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G.R. No. 183719. Feb a 2, 2011.*

MARGARITA F. CASTRO, pe i ione , . NAPOLEON A.

MONSOD, e ponden .

Ci i La ; P e ; The e f a a ce f a d i he e fi
face a d f e e hi g de i , a d he ca c c he e a ,
a e a a ai a d e ca a i hich he a dee e.
A icle 437 of he Ci il Code p o ide ha he o ne of a pa cel of land i
he o ne of i face and of e e hing nde i , and he can con c
he eon an o k , o make an plan a ion and e ca a ion hich he ma
deem p ope . Ho e e , ch igh of he o ne i no ab ol e and i bjec
o he follo ing limi a ion : (1) e i de o ea emen , (2) pecial la ,
(3) o dinance , (4) ea onable e i emen of ae ial na iga ion, and (5)
igh of hi d pe on .
Sa e; Sa e; Ea e e ; A ea e e i e ab i hed ei he b a
b i f he e . An ea emen o e i de i an enc mb ance
impo ed pon an immo able fo he bene of ano he immo able
belonging o a diffe en o ne . The e a e o kind of ea emen acco ding
o o ce. An ea emen i e abli hed ei he b la o b ill of he o ne .
The co canno impo e o con i e an e i de he e none e i ed.
The can onl decla e i e i ence if in eali i e i b la o b he ill
of he o ne . The e a e he efo e no j dicial ea emen .
Sa e; Sa e; Sa e; A e , b i e f hi face igh , a a e
e ca a i hi a d, b hi igh i bjec he i i a i ha he ha
de i e a adjace a d b i di g f f cie a e a bjace
. An o ne , b i e of hi face igh , ma make e ca a ion
on hi land, b hi igh i bjec o he limi a ion ha he hall no dep i e
an adjacen land o b ilding of f cien la e al o bjacen ppo .
Be een o adjacen lando ne , each ha an ab ol e p ope igh o
ha e hi land la e all ppo ed b he oil of hi neighbo , and if ei he , in
e ca a ing on hi o n p emi e , he o di b he la e al ppo of hi
neighbo land a o ca e i , o , in i na al a e, b he

_______________

* SECOND DIVISION.

487

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pe e of i o n eigh , o fall a a o lide f om i po i ion, he one o

e ca a ing i liable.

PETITION fo e ie on ce io a i of he deci ion and e ol ion of

he Co of Appeal .
The fac a e a ed in he opinion of he Co .
Ne A. L a fo pe i ione .
Na e A. M d fo e ponden .
Ma e J. La e a, J . co-co n el fo e ponden .

NACHURA, J.:
Befo e he Co i a pe i ion fo e ie on ce i a i nde R le
45 of he R le of Co , a ailing he Deci ion1 da ed Ma 25, 2007
and he Re ol ion2 da ed J l 14, 2008 of he Co of Appeal
(CA) in CA-G.R. CV No. 83973.
The an eceden of he ca e a e a follo :
Pe i ione i he egi e ed o ne of a pa cel of land loca ed on
Ga ne S ee , Man ela Home , Pamplona, La Pi a Ci , and
co e ed b T an fe Ce i ca e of Ti le (TCT) No. T-36071, i h an
a ea of one h nd ed hi (130) a e me e ( .m.). Re ponden ,
on he o he hand, i he o ne of he p ope adjoining he lo of
pe i ione , loca ed on L a S ee , Moon alk Village, Pha e 2, La
Pi a Ci . The e i a conc e e fence, mo e o le o (2) me e
high, di iding Man ela Home f om Moon alk Village.3
On Feb a 29, 2000, e ponden ca ed he anno a ion of an
ad e e claim again i - e (65) .m. of he p ope of
pe i ione co e ed b TCT No. T-36071. The ad e e claim

_______________

1 Penned b A ocia e J ice Ro ma i D. Ca andang, i h A ocia e J ice

Jo e C. Re e , J . and Ma i o P. P n alan Ca illo, conc ing; R , pp. 68-79.
2 Id., a pp. 81-83.
3 Id., a p. 69.

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488 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

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a led i ho an claim of o ne hip o e he p ope .

