7/25/2019 LTD Bureau of Forestry v. CA
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Class 1Bureau of Forestry v. CA
Aug 31, 1987, J. ParasBy: PJ Degollado
Facts:1. Mercedes Diago applied for registratio uder t!e torres
syste" of # parcels
of lad i Buea$ista, %loilo cotaiig a appro&i"ate area of
3'.(9#3!ectares. )!e alleged t!at s!e occupied t!e lad, *oug!t t!e"
fro" t!e testateestate of Jose Ma. +a$a -!o *oug!t it fro" auto
/ustilo i 193#0
. 2!e Director of ads opposed said applicatio sayig t!e s!e did
ot !a$esufficiet title o$er t!e lads, ad t!ey !a$e e$er *ee i ope,
cotiuousad e&clusi$e possessio of said lads for at least 3'
years prior to t!e app.
3. 2!e Director of Forestry also opposed o t!e groud t!at
portios of t!e lad19#, '8' s4"0 are "agro$e s-a"ps ad are -it!i a
2i"*erlad Bloc5
#. 6espodet Filo"eo /allo purc!ased t!e parcels of lad fro"
Diago(. Petitioer P!ilippie Fis!eries o""issio also "o$ed to
su*stitute t!e
Bureau of Forestry
. Trial Court: # Parcels of lad -ere declared to *e i t!e a"e of
/allo aftere&cludig ot 1A -!ic! is t!e site of t!e "uicipal
!all of Buea$ista to-,ad su*;ectig ots 1, ad 3 to t!e roadof-ay of
1( "eters -idt!
7. Petitioers appealed i t!e A allegig t!at t!e 2 erred i 10
orderig t!eregistratio of t!e lad -!ic! cosists ti"*erlad,
fores!ore lad, ad lad*elogig to t!e pu*lic do"ai< 0 !oldig t!at
t!e applicat !ad *ee ipeaceful, ope, cotiuous, uiterrupted ad
ad$erse possessio i t!ecocept of o-er
8. CA:affir"ed 2 decisio ad deied t!e M6 *ecause 10 t!e
petitioers failedto su*"it co$icig proof t!at t!ese lads are "ore
$alua*le for forestry t!aagricultural lads. 2!e presu"ptio is t!at
t!ese are agricultural lads, ad it is
icu"*et upo t!e Director of Forestry to su*"it to t!e court
co$icigproofs to t!e cotrary. 0 2!e lads applied for !a$e *ee
culti$ated *y t!eapplicat ad !is predecessorsiiterest for a log
ti"e -it!out t!ego$er"et iterferig.
%ssue=s:1. >!et!er or ot t!e deter"iatio of -!et!er a pu*lic
lad is agricultural or still
a forest lad rests e&clusi$ely upo t!e director of forestry,
sec. of aturalresources, ad t!e presidet ?@)
. >!et!er or ot t!e lad is presu"ed to *elog to t!e pu*lic
do"ai? @)
eld: Cly t!e 11.183 !a of cocout lad are registered i t!e a"e of
applicat/allo as pro$ided for *y Pu*lic ad a-< t!e rest -!ic!
-as t!e area i dispute19.#'8'!a0, are forest lads or lads of pu*lic
do"ai ad are ialiea*le6atio: 1. 2!e area i dispute is -it!i a
ti"*erlad *loc5 ad certified to *y t!eDirector of Forestry. 2!e lad
is clearly a pu*lic lad ad t!ere is o eed for t!edirector to su*"it
co$icig proof to t!e court t!at it is "ore $alua*le for
forestpurposes.
3. 2i"*er or forest lads are ot aliea*le or disposa*le uder t!e
costitutio.#. &ecuti$e *rac! t!roug! t!e office of t!e
presidet, ot t!e court, deter"ies
