Manila

EN BANC
J. M. TUASON & CO., INC.,
Petitioner-Appellee,
G. R. No. L-21064
June 30, 1970
-veru-
LAND TENURE ADMINISTRATION,
THE SOLICITOR GENERAL
and THE AUDITOR GENERAL,
Respondents-Appellants.


R E S O L U T I O N
!ERNAN"#, J.$
!ro% #ur "e&iion o' !e(ruar) 1*, 1970, reverin+ ,-e .u/+%en, o' ,-e lo0er
&our, -ol/in+ ,-a, Re1u(li& A&, No. 2616 a a%en/e/ i un&on,i,u,ional, 1rin,e/
%o,ion 'or re&oni/era,ion 0a 'ile/ () 1e,i,ioner-a11ellee on Mar&- 31, 1970
rei,era,in+ i, ar+u%en, a ,o i, alle+e/ invali/i,) 'or (ein+ viola,ive o' ,-e /ue
1ro&e an/ e2ual 1ro,e&,ion +uaran,ee. #n Ma) 27, 1970, a /e,aile/ o11oi,ion
,o u&- a %o,ion 'or re&oni/era,ion 0a 'ile/ () ,-e 3oli&i,or General, ,-e
4onora(le !eli5 6. An,onio, on (e-al' o' re1on/en,-a11ellan,. 7-en, &a%e a
re.oin/er o' 1e,i,ioner on June 18, 1970, ,o ,-e 1lea/in+ o' ,-e 3oli&i,or General.
7-e %o,ion 'or re&oni/era,ion i ,-u ri1e 'or /e,er%ina,ion. 9i,- /ue
re&o+ni,ion o' ,-e vi+or an/ earne,ne 0i,- 0-i&- 1e,i,ioner ar+ue/ i, %o,ion,
(ae/ on 0-a, i, &oni/ere/ ,o (e our a11li&a(le /e&iion, ,-e Cour, &anno,
+ran, ,-e a%e. #ur /e&iion ,an/.
1. :, 0a a unani%ou Cour, ,-a, &oul/ no, lo&a,e a &on,i,u,ional in'ir%i,)
vi,ia,in+ Re1u(li& A&, No. 2616 /ire&,in+ ,-e e51ro1ria,ion o' ,-e 7a,alon E,a,e
in 6ue;on Ci,). 7-ere are 1oin, o' /i''eren&e in ,-e ,-ree 0ri,,en o1inion, (u,
,-ere i none a ,o ,-e &-allen+e/ le+ila,ive a&, (ein+ invulnera(le on ,-e
+roun/ ,-erein aer,e/ ,o .u,i') i, ou+-, 'or nulli'i&a,ion. 9-ile, ,o re1ea,,
1e,i,ioner a11aren,l) re%ain un&onvin&e/, ,an/in+ 'a, on ,-e &on,en,ion ,o
0-i&- i, 0oul/ ee< ,o i%1ar, +rea,er 1laui(ili,), ,ill ,-e in,en, o' ,-e 'ra%er o'
,-e Con,i,u,ional Conven,ion, a -o0n no, onl) () ,-e 1e&i'i& 1roviion
allo0in+ ,-e e51ro1ria,ion o' lan/e/ e,a,e, (u, alo () ,-e o&ial .u,i&e
1roviion a re'le&,e/ in our /e&iion, ave 1oi(l) Re1u(li& v. Ba)loi,
1re&lu/e a 'avora(le a&,ion on ,-e i%1aione/ 1lea o' 1e,i,ioner 'or a
re&oni/era,ion o' our /e&iion. A, an) ra,e, 1e,i,ioner-a11ellee &an ,a<e &o%'or,
in ,-e e1ara,e o1inion o' Ju,i&e 7ee-an<ee, 0i,- 0-i&- 'our o,-er %e%(er o'
,-e Cour,, in&lu/in+ ,-e C-ie' Ju,i&e, are in a+ree%en,, ,o ena(le i, ,o raie
2ue,ion, ,-e an0er ,o 0-i&-, i' i, vie0 0oul/ (e u,aine/, 0oul/ &er,ainl)
a''or/ u''i&ien, 1ro,e&,ion ,o 0-a, i, (elieve ,o (e an un&on,i,u,ional
in'rin+e%en, on i, 1ro1er,) ri+-,.&rala0
2. :, %a) no, (e a%i ,o %a<e %ore e51li&i, an/ &a,e+ori&al 0-a, 0a -el/ in our
o1inion ,-a, 3e&,ion 4 o' Re1u(li& A&, No. 2616 1ro-i(i,in+ a ui, 'or e.e&,%en,
1ro&ee/in+ or ,-e &on,inuan&e o' one alrea/) &o%%en&e/ even in ,-e a(en&e o'
