RULE67

Expropriation

Section1. Thecomplaint.Therightofeminentdomainshallbeexercisedbythefilingofaverifiedcomplaintwhichshallstatewith
certaintytherightandpurposeofexpropriation,describetherealorpersonalpropertysoughttobeexpropriated,andjoinasdefendantsall
personsowningorclaimingtoown,oroccupying,anypartthereoforinteresttherein,showing,sofaraspracticable,theseparateinterestof
eachdefendant.IfthetitletoanypropertysoughttobeexpropriatedappearstobeintheRepublicofthePhilippines,althoughoccupiedby
privateindividuals,orifthetitleisotherwiseobscureordoubtfulsothattheplaintiffcannotwithaccuracyorcertaintyspecifywhoarethe
realowners,avermenttothateffectshallbemadeinthecomplaint.(1a)
Section2.Entryofplaintiffupondepositingvaluewithauthorizedgovernmentdepositary.Uponthefilingofthecomplaintoratanytime
thereafterandafterduenoticetothedefendant,theplaintiffshallhavetherighttotakeorenteruponthepossessionoftherealproperty
involvedifhedepositswiththeauthorizedgovernmentdepositaryanamountequivalenttotheassessedvalueofthepropertyforpurposesof
taxationtobeheldbysuchbanksubjecttotheordersofthecourt.Suchdepositshallbeinmoney,unlessinlieuthereofthecourtauthorizes
the depositof acertificate ofdeposit ofa governmentbank ofthe Republicof thePhilippines payableon demandto theauthorized
governmentdepositary.
Ifpersonalpropertyisinvolved,itsvalueshallbeprovisionallyascertainedandtheamounttobedepositedshallbepromptlyfixedbythe
court.
Aftersuchdepositismadethecourtshallorderthesherifforotherproperofficertoforthwithplacetheplaintiffinpossessionoftheproperty
involvedandpromptlysubmitareportthereoftothecourtwithserviceofcopiestotheparties.(2a)
Section3.Defensesandobjections.Ifadefendanthasnoobjectionordefensetotheactionorthetakingofhisproperty,hemayfileand
serveanoticeofappearanceandamanifestationtothateffect,specificallydesignatingoridentifyingthepropertyinwhichheclaimstobe
interested,withinthetimestatedinthesummons.Thereafter,heshallbeentitledtonoticeofallproceedingsaffectingthesame.
Ifadefendanthasanyobjectiontothefilingofortheallegationsinthecomplaint,oranyobjectionordefensetothetakingofhisproperty,
heshallservehisanswerwithinthetimestatedinthesummons.Theanswershallspecificallydesignateoridentifythepropertyinwhichhe
claimstohaveaninterest,statethenatureandextentoftheinterestclaimed,andadduceallhisobjectionsanddefensestothetakingofhis
property.Nocounterclaim,crossclaimorthirdpartycomplaintshallbeallegedorallowedintheansweroranysubsequentpleading.
Adefendantwaivesalldefensesandobjectionsnotsoallegedbutthecourt,intheinterestofjustice,maypermitamendmentstotheanswer
tobemadenotlaterthanten(10)daysfromthefilingthereof.However,atthetrialoftheissueofjustcompensationwhetherornota
defendanthaspreviouslyappearedoranswered,hemaypresentevidenceastotheamountofthecompensationtobepaidforhisproperty,
andhemayshareinthedistributionoftheaward.(n)
Section4.Orderofexpropriation.Iftheobjectionstoandthedefensesagainsttherightoftheplaintifftoexpropriatethepropertyare
overruled,orwhennopartyappearstodefendasrequiredbythisRule,thecourtmayissueanorderofexpropriationdeclaringthatthe
plaintiffhasalawfulrighttotakethepropertysoughttobeexpropriated,forthepublicuseorpurposedescribedinthecomplaint,uponthe
paymentofjustcompensationtobedeterminedasofthedateofthetakingofthepropertyorthefilingofthecomplaint,whichevercame
first.
