Florentino v. Mauro Apeta · G.R. 146259

Petitioner: Florentino
Respondent: Mauro Apeta
Citation: G.R. No. 146259
Court: Supreme Court
Division: First Division
Ponente: Sandoval-Gutierrez, J.
Decided: September 13, 2007

Summary

Property ownership dispute where the Ochoa family occupied Lot No. 1580 since 1910 under TCT No. T-40624, building improvements thereon, until respondents Apeta and Almazan discovered they were true owners under different title. Bureau of Lands resurvey revealed petitioners' title actually covered adjacent Lot No. 1581, not the occupied lot. Courts consistently ruled in favor of respondents as true owners. Supreme Court applied Civil Code provisions on building improvements, finding petitioners were builders in good faith, thus giving respondents option to either pay for improvements or require petitioners to purchase the land. Case establishes principles on property ownership conflicts and rights of good faith builders on another's land.

Statutes applied

Civil Code, Art. 448

Related cases

Other Philippine cases on the same provisions and issues.

Mercedes Moralidad v. Sps. Diosdado Pernes G.R. No. 152809
Francisco S. Dizon v. Sebastian Gonzaga G.R. No. 138863
Rodolfo Morales v. Court of Appeals (Former Seventeenth Division) G.R. No. 117228
Onesimo Agapito v. Marilyn F. Agapito G.R. No. 255157
Bermon Marketing Communication Corporation v. Spouses Lilia M. Yaco G.R. No. 224552
Mr. v. Mr. G.R. No. 222530
Bank of the Philippine Islands v. Vicente Victor C. Sanchez G.R. No. 179518
Lourdes C. Fernandez v. Norma Villegas G.R. No. 200191

By the Intellegal Editorial Board · September 13, 2007

Search Philippine case law on Intellegal →

AI-assisted case analysis — for research only. Verify against the official decision. A research aid, not legal advice; using this page creates no attorney-client relationship. For legal advice, consult a Philippine lawyer. Verify every holding and citation against the official decision (Supreme Court E-Library / Official Gazette) before relying on it.