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RepublicActNo.26September25,1946

ANACTPROVIDINGASPECIALPROCEDUREFORTHERECONSTITUTIONOFTORRENSCERTIFICATESOFTITLELOSTORDESTROYED

Section1.CertificatesoftitlelostordestroyedshallbereconstitutedinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofthisAct.

Section2.Originalcertificatesoftitleshallbereconstitutedfromsuchofthesourceshereunderenumeratedasmaybeavailable,inthefollowingorder:

(a)Theowner'sduplicateofthecertificateoftitle

(b)Thecoowner's,mortgagee's,orlessee'sduplicateofthecertificateoftitle

(c)Acertifiedcopyofthecertificateoftitle,previouslyissuedbytheregisterofdeedsorbyalegalcustodianthereof

(d)Anauthenticatedcopyofthedecreeofregistrationorpatent,asthecasemaybe,pursuanttowhichtheoriginalcertificateoftitlewasissued

(e)Adocument,onfileintheregistryofdeeds,bywhichtheproperty,thedescriptionofwhichisgiveninsaiddocument,ismortgaged,leasedorencumbered,oranauthenticatedcopyofsaiddocumentshowingthatitsoriginalhadbeenregisteredand

(f)Anyotherdocumentwhich,inthejudgmentofthecourt,issufficientandproperbasisforreconstitutingthelostordestroyedcertificateoftitle.

Section3.Transfercertificatesof titleshallbe reconstituted fromsuchof thesourceshereunderenumeratedasmaybeavailable,inthefollowingorder:

(a)Theowner'sduplicateofthecertificateoftitle

(b)Thecoowner's,mortgagee's,orlessee'sduplicateofthecertificateoftitle

(c)Acertifiedcopyofthecertificateoftitle,previouslyissuedbytheregisterofdeedsorbyalegalcustodianthereof

(d)Thedeedoftransferorotherdocument,onfileintheregistryofdeeds,containingthedescriptionoftheproperty, or an authenticated copy thereof, showing that its original had been registered, and pursuant towhichthelostordestroyedtransfercertificateoftitlewasissued

(e)Adocument,onfileintheregistryofdeeds,bywhichtheproperty,thedescriptionofwhichisgiveninsaiddocument,ismortgaged,leasedorencumbered,oranauthenticatedcopyofsaiddocumentshowingthatitsoriginalhadbeenregisteredand

(f)Anyotherdocumentwhich,inthejudgmentofthecourt,issufficientandproperbasisforreconstitutingthelostordestroyedcertificateoftitle.

Section4.Liensandotherencumbrancesaffectingadestroyedorlostcertificateoftitleshallbereconstitutedfromsuchofthesourceshereunderenumeratedasmaybeavailable,inthefollowingorder:

(a)Annotationsormemorandaappearingontheowner'scoowner'smortgagee'sorlessee'sduplicate

(b)Registereddocumentson file in the registryofdeeds,orauthenticatedcopies thereofshowing that theoriginalsthereofhadbeenregisteredand

(c)Anyotherdocumentwhich,inthejudgmentofthecourt,issufficientandproperbasisforreconstitutingtheliensorencumbrancesaffectingthepropertycoveredbythelostordestroyedcertificateoftitle.

Section5.Petitionsforreconstitutionfromsourcesenumeratedinsections2(a),2(b),3(a),3(b),and/or4(a)ofthisActmaybefiledwiththeregisterofdeedsconcernedbytheregisteredowner,hisassigns,orotherpersonhavinganinterestintheproperty.Thepetitionshallbeaccompaniedwiththenecessarysourcesforreconstitutionandwithan affidavit of the registered owner stating, among other things, that no deed or other instrument affecting thepropertyhadbeenpresentedforregistration,or,iftherebeany,thenaturethereof,thedateofitspresentation,aswell as the names of the parties, and whatever the registration of such deed or instrument is still pendingaccomplishment.Ifthereconstitutionistobemadefromanyofthesourcesenumeratedinsection2(b)or3(b),theaffidavit should further state that the owner's duplicate has been lost or destroyed and the circumstances underwhich it was lost or destroyed. Thereupon, the register of deeds shall, no valid reason to the contrary existing,reconstitutethecertificateoftitleasprovidedinthisAct.

