Title: Sps Plaza v.

Lustiva
G.R. No. 172909
Date: March 5, 2014
Ponente: Brion, J.
Parties:
Petitioners: Sps Silvestre Plaza and Elena Plaza
Respondents: !iller"o #!stiva, Eleodora $da. de Martinez, $ic%& Sa&son oloseno
Facts:
'n a(ric!lt!ral land located in B!t!an )as the s!*+ect o, this petition. -n 1../, the 0o!rt o, 'ppeals r!led that a"on( the Plaza
si*lin(s na"el&: '!reliano, E"iliana, $idal, Marciano, and Bar*ara, Bar*ara )as the o)ner o, the land. Said decision has *eco"e
,inal and e1ec!tor& and p!rs!ant to s!ch, the s!ccessors o, Bar*ara, the respondents in this petition 2#!stiva et al.3, have contin!ed
occ!p&in( the propert&.
-n 1..., $idal4s son and da!(hter in la), petitioners in this case 2Sps Plaza3, ,iled a co"plaint to en+oin respondents ,ro" ta%in(
possession o, the propert& alle(in( that the& ac5!ired the land ,ro" a certain $ir(inia 6!azon in 1../, )ho alle(edl& ac5!ired the
land in a ta1 deli5!ence& sale cond!cted *& the 0it& o, B!t!an on 7ec. 2/, 1..8.
Respondents, in their ans)er, pointed o!t that the land )as never o,,ered in a p!*lic a!ction9 also ass!"in( it had *een sold,
6!azon, *ein( a (overn"ent e"plo&ee )as dis5!ali,ied ,ro" *iddin( in a p!*lic a!ction as stated in Sec. :. o, the #ocal
overn"ent 0ode 2#03 o, 1..1. Since her participation )as void, she co!ld not have trans,erred o)nership to the petitioners.
#i%e)ise, petitioners "erel& ,alsi,ied ta1 declarations on the propert& *& insertin( the na"e o, $idal, "a%in( hi" appear as a co;
o)ner o, the a(ric!lt!ral land. 's heirs o, $idal, the& ,ra!d!lentl& redee"ed the land ,ro" 6!azon.
6he R60 and the 0' r!led in ,avo!r o, respondents, ,indin( 6!azon dis5!ali,ied ,ro" *iddin( !nder Sec. :. o, the #0, and the
petitioners as *!&ers in *ad ,aith ,or ,alsi,&in( ta1 declarations )hich the& !sed to redee" the propert& )ith.
ssues:
<=> petitioners validl& ac5!ired the s!*+ect land ,ro" 6!azon, )ho ac5!ired said land in a p!*lic a!ction despite *ein( a
(overn"ent e"plo&ee ? N!.
Ratio:
Petitioners alle(e that, i, 6!azon )as indeed dis5!ali,ied, then Sec. 1:1 o, the #0 applies, "eanin( i, there )as no *idder, then the
0it& o, B!t!an )as to *e considered as the p!rchaser o, the land in a!ction and there,ore, the& *o!(ht the land, not ,ro" 6!azon,
*!t directl& ,ro" the 0it& o, B!t!an, as redee"ers.
'lso, respondents "a& not 5!estion the validit& o, the a!ction ,or ,ailin( to deposit )ith the co!rt the a"o!nt re5!ired !nder Sec.
28/ o, the #0.
6he S!pre"e 0o!rt in ,indin( a(ainst the petitioners stated that Sec. 1:1 and Sec. 28/ o, the #0 ,inds no application in this case.
@nder Sec. 1:1, the la) a!thorizes the local (overn"ent !nit to p!rchase the a!ctioned propert& onl& )here Athere is no *idderB, or
Athe hi(hest *id 111 is ins!,,icient.B " #is$uali%ie# &i##er is not a'on( t)e aut)orize# (roun#s.
Sec 28/ li%e)ise does not appl&. 6he deposit re5!ired *& Sec. 28/ applies to actions ,or ann!l"ent o, ta1 sales. 6he deposit
precondition is a le(al device to (!arantee the satis,action o, a ta1 delin5!enc& )ith the local (overn"ent !nit %eepin( the pa&"ent
on the *id price no "atter the ,inal o!tco"e o, the s!it to n!lli,& a ta1 sale.
6he petitioners s!it here is an action ,or in+!nction and da"a(es. 6he iss!e o, n!llit& o, the a!ction )as raised *& respondents
the"selves "erel& as a de,ense an# in no *a+ converte# t)e action to an action %or annul'ent o% ta, sales. 6here,ore,
petitioners invocation o, Sec. 28/ is "isplaced.
Petition for certiorari DENIED. Decision of the Court of Appeals AFFIRMED.