Arceo v. CA G.R. No.

81401,18 May 1990

Nature: petition to review the decision of the CA

Ponente: Ines Luciano, J.
Facts: ● Spouses Abdon Arceo and Escolastica Geronimo had one son, Esteban.
Spouses were also the owners of 4 parcels of unregistered land located in Pulilan, Bulacan.
Abdon died in 1953, Escolastica in 16 sept 1942 and Esteban in 2 Sept 1941.
Esteban sired Jose, Pedro, Lorenzo, Antonio and Sotera.
Jose married Virginia Franco with whom he fathered 6 children and are the petitioners of this case against
Jose’s siblings. ●
On October (or Sept) 27 1941, the spouses Arceo executed a deed of donation on the said parcels of land
in favor of Jose, presented in court as “exhibit J”. On 2 August 1950, the spouses Arceo executed another
deed of donation to Jose on the same parcels of land, presented in court as “exhibit T”. Exhibit J and T
were executed inter vivos. On the other hand, on October 3(or 30) 1941 which was, “exhibit 1”, the
spouses Arceo executed a deed of donation to ALL GRANDCHILDREN including Jose, thereby
revoking “exhibit J”. ● On 12 January 1972, Petitioners filed with the Cadastral Court (CC) an
application for the 4 lots under the strength of exhibits J and T. Respondents contested the petition on the
strength of exhibit 1. CC dismissed the petition and distributed the land based on intestate succession, CA
affirmed the decision CC, hence this petition.
Issue: WON the CC had no jurisdiction to decide cases on claims of ownership of property.
Ruling: No. The CC HAD jurisdiction to decide cases on claims of ownership of property. Under Section
2 of the Property Registration Decree, the jurisdiction of the RTC, sitting as a land registration court, is no
longer as circumscribed as it was under Act No. 496, the former land registration act. The PRD “has
eliminated the distinction between the general jurisdiction vested in the RTC and the limited jurisdiction
conferred upon it by Act 497 when acting merely as a Cadastral court.” Such amendment conferred upon
the trial courts he authority to act not only on applications for ‘original registration” but also “over all
petitions filed after original registration of title, with power to hear and determine all questions arising
from such applications or petitions.” Likewise, where the issues of ownership is ineluctably tied up with
the question of right of registration, the Cadastral Court has jurisdiction over it. Hence, decision of CA is
set aside.