e51ro1ria,ion 1ro&ee/in+, i un&on,i,u,ional, a -el/ in Cua,i&o v. Cour, o'
A11eal. Grea,er e%1-ai li<e0ie -oul/ (e lai/ on our -ol/in+ ,-a, 0-ile an
ina&&ura&) a11aren, on ,-e 'a&e o' ,-e &-allen+e/ ,a,u,e a ,o ,-e o0ner-i1 o'
,-e 7a,alon E,a,e /oe no, u''i&e ,o &all 'or i, invali/i,), ,ill ,o erae even a
'an&i'ul /ou(, on ,-e %a,,er, ,-e ,a,e%en, ,-erein 'oun/ in 3e&,ion 1 o' ,-e A&,
,-a, in a//i,ion ,o 1e,i,ioner-a11ellee, Gre+orio Arane,a = Co., :n&. an/ !loren&io
"eu/or, e, al. are in&lu/e/, &anno, (e un/er,oo/ a &on'errin+ on an) .uri/i&al
or na,ural 1eron, &learl) no, en,i,le/ ,-ere,o, /o%ini&al ri+-, over u&-
1ro1er,) in 2ue,ion.&rala0
3. :n ,-e a'oreai/ /e&iion o' Cua,i&o v. Cour, o' A11eal, re'eren&e 0a %a/e ,o
,-e a%en/a,or) A&,, Re1u(li& A&, No. 3483 ,o 3e&,ion 4 a i, ori+inall) 0a
0or/e/ in Re1u(li& A&, No. 2616, ,-e a%en/%en, &oni,in+ o' ,-e 'ollo0in+$
>?1on a11roval o' ,-i a%en/a,or) A&,, no e.e&,%en, 1ro&ee/in+ -all (e
in,i,u,e/ or 1roe&u,e/ a+ain, ,-e 1reen, o&&u1an, o' an) lo, in ai/ 7a,alon
E,a,e, an/ no e.e&,%en, 1ro&ee/in+ alrea/) &o%%en&e/ -all (e &on,inue/,
an/ u&- lo, or an) 1or,ion ,-ereo' -all no, (e ol/ () ,-e o0ner o' ai/ e,a,e
,o an) 1eron o,-er ,-an ,-e 1reen, o&&u1an, 0i,-ou, ,-e &onen, o' ,-e la,,er
+iven in a 1u(li& in,ru%en,.> 7-e 2ue,ion (e'ore ,-e, Cour,, a&&or/in+, ,o ,-e
o1inion 1enne/ () Ju,i&e Bau,i,a An+elo, 0a$ >Are ,-e 1roviion e%(o/ie/ in
,-e a%en/a,or) A&, 0-i&- 1re&ri(e ,-a, u1on a11roval o' ai/ A&, no e.e&,%en,
1ro&ee/in+ -all (e in,i,u,e/ or 1roe&u,e/ a+ain, an) o&&u1an, o' an) lo, in
,-e 7a,alon E,a,e, or ,-a, no e.e&,%en, 1ro&ee/in+ alrea/) &o%%en&e/ -all (e
&on,inue/, &on,i,u,ional an/ vali/ u&- ,-a, i, %a) (e ai/ ,-a, ,-e Cour, o'
A11eal a(ue/ i, /i&re,ion in /en)in+ ,-e 1e,i,ion 'or u1enion 'ile/ ()
1e,i,ioner.@>
7-en &a%e ,-i 1or,ion o' ,-e o1inion$ >7-i i no, ,-e 'ir, ,i%e ,-a, ,-i Cour,
-a (een &alle/ u1on ,o 1a u1on ,-e vali/i,) o' a 1roviion 0-i&- 1la&e a
lan/o0ner in ,-e i,ua,ion o' loin+ -i /o%ini&al ri+-, over ,-e 1ro1er,)
0i,-ou, /ue 1ro&e or &o%1ena,ion. 9e re'er ,o ,-e 1roviion o' Re1u(li& A&,
2616 (e'ore ,-e) 0ere a%en/e/ () Re1u(li& A&, No. 3483. No,e ,-a,, a ori+inall)
1rovi/e/, Re1u(li& A&, No. 2616 1ro-i(i,e/ ,-e in,i,u,ion o' an e.e&,%en,
1ro&ee/in+ a+ain, an) o&&u1an, o' an) lo, in ,-e 7a,alon E,a,e or ,-e
&on,inuan&e o' one ,-a, -a alrea/) (een &o%%en&e/ a',er ,-e e51ro1ria,ion
1ro&ee/in+ -all -ave (een ini,ia,e/ an/ /urin+ ,-e 1en/en&) o' ,-e a%e. #n
,-e ur'a&e ,-i 1roviion 0oul/ a11ear ,o (e vali/ i' ,-e a%e i &arrie/ ou, in
