8/9/2019 #29 Republic of the Philippines Versus Imperial Credit Corporation Mabansag, Liezl Joy

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#29 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES versus IMPERIAL CREDIT CORPORATION , June 25, 200 ,M!"!ns! , L$e%& J'(

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES versus IMPERIAL CREDIT CORPORATION

I)*er$!& Cre+$ C'r*'r! $'n -!s r!n e+ !n !**&$.! $'n /'r Or$ $n!& re $s r! $'n '/ T$ &e

'&+$n !s ! "!s$s ere'/ *!r! r!* s 12 !n+ 13 '/ se. $'n 43 '/ PD 4529 1 THE PROPERT6RE7ISTRATION DECREE8 On M!r. :, 499;I)*er$!& Cre+$ C'r* "'u /r') Ju!n T!

8/9/2019 #29 Republic of the Philippines Versus Imperial Credit Corporation Mabansag, Liezl Joy

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T e Su*re)e C'ur F'un+ e *e $ $'n '/ e Re*u"&$. '/ e P $&$**$nes )er$ 'r$'us + C!decision 2as re"ersed+

A& 'u e 'vern)en .'n.e+es ! res*'n+en -!s !"&e ' s '- ! e &!n+ !**&$e+/'r !s "een +e.&!ss$?e+ /r') e /'res 'r $)"er %'ne !n+ $s !n !&$en!"&e *u"&$.! r$.u& ur!& &!n+, res*'n+en s ev$+en.e /!$&e+ ' s! $s/( e re=u$re)en un+er *!r! r!*

14 '/ Se. $'n 43, P D N' 4529, ! $s, res*'n+en s *'ssess$'n !n+ '..u*! $'n '/ e*r'*er ( /'r e &en '/ $)e !n+ $n e )!nner re=u$re+ "( &!- T e Su*re)e C'ur F'un+

e *e $ $'n '/ e re*u"&$. '/ e P $&$**$nes )er$ 'r$'us 3nder the Regalian doctrine, the State is thesource of any asserted right to o2nership of land+ This is premised on the basic doctrine that all lands not other2iseappearing to be clearly 2ithin pri"ate o2nership are presumed to belong to the State+ !ny applicant for confirmationof imperfect title bears the burden of pro"ing that he is 4ualified to ha"e the land titled in his name+ %5 6Therec7oning date under the Public 8and !ct for the ac4uisition of o2nership of public lands is 'une %&, % * or earlier,and that e"idence of possession from that date or earlier is essential for a grant of an application for 9udicialconfirmation of imperfect title+ 1hile a ta$ declaration by itself is not sufficient to pro"e o2nership, it may ser"e assufficient basis for inferring possession+

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