Section6.Theregisterofdeedsmaymotupropioreconstituteacertificateof title fromitscorrespondingowner'sduplicate,and,forthispurpose,maycompeltheregisteredowner,oranypersonholdingsuchowner'sduplicate,tosurrenderthesametotheregistryofdeeds.Afterthereconstitutionsaidowner'sduplicateshallbereturnedtothepersonconcerned.

Section7.Reconstitutedcertificatesof titleshallhave thesamevalidityand legaleffectas theoriginals thereof:Provided,however,Thatcertificatesoftitlereconstitutedextrajudicially,inthemannerstatedinsectionsfiveandsixhereof,shallbewithoutprejudicetoanypartywhoserightorinterestinthepropertywasdulynotedintheoriginal,atthetimeitwaslostordestroyed,butentryornotationofwhichhasnotbeenmadeonthereconstitutedcertificateoftitle.Thisreservationshallbenotedasanencumbranceonthereconstitutedcertificateoftitle.

Section8.Anypersonwhoserightorinterestwasdulynotedintheoriginalofacertificateoftitle,atthetimeitwaslost or destroyed, but does not appear so noted on the reconstituted certificate of title, which is subject to thereservationprovided in theprecedingsection,may,whilesuchreservationsubsists, fileapetitionwith theproperCourtofFirst Instance for theannotationofsuch rightor interestonsaid reconstitutedcertificateof title,and thecourt,afternoticeandhearing,shalldeterminethemeritsofthepetitionandrendersuchjudgmentasjusticeandequitymayrequire.Thepetitionshallstatethenumberofthereconstitutedcertificateoftitleandthenature,aswellasadescription,oftherightorinterestclaimed.

Section9. A registered owner desiring to have his reconstituted certificate of title freed from the encumbrancementionedinsectionsevenofthisAct,mayfileapetitiontothatendwiththeproperCourtofFirstInstance,givinghisreasonorreasonstherefor.Asimilarpetitionmay,likewise,befiledbyamortgagee,lesseesorotherlienholderwhoseinterestisannotatedinthereconstitutedcertificateoftitle.Thereupon,thecourtshallcauseanoticeofthepetitiontobepublished,attheexpenseofthepetitioner,twiceinsuccessiveissuesoftheOfficialGazette,andtobepostedon themainentranceof theprovincial buildingandof themunicipal buildingof themunicipalityor city inwhichthelandlies,atleastthirtydayspriortothedateofhearing,andafterhearing,shalldeterminethepetitionandrendersuchjudgmentasjusticeandequitymayrequire.Thenoticeshallspecify,amongotherthings,thenumberofthe certificate of title, the name of the registered owner, the names of the interested parties appearing in thereconstitutedcertificateoftitle,thelocationoftheproperty,andthedateonwhichallpersonshavinganinterestinthepropertymustappearandfilesuchclaimastheymayhave.Thepetitionershall,atthehearing,submitproofofthepublicationandpostingofthenotice:Provided,however,Thataftertheexpirationoftwoyearsfromthedateofthereconstitutionofacertificateoftitle,ifnopetitionhasbeenfiledwithinthatperiodundertheprecedingsection,the court shall, on motion ex parte by the registered owner or other person having registered interest in thereconstitutedcertificateoftitle,ordertheregisterofdeedstocancel,properannotation,theencumbrancementionedinsectionsevenhereof.