,-e li+-, o' ,-e 1roviion o' our Con,i,u,ion rela,ive ,o &ae o' e%inen,
/o%ain, 'or in ,-a, &ae ,-e ri+-, o' ,-e o0ner o' ,-e 1ro1er,) ,o (e e51ro1ria,e/
are 1ro,e&,e/. Bu, ,-en an a,,e%1, &a%e ,o &ir&u%ven, ,-a, 1roviion in an e''or,
,o a'e+uar/ or 1ro,e&, ,-e in,ere, o' o%e o&&u1an, o' ,-e lan/, 0-i&- rea&-e/
,-i Cour, 'or a/.u/i&a,ion, a 0-en o%e o&&u1an, a,,e%1,e/ ,o (lo&< ,-eir
e.e&,%en, u1on ,-e 1lea ,-a, ,-e +overn%en, 0oul/ oon ,ar, e51ro1ria,ion
1ro&ee/in+ even i' no u''i&ien, 'un/ 0ere a11ro1ria,e/ ,o 1rovi/e
&o%1ena,ion ,o ,-e o0ner an/ even i' i, 0a no, in a 1oi,ion ,o ,a<e 1oeion
o' ,-e e,a,e, an/ o ,-e o0ner &on,e,e/ ,-e a,,e%1, invo<in+ i, ri+-, un/er ,-e
Con,i,u,ion. An/ ,-i Cour, u1-el/ ,-e &on,en,ion o' ,-e o0ner () /e&larin+ ,-e
a,,e%1, un&on,i,u,ional.>
7-e &on&luion ,-a, inevi,a(l) 0a &alle/ 'or i 0or/e/ ,-u$ >:, i, ,-ere'ore,
i%1era,ive ,-a, 0e /e&lare, a 0e no0 /o, ,-a, 3e&,ion 4 o' Re1u(li& A&, No. 3483
0-i&- 1ro-i(i, ,-e 'ilin+ o' an e.e&,%en, 1ro&ee/in+, or ,-e &on,inuan&e o' one
,-a, -a alrea/) (een &o%%en&e/, even in ,-e a(en&e o' e51ro1ria,ion
1ro&ee/in+ o''en/ our Con,i,u,ion an/, -en&e, i unen'or&ea(le.>
9-a, 0e ai/ ,-en, 0e rea''ir% no0, a 0a in/ee/ evi/en, in our /e&iion ou+-,
,o (e re&oni/ere/ (u, 1er-a1 no, +iven ,-e i%1or,an&e 0-i&-, in ,-e o1inion o'
1e,i,ioner-a11ellee, i, 0a en,i,le/ ,o. No,-in+ in our /e&iion &an (e ,a<en ,o
/e,ra&, in an) 0ie 'ro% ,-e (in/in+ 'or&e an/ e''e&, o' ,-e Cua,i&o rulin+ 0-i&-
/e&lare/ un&on,i,u,ional 3e&,ion 4 o' Re1u(li& A&, No. 3483.&rala0
4. 9e li<e0ie rule/ ,-a, ,-e %i,a<e i%1u,e/ ,o Con+re in a11aren,l)
re&o+ni;in+ ,-e ri+-, o' o0ner-i1 in en,i,ie or in/ivi/ual no, 1oee/ o' ,-e
a%e &oul/ no, invali/a,e ,-e &-allen+e/ ,a,u,e. :n ,-e a%e 0a), i, &anno, (e
%a/e ,-e (ai 'or non-e5i,en, ri+-, o' o0ner-i1 ,o ,-e 1ro1er,) in 2ue,ion. :,
i in ,-a, ene ,-a,, a no,e/ in our /e&iion, no 'ear nee/ (e en,er,aine/ ,-a,
,-ere() ,-e 1e,i,ioner-a11ellee 0oul/ (e a/verel) a''e&,e/. 7-e +overn%en,
&er,ainl) 0oul/ no, 1a) ,o a 1ar,) o,-er ,-an ,-e o0ner ,-e &lai% 'or .u,
&o%1ena,ion 0-i&-, un/er ,-e Con,i,u,ion, i, i re2uire/ ,o %ee,. Nei,-er ,-en
&an an) 1ar,) 0-o i no, in ,-a, i,ua,ion -ave an) ,an/in+ 0-a,oever. 7-i
%u&- i (e)on/ /i1u,e. 7o re1ea,, ,-e a11re-enion en,er,aine/ () 1e,i,ioner-
a11ellee, 1er-a1 in/i&a,ive o' i,, e5&e o' &au,ion, i 0i,-ou, le+al 'oun/a,ion.&rala0
94ERE!#RE, ,-e %o,ion 'or ,-e re&oni/era,ion o' #ur /e&iion o' !e(ruar)
1*, 1970, 'ile/ () 1e,i,ioner-a11ellee, i /enie/.
Concepcion, C.J., Reyes, J.B.L., Dion, Ma!a"in#a", $a"di%a&,
Cas#&o, Tee'an!ee, and Ba&&edo, JJ., conc(&.