RepublicofthePhilippines

SUPREMECOURT
Manila
ENBANC
August2,1916
G.R.No.8452
DEANC.WORCESTER,plaintiffappellee,
vs.
MARTINOCAMPOandGERVASIOOCAMPOyREYES,defendantsappellants.
VicenteIlustreforappellants.WilliamA.KincaidandThomasL.Hartiganforappellee.
JOHNSON,J.:
ThisisanappealfromanordermadebytheHonorablesCharlesH.SmithandNorberto
Romualdez, then judges of the Court of Land Registration, directing the cancellation of
certainduplicatesofcertificatesoftitleissuedundertheTorrenssystemanddirectingthe
registrationofacertaindeedexecutedbythesheriffofthecityofManilatotheplaintiff
herein.Saidorderwasmadeuponthe2ddayofSeptember,1912.
SaidorderwasbaseduponthefactscontainedinacertaincommunicationfromJoaquin
Jaramillo,thenregisterofdeeds,askingthejudgesoftheCourtofLandRegistrationfor
instructionsconcerningtheregistrationofadeedissuedbythesheriffofthecityofManilato
DeanC.Worcester.
Thefactsuponwhichthepresentappealisbasedarenotdisputedandarebeststatedbythe
saidcommunicationitself.Saidcommunicationisasfollows:
ByvirtueofanexecutionissuedoutoftheCourtofFirstInstanceofManilaunderdateof
January26,1910,incaseNo.6930,entitledDeanC.Worcestervs.MartinOcampo,allthe
right, title andinterest ofthe latter intwo parcels of land registered in his name under
certificatesoftitleNos.924and965,book4oftheregistry,werelevieduponforthepurpose
ofsatisfyingajudgmentofP60,000,anoticeofthelevyinsaidcasehavingbeenentered
uponthebackofsaidcertificatesoftitleonthesamedate,towit:January26,1910.Bya
document of prior date to said attachment, to wit, January 11, 1909, the two parcels
mentionedweresoldconpactoderetractobyMartinOcampotoGervasioOcampoyReyes,
fortheperiodoffouryearsfromsaiddate,thevendorbeingallowedtherighttocontinue
occupying the said properties by paying an annual rental of P150. This document
wasendorsedonthebackofsaidcertificatesoftitleonFebruary1,1910.Byanotherwritof
execution,issuedonMarch26,1910,inthesamecaseno.6930,alltheright,titleand
interest of the defendant, Martin Ocampo, in the two properties which had been levied
upon,weresoldatpublicauctionandDeanC.Worcester,asthehighestbidder,purchased
thesame,subjecttotherightofredemptionwhichthelawallowstojudgmentdebtors;this
salewasalsonotedonthebackofsaidcertificatesoftitleonApril11,1910.

Theperiodofredemptionhavingexpiredwithoutthejudgmentdebtorhavingexercisedhis
right,thesheriffofManilaexecutedinfavorofthepurchaser,Worcester,anabsolutedeedof
saleofalltheright,titleandinterestofMartinOcampointhetwoparcelsabovementioned,
whichhadbeensoldatpublicauction.ByvirtueofthisdocumentKincaidandHartigan,as
attorneysforWorcester,nowseektheinscriptionofhisrightinandtothesaidproperties,so
acquiredbyhimatpublicauction,whichinscription,ifmade,willnecessarilyrequirethe
cancellationofthosecertificatesandtheissuanceofnewonesinfavorofDeanC.Worcester.
Moreover,thesaidparcelshavingbeensoldconpactoderetractotoGervasioOcampoy
Reyes,asabovesetforth,theundersignedisatalosshowtoproceedtoregistertheabsolute
deedofsaleexecutedbytheSheriffofManilainfavorofDeanC.Worcester.
Wherefore,heaskstheassistanceofthiscourtindecidingthesame.Itisalsodesiredtocall
theattentionofthecourttothefactthattheduplicatesofthecertificatesoftitleofsaid
parcelshavenotbeenpresentedinthisofficeandthatthecivilstatusofWorcesterdoesnot
appearinthedeed.
Veryrespectfully,
(Sgd.)JOAQUINJARAMILLO,
RegisterofDeeds,Manila,P.I.
ThedecisionofthejudgesoftheCourtofLandRegistrationwasbasedsolelyuponthefacts
statedinsaidcommunication.Theonlyotherproofsubmittedtosaidjudgeswassomeproof
relatingtothecivilstatusofDeanC.Worcester.
Afterafullhearingaccordedtoalloftheinterestedpartiesandaconsiderationofthefacts
andthelawrelatingthereto,theHonorableCharlesH.SmithandtheHonorableNorberto
Romualdez,judgesoftheCourtofLandRegistration,renderedadecision,theimportant
partsofwhichareasfollows:
Thequestionpresentedhereiswhetherornotanabsolutedeedofsaleexecutedbythesheriff
of Manila to Dean C.Worcester should be registered in his name. The deed was made
pursuanttoasaleatpublicauctionbyvirtueofawritofexecutionissuedontwoparcelsof
realestateregisteredinthenameofMartinOcampoundercertificatesoftitleNos.924and
965,book4oftheregistry,andissuedundertheprovisionsofActNo.496.
ThewritofexecutionwasissuedbytheCourtofFirstInstanceofManila,onJanuary26,
1910,incaseNo.6930,entitledDeanC.Worcestervs.MartinOcampo,thenoticeofthe
levymadebyvirtueofsaidorderofexecutionhavingbeenendorsedonthesaidcertificates
oftitleonthesamedate,towit,January26,1910.
Thedoubtwhichisthecauseofthepresentconsultaarisesfromthefactthattheparcelsof

