

eiter #+ sale or an+ or! o )onve+an)e, lien oren)u!#ran)e and

$. Orderin" onl+ deendant Heroni)a R. 6onLalesto pa+ erein petitioners P$&,&&&.&& as ust and

e8uita#le attorne+@s ees, and te )osts o suit,deendant Ra!on C. a!pana as te Re"ister o

Deeds o Bula)an avin" !erel+ peror!ed is!inisterial dut+ o ollo/in" te )ourt order o

issuin" titles to deendant 6onLales.

No pronoun)e!ent as to !oral and e(e!plar+

da!a"es alle"ed in te petition #ut not even testiied to#+ petitioners at te trial.0%51

Bot parties appealed to te CA, /it te )ase do)eted as CA-

6.R. P No. $$7%5.

/;E COUR/ O. APPEALS DECISION

In its 4ul+ 5', %&&% de)ision, te CA upeld te validit+ o te

Noti)e o >ev+ on E(e)ution, notin" tat it )reated a lien in avor o

te ud"!ent )reditor over te propert+. A))ordin" to te CA, /en

te Bulaon"s re)eived te o/ners@ )opies o C Nos. -5&5


7/15

Appeals, te andi"an#a+an, te Re"ional rial Courtor oter )ourts /enever autoriLed #+ la/, !a+ ile

/it te upre!e Court a veriied petition or revie/

on certiorari. /he petition sh"ll r"ise onl1 >uestionsof l"6 6hich must be #istinctl1 set forth(2e!pasis

ours3

is rule, o/ever, ad!its o several e()eptions. uestions o

a)t !a+ #e revie/ed, a!on" oters, /en te lo/er )ourt !aes

ineren)es tat are !aniestl+ !istaen, and /en te ud"!ent o te

CA is #ased on a !isappreension o a)ts. 0%71 As /ill #e apparent in

te dis)ussions #elo/, tese e()eptional )ir)u!stan)es are present in

te present )ase. A revie/ o te eviden)e, tereore, is not onl+

allo/ed, #ut is ne)essar+ or te proper resolution o te presented

issues.
http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/september2011/156318.htm#_ftn25http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/september2011/156318.htm#_ftn25


8/15

It as not es)aped our attention tat te Bulaon"s appear to

ave erroneousl+ iled a petition or !anda!us or /at is essentiall+

an a)tion to assail te validit+ o Heroni)a@s )ertii)ates o title over te

su#e)t properties. is lapse, o/ever, is not le"all+ si"nii)ant under

te /ell-settled rule tat te )ause o a)tion in a )o!plaint is not te

title or desi"nation o te )o!plaint, #ut te alle"ations in te #od+ ote )o!plaint. e desi"nation or )aption is not )ontrollin" as it is not

even an indispensa#le part o te )o!plaint te alle"ations o te

)o!plaint )ontrol.0%$1 Je tus pro)eed to resolve te )ase, #earin" in

!ind tat te relie te Bulaon"s sou"t #eore te lo/er )ourt /as to

nulli+ Heroni)a@s )ertii)ates o title and to order te Re"ister o

Deeds to issue ne/ titles in teir na!e.

Redemption not the proper remedy

e CA aulted te Bulaon"s or not redee!in" te properties

ro! Heroni)a /en te+ ad te option o doin" so. =or ailin" to

e(er)ise tis ri"t, te CA )on)luded tat te )onsolidation o te titles

to te lots in Heroni)a@s na!e tus #e)a!e a !atter o )ourse.

Je disa"ree.

At te outset, /e o#serve tat tis is not a si!ple )ase o

deter!inin" /i) lien )a!e irst. A perusal o te Bulaon"s@

su#!issions to te Court so/s tat te+ ave )onsistentl+ !aintained

tat te lev+ and te )orrespondin" e(e)ution sale in Heroni)a@s avor

are null and void. ad te Bulaon"s !erel+ e(er)ised te ri"t o

rede!ption, te+ /ould ave #een #arred ro! raisin" tese issues in

)ourt, pursuant to our rulin" in Cometa v. $ntermediate AppellateCourt:0%;1
http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/september2011/156318.htm#_ftn26http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/september2011/156318.htm#_ftn27http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/september2011/156318.htm#_ftn27http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/september2011/156318.htm#_ftn26http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2011/september2011/156318.htm#_ftn27


9/15

e respondent appellate )ourtQs e!pasis onte ailure o te petitioner to redee! te properties

/itin te period re8uired #+ la/ is !ispla)ed #e)ause

rede!ption, in tis )ase, is in)onsistent /it tepetitionerQs )lai! o invalidit+ o lev+ and

sale. Re#emption is "n implie# "#mission of there0ul"rit1 of the s"le "n# 6oul# estop the petitioner

from l"ter impu0nin0 its 7"li#it1 on th"t 0roun#([3?!2e!pasis ours3

e Bulaon"s /ere tus ustiied in teir reusal to redee! te

properties.

