Elvira T. Arangote v. Sps. Martin Maglunob

Summary

This property ownership dispute centered on Lot 12897 in Maloco, Ibajay, Aklan, claimed by petitioner Elvira Arangote based on an alleged donation from Esperanza Maglunob-Dailisan, versus respondents Martin and Romeo who claimed inheritance rights as co-heirs. The Supreme Court ruled that Esperanza's 1986 Affidavit relinquishing the property was actually an invalid donation under Civil Code Article 749, failing to meet requirements for proper acceptance and donor notification. The Court found that the subject property was co-owned by Esperanza and respondents as heirs of Martin Maglunob (Martin I), with each holding one-third shares, making Esperanza's transfer of the entire property invalid. The Court declared petitioner's OCT No. CLOA-1748 null and void, noting the suspicious circumstances of obtaining a CLOA without being a qualified agricultural tenant. The decision affirmed respondents' ownership rights and rejected petitioner's claims of good faith possession, emphasizing that tax declarations alone do not prove ownership and that the circumstances should have put petitioner on inquiry regarding the validity of her title.