land above mentioned were sold on January 11, 1909, by Martin Ocampo to Gervasio
OcampoyReyes,conpactoderetracto,thesaiddocumentofsalenothavingbeenregistered
untilthe1stofFebruary,1910.
Thequestionseemcleartous.TreatingofpropertyregisteredundertheTorrenssystem,asin
thepresentcase,andunderActNo.496,thedeedofsaleconpactoderetractoexecutedby
MartinOcampoinfavorofGervasioOcampoproducednoeffectwhatsoeverasadeedof
suchtransfer(norwasitanencumbranceontheproperty,butonlyconstitutedacontract
betweenthepartiesandasauthorityfortheregisterofdeedstomakethecorresponding
inscription),exceptfromthemomentofitsfilingorregistration,thatistosay,fromthefirst
dayofFebruary,1910.AsonadatepriortothefirstdayofFebruary,1910,towit,January
26ofsaidyear,thefinallevyonsaidpropertiesinfavorofDeanC.Worcester,hadalready
beennotedwhichnoticeproducedalltheeffectsprescribedinsection51ofActNo.496,it
beenthefinallevy,byvirtueofwhichthepublicauctionwasconductedandthesheriff
havingexecutedthedeedofsaleinfavorofWorcester,itisevidentthatthesaidlevyand
sale made by the sheriff takes precedence over the deed of salecon pacto de
retractoexecutedbyMartinOcampoinfavorofGervasioOcampoyReyes.
Sections50and51ofActNo.496,provide:
SEC.50.Anownerofregisteredlandmayconvey,mortgage,lease,charge,orotherwisedeal
withthesameasfullyasifithadnotbeenregistered.Hemayuseformsofdeeds,mortgages,
leases,orothervoluntaryinstrumentslikethosenowinuseandsufficientinlawforthe
purposeintended.Butnodeed,mortgage,lease,orothervoluntaryinstrument,exceptawill,
purportingtoconveyoraffectregisteredland,shalltakeeffectasaconveyanceorbindthe
land,butshalloperateonlyasacontractbetweenthepartiesandasevidenceofauthorityto
the clerk or register of deeds to make registration.The act of registration shall be the
operativeacttoconveyandaffecttheland,andinallcasesunderthisActtheregistration
shallbemadeintheofficeofregisterofdeedsfortheprovinceorprovincesorcitywherethe
landlies.
SEC.51.Everyconveyance,mortgage,lease,lien,attachment,order,decree,instrument,or
entryaffectingregisteredlandwhichwouldunderexistinglaws,ifrecorded,filed,orentered
in the office of the register of deeds, affect the real estate to which it relatesshall, if
registered,filed,orenteredintheofficeoftheregisterofdeedsintheprovinceorcitywhere
therealestatetowhichsuchinstrumentrelateslies,benoticetoallpersonsfromthetimeof
suchregistering,filing,orentering.'
OurSupremeCourthasdecidedcasesanalogoustothepresenttothesameeffect,ascanbe
seeninthecasesofLiongWongShihvs.Sunico(8Phil.Rep.,91);Tabiguevs.Green(11
Phil.Rep.,102);andBuzonvs.Licauco(13Phil.Rep.,354).
Astothestatementoftheregisterofdeedstouchingonthefactthattheduplicatesofthe
certificatesoftitlereferredtohadnotbeenpresentedinhisofficeandthatthecivilstatusof