Annotation is valid

e Bulaon"s assail te validit+ o Entr+ No. 9?&? 2relatin" to

te Noti)e o >ev+ on E(e)ution in Heroni)a@s avor3 on te t/o titles,

assertin" tat it is null and void or #ein" a raudulent entr+. In support

o tis )ontention, te+ note te ollo/in" suspi)ious )ir)u!stan)es:

2a3 altou" Entr+ No. 9?&? as a i"er nu!#er and appears ater

Entr+ No. $7?7 2)orrespondin" to te Bulaon"s@ !ort"a"e3 on te

titles, Entr+ No. 9?&? appeared in an earlier volu!e o te Boo o

Entries and 2#3 altou" te Noti)e o >ev+ on E(e)ution /as

purportedl+ presented to te Re"istr+ o Bula)an on 4anuar+ 7, 'ev+

on E(e)ution, annotated on te titles, i"l+ suspi)ious. ese

)ir)u!stan)es, o/ever, )an #e sui)ientl+ e(plained /en te

re)ords are e(a!ined.

e re)ords so/ tat on 4anuar+ 7, 'ev+ on E(e)ution in te Pri!ar+ Entr+ Boo, se did not

i!!ediatel+ !ae a re"istration /en a 8uestion arose re"ardin" te

re"istra#ilit+ o te noti)e te 8uestion ne)essitated te su#!ission o

a consultato te >and Re"istration Autorit+ 2%RA3 on 4anuar+ %$,

'


10/15

ee, he sh"ll enter& in the or#er of their reception& "ll

instruments inclu#in0 copies of 6rits "n# processes

file# 6ith him relatin" to re"istered land. e sall, as a

preli!inar+ pro)ess in re"istration, note in such boo@the#"te& hour "n# minute of reception of "ll

instruments& in the or#er in 6hich the1 6ere

recei7e#(e+ sall #e re"arded as re"istered ro! te

ti!e so noted, and the memor"n#um of e"chinstrument& 6hen m"#e on the certific"te of title to

6hich it refers& sh"ll be"r the s"me #"te: Provided,

tat te national "overn!ent as /ell as te provin)ialand )it+ "overn!ents sall #e e(e!pt ro! te pa+!ent

o su) ees in advan)e in order to #e entitled to entr+and re"istration. 0e!pases ours1

In oter /ords, te order o entries in te Pri!ar+ Entr+ Boo

deter!ines te priorit+ in re"istration. us, te Re"ister o Deeds

!erel+ )o!plied /it te la/ /en se i(ed Entr+ No. 9?&?@s date o

ins)ription as 4anuar+ 7, '


11/15

e late annotation o te lev+ on e(e)ution on te titles did

not at all lessen its ee)tivit+. 4urispruden)e as alread+ esta#lised

te rule tat te entr+ o te noti)e o lev+ on e(e)ution in tePri!ar+

Entr+ Boo, even /itout te )orrespondin" annotation on te

)ertii)ate o titles, is sui)ient noti)e to all persons tat te land is

alread+ su#e)t to te lev+.05&1

As /e e(plained inArmed "orces and&olice *utual Benefit Association, $nc. v. #antiago:05'1

e noti)e o lev+ on atta)!ent in avor opetitioner !a+ #e annotated on C No. P-


12/15

ofit for 7"lueS I e does, ten te propert+ is su#e)tto e(e)ution and pa+!ent o is de#ts.05;1 2e!pasis

and unders)orin" ours3

Appl+in" te test inRees, te Court, in otauco - Co. v.

Register of +eeds of Taa!as,

0591

re)o"niLed as valid te ins)ription oa noti)e o lev+ on e(e)ution on te )ertii)ates o title, even tou"

te titles /ere not in te na!e o te ud"!ent de#tor 2Raael Hilar3.

A))ordin" to te Court, /ile te )ertii)ates o title /ere still

re"istered in te na!e o =lorentino Hilar, sin)e Raael Hilar presented

a )op+ o a petition iled /it te lo/er )ourt, ro! /i) it )ould #e

inerred tat =lorentino Hilar /as dead and Raael Hilar /as one o is

eirs, Raael ad an interest in =lorentino@s propert+ tat )ould

properl+ #e te su#e)t o atta)!ent, e7en if his p"rticip"tion in.lorentinoui#"tion of the est"te(

i!ilarl+, in&acific Commercial Co. v. eaga,05?1te Court

eld tat altou" te Re"ister o Deeds !a+ properl+ ree)t an

atta)!ent /ere it appears tat te titles involved are not re"istered

in te na!e o te deendants 2de#tors3, tat rule +ields to a )ase /eretere is eviden)e su#!itted to indi)ate tat te deendants ave present

orfuture interestsin te propert+ )overed #+ said titles, re"ardless o

/eter te+ still stand in te na!es o oter persons. e a)t tat te

present interests o te deendants are still indeter!inate, and even

tou" tere /as no udi)ial de)laration o eirsip +et, is o no

)onse8uen)e or te purpose o re"isterin" te atta)!ent in 8uestion.

