dated December 21, 2001, of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. SP No. 62081 entitled "Republic of the Philippines (Represented by the Lands Management Bureau) v. Court of First Instance (CFI) of Palawan (now Regional Trial Court), Seventh Judicial District, Branch II presided over by Former Distri

Ruling

WHEREFORE, the instant petition is GRANTED . The decision of the then Court of First Instance of Palawan, Branch II, dated December 15, 1977, in Land Registration Case No. N-21, LRC Record No. N-44308 is hereby declared NULL and VOID . Accordingly, Decree No. N-172081 and the corresponding Original Certificate of Title No. 4295 issued in the name of the Heirs of Pedro S. Palanca, as well as the subsequent Transfer Certificates of Title Nos. T-7095, T-7096, T-10396, T-10397, T-10398, T-10399, T-10410 and T-10884 and all subsequent TCTs issued thereafter are also declared NULL and VOID. Private respondents Heirs of Pedro S. Palanca are DIRECTED to surrender said transfer certificates of title to public respondent Register of Deeds of Palawan; and the latter is also DIRECTED to cause the cancellation thereof. SO ORDERED.