THE PHRASE MARRIED TO IN TORRENS TITLE IS MERELY DESCRIPTIVE OF

THE CIVIL STATUS OF THE REGISTERED OWNER AND DOES NOT CONNOTE
OWNERSHIP
JUAN SEVILLA SALAS JR. VS. EDEN VILLENA AGUILA
G.R. No. 202370, September 23, 2013
Carpio, J:
FACTS:
Juan Sevilla Salas and respondent Eden CVillena Aguila were married on September
7, 1985. Five months after Aguila gave birth to their daughter, Joan Jiselle on June 7,
2986m Salas left their conjugal dwelling and since then no longer communicated
with Aguila or their daughter. On October 7, 2003, Aguila filed a Petition for nullity of
marriage. The petition states that they have no conjugal properties whatsoever
On May 7, 2007, RTC rendered a decision declaring the nullity of marriage. After this
declaration, Aguila filed a manifestation stating that she discovered two (2)
properties of Salas. The registered owner of Discovered Properties is Juan S. Salas,
married to Rubina C. Salas. Rubina C. Salas is Salas common-law wife. The RTC
grant the partition of the said discovered properties that are among the conjugal
properties to be partitioned and distributed between Salas and Aguila. However,
Rubina Salas filed a Complaint-in-intervention claiming that the Discovered
Properties are her paraphernal properties and she authorized her brother to
purchase the Discovered Properties but because he was not well-vered with legal
documentation, he registered in the name of Juan S. Salas, married to Rubina C.
Salas.
ISSUE:
Is Rubina C. Salas considered the owner, or co-owner of the Discovered Property
that will warrant her intervention in the case?
HELD:
NO. The TCT state that Juan Salas, married to Rubina C. Salas is the registered
owner of the Discovered Properties. A Torrens title is generally a conclusive
evidence of the ownership of the land referred to, because there is a strong
presumption that it is validly and regularly issued. The phrase married to is
merely descriptive of the civil status of the registered owner.
Considering that Rubina failed to prove her title or her legal interest in the
Discovered Properties, she has no right to intervene in the case.