- Petitioner
- Angelica Viajar
- Respondent
- Court of Appeals
- Citation
- G.R. No. 77294
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- First Division
- Ponente
- Medialdea, J.
- Decided
- December 12, 1988
Summary
This Supreme Court case involved a property dispute over land affected by changes in the Suague River's course since 1926. The Viajars purchased Lot No. 7340 but discovered it was possessed by the Ladridos, owners of adjacent Lot No. 7511. The central issue was whether the river's course change was gradual (accretion) or sudden (avulsion). All three court levels ruled that the change was gradual, making the 25,855 square meters of former riverbed and adjacent land belong to the Ladridos as riparian owners under Article 457 of the Civil Code. The Supreme Court affirmed that Torrens registration does not protect against land diminution through natural accretion processes, establishing important precedent on riparian rights versus registered land ownership in Philippine property law.