## Facts
This case revolves around disputes over portions of what was once known as Lot No. 733, Cad-305-D, Masantol Cadastre (Lot 733), in Barangay Bebe Anac, Masantol, Pampanga, Philippines, originally registered in the name of Ellen P. Mendoza, married to Moses Mendoza. The controversy began when Lot 733 was subdivided and sold in parts, leading to a series of litigations involving the Viray and Usi families over the rightful ownership and possession of the subdivided lots.
The detailed procedural posture involved numerous legal actions:
1. **Original sales and disputes**: On April 29, 1986, Ellen Mendoza sold portions of Lot 733 to Jesus Carlos Gerard Viray and the spouses Avelino Viray and Margarita Masangcay, which later resulted in contested ownership claims.
2. **Subdivision agreements**: On August 20, 1990, and April 5, 1991, purported co-owners of Lot 733, including Mendoza and the Usis, executed subdivision agreements leading to new titles being issued, which effectively obscured the original sales to the Virays.
3. The case reached the Supreme Court after a lengthy legal battle that saw decisions from the Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC), Regional Trial Court (RTC), and the Court of Appeals (CA) across various related cases concerning ownership, annulment of sale, and possession of the disputed lots.
## Issues
1. Whether the subdivision agreements validly transferred ownership of specific portions of Lot 733 to the Usi family.
2. Whether the previous sales to Viray were valid and superior to the claims made through the subdivision agreements.
3. Application of the doctrine of res judicata in barring the re-litigation of ownership and possession issues previously decided.
## Court’s Decision
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Viray family. It held that:
1. The subdivision agreements did not validly transfer ownership because they were not genuine partitions among co-owners but were, in effect, conveyances that conflicted with earlier valid sales to the Virays.
2. The sales to Viray in 1986 were valid and took precedence over subsequent subdivision agreements that attempted to redistribute the same portions of Lot 733 to the Usis.
3. The principle of res judicata applied, prohibiting the Usi family from contesting ownership and possession of the lots in question, as these issues had been conclusively settled in prior cases.
## Doctrine
– **Res Judicata**: Once a judgment becomes final, it is conclusive and binds the parties and their successors in interest in all other actions on the points and matters determined.
## Class Notes
1. **Validity of Sale vs. Subdivision Agreements**: This case underscores the importance of discerning between genuine partition among co-owners versus veiled attempts to reconvey property that has already been validly sold.
2. **Double Sale**: When the same property is sold to two or more buyers, the law provides mechanisms to determine who has the better right, prioritizing the first in time, provided there is good faith.
3. **Doctrine of Res Judicata**: This principle serves to end litigation by preventing parties from contesting the same issue in subsequent litigation once a court renders a final judgment.
## Historical Context
The case exhibits the complex interplay of property rights in the Philippines, subdivision and sale disputes, and the significance of legal principles such as res judicata in ensuring finality in judicial proceedings. The intricate procedural history highlights the challenges in land ownership and title documentation, calling attention to the need for vigilant legal compliance in property transactions.
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