Re ponden a me el a e ing he e i ing legal ea emen of
la e al and bjacen ppo a he ea po ion of hi e a e o
p e en he p ope f om collap ing, ince hi p ope i loca ed a
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an ele a ed pla ea of f een (15) fee , mo e o le , abo e he le el

of pe i ione p ope .4 Re ponden al o led a complain fo
malicio mi chief and malicio de c ion befo e he of ce of he
ba a ga chai man.5
In de ance, pe i ione led a complain fo damage ih
empo a e aining o de / i of p elimina inj nc ion befo e he
Regional T ial Co (RTC) of La Pi a Ci . Pe i ione al o p a ed
ha he Regi e of Deed of La Pi a Ci be o de ed o cancel he
anno a ion of he ad e e claim on TCT No. T-36071.6
P io o he ling of he ca e befo e he RTC, he e e e depo i
of oil and ock abo o (2) me e a a f om he f on doo of
he ho e of pe i ione . A ch, pe i ione a no able o pa k he
ehicle a he dead-end po ion of Ga ne S ee . When pe i ione
no iced a leak ha ca ed he f on po ion of he ho e o be
lippe , he hi ed con c ion o ke o ee he e he leak a
coming f om. The o ke had al ead a ed digging hen police
of ce en b e ponden came and opped he o ke f om
ni hing hei job.7
Pe i ione a e ed ha hen he bo gh he p ope f om
Man ela Home in 1994, he e a no anno a ion o e i ence of
an ea emen o e he p ope . Re ponden nei he a ked
pe mi ion no alked o he i h ega d o he e of 65 .m. of he
p ope a ea emen . Upon lea ning of he ad e e claim, he fel
di bed and e pe ienced leeple nigh fo fea ha he o ld
no be able o ell he p ope .

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4 Id., a p. 125.
5 Id.
6 Id.
7 Id., a pp. 127-128.

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Pe i ione admi ed ha TCT No. 36071 doe no co e he open

pace a he dead-end po ion of Ga ne S ee .8
Fo hi pa , e ponden claimed ha he and hi famil had been
e iding in Moon alk Village ince J ne 1984. Adjacen o hi
p ope i he land of pe i ione in Man ela Home . When he
bo gh he p ope in 1983, he land ele a ion of Moon alk Village
a almo on he ame le el a Man ela Home . Ho e e ,
ome ime in 1985 and 1986, Pila De elopmen Co po a ion, he
de elope of Man ela Home , b lldo ed, e ca a ed, and an fe ed
po ion of he ele a ed land o he lo e po ion of Man ela
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Home . Th , Man ela Home became lo e han Moon alk

Village.9
Befo e he aid e ca a ion, e ponden pe onall complained o
Pila De elopmen Co po a ion and a a ed ha , a p o ided b
he Na ional B ilding Code, an embankmen ill be e ained a he
bo nda of Man ela Home and Moon alk Village, hich i mo e
o le f een (15) fee highe han Man ela Home .10
Man ela Home e ained he embankmen con i ing of oil and
ock . Re ponden had he open pace ip apped i h one a
einfo cemen again an po en ial oil e o ion, ea h ake, and
po ible digging b an pe on.
Re ponden a e ed ha he af da i of ad e e claim a fo
he anno a ion of he la e al and bjacen ea emen of hi p ope
o e he p ope of pe i ione , in ie of he la e manife
de e mina ion o emo e he embankmen lef b he de elope of
Man ela Home .
On Oc obe 11, 2004, he RTC ende ed a deci ion,11 he
di po i i e po ion of hich ead :

_______________

8 Id., a pp. 127, 134.

9 Id., a pp. 127-128.
10 Id., a p. 128.
11 Penned b J dge E linda Nicola -Al a o, Regional T ial Co , B anch 198,
La Pi a Ci ; id., a pp. 125- 134.

