Anit, Emerson I-D

AMIGABLE v CUENCA and the REPUBLIC of the PHILIPPINES GR#L-26400; 2 !EBRUAR" # $2 EN BANC; MA%ALIN&AL

FACTS: Victoria Amigable owned lot 639 o t!e "anilad Estate in Ceb# Cit$% &er Trans er Certi icate o Title s!owed no annotation o go'ernment rig!t or interest in said lot( b#t in )9*+, t!e go'ernment o Ceb# #sed 6)6, m * o said lot to widen t!e disre-aired .ango and /orordo A'en#es 0 wit!o#t e1-ro-riation or negotiated sale% 2n *, .ar )9+3, Amigable wrote t!e 4resident to re5#est com-ensation or t!e lost land% T!e A#ditor /eneral, to w!om t!e claim was indorsed, disallowed it on 9 Dec )9+3% A ter recei'ing notice o said disallowance on , 6an )9+9, -lainti iled s#it be ore t!e Co#rt o First Instance o Ceb#, against t!e 7e-#blic and &ig!wa$s Commissioner 8icolas C#enca on 6 Feb )9+9 - or reco'er$ o owners!i- and -ossession o t!e a--ro-riated land% S!e also so#g!t com-ensator$ damages, moral damages, attorne$9s ees and co#rt costs% De endants answered t!at: ): t!e s#it was -remat#re and m#st irst be iled wit! t!e A#ditor /eneral( *: -lainti 9s rig!t o action or reco'er$ !ad alread$ -rescribed( 3: -lainti 9s claims or damages are in'alid since t!e /o'ernment did not consent to t!e s#it( and ;: -lainti !ad no ca#se o action against t!e de endants since it was t!e Ceb# -ro'incial go'ernment t!at a--ro-riated t!e lot% T!e CFI dismissed t!e case on t!e gro#nds t!at t!e /o'ernment cannot be s#ed wit!o#t its own consent, and t!at t!e claim or moral damages !ad alread$ -rescribed% 4lainti a--ealed to t!e Co#rt o A--eals and t!e CA, inding no 5#estion o act, certi ied t!e case to t!e S#-reme Co#rt%

ISS<E: =>8 Amigable can s#e t!e go'ernment gi'en t!e acts%

&E?D: @es

7ATI2: Citing Ministerio v Court of First Instance of Cebu A)9,):, t!e Co#rt !eld t!at when the Government takes private property for public use under its power of eminent domain, it automatically manifests its submission to the jurisdiction of a court% I t!e /o'ernment taBes -ri'ate -ro-ert$ rom a landowner wit!o#t #ndergoing t!e legal -roceedings o e1-ro-riation or negotiated sale, t!e a ected landowner can -ro-erl$ s#e t!e go'ernment% Amigable remained t!e owner o t!e lot since t!ere was neit!er a go'ernment annotation on t!e bacB o !er TCT nor an e1ec#ted deed o con'e$ance o t!e lot to t!e go'ernment on !er -art( b#t since t!e lot !as become -art o t!e road, s!e cannot reco'er t!e lot b#t will still be entitled to d#e com-ensation,

Anit, Emerson I-D

legal interest, and attorne$9s ees% C The doctrine of governmental immunity from suit cannot serve as an instrument for perpetrating an injustice on a citizen D%