Desamparado Vda. de Nazareno v. The Court of Appeals

Summary

Petitioners, heirs of Antonio Nazareno, sought annulment of Bureau of Lands orders regarding land in Cagayan de Oro City, claiming it as private property through accretion under Article 457 of the Civil Code. The land was formed by sawdust deposits from lumber operations. Private respondents occupied portions and protested petitioners' land application. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition, ruling the land constitutes artificial accretion and thus public land under Bureau of Lands jurisdiction. The Court found administrative remedies were exhausted and that petitioners were estopped from denying the land's public character by filing a land application. The Bureau of Lands properly exercised jurisdiction, and its officials acted within authority in segregating occupied portions and directing petitioners to vacate areas occupied by private respondents who had preferential rights as actual occupants.