- Petitioner
- Encarnacion
- Respondent
- Amigo
- Citation
- G.R. No. 169793
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- First Division
- Ponente
- Ynares-Santiago, J.
- Decided
- September 15, 2006
Summary
Supreme Court case determining proper action for recovery of real property possession. Petitioner Encarnacion, registered owner since 1995, sought to eject respondent Amigo who occupied land since 1985. Lower courts disagreed on jurisdiction. Supreme Court affirmed that since dispossession lasted almost 6 years (1995-2001), proper action is accion publiciana under Regional Trial Court jurisdiction, not unlawful detainer under Municipal Trial Court. Key ruling: length of dispossession determines proper venue - if exceeding one year, Regional Trial Court has jurisdiction via accion publiciana for recovery of possession rights. Case establishes that property owners cannot use summary ejectment proceedings when dispossession exceeds one year, regardless of recent demand letters.