Republic vs CA and Alejandro de Jesus Respondent Alejandro de Jesus (son and successor-in-

interest of de Jesus) on the ground had acquired vested

FACTS:
January 22, 1921: Eugenio de Jesus, the father of herein
private respondent APPLIED with the Bureau of Lands of
a 33 hectare in Barrio Libaran, Davao City. The property
applied for was a PORTION of what was then known as
Lot 522 of the Davao Cadastre.
right on the subject lot by virtue of the Order of Award
issued to him by the Director of Lands.
CFI rendered a decision in favor of the hospital and
ordered the registration of the title.
CA reversed the CFI’s decision.

January 23, 1934: the Bureau of Lands accepted the
sealed bids for the purchase of the subject land. 2
bidders bidded for 20 pesos per hectare (Irineo Jose)
and 100.5 per hectare (Jose Ebro). The Director of
Lands, however, annulled the auction sale for Eugenio
de Jesus (the applicant) failed to participate in the
bidding.
Oct. 4 1934: Another bidding was held where Eugenio
de Jesus was the LONE BIDDER. He equaled the bid
previously submitted by Jose Ebro and made a deposit
of 221php, representing the 10% of the price of the land
at 100.5 per hectare.
Nov. 23, 1934: Director of Lands issued to Eugenio de
Jesus an Order of Award for the whole tract.
However, because the area had not been actually
surveyed at the time Eugenio filed his sales application,
the Bureau of Lands the Bureau of lands surveyed it
under a pa,n which was approved and the land awarded
to Eugenio was designated as Lot Nos. 1176-A,1176-B-1-
A and 1176-B-1-B with an AGGREGATE AREA of 20.6400
hectares.
August 28, 1936: Director of Lands ordered an
amendment on the Sales Application of Eugenio for the
exclusion of a portion of land for military camp site of
the Philippine Army. The area excluded was identified
as Lot 1176-B-2 consisting of 12.8081 hec.
ISSUE: Whether petitioner Mindanao Medical Center
has registerable title over a full 12.8081-hectare land by
virtue of an executive proclamation in 1956.
RULING:
Yes. The petitioner has the right to cause the
registration of the title over the disputed lot.
Proclamation No. 350 of Pres. Magsaysay has legally
effected a land grant to the Mindanao Medical Center,
which is validly sufficient for initial registration under
the LRA. Such land is constitutive of a “fee simple” title
or absolute title in favor of petitioner Mindanao
Medical Center.
Under Sec. 122 of the Act, that "Whenever public lands
in the Philippine Islands belonging to the Government
of the Philippines are alienated, granted, or conveyed to
persons or to public or private corporations, the same
shall be brought forthwith under the operation of this
Act [Land Registration Act, Act 496] and shall become
registered lands.
On the basis of Proclamation No. 350, the Medical
Center has registerable title on the portion occupied by
it. It is free of any legal infirmity. The president may
reserve by executive proclamation alienable lands of
public domain for specific public use or service.

Sept. 7, 1936: Pres. Manuel Quezon issued

Proclamation No. 85 withdrawing Lot No. 1176-B-2
from sale and settlement and reserving the same for
military purposes.

Eugenio de Jesus paid 660.45 covering the 8th and 10th

installment of 20.6400 hectares. Payment did not cover
the military camp site.

Aug. 11, 1956: President Magsaysay revoked

Proclamation No. 85 and declared the disputed Lot
1176_B-2 open to disposition under the Provisions of
Public Land Act resettlement of the squatters in Piapi
beach, Davao City.

October 9, 1956: President Magsaysay issued

Proclamation No. 328 and reserved the same Lot for
medical site purposes under the administration of
Director of the Hospital.

December 6, 1969: Petitioner Mindanao Medical Center

applied for the Torrens Registration of 12.8081-hecatres
Lot 1176-b-2 with the CFI of Davao.