Worcesterdidnotappearinthedeed,itwasshownonthehearingofthiscasethatthesaid
duplicatecertificatesareinthepossessionofMartinOcampoandthatDeanC.Worcesteris
marriedtoNanonL.Worcester,asshownbythetestimonyofKincaid,whowasawitnessin
thecase.
Wherefore,inviewoftheforegoingitisdecreed:
1. That Martin Ocampo deliver up to the office of the register of deeds of Manila the
duplicatesofthecertificatesoftitleNos.924and965,book4oftheregistryreferringto
certainotherpropertiesinscribedinhisname,andheisherebyorderedsotodo.
2. That the register of deeds of Manila cancel the certificates of title mentioned in the
precedingparagraphandregistertheabsolutedeedofsaleexecutedbythesheriffofManila
in favor of Dean C. Worcester, entering the corresponding certificates and duplicate
certificatethereof.
3.Thatnoticeofthisdecision,bythemailingofacertifiedcopyofsame,begiventothe
AttorneyGeneral of the Philippine Islands, the register of deeds of the city of Manila,
Kincaid, Hartigan & Lahesa, Dean C. Worcester, Vicente Ilustre, Martin Ocampo, and
GervasioOcampoyReyes.Soordered.
FromthedecisionofthesaidjudgestheattorneyforthesaidGervasioOcampoyReyes
appealedtothiscourtandmadethefollowingassignmentoferror:
InorderingthecancellationofthecertificatesoftitleissuedtoMartinOcampo,bearingthe
correspondingindorsementofthesalewithpactoderetrototheappellantGervasioOcampo
yReyesandorderingtheregistrationoftheabsolutedeedofsaleexecutedbythesheriffof
ManilainfavorofDeanC.Worcesterandtheentryofthecorrespondingcertificatesand
duplicatecertificatesinthenameofthelatter.
Undersaidassignmentoferrortheappellantcontends,thattheonlyrightwhichtheplaintiff
purchased was the right of repurchase of the said Martin Ocampo; in other words, the
contentionoftheappellantisthat,inview ofthefactthatMartinOcampohadsoldthe
parcelsoflandinquestiontoGervasioOcampoyReyes,underapactoderetracto,theonly
interestwhichhehadremaininginthelandwastherighttorepurchasethesamewithinthe
periodmentionedinsaidcontractandthatthereforetheonlyinterestwhichwassoldbythe
sheriffwastherighttorepurchase,thatbeingtheonlyrightwhichMartinOcampohadinthe
parcelsoflandinquestionatthetimeofthesheriff'ssale.Inthatcontentiontheappellanthas
overlookedtheprovisionsofsections50and51ofActNo.496.Hehasoverlookedthefact
thatthesaidcontractofconditionalsalebyMartinOcampotohimwasnotregisteredor
notedintheregistryuntilseveraldaysaftertheattachmentuponthejudgmentinfavorof
Worcesterhadbeenmadeandhadbeennotedintheregistryofproperty.
Saidsection50(ActNo.496)providesthat:
Anownerofregisteredlandmayconvey,mortgage....orotherwisedealwiththesameas
fullyasifithadnotbeenregistered....Butnodeed,mortgage,....orothervoluntary

instrument,exceptawill,purportingtheconveyoraffectregisteredlandshalltakeeffectasa
conveyanceorbindtheland,butshalloperateonlyasacontractbetweenthepartiesandas
evidence of authority to the clerk of register of deeds to make registration. Theact of
registrationshallbetheoperativeacttoconveyandaffecttheland,etc.
Section51ofsaidAct(496)providesthat:
Everyconveyance,mortgage....attachment,order,....orentryaffectingregisteredland
whichwouldunderexistinglaws,ifrecorded,filed,orenteredintheofficeoftheregisterof
deeds,affecttherealestatetowhichitrelatesshall,ifregistered,filed,orenteredinthe
officeoftheregisterofdeeds,...benoticetoallpersonsfromthetimeofsuchregistering,
filing,orentering.
If,then,everconveyanceorattachmentwhenrecorded,filed,orenteredintheofficeofthe
registerofdeeds,shallbenoticetoallpersonsfromthetimeofsuchregistering,filingor
entering,thenGervasioOcampoyReyescannotpleadignoranceoftheexistenceofthe
rightsacquiredbyWorcesterunderhisattachmentwhichwasdulyrecordedintheofficeof
theregisterofdeedsseveraldaysbeforetherewasanyattempttorecordorfileorregister
thepactoderetracto.
Saidsection50clearlyprovidesthatwhenregisteredlandisconveyed,mortgaged,leased,or
otherwisedealthwith,suchconveyance,mortgage,etc.,shallnotaffectorconveytheland
untilsuchconveyance,mortgage,etc.,isrecordedorfiledorenteredintheofficeofthe
registerofdeeds.Fromsaidprovisionitisclearthen,thatbyreasonofthefactthatthe
saidpactoderetractowasnotrecorded,filed,orenteredintheofficeoftheregisterofdeeds
untilaftertheplaintiffhadsecuredhislienbyattachment,thatGervasioOcampoyReyes
acquiredhisrightsubjecttotherightsoftheplaintiffherein.Hisrightbeingsubjecttothe
rights oftheplaintiff,itcannotbeenforcedagainstthelanduntilaftertherightsofthe
plaintiffhavebeenfullysatisfied.Noclaimismadebytheappellantthattherewereany
rightsleftinsaidparceloflandoverandabovetherightsoftheplaintiff.
And,moreover,this is notthefirsttimethequestionwhichwearediscussinghas been
presentedtothiscourt.AnalogousquestionswerepresentedinthecasesofLiongWongShih
vs.SunicoandPeterson(8Phil.Rep.,91);Tabiguevs.Green(11Phil.Rep.,102);Buzonvs.
Licauco(13Phil.Rep.,354).
Afteracarefulexaminationofthefactsandofthelawapplicablethereto,weareofthe
opinionthatnoerrorwascommittedbythelowercourtinitsjudgmentandorder.Therefore
thesameisherebyaffirmedwithcosts.Soordered.
Torres,Trent,andAraullo,JJ.,concur.
Moreland,J.,concursintheresult.