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WHEREFORE, p emi e con ide ed, hi co he eb ende

j dgmen : (1) o de ing he cancella ion of [ e ponden ] ad e e claim a
he back of T an fe Ce i ca e of Ti le No. T-36071 a he e pen e of
[ e ponden ] Napoleon Mon od; (2) o de ing he aid [ e ponden ] o pa
he he ein [pe i ione ] he amo n of Php50,000.00 a mo al damage ; and
(3) di mi ing [pe i ione ] claim fo ac al damage , a o ne fee ,
li iga ion co and co of i and [ e ponden ] comp l o co n e claim
fo lack of me i .
SO ORDERED. 12

The ial co a iocina ed ha he ad e e claim of e ponden

a non- egi able con ide ing ha he ba i of hi claim a an
ea emen and no an in e e ad e e o he egi e ed o ne , and
nei he did he con e he i le of pe i ione . F he mo e, he ad e e
claim of e ponden failed o compl i h he e i i e p o ided
nde Sec ion 70 of P e iden ial Dec ee No. 1529.13

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On appeal, he CA e e ed he deci ion of he ial co in a

Deci ion14 da ed Ma 25, 2007, he fa of hich ead :

HEREFORE, , he in an appeal i
GRANTED. The Deci ion of he Regional T ial Co , B anch 198, La
Pi a Ci da ed Oc obe 11, 2004 i RE ERSED SET ASIDE. The
Co he eb o de he e en ion of he anno a ion a he back of T an fe
Ce i ca e of Ti le No. T-36071, no a an ad e e claim, b a ecogni ion
of he e i ence of a legal ea emen of bjacen and la e al ppo
con i ed on he leng h i e o ho i on al land ppo /embankmen a ea
of i - e (65) a e me e , mo e o le , of he p ope of [pe i ione ]
Ma ga i a Ca o. The i of p elimina inj nc ion i ed b hi Co on
Ap il 18, 2006 i he eb made pe manen . [Pe i ione ] claim fo damage
i like i e DISMISSED.
SO ORDERED. 15

_______________

12 Id., a p. 134.
13 Id., a p. 131.
14 S a no e 1.
15 Id., a pp. 78-79.

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The CA led ha hile e ponden ad e e claim co ld no be

anc ioned beca e i did no fall nde he e i i e fo egi e ing
an ad e e claim, he ame migh be d l anno a ed in he i le a
ecogni ion of he e i ence of a legal ea emen of bjacen and
la e al ppo . The p po e of he anno a ion a o p e en
pe i ione f om making inj io e ca a ion on he bjec
embankmen a o dep i e he e iden ial ho e and lo of
e ponden of i na al ppo and ca e i o collap e.
Re ponden onl a ked ha pe i ione e pec he legal ea emen
al ead e i ing he eon.16
On J ne 15, 2007, pe i ione led a mo ion fo econ ide a ion.
Ho e e , he CA denied he ame in a Re ol ion17 da ed J l 14,
2008.
Hence, hi pe i ion.
The i e in hi ca e i he he he ea emen of la e al and
bjacen ppo e i on he bjec adjacen p ope ie and, if i
doe , he he he ame ma be anno a ed a he back of he i le of
he e ien e a e.
A icle 437 of he Ci il Code p o ide ha he o ne of a pa cel
of land i he o ne of i face and of e e hing nde i , and he

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can con c he eon an o k , o make an plan a ion and

e ca a ion hich he ma deem p ope . Ho e e , ch igh of he
o ne i no ab ol e and i bjec o he follo ing limi a ion : (1)
e i de o ea emen , (2) pecial la ,19 (3) o dinance ,20 (4)
18

ea onable e i emen of ae ial na iga ion,21 and (5) igh of hi d

pe on .22
Re ponden led befo e he RTC an af da i of ad e e claim,
he pe inen po ion of hich ead:

_______________

16 Id., a pp. 75-76.

17 S a no e 2.
18 CIVIL CODE, A . 437.
19 Id.
20 Id.
21 Id.
22 CIVIL CODE, A . 431.

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5. Tha o ad e e claim con i of igh of legal o comp l o

ea emen of la e al and bjacen ppo ( nde he Ci il Code) o e a
po ion of he abo e-de c ibed p ope of o ne Ma ga i a F. Ca o, ha
i , co e ing he leng h i e o ho i on al land ppo /embankmen a ea of
i - e (65) a e me e , mo e o le .
6. Tha aid egi e ed o ne ha a emp ed o de o and/o emo e
po ion of he e i ing la e al/ bjacen land and cemen ppo adjoining
he aid o p ope ie . In fac , a po ion of he ea emen a al ead
de o ed/ emo ed, o he con in ing p ej dice of he ein ad e e claiman ,
and ha a fo mal complain again aid egi e ed o ne a led b he
he ein ad e e claiman befo e he Of ce of he Ba anga Chai man of
Talon V, La Pi a Ci and he ame p o ed f ile. 23

Re ponden a e ion ha he ha an ad e e claim o e he 65

.m. p ope of pe i ione i mi placed ince he doe no ha e a
claim o e he o ne hip of he land. The anno a ion of an ad e e
claim o e egi e ed land nde Sec ion 70 of P e iden ial Dec ee
152924 e i e a claim on he i le of

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23 R , p. 131.
24 Sec ion 70 of P e iden ial Dec ee 1529 p o ide :

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Sec ion 70. Ad e e c ai . Whoe e claim an pa o in e e in egi e ed

land ad e e o he egi e ed o ne , a i ing b e en o he da e of he o iginal
egi a ion, ma , if no o he p o i ion i made in hi Dec ee fo egi e ing he ame,
make a a emen in i ing e ing fo h f ll hi alleged igh o in e e , and ho o
nde hom ac i ed, a efe ence o he n mbe of he ce i ca e of i le of he
egi e ed o ne , he name of he egi e ed o ne , and a de c ip ion of he land in
hich he igh o in e e i claimed.
The a emen hall be igned and o n o, and hall a e he ad e e claiman '
e idence, and a place a hich all no ice ma be e ed pon him. Thi a emen
hall be en i led o egi a ion a an ad e e claim on he ce i ca e of i le. The
ad e e claim hall be effec i e fo a pe iod of hi da f om he da e of
egi a ion. Af e he lap e of aid pe iod, he anno a ion of ad e e claim ma be
canceled pon ling of a e i ed pe i ion he efo b he pa in in e e : P -

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he di p ed land. Anno a ion i done o app i e hi d pe on ha

he e i a con o e o e he o ne hip of he land and o p e e e
and p o ec he igh of he ad e e claiman d ing he pendenc of
he con o e . I i a no ice o hi d pe on ha an an ac ion
ega ding he di p ed land i bjec o he o come of he
25
di p e.
In eali , ha e ponden i claiming i a j dicial ecogni ion of
he e i ence of he ea emen of bjacen and la e al ppo o e
he 65 . m. po ion of pe i ione p ope co e ing he land
ppo /embankmen a ea. Hi ea on fo he anno a ion i onl o
p e en pe i ione f om emo ing he embankmen o f om digging
on he p ope fo fea of oil e o ion ha migh eaken he
fo nda ion of he ea po ion of hi p ope hich i adjacen o
he p ope of pe i ione .
An ea emen o e i de i an enc mb ance impo ed pon an
immo able fo he bene of ano he immo able belonging o a
diffe en o ne .26 The e a e o kind of ea emen ac-

_______________

ided, h e e , ha af e cancella ion, no econd ad e e claim ba ed on he

ame g o nd hall be egi e ed b he ame claiman .
Befo e he lap e of hi da afo e aid, an pa in in e e ma le a pe i ion in
he Co of Fi In ance he e he land i i a ed fo he cancella ion of he
ad e e claim, and he co hall g an a peed hea ing pon he e ion of he
alidi of ch ad e e claim, and hall ende j dgmen a ma be j and
e i able. If he ad e e claim i adj dged o be in alid, he egi a ion he eof hall
be o de ed canceled. If, in an ca e, he co , af e no ice and hea ing, hall nd ha
he ad e e claim h egi e ed a f i olo , i ma ne he claiman in an amo n

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no le han one ho and pe o no mo e han e ho and pe o , in i di c e ion.

Befo e he lap e of hi da , he claiman ma i hd a hi ad e e claim b ling
i h he Regi e of Deed a o n pe i ion o ha effec .
25 A a a . Be a , 175 Phil. 452, 456-457; 86 SCRA 279, 284 (1978).
26 CIVIL CODE, A . 613.

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co ding o o ce. An ea emen i e abli hed ei he b la o b

ill of he o ne .27 The co canno impo e o con i e an
e i de he e none e i ed. The can onl decla e i e i ence if
in eali i e i b la o b he ill of he o ne . The e a e
he efo e no j dicial ea emen .28
A icle 684 of he Ci il Code p o ide ha no p op ie o hall
make ch e ca a ion pon hi land a o dep i e an adjacen land
o b ilding of f cien la e al o bjacen ppo . An o ne , b
i e of hi face igh , ma make e ca a ion on hi land, b hi
igh i bjec o he limi a ion ha he hall no dep i e an
adjacen land o b ilding of f cien la e al o bjacen ppo .
Be een o adjacen lando ne , each ha an ab ol e p ope
igh o ha e hi land la e all ppo ed b he oil of hi neighbo ,
and if ei he , in e ca a ing on hi o n p emi e , he o di b he
la e al ppo of hi neighbo land a o ca e i , o , in i na al
a e, b he p e e of i o n eigh , o fall a a o lide f om i
po i ion, he one o e ca a ing i liable.29
In he in an ca e, an ea emen of bjacen and la e al ppo
e i in fa o of e ponden . I a e abli hed ha he p ope ie of
pe i ione and e ponden adjoin each o he . The e iden ial ho e
and lo of e ponden i loca ed on an ele a ed pla ea of f een (15)
fee abo e he le el of pe i ione p ope . The embankmen and
he ip apped one ha e been in e i ence e en befo e pe i ione
became he o ne of he p ope . I a p o en ha pe i ione ha
been making e ca a ion and digging on he bjec embankmen
and, nle e ained, he con in ed e ca a ion of he embankmen
co ld ca e he fo nda ion of he ea po ion of he ho e of
e ponden o collap e, e l ing in he de c ion of a h ge pa of
he famil d elling.30

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27 CIVIL CODE, A . 619.

28 De Leon, Hec o S., COMMENTS AND CASES ON PROPERTY (5 h ed.), p. 476.
29 Id., a p. 544.
30 R , pp. 76-77.

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We ain he CA in decla ing ha a pe manen inj nc ion on

he pa of pe i ione f om making inj io e ca a ion i nece a
in o de o p o ec he in e e of e ponden . Ho e e , an anno a ion
of he e i ence of he bjacen and la e al ppo i no longe
nece a . I e i he he o no i i anno a ed o egi e ed in he
egi of p ope . A j dicial ecogni ion of he ame al ead bind
he p ope and he o ne of he ame, incl ding he cce o -in-
in e e . O he i e, e e adjoining lando ne o ld come o co
o ha e he ea emen of bjacen and la e al ppo egi e ed in
o de fo i o be ecogni ed and e pec ed.
WHEREFORE, in ie of he fo egoing, he Deci ion da ed Ma
25, 2007 and he Re ol ion da ed J l 14, 2008 of he Co of
Appeal in CA-G.R. CV No. 83973 a e he eb AFFIRMED WITH
MODIFICATION ha he anno a ion a he back of T an fe
Ce i ca e of Ti le No. T-36071, ecogni ing he e i ence of he
legal ea emen of bjacen and la e al ppo con i ed on he
leng h i e o ho i on al land ppo /embankmen a ea of i - e
(65) a e me e , mo e o le , of he p ope of pe i ione
Ma ga i a F. Ca o, i he eb o de ed emo ed.
SO ORDERED.

Ca i (Chai e ), Pe a a, Abad and Me d a, JJ., conc .

J dg e a d e i af ed i h di ca i .

N . I i e led ha he egi a ion of he dominan e a e

nde he To en em i ho he anno a ion of he ol n a
ea emen in i fa o doe no e ing i h he ea emen . On he
con a , i i he egi a ion of he e ien e a e a f ee, ha i ,
i ho he anno a ion of he ol n a ea emen , hich
e ing i he he ea emen . (U i ce C e cia a d
De e e C ai . Ch g, 593 SCRA 230 [2009]
o0o

C gh 2020 Ce a B S , I c. A gh e e ed.

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