Afinalordersustainingtherighttoexpropriatethepropertymaybeappealedbyanypartyaggrievedthereby.Suchappeal,however,shall
notpreventthecourtfromdeterminingthejustcompensationtobepaid.
Aftertherenditionofsuchanorder,theplaintiffshallnotbepermittedtodismissordiscontinuetheproceedingexceptonsuchtermsasthe
courtdeemsjustandequitable.(4a)
Section5.Ascertainmentofcompensation.Upontherenditionoftheorderofexpropriation,thecourtshallappointnotmorethanthree
(3)competentanddisinterestedpersonsascommissionerstoascertainandreporttothecourtthejustcompensationforthepropertysoughtto
betaken.Theorderofappointmentshalldesignatethetimeandplaceofthefirstsessionofthehearingtobeheldbythecommissionersand
specifythetimewithinwhichtheirreportshallbesubmittedtothecourt.
Copiesoftheordershallbeservedontheparties.Objectionstotheappointmentofanyofthecommissionersshallbefiledwiththecourt
withinten(10)daysfromservice,andshallberesolvedwithinthirty(30)daysafterallthecommissionersshallhavereceivedcopiesofthe
objections.(5a)
Section6. Proceedings by commissioners.Beforeenteringupontheperformanceoftheirduties, the commissioners shall take and
subscribeanoaththattheywillfaithfullyperformtheirdutiesascommissioners,whichoathshallbefiledincourtwiththeotherproceedings
inthecase.Evidencemaybeintroducedbyeitherpartybeforethecommissionerswhoareauthorizedtoadministeroathsonhearingsbefore
them,andthecommissionersshall,unlessthepartiesconsenttothecontrary,afterduenoticetotheparties,toattend,viewandexaminethe
propertysoughttobeexpropriatedanditssurroundings,andmaymeasurethesame,afterwhicheitherpartymay,byhimselforcounsel,
arguethecase.Thecommissionersshallassesstheconsequentialdamagestothepropertynottakenanddeductfromsuchconsequential
damagestheconsequentialbenefitstobederivedbytheownerfromthepublicuseorpurposeofthepropertytaken,theoperationofits
franchisebythecorporationorthecarryingonofthebusinessofthecorporationorpersontakingtheproperty.Butinnocaseshallthe
consequentialbenefitsassessedexceedtheconsequentialdamagesassessed,ortheownerbedeprivedoftheactualvalueofhispropertyso
taken.(6a)
Section7. Reportbycommissionersandjudgmentthereupon.Thecourtmayorderthecommissionerstoreportwhenanyparticular
portion of the real estate shall have been passed upon by them, and may render judgment upon such partial report, and direct the
commissionerstoproceedwiththeirworkastosubsequentportionsofthepropertysoughttobeexpropriated,andmayfromtimetotimeso
dealwithsuchproperty.Thecommissionersshallmakeafullandaccuratereporttothecourtofalltheirproceedings,andsuchproceedings
shallnotbeeffectualuntilthecourtshallhaveacceptedtheirreportandrenderedjudgmentinaccordancewiththeirrecommendations.
