G.R. No. 118248 - DKC HOLDINGS CORPORATION, VS. COURT OF APPEALS, VICTOR U. BARTOLOME AND REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR METRO MANILA, DISTRICT III.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

Accordingly, respondent Register of Deeds cancelled Transfer Certificate of Title No. B-37615 and issued Transfer Certificate of Title No. V-14249 in the name of Victor Bartolome. On March 14, 1990, petitioner served upon Victor, via registered mail, notice that it was exercising its option to lease the property, tendering the amount of P15,000.00 as rent for the month of March. Again, Victor refused to accept the tendered rental fee and to surrender possession of the property to petitioner. Petitioner thus opened Savings Account No. 1-04-02558-I-1 with the China Banking Corporation, Cubao Branch, in the name of Victor Bartolome and deposited therein the P15,000.00 rental fee for March as well as P6,000.00 reservation fees for the months of February and March. Petitioner also tried to register and annotate the Contract on the title of Victor to the property. Although respondent Register of Deeds accepted the required fees, he nevertheless refused to register or annotate the same or even enter it in the day book or primary register. Thus, on April 23, 1990, petitioner filed a complaint for specific performance and damages against Victor and the Register of Deeds, [3] docketed as Civil Case No. 3337-V-90 which was raffled off to Branch 171 of the Regional Trial Court of Valenzuela. Petitioner prayed for the surrender and delivery of possession of the subject land in accordance with the Contract terms; the surrender of title for registration and annotation thereon of the Contract; and the payment of P500,000.00 as actual damages, P500,000.00 as moral damages, P500,000.00 as exemplary damages and P300,000.00 as attorneys fees. Meanwhile, on May 8, 1990, a Motion for Intervention with Motion to Dismiss [4] was filed by one Andres Lanozo, who claimed that he was and has been a tenant-tiller of the subject property, which was agricultural riceland, for forty-five years. He questioned the jurisdiction of the lower court over the property and invoked the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law to protect his rights that would be affected by the dispute between the original parties to the case. On May 18, 1990, the lower court issued an Order [5] referring the case to the Department of Agrarian Reform for preliminary determination and certification as to whether it was proper for trial by said court. On July 4, 1990, the lower court issued another Order [6] referring the case to Branch 172 of the RTC of Valenzuela which was designated to hear cases involving agrarian land, after the Department of Agrarian Reform issued a letter-certification stating that referral to it for preliminary determination is no longer required. On July 16, 1990, the lower court issu ed an Order denying the Motion to Intervene, [7] holding that Lanozos rights may well be ventilated in another proceeding in due time. After trial on the merits, the RTC of Valenzuela, branch 172 rendered its Decision on January 4, 1993, dismissing the Complaint and ordering petitioner to pay Victor P30,0