Bongato V Malvar

TERESITA BONGATO, Petitioner, v. Spouses SEVERO A. MALVAR and TRINIDAD MALVAR, Respondents.
G.R. No. 141614. August 14, 2002
Topic: Accion Publiciana and Accion Reinvindicatoria (Nature of Action)
Facts:
The spouses Severo and Trinidad Malvar filed a complaint for forcible entry against petitioner Teresita Bongato,
alleging that petitioner unlawfully entered their parcel of land and erected thereon a house of light materials.
The petitioners filed a motion for extension of time to file an answer which the MTCC denied; saying that it
prescribed under the rule on Summary Procedure, and likewise containing no notice of hearing.
MTCC rendered a decision ordering petitioners to vacate the land in question, pay the rentals, attorney’s fees and
the costs of suit.
Subsequently, a criminal case for anti-squatting was filed by private respondents Malvar against petitioner, Bongato.
Petitioner’s contention:
Petitioner claims that the MTCC had no jurisdiction, because the Complaint for forcible entry was filed only in 1992
or beyond the one-year period provided under the Rules of Civil Procedure.
Respondent’s Arguments:
Respondents contend that the subject of the anti-squatting case is different from the parcel of land involved here.
MTC ruling:
the MTCC rendered a decision ordering petitioner to vacate the land in question, and to pay rentals, attorneys fees,
and the costs of the suit. The decision was affirmed by respondent RTC judge. Petitioner filed a motion for
reconsideration.
CA Ruling:
CA held that the lot referred to in the present controversy was different from that involved in the anti-squatting
case. It further ruled that the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) had jurisdiction, and that it did not err in
rejecting petitioners Motion to Dismiss. The appellate court reasoned that the MTCC had passed upon the issue of
ownership of the property merely to determine possession -- an action that did not oust the latter of its jurisdiction.
ISSUE:
Whether or not the MTCC had jurisdiction since the Complaint was filed beyond the one-year period from date of
alleged entry?
SC Ruling:
SC Ruled in the negative.
In forcible entry, one employs (FISTS) force, intimidation, threat, strategy or stealth to deprive another of
physical possession of land or building
to deprive another physical possession of land or building. Thus, plaintiff must allege and prove prior
physical possession of the property in litigation until deprived thereof by defendant. Sole question for
resolution hinges on the physical or material possession of the property. Neither a claim of juridical possession nor
an averment of ownership by the defendant can out rightly prevent the court
from taking cognizance of the case. Ejectment cases proceed independently of any claim of ownership
and the plaintiff needs merely to prove prior possession de facto and undue deprivation thereof.
In the present case, the lower court lacked jurisdiction in this case. First, the house of petitioner was actually
situated in the lot subject of the anti-squatting case and not on the lot of the spouses. Second, the house has
been in existence prior to the alleged date of forcible entry. Third, the respondents had knowledge of the
existence of the house long before the alleged date of entry.
Forcible entry is a quieting process, and that the restrictive time bar is prescribed to complement the
summary nature of the process. Indeed, the one-
year period within which to bring an action for forcible entry is
generally counted from the date of actual entry to the land. However, when entry is made through
stealth, then the one-year period is counted from the time plaintiff knew about it.
After the lapse of the one-year period, the party dispossessed of a parcel of land may file either an Accion
Publiciana, which is a plenary action to recover the right to possession, or an Accion Reivindicatoria, which is an
action to recover ownership as well as possession.
On the basis of the foregoing facts, it is clear that the cause of action for forcible entry filed by respondents had
already prescribed when they filed the Complaint for ejectment on July 10, 1992. Hence, even if Severo Malvar may
be the owner of the land, possession thereof cannot be wrested through a summary action for ejectment of
petitioner, who had been occupying it for more than one (1) year. Respondents should have presented their suit
before the RTC in an Accion Publiciana or an Accion Reivindicatoria, not before the MTCC in summary proceedings
for forcible entry. Their cause of action for forcible entry had prescribed already, and the MTCC had no more
jurisdiction to hear and decide it.
Conclusion:
An action for forcible entry is a quieting process that is summary in nature. It is designed to recover physical
possession in speedy proceedings that are restrictive in nature, scope and time limits. The one-year bar within which
to bring the suit is prescribed to complement its summary nature. Thus, after the one-year period has lapsed,
plaintiffs can no longer avail themselves of the summary proceedings in the municipal trial court but must litigate, in
the normal course, in the regional trial court in an ordinary action to recover possession, or to recover both
ownership and possession.

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TERESITA BONGATO, Petitioner, v. Spouses SEVERO A. MALVAR and TRINIDAD MALVAR, Respondents.

G.R. No. 141614. August 14, 2002

Topic: Accion Publiciana and Accion Reinvindicatoria (Nature of Action)

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