Basilio Borja v. P. W. Addison

Summary

This land registration case involved competing claims to two large parcels in Pangasinan totaling over 326 hectares. Basilio Borja sought registration based on his purchase from original owner Eulalio Belisario. P.W. Addison opposed claiming title through execution sales and subsequent purchase from the government after tax forfeiture. Adelina Ferrer opposed as widow of Belisario's deceased son claiming community property rights. The Supreme Court affirmed registration in Borja's favor, finding Addison's execution sales void for defective notice publication and his government purchase invalid due to lack of proper successor rights. The Court applied established doctrine that surviving spouses can validly sell community property to good faith purchasers without notice of heirs' claims, rejecting Ferrer's opposition while reserving Addison's potential rescissory action rights.