LAW ON PROPERTY | ROBLES VS COURT OF APPEALS 328 SCRA 97, G.R. No. 123509, March 14, 2000
ROBLES VS
COURT OF APPEALS
328 SCRA 97, G.R. No. 123509, March 14,
2000
TOPIC/DOCTRINE
It is a fundamental principle that a co-owner cannot acquire by
prescription the share of other co-owners, absent any clear repudiation of
ownership.
FACTS
Hilario, a co-owner
of land who has been the sole payor of the real estate taxes for more than 20
years.
ISSUE
Whether
Hilario has acquired through prescription the share of other co-owners who are
his siblings.
RULING
No.
The court ruled that it is a fundamental principle that a co-owner cannot
acquire by prescription the share of other co-owners, absent any clear
repudiation of ownership. In order that
the title may prescribe in favor of a co-owner, the following requisites must
concur: (1) the co-owner has performed unequivocal acts of repudiation
amounting to an ouster of the other co-owners; (2) such positive acts of
repudiation have been made known to the other co-owners; and (3) the evidence
thereof is clear and convincing. The agreement of the siblings that Hilario will
solely pay the taxes is not a clear repudiation of ownership
Here, the court ruled that Hilario effected no clear and evident repudiation of the co-ownership. Hence, he has not acquired through prescription the share of other co-owners who are his siblings.