Aquilina v. Estanislao Laserna

Summary

This property dispute involved competing ownership claims over a 207 square meter lot in Capiz. The Arcenas brothers sued Laserna for allegedly seizing part of land they purchased from Josefa Jabar. Laserna defended based on inheritance from his mother who held possessory information from 1895. The trial court initially ruled for the plaintiffs, but the Supreme Court reversed, finding that the disputed lot was not included in the plaintiffs' title boundaries. The Court held that Laserna's possessory information constituted valid title, and his continuous possession for over ten years established ownership through prescription. The case established the principle that recorded possessory information serves as prima facie proof of ownership and has the same force as other recognized land titles.