PIO SAN MELIZZA vs CITY OF ILOILO Case Digest
TITLE
Pio San Melizza, petitioner, vs. City of Iloilo,
University of the Philippines and The Court Appeals, respondents.
FACTS
Juliana Melliza a land with a total area of Lot No. 1214 was 29,073
square meters. She donated part of the land to the City of Iloilo and sold the
remaining part to Remedios Sian Villanueva. Remedios in turn on November 4,
1946 transferred her rights to said portion of land to Pio Sian Melliza, who
obtained Transfer Certificate of Title No. 2492 thereover in his name. On
December 10, 1955 Pio Sian Melliza filed an action in the Court of First
Instance of Iloilo against Iloilo City and the University of the Philippines
for recovery of Lot 1214-B or of its value.
The defendants answered, contending that Lot 1214-B was included in the
public instrument executed by Juliana Melliza in favor of Iloilo municipality
in 1932. After stipulation of facts and trial, the Court of First Instance
rendered its decision on August 15, 1957, dismissing the complaint.
Pio Sian Melliza appealed to the Court of Appeals. In its decision on
May 19, 1965, the Court of Appeals affirmed the interpretation of the Court of
First Instance, that the portion of Lot 1214 sold by Juliana Melliza was not
limited to the 10,788 square meters specifically mentioned but included
whatever was needed for the construction of avenues, parks and the city hall
site. Nonetheless, it ordered the remand of the case for reception of evidence
to determine the area actually taken by Iloilo City for the construction of
avenues, parks and for city hall site. The
decision appealed from is affirmed in so far as it affirms that of the Court of
First Instance, and the complaint in this case is dismissed.
ISSUE
Whether or not Pio San Melizza has the right to
claim the portion of the lot 1214 that has been donated by Julianna Melizza to the City of Iloilo.
HELD
No.It is clear and annotated in the back of the
title of Lot 1214 which Pio San Melizza has acquired from Remedios Sian
Villanueva that a portion of 10,788 square meters of Lot 1214 now designated as
Lots Nos. 1214-B-2 and 1214-B-3 of the subdivision plan belongs to the
Municipality of Iloilo as per instrument dated November 15, 1932. The City of
Iloilo has the full ownership with the said part of the Lot 1214 and has the
right to donate it to whomever they wish to award it. The court ruled that the
instrument executed by Juliana Melliza in favor of Iloilo municipality included
in the conveyance Lot 1214-B. In support of this conclusion, it referred to the
portion of the instrument stating and ruled that this meant that Juliana
Melliza not only sold Lots 1214-C and 1214-D but also such other portions of
lots as were necessary for the municipal hall site, such as Lot 1214-B. And
thus it held that Iloilo City had the right to donate Lot 1214-B to the U.P.
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