Section10.Nothinghereinbeforeprovidedshallpreventanyregisteredownerorpersonin interestfromfilingthepetition mentioned in section five of this Act directly with the proper Court of First Instance, based on sourcesenumeratedinsections2(a),2(b),3(a),3(b),and/or4(a)ofthisAct:Provided,however,Thatthecourtshallcauseanoticeof thepetition,beforehearingandgrantingthesame,tobepublishedinthemannerstated insectionninehereof:Andprovided,further,Thatcertificatesof titlereconstitutedpursuanttothissectionshallnotbesubject totheencumbrancereferredtoinsectionsevenofthisAct.

Section11. Petitions for reconstitution of registered interests, liens andother encumbrances, basedon sourcesenumeratedinsections4(b)and/or4(c)ofthisAct,shallbefiled,bytheinterestedparty,withtheproperCourtofFirst Instance. The petition shall be accompanied with the necessary documents and shall state, among otherthings, the number of the certificate of title and the nature as well as a description of the interest, lien orencumbrancewhichistobereconstituted,andthecourt,afterpublication, inthemannerstatedinsectionnineofthisAct,andhearingshalldeterminethemeritsofthepetitionandrendersuchjudgmentasjusticeandequitymayrequire.

Section12.Petitions for reconstitution fromsourcesenumerated in sections2(c),2(d),2(e),2(f), 3(c),3(d),3(e)and/or3(f)ofthisAct,shallbefiledwiththeproperCourtofFirstInstance,bytheregisteredowner,hisassigns,oranypersonhavinganinterestintheproperty.Thepetitionshallstateorcontain,amongotherthings,thefollowing:(a)thattheowner'sduplicateofthecertificateoftitlehadbeenlostordestroyed(b)thatnocoowner'smortgagee'sor lessee'sduplicatehadbeen issued,or, if anyhadbeen issued, thesamehadbeen lostordestroyed (c) thelocation,areaandboundariesof theproperty (d) thenatureanddescriptionof thebuildingsor improvements, ifany,whichdonotbelongtotheowneroftheland,andthenamesandaddressesoftheownersofsuchbuildingsorimprovements (e) the names and addresses of the occupants or persons in possession of the property, of theowners of the adjoining properties and all persons who may have any interest in the property (f) a detaileddescription of the encumbrances, if any, affecting the property and (g) a statement that no deeds or otherinstrumentsaffectingthepropertyhavebeenpresentedforregistration,or, iftherebeany,theregistrationthereofhasnotbeenaccomplished,asyet.Allthedocuments,orauthenticatedcopiesthereof,tobeintroducedinevidenceinsupportofthepetitionforreconstitutionshallbeattachedtheretoandfiledwiththesame:Provided,Thatincasethereconstitutionistobemadeexclusivelyfromsourcesenumeratedinsection2(f)of3(f)ofthisAct,thepetitionshallbefurtherbeaccompaniedwithaplanandtechnicaldescriptionofthepropertydulyapprovedbytheChiefoftheGeneralLandRegistrationOffice,orwithacertifiedcopyofthedescriptiontakenfromapriorcertificateoftitlecoveringthesameproperty.

Section13.Thecourtshallcauseanoticeofthepetition,filedundertheprecedingsection,tobepublished,attheexpenseofthepetitioner,twiceinsuccessiveissuesoftheOfficialGazette,andtobepostedonthemainentranceoftheprovincialbuildingandofthemunicipalbuildingofthemunicipalityorcityinwhichthelandissituated,atleastthirtydayspriortothedateofhearing.Thecourtshalllikewisecauseacopyofthenoticetobesent,byregisteredmailorotherwise,attheexpenseofthepetitioner,toeverypersonnamedthereinwhoseaddressisknown,atleastthirty days prior to the date of hearing. Said notice shall state, among other things, the number of the lost ordestroyedcertificateoftitle,ifknown,thenameoftheregisteredowner,thenamesoftheoccupantsorpersonsinpossessionoftheproperty,theownersoftheadjoiningpropertiesandallotherinterestedparties,thelocation,areaandboundariesoftheproperty,andthedateonwhichallpersonshavinganyinterestthereinmustappearandfiletheirclaimorobjectionstothepetition.Thepetitionershall,atthehearing,submitproofofthepublication,postingandserviceofthenoticeasdirectedbythecourt.

Section14.Ifanypersonwithholds,refusesorfailswithinareasonabletimeafterrequest,toproduceadocumentorpaperwithoutwhichthereconstitutionofacertificateoftitle,oranylienorannotationaffectingthesame,cannotbefullyaccomplished,thecourtmay,onmotionandafternoticeandhearingordersuchpersontoproduceand/orsurrendersuchdocumentorpaperatthetimeandplacenamedintheorderandmayenforcethesamebysuitableprocess.

Section15. If the court, after hearing, finds that the documents presented, as supported by parole evidence orotherwise,aresufficientandpropertowarrantthereconstitutionofthelostordestroyedcertificateoftitle,andthatthepetitioneristheregisteredownerofthepropertyorhasaninteresttherein,thatthesaidcertificateoftitlewasinforce at the time it was lost or destroyed, and that the description, area and boundaries of the property aresubstantiallythesameasthosecontainedinthelostordestroyedcertificateoftitle,anorderofreconstitutionshallbe issued. The clerk of court shall forward to the register of deeds a certified copy of said order and all thedocumentswhich,pursuant tosaidorder,are tobeusedas thebasisof the reconstitution. If thecourt finds thatthereisnosufficientevidenceorbasistojustifythereconstitution,thepetitionshallbedismissed,butsuchdismissalshallnotprecludetherightofthepartyorpartiesentitledtheretotofileanapplicationforconfirmationofhisortheirtitleundertheprovisionsoftheLandRegistrationAct.

Section16.AfterthereconstitutionofacertificateoftitleundertheprovisionsofthisAct,theregisterofdeedsshallissue the corresponding owner's duplicate and the additional copies of said certificates of title, if any had beenpreviously issued,where such owner's duplicate and/or additional copies have been destroyed or lost. This factshallbenotedonthereconstitutedcertificateoftitle.

Section17.Theregisterofdeedsshallcertifyoneachcertificateoftitlereconstitutedthedateofthereconstitution,thesourceorsourcesfromwhichreconstitutionhasbeenaccomplished,andwhetheradministrativelyorjudicially.

Section18.Incaseacertificateoftitle,consideredlostordestroyed,befoundorrecovered,thesameshallprevailover the reconstituted certificate of title, and, if both titles appear in the nameof the same registered owner, allmemoranda of new liens or encumbrances, if any, made on the latter, after its reconstitution, except thememorandum of the reservation referred to in section seven of this Act, shall be transferred to the recoveredcertificateoftitle.Thereupon,theregisterofdeedsshallcancelthereconstitutedcertificateoftitleandspreadupontheowner'sduplicate,aswellasonthecoowner's,mortgagee'sorlessee'sduplicate,ifanyhasbeenissued,suchannotationsofsubsistingliensorencumbrancesasmayappearontherecoveredcertificateoftitle,cancellingatthesametimethememorandumofthereservationreferredtoinsectionsevenhereof:Provided,however,Thatifthereconstituted certificate of title has been cancelled by virtue of any deed or instrument, whether voluntary orinvoluntary,orbyanorderofthecourt,andanewcertificateoftitlehasbeenissued,therecoveredcertificateoftitleshallbelikewisecancelled,butallsubsistingliensorencumbrances,ifany,appearingthereonshallbetransferredto the new certificate of title and to its owner's duplicate, aswell as to any coowner's,mortgagee's or lessee'sduplicatethatmayhavebeenissued,thememorandumofthereservationreferredtoinsectionsevenofthisAct,ifany,beingtherebyipsofactocancelled.

Section19.Ifthecertificateoftitleconsideredlostordestroyed,andsubsequentlyfoundorrecovered,isnotinthenameofthesamepersoninwhosefavorthereconstitutedcertificateoftitlehasbeenissued,theregisterofdeedsshouldbringthematter totheattentionof theproperCourtofFirst Instance,which,afterduenoticeandhearing,shallorderthecancellationofthereconstitutedcertificateoftitleandrender,withrespecttothememorandaofnewliensorencumbrances,ifany,madeinthereconstitutedcertificateoftitle,afteritsreconstitution,suchjudgmentasjusticeandequitymayrequire:Provided,however,That,ifthereconstitutedcertificateoftitlehasbeencancelledbyvirtueofanydeedorinstrument,whethervoluntaryorinvoluntary,orbyanorderofthecourt,andanewcertificateoftitlehasbeenissued,theprocedureprescribedabove,withrespecttomemorandaofnewliensorencumbrancesmade on the reconstituted certificate of title, after its reconstitution, shall be followed with respect to the newcertificateof title,andtosuchnewliensorencumbrances, ifany,asmayhavebeenmadeonthe latterafter theissuancethereof.

Section20. If theregisteredowneroranyotherpersonwithholds, refusesor fails,withinareasonable timeafterrequest,toproducetheowner'sduplicateoranyotherduplicateofacertificateoftitle,forcancellationorannotationasprovided insectionseighteenandnineteenof thisAct, theregisterofdeedsshall report the fact to theproperCourt of First Instance and the court, after notice and hearing,may order the person concerned to produce theduplicate in his possession at the time and place named in the order, and may enforce the same by suitableprocess.

Section21.Inallcaseswherethereconstitutedcertificateoftitledoesnotcontainthefulltechnicaldescriptionofthe land,exceptwheresuch technicaldescription iscontained, inapriorcertificateof titlewhich isavailable, theregisteredownershall,withintwoyearsfromthedateofthereconstitution,fileaplanofsuchlandwiththeChiefoftheGeneralLandRegistrationOffice,who,afterapprovingthesame,shallfurnishtheregisterofdeedswithacopyofthetechnicaldescriptionofsaidlandforannotationonthepropercertificateoftitleandfile.Aftertheexpirationoftheperiodaboveprescribed,notransfercertificateoftitleshallbeissuedinpursuanceofanyvoluntaryinstrumentuntilsuchplanandtechnicaldescriptionshallhavebeenfiledandnotedasprovidedabove.

Section22.EverypetitionfiledwiththecourtunderthisActshallbesworntobythepetitionerorthepersonactinginhisbehalfandfiledandentitledinthelandregistrationorcadastralcaseinwhichthedecreeofregistrationwasentered. If thepetitionrelates toacertificateof titleoriginally issuedunder theprovisionsofsectiononehundredtwentytwoofActNumberedFourhundredandninetysixandthepropertyhasbeenincludedinacadastralsurvey,thepetitionshallbefiledinthecorrespondingcadastralcase:Provided,however,Thatwherethepropertyhasnotbeen included inacadastral survey,orwhere the land registrationor cadastral casehasbeen lostordestroyedand/or thenumber thereofcannotbe identified, thepetitionshallbe filed inaspecialcase tobeentitled"Specialproceedingsforreconstitutionoflostcertificateoftitle."

Section23.Nofeesshallbechargedfor thefilingofanypetitionunder thisAct,nor foranyservicerendered, inconnectiontherewithorincompliancewithanyprovisionofthisAct,bytheChiefoftheGeneralLandRegistrationOffice,clerksofCourtofFirstInstance,sheriffs,and/orregisterofdeeds.Anycertifiedcopyofdocumentorpaperthatmaybenecessary in the reconstitutionofacertificateof titleunder thisActshall,upon requestof thecourt,registerofdeeds,orChiefof theGeneralLandRegistrationOffice,be furnished freeof charge,byanyofficeorbranchoftheGovernment,includingGovernmentcontrolledcorporations,institutionsorinstrumentalities.

Section24.TheChