Mapa vs Insular Government G.R. No. L-4195, Feb.

18, 1908 S llabus

1. AGRICULTURAL PUBLIC LANDS DEFINED. The phrase agricul ural pu!lic la"#s$ #e%i"e# !& he ac '% C'"gress '% (ul& 1) 1*+,) -hich phrase is als' ' !e %'u"# i" se.eral sec i'"s '% he Pu!lic La"# Ac /N'. *,01) 2ea"s h'se pu!lic la"#s ac3uire# %r'2 Spai" -hich are "ei her 2i"eral "'r i2!er la"#s.

Fa!ts" 4 The pe i i'"er s'ugh ' ha.e regis ere# a rac '% la"# '% a!'u 10 hec ares i" e5 e" ) si ua e# i" Il'il'. 4 Fr'2 he e.i#e"ce a##uce# i appears ha he la"# i" 3ues i'" is l'-la"#) a"# has !ee" i" errup e#l&) %'r 2're ha" ,+ &ears) i" he p'ssessi'" '% he pe i i'"er a"# his a"ces 'rs as '-"ers a"# he sa2e has !ee" use# #uri"g he sai# peri'#) a"# up ' he prese" ) as %ish p'"#s) "ipa la"#s) a"# sal #ep'si s. The -i "esses #eclare he la"# is %ar %r'2 he sea) he '-" '% 6'l' !ei"g !e -ee" he sea a"# he sai# la"#. 4 The clai2 '% he A &. Ge"eral see2s ' !e ha "' la"#s ca" !e calle# agricul ural la"#s u"less he& are such !& heir "a ure. 7e clai2s ha i is "' a" agricul ural la"# a"# here%'re) ca""' !e #isp'se# '% "'r ca" !e all'-e# %'r h'2es ea#. 4 (u#g2e" -as re"#ere# i" %a.'r '% he pe i i'"er a"# he G'.er"2e" has appeale#. 4 A 2' i'" %'r a "e- rial -as 2a#e a"# #e"ie# i" he c'ur !el'4 The #ecisi'" '% he c'ur -as !ase# up'" Ac N'. *,0 Sec i'" 89) par. 0 -hich pr'.i#es ha All pers'"s -h' !& he2sel.es 'r heir pre#ecess'rs i" i" eres ha.e !ee" i" he 'pe") c'" i"u'us) e5clusi.e) a"# "' 'ri'us p'ssessi'" a"# 'ccupa i'" '% agricul ural pu!lic la"#s) as #e%i"e# !& sai# Ac '% C'"gress '% (ul& 1) 1*+,) u"#er a !'"a %i#e clai2 '% '-"ership e5cep as agai"s he G'.er"2e" ) %'r a peri'# '% 1+ &ears "e5 prece#i"g he a:i"g e%%ec '% his Ac ) e5cep -he" pre.e" e# !& -ar) 'r %'rce 2a;eure) shall !e c'"clusi.el& presu2e# ' ha.e per%'r2e# all he c'"#i i'"s esse" ial ' a G'.er"2e" gra" a"# ' ha.e recei.e# he sa2e) a"# shall !e e" i le# ' a cer i%ica e '% i le ' such la"# u"#er he pr'.isi'"s '% his chap er. Issue" <he her 'r "' he la"# i" c'" r'.ers& is agricul ural la"# -i hi" he 2ea"i"g '% Ac . N'. *,0 Rul#n$" =es 4 The phrase agricul ural pu!lic la"#s$ #e%i"e# !& he Ac '% C'"gress '% (ul& 1) 1*+,) -hich phrase is als' ' !e %'u"# i" se.eral sec i'" '% he Pu!lic La"# Ac /N'. *,01) 2ea"s h'se pu!lic la"#s ac3uire# %r'2 Spai" -hich are "ei her 2i"eral "'r i2er la"#s.

>? -ha la"#s are agricul ural i" "a ure@ A? he A &. Ge"eral hi2sel% sa&s ha he 2's ari# 2'u" ai" a"# he p''res s'il are suscep i!le '% cul i.a i'" !& he ha"# '% 2a".$