is is te )ase sin)e 6h"t is bein0 "tt"che# "n# 6h"t m"1 be l"ter

sol# "t public "uction in pursu"nce of the "tt"chment c"nnot be

"n1thin0 more th"n 6h"te7er ri0hts& titles& interests "n#

p"rticip"tions 6hich the #efen#"nts m"1 or mi0ht h"7e in the

propert1 so "tt"che#(In oter /ords, i te+ ad a)tuall+ notin" in

te propert+, ten notin" is ae)ted and te propert+ /ill re!ain

inta)t.05uire "ll the ri0ht& title& interest "n# cl"im of

the u#0ment #ebtor to the propert1 "s of the time of

the levy[(!0e!pases ours1

Altou" /e re)o"niLe te validit+ o te annotation o te

lev+ on te e(e)ution in te present )ase, te 8uestion o /eter te

lev+ itsel is valid re!ains to #e deter!ined. o do tis, Re"ina@s

interest in te su#e)t properties at te ti!e o te lev+ as to #e

as)ertained. o re)all, Heroni)a@s noti)e o lev+ on e(e)ution is #ased

on Re"ina@s interest in te t/o properties, /i) se a)8uired viate

Deed o A#solute ale purportedl+ e(e)uted #+ er parents in er

avor on Nove!#er $, '


13/15

titles. Jile Re"ina purportedl+ pur)ased er parents@ ri"ts to te

su#e)t properties in '


14/15

parties and as eviden)e o autorit+ to te Re"ister oDeeds to !ae re"istration.

/he "ct of re0istr"tion sh"ll be the oper"ti7e

"ct to con7e1 or "ffect the l"n# insof"r "s thir#

persons "re concerne#, and in all )ases under tisDe)ree, te re"istration sall #e !ade in te oi)e o

te Re"ister o Deeds or te provin)e or )it+ /ere teland lies. 0e!pases ours1

=ro! te standpoint o tird parties, a propert+ re"istered under

te orrens s+ste! re!ains, or all le"al purposes, te propert+ o te

person in /ose na!e it is re"istered, not/itstandin" te e(e)ution o

an+ deed o )onve+an)e, unless te )orrespondin" deed is re"istered.07$1i!pl+ put, i a sale is not re"istered, it is #indin" onl+ #et/een te

seller and te #u+er, #ut it does not ae)t inno)ent tird persons.

ndou#tedl+, Heroni)a@s )lai! on te properties is rooted in

te unre"istered Deed o A#solute ale #et/een Re"ina and er

parents. e Bulaon"s do not appear to ave ad an+ no/led"e tat

tis sale ever too pla)e. o re)all, Re"ina "ave te Bulaon"s te

o/ner@s dupli)ate )ertii)ates o te properties, /i) so/ed tat te

properties /ere re"istered in te na!es o er parents, =ortunato andBerta >i!po. It tus appears tat te Bulaon"s irst learned a#out te

sale #et/een Re"ina and er parents /en te+ re)eived te ne/l+

issued titles in Re"ina@s na!e /i) )ontained te annotation o te

lev+ in Heroni)a@s avor.

One o te prin)ipal eatures o te orrens s+ste! o

re"istration is tat all en)u!#ran)es on te land sall #e so/n, or at

least inti!ated upon te )ertii)ate o title and a person dealin" /it

te o/ner o te re"istered land is not #ound to "o #eind te

)ertii)ate and in8uire into transa)tions, te e(isten)e o /i) is not

tere inti!ated.07;1Since the $ul"on0s h"# no @no6le#0e of the

unre0istere# s"le bet6een Re0in" "n# her p"rents& the $ul"on0s

c"n neither be boun# b1 it& nor c"n the1 be preu#ice# b1 its

conse>uences( is is #ut te lo"i)al )orollar+ to te rule set ort ine)tion $' o P.D. No. '$%


15/15

e)tion %'. /ow propert sold on execution.0ho ma direct manner and order of sale. All sales o

propert+ under e(e)ution !ust #e !ade at pu#li)

au)tion, to te i"est #idder, #et/een te ours o ninein te !ornin" and ive in te aternoon. After

sufficient property has been sold to satisfy the

e"ecution# no more shall be sold( Jen te sale is o

real propert+, )onsistin" o several no/n lots,theymust be soldseparately or, /en a portion o su) real

propert+ is )lai!ed #+ a tird person, e !a+ re8uire it

to #e sold separatel+. 0e!pases ours1

Jere te propert+ to #e sold )onsists o distin)t lots, tra)ts or

par)els, or is sus)epti#le o division /itout inur+, it sould #e oered

or sale in par)els and not en masse, or te reason tat a sale in tat

!anner /ill "enerall+ realiLe te #est pri)e, and /ill not result in

tain" ro! te de#tor an+ !ore propert+ tan is ne)essar+ to satis+

te ud"!ent. It /ill also ena#le te deendant to redee! an+ one or

!ore o te par)els /itout #ein" )o!pelled to redee! all te land

sold.0791A sale o additional land or personal propert+ ater enou" as

#een sold to satis+ te ud"!ent is unautoriLed.07?1

Jile te "eneral poli)+ o te la/ is to sustain e(e)ution

sales, te sale !a+ #e set aside /ere tere is a resultin" inur+ #asedon raud, !istae and irre"ularit+.07

Documents

Spouses Bulaong v. Gonzales