Exceptasotherwiseexpresslyorderedbythecourt,suchreportshallbefiledwithinsixty(60)daysfromthedatethecommissionerswere
notifiedoftheirappointment,whichtimemaybeextendedinthediscretionofthecourt.Uponthefilingofsuchreport,theclerkofthecourt
shallservecopiesthereofonallinterestedparties,withnoticethattheyareallowedten(10)dayswithinwhichtofileobjectionstothe
findingsofthereport,iftheysodesire.(7a)
Section8.Actionuponcommissioners'report.Upontheexpirationoftheperiodoften(10)daysreferredtointheprecedingsection,or
evenbeforetheexpirationofsuchperiodbutafteralltheinterestedpartieshavefiledtheirobjectionstothereportortheirstatementof
agreementtherewith,thecourtmay,afterhearing,acceptthereportandrenderjudgmentinaccordancetherewith,or,forcauseshown,itmay
recommitthesametothecommissionersforfurtherreportoffacts,oritmaysetasidethereportandappointnewcommissioners;oritmay
acceptthereportinpartandrejectitinpartanditmaymakesuchorderorrendersuchjudgmentasshallsecuretotheplaintifftheproperty
essentialtotheexerciseofhisrightofexpropriation,andtothedefendantjustcompensationforthepropertysotaken.(8a)
Section9.Uncertainownership;conflictingclaims.Iftheownershipofthepropertytakenisuncertain,orthereareconflictingclaimsto
anypartthereof,thecourtmayorderanysumorsumsawardedascompensationforthepropertytobepaidtothecourtforthebenefitofthe
personadjudgedinthesameproceedingtobeentitledthereto.Butthejudgmentshallrequirethepaymentofthesumorsumsawardedto
eitherthedefendantorthecourtbeforetheplaintiffcanenterupontheproperty,orretainitforthepublicuseorpurposeifentryhasalready
beenmade.(9a)
Section10.Rightsofplaintiffafterjudgmentandpayment.Uponpaymentbytheplaintifftothedefendantofthecompensationfixedby
thejudgment,withlegalinterestthereonfromthetakingofthepossessionoftheproperty,oraftertendertohimoftheamountsofixedand
paymentofthecosts,theplaintiffshallhavetherighttoenteruponthepropertyexpropriatedandtoappropriateitforthepublicuseor
purposedefinedinthejudgment,ortoretainitshouldhehavetakenimmediatepossessionthereofundertheprovisionsofsection2hereof.If
thedefendantandhiscounselabsentthemselvesfromthecourt,ordeclinetoreceivetheamounttendered,thesameshallbeorderedtobe
depositedincourtandsuchdepositshallhavethesameeffectasactualpaymentthereoftothedefendantorthepersonultimatelyadjudged
entitledthereto.(10a)
Section11. Entrynotdelayedbyappeal; effectofreversal.Therightoftheplaintifftoenteruponthepropertyofthedefendantand
appropriatethesameforpublicuseorpurposeshallnotbedelayedbyanappealfromthejudgment.Butiftheappellatecourtdeterminesthat
plaintiffhasnorightofexpropriation,judgmentshallberenderedorderingtheRegionalTrialCourttoforthwithenforcetherestorationtothe
defendantofthepossessionoftheproperty,andtodeterminethedamageswhichthedefendantsustainedandmayrecoverbyreasonofthe
possessiontakenbytheplaintiff.(11a)
Section12.Costs,bywhompaid.Thefeesofthecommissionersshallbetaxedasapartofthecostsoftheproceedings.Allcosts,except
thoseofrivalclaimantslitigatingtheirclaims,shallbepaidbytheplaintiff,unlessanappealistakenbytheownerofthepropertyandthe
judgmentisaffirmed,inwhicheventthecostsoftheappealshallbepaidbytheowner.(12a)
Section13.Recordingjudgment,anditseffect.Thejudgmententeredinexpropriationproceedingsshallstatedefinitely,byanadequate
description,theparticularpropertyorinterestthereinexpropriated,andthenatureofthepublicuseorpurposeforwhichitisexpropriated.
Whenrealestateisexpropriated,acertifiedcopyofsuchjudgmentshallberecordedintheregistryofdeedsoftheplaceinwhichthe
propertyissituated,anditseffectshallbetovestintheplaintiffthetitletotherealestatesodescribedforsuchpublicuseorpurpose.(13a)
Section14.Powerofguardianinsuchproceedings.Theguardianorguardianadlitemofaminororofapersonjudiciallydeclaredtobe
incompetentmay,withtheapprovalofthecourtfirsthad,doandperformonbehalfofhiswardanyact,matter,orthingrespectingthe
expropriationforpublicuseorpurposeofpropertybelongingtosuchminororpersonjudiciallydeclaredtobeincompetent,whichsuch
minororpersonjudiciallydeclaredtobeincompetentcoulddoinsuchproceedingsifhewereofageorcompetent.(14a)