LAW ON SALES | RADIOWEALTH FINANCE COMPANY VS. PALILEO, 197 SCRA 245, MAY 20, 1991
RADIOWEALTH FINANCE COMPANY VS. PALILEO,
197 SCRA 245, MAY 20, 1991
TOPIC/DOCTRINE
Act No. 3344, registration of instruments affecting
unregistered lands is “without prejudice to a third party with a better right”.
FACTS
On April 13, 1970, defendant spouses Enrique Castro and
Herminia R. Castro sold to plaintiff-appellee Manuelito Palileo (private
respondent herein), a parcel of unregistered coconut land situated in Candiis,
Mansayaw, Mainit, Surigao del Norte. The deed was not registered in the
Registry of Property for unregistered lands. Since the execution of the deed of
sale, appellee Manuelito Palileo exercised acts of ownership over the land
through his mother Rafaela Palileo, as administratrix or overseer.
On November 29, 1976, a judgment was rendered against
defendant Enrique T. Castro, in Civil Case to pay herein defendant-appellant Radiowealth
Finance Company (petitioner herein), the sum of P22,350.35 with interest
thereon at the rate of 16% per annum. Upon the finality of the judgment, a writ
of execution was issued. Pursuant to said writ, defendant provincial Sheriff
Marietta E. Eviota, levied upon and finally sold at public auction the subject
land that defendant Enrique Castro had sold to appellee Manuelito Palileo on
April 13, 1970. A certificate of sale was executed by the Provincial Sheriff in
favor of defendant-appellant Radiowealth Finance Company, being the only
bidder. Both the certificate of sale and the deed of final sale were registered
with the Registry of Deeds.”
Learning of what happened to the land, private respondent
Manuelito Palileo filed an action for quieting of title over the same. After a
trial on the merits, the court a quo rendered a decision in his favor. On
appeal, the decision of the trial court was affirmed.
ISSUE
Whether or not the rule provided in Article 1544 of the
Civil Code as discussed above, is applicable to a parcel of unregistered land
purchased at a judicial sale. To be more specific, this Court is asked to
determine who, as between two buyers of unregistered land, is the rightful
owner—the first buyer in a prior sale that was unrecorded, or the second buyer
who purchased the land in an execution sale whose transfer was registered in
the Register of Deeds.
RULING