G.R. No. 183290* - DEPARTMENT REFORM, SECRETARY OF AGRARIAN REPRESENTED BY NASSER C. PANGANDAMAN, VS. SPOUSES DIOSDADO STA. ROMANA AND RESURRECCION 0. RAMOS, REPRESENTED BY AURORA STA. ROMANA, PURIFICACION C. DAEZ, REPRESENTED BY EFREN D. VILLALUZ AND ROSAURO D. VILLALUZ, AND SPOUSES LEANDRO C. SEVI

Ruling

WHEREFORE , the petition is DENIED insofar as it seeks to sustain the valuation of the 21.2192-hectare portion of respondents' property made by the Land Bank of the Philippines. The Decision dated March 27, 2008 and the Resolution dated June 12, 2008 rendered by the Court of Appeals in CA­ G.R. SP Nos. 93132 and 93240 upholding the said valuation which did not consider the factors enumerated under Section 17 of Republic Act No. 6657, as amended, are hereby REVERSED and SET ASIDE . The Department of Agrarian Reform's petition stemming from AGR. Case No. 1163-G is REMANDED to the Regional Trial Court of Guimba, Nueva Ecija, Branch 33 for reception of evidence on the issue of just compensation in accordance with the guidelines set in this Decision. The trial court is directed to conduct the proceedings in said case with reasonable dispatch and to submit to the Court a report on its findings and recommended conclusions within sixty (60) days from notice of this Decision. SO ORDERED.