G.R. No. L-46024; May 25, 1939
SOTERA ARAVEJO, ET AL., plaintiffs-appellants, vs. ALFONSO DORONILLA, ET AL., defendants-appellees.

FACTS

Plaintiffs, claiming to be the undivided owners of a parcel of land, filed a complaint for damages against defendants. They alleged that the land was fraudulently sold by Epifania Sitchon to Alfonso Doronila in 1919, and later sold again to Adolfo Doronila in 1923. Alfonso Doronila applied for registration of the land in 1923, the registration case was heard in 1924, and the land was subsequently adjudicated to him and a certificate of title issued. Plaintiffs sought damages for the loss of their ownership. The trial court sustained a demurrer to the complaint on the ground that it did not state a cause of action. Plaintiffs appealed.

ISSUE

Whether the complaint alleges facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action for damages arising from the loss of ownership over registered land.

RULING

No. The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s resolution sustaining the demurrer. The action is essentially one for recovery of damages for the loss of ownership, which loss was caused by the registration and issuance of a certificate of title in favor of Alfonso Doronila. Under Section 107 of Act No. 496 (the Land Registration Act), such an action must be brought within six years from the time the right to bring it first accrued. From the allegations, the registration case was heard and adjudicated in 1924. The complaint was filed only on May 11, 1936, which is beyond the six-year prescriptive period. Even if the exact year of adjudication was not specified, the complaint failed to allege that the action was filed within the six-year period, which is a necessary condition imposed by law. Therefore, the complaint failed to state a cause of action.