80 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Sajonas vs. Court of Appeals

the claimed right together with other datas pertinent thereto. The
VOL. 258, JULY 5, 1996 79 registration of an adverse claim is expressly recognized under
Section 70 of P.D. No. 1529.
Sajonas vs. Court of Appeals
Same; Land Registration; Torrens System; Under the Torrens
* system, registration is the operative act which gives validity to the
G.R. No. 102377. July 5, 1996.
transfer or creates a lien upon the land.—Under the Torrens
system, registration is the operative act which gives validity to
ALFREDO SAJONAS and CONCHITA SAJONAS, the transfer or creates a lien upon the land. A person dealing with
petitioners, vs. THE COURT OF APPEALS, DOMINGO A. registered land is not required to go behind the register to
PILARES, SHERIFF ROBERTO GARCIA OF QUEZON determine the condition of the property. He is only charged with
CITY and REGISTER OF DEEDS OF MARIKINA, notice of the burdens on the property which are noted on the face
respondents. of the register or certificate of title.
Same; Same; Same; One who buys without checking the
Land Titles; Adverse Claims; Annotation of an adverse claim vendor’s title takes all the risks and losses consequent to such
is a measure designed to protect the interest of a person over a failure.—While it is true that under the provisions of the Property
piece of real property where the registration of such interest or Registration Decree, deeds of conveyance of property registered
right is not otherwise provided for by the Land Registration Act or under the system, or any interest therein only take effect as a
Act 496 (now P.D. 1529) and serves a warning to third parties conveyance to bind the land upon its registration, and that a
dealing with said property that someone is claiming an interest on purchaser is not required to explore further than what the
the same or a better right than that of the registered owner thereof. Torrens title, upon its face, indicates in quest for any hidden
—Concededly, annotation of an adverse claim is a measure defect or inchoate right that may subsequently defeat his right
designed to protect the interest of a person over a piece of real thereto, nonetheless, this rule is not absolute. Thus, one who buys
property where the registration of such interest or right is not from the registered owner need not have to look behind the
otherwise provided for by the Land Registration Act or Act 496 certificate of title, he is, nevertheless, bound by the liens and
(now P.D. 1529 or the Property Registration Decree), and serves a encumbrances annotated thereon. One who buys without checking
warning to third parties dealing with said property that someone the vendor’s title takes all the risks and losses consequent to such
is claiming an interest on the same or a better right than that of failure.
the registered owner thereof. Such notice is registered by filing a
Statutory Construction; Taken in solitude, a word or phrase
sworn statement with the Register of Deeds of the province where
might easily convey a meaning quite different from the one
the property is located, setting forth the basis of
actually intended and evident when a word or phrase is considered
with those with which it is associated.—In construing the law
______________________________ aforesaid, care should be taken that every part thereof be given
effect and a construction that could render a provision inoperative
* SECOND DIVISION. should be avoided, and inconsistent provisions should be
reconciled whenever possible as parts of a harmonious whole. For
taken in solitude, a word or phrase might easily convey a meaning
80 quite different from the one actually intended and evident when a
word or phrase is considered with those with which it is
associated. In ascertaining the period of effectivity of an (now P.D. 1529 or the Property Registration Decree), and serves
inscription of adverse claim, we must read the law in its entirety. as a warning to third parties dealing with said property that
someone is claiming an interest on the same or a better right than
81 the registered owner thereof.
Land Titles; Adverse Claims; Writs of Execution; A notice of
VOL. 258, JULY 5, 1996 81 levy cannot prevail over an existing adverse claim inscribed on the
certificate of title.—In sum, the disputed inscription of adverse
Sajonas vs. Court of Appeals claim

Same; Each statute must be construed as to harmonize it with 82

the pre-existing body of laws.—A statute’s clauses and phrases

must not be taken separately, but in its relation to the statute’s
totality. Each statute must, in fact, be construed as to harmonize
82 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
it with the pre-existing body of laws. Unless clearly repugnant,
provisions of statutes must be reconciled. The printed pages of the Sajonas vs. Court of Appeals
published Act, its history, origin, and its purposes may be
examined by the courts in their construction.
on the Transfer Certificate of Title No. N-79073 was still in effect
Same; P.D. 1529; Land Titles; Adverse Claims; P.D. 1529, on February 12, 1985 when Quezon City Sheriff Roberto Garcia
taken together, simply means that the cancellation of the adverse annotated the notice of levy on execution thereto. Consequently,
claim is still necessary to render it ineffective, otherwise the he is charged with knowledge that the property sought to be
inscription will remain annotated and shall continue as a lien levied upon on execution was encumbered by an interest the same
upon the property.—Construing the provision as a whole would as or better than that of the registered owner thereof. Such notice
reconcile the apparent inconsistency between the portions of the of levy cannot prevail over the existing adverse claim inscribed on
law such that the provision on cancellation of adverse claim by the certificate of title in favor of the petitioners.
verified petition would serve to qualify the provision on the
Same; Same; Sales; Words and Phrases; “Purchaser in Good
effectivity period. The law, taken together, simply means that the
Faith,” Defined.—A purchaser in good faith and for value is one
cancellation of the adverse claim is still necessary to render it
who buys property of another without notice that some other
ineffective, otherwise, the inscription will remain annotated and
person has a right to or interest in such property and pays a full
shall continue as a lien upon the property. For if the adverse
and fair price for the same, at the time of such purchase, or before
claim has already ceased to be effective upon the lapse of said
he has notice of the claims or interest of some other person in the
period, its cancellation is no longer necessary and the process of
property. Good faith consists in an honest intention to abstain
cancellation would be a useless ceremony.
from taking any unconscientious advantage of another.
Same; Same; Same; Same; To interpret the effectivity period of
Same; The Land Registration Act (Property Registration
the adverse claim as absolute and without qualification limited to
Decree) guarantees to every purchaser of registered land in good
thirty days defeats the very purpose for which the statute provides
faith that they can take and hold the same free from any and all
for the remedy of an inscription of adverse claim.—To interpret
prior claims, liens and encumbrances except those set forth on the
the effectivity period of the adverse claim as absolute and without
Certificate of Title and those expressly mentioned in the ACT as
qualification limited to thirty days defeats the very purpose for
having been preserved against it.—At any rate, the Land
which the statute provides for the remedy of an inscription of
Registration Act (Property Registration Decree) guarantees to
adverse claim, as the annotation of an adverse claim is a measure
every purchaser of registered land in good faith that they can take
designed to protect the interest of a person over a piece of real
and hold the same free from any and all prior claims, liens and
property where the registration of such interest or right is not
encumbrances except those set forth on the Certificate of Title
otherwise provided for by the Land Registration Act or Act 496
and those expressly mentioned in the ACT as having been
preserved against it. Otherwise, the efficacy of the conclusiveness
of the Certificate of Title which the Torrens system seeks to
insure would be futile and nugatory.

PETITION for review on certiorari of a decision of the

Court of Appeals.

The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.

     Melchor R. Flores for petitioners.

     Padilla Law Office for private respondents.

83

VOL. 258, JULY 5, 1996 83

Sajonas vs. Court of Appeals

TORRES, JR., J.:

A word or group of words conveys intentions. When used

truncatedly, its meaning disappears and breeds conflict.
Thus, it is written—“By thy words shalt thou be justified,
and by thy words shalt thou be condemned.” (Matthew,
12:37) Construing the new words of a statute separately is
the raison d’etre of this appeal.
Essentially, the case before us is for cancellation of the
inscription of a Notice of Levy on Execution from a
Certificate of Title covering a parcel of real property. The
inscription was caused to be made by the private
respondent on Transfer Certificate of Title No. N-79073 of
the Register of Deeds of Ma-rikina, issued in the name of
the spouses Ernesto B. Uychocde and Lucita Jarin, and
was later carried over to and annotated on Transfer
Certificate of Title No. N-109417 of the same registry,
issued in the name of the spouses Alfredo Sajonas and
Conchita R. Sajonas, who purchased the parcel of land from
the Uychocdes, and are now the petitioners in this case.
The facts are not disputed, and are hereby reproduced as
follows:

“On September 22, 1983, the spouses Ernesto Uychocde and

Lucita Jarin agreed to sell a parcel of residential land located in
Antipolo, Rizal to the spouses Alfredo Sajonas and Conchita R.