THE HEIRS OF CLARO LAURETA VS.

INTERMEDIATE APPELLATE COURT, MARCOS MATA AND CODICI MATA

FACTS: Petitioners are all heirs of the late Claro Laureta, substituting for their father, who died, when during the litigation
of the case in the lower court.

Marcos and Codici Mata are spouses and when Marcos Mata passed away during the pendency of the case, his heirs
likewise substituted for him.

June 10, 1945- Marcos Mata conveyed a large tract of agricultural land in favor of Claro Laureta. The deed of absolute
sale in favor of Laureta was not registered because it was not acknowledged before a notary public or any authorized
officer, since no one was available to do so because the civil government in Tagum, Davao was not yet organized.

Mata delivered to Laureta, the land together with pertinent papers like the owners duplicate of the OCT, sketch plan, tax
declaration, tax receipts and other papers. Since then, Laureta has been in continuous occupation of said land without
being disturbed by Mata. Laureta has also been paying the realty taxes thereon and had introduced improvements on
the property.

May 5, 1947, the same land was sold by Mata to Fermin Caram, Jr. The deed of sale was acknowledged before Atty.
Aportadera.

May 22, 1947, Marcos Mata filed with the CFI-Davao, a petition for the issuance of a new Owners duplicate of OCT
alleging that the title was lost in the evacuation place of Mata in Tagum, Davao City. A new Owners duplicate of title no.
3019 was issued and declaring the lost title as null and void.

Dec. 9, 1947- the second sale was registered with the Register of Deeds and TCT No. 140 was issued in the name of
Caram.

June 25, 1959- Laureta filed in CFI-Davao an action for nullity, recovery of ownership and/or reconveyance with damages
against Sps. Mata and Caram and the Register of Deeds of Davao., docketed as Civil case no. 3083.

The trial court ruled in favor of Laureta. It ordered the Register of Deeds for the City and Province of Davao to cancel
TCT No. 140 in the name of Caram. The Register of Deeds was directed to issue a new title in favor of Laureta upon
presentation of the deed executed by Mata in his favor, duly acknowledged by him and approved by the Sec. of
Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The CA likewise affirmed in full the decision of the CFI- Davao.

From this decision of the CA, two separate petitions were filed before the SC:
Petition filed by the Mata spouses against Laureta- denied for lack of merit. Became final and executory on July
26, 1968 when entry of judgment was made.

Petition of Caram against Laureta- given due course. February 24, 1981, the petition of Caram was dismissed
and decision of CA was upheld. Judgment became final and executory on Feb. 12, 1982.

The new deed of sale was acknowledged by the Clerk of Court , approved by the Minister
Of Natural Resources and TCT No. T 46346 was issued in the name of Laureta.

February 23, 1979, the Sps. Mata filed with CFI- Davao an action for recovery of ownership and possession of said land,
docketed as Civil Case No. 1071. Deed of sale executed by Marcos Mata in favor of Laureta was null and void and or
unenforceable since the same had not been approved by the Sec. of Agriculture as required by law and as directed by
CFI-Davao. Said decision cannot be enforced for having prescribed.

April 20, 1983- Trial court rendered a decision on the Civil Case returning the land to the Matas. On appeal, the court
affirmed this decision in toto.

ISSUE: Whether or not petitioners could still validly execute, enforce and/or comply with the judgment rendered by the
CFI-Davao on February 29, 1964 in Civil Case no. 3083 at the time private respondents filed Civil case No. 1071 against
the petitioners on February 23, 1979.
HELD: YES.
Both the CFI and CA adopted the ten year statutory limit based on the date of entry of judgment , which is July 26, 1968.
The Matas contention was that the date should be Feb. 24, 1982, when Carams petition was dismissed by this Court.

The matter was adjudicated in favor of Laureta on July 26, 1968, with finality. Caram had no participation in the case
between Laureta and Matas. In the event that the matter was adjudicated in favor of Caram, he can get back ownership
from Laureta. Caram, however, eventually lost.

This case did not involve several or separate judgments, but one complete integrated judgment, against all the
appellants and their claims therein could not be the subject of separate executory processes.

The Court ruled in favor of the first sale made to Laureta and against the legality of the subsequent sale to Caram.
Carams validity of title depended largely on whether he had knowledge, actual or constructive, of the prior sale to
Laureta.

The ten year period commenced to run only on February 12, 1982 when the decision denying Carams petition became
final and executory and the judgment appealed from is reversed and set aside. Civil case no. 1071 of the RTC-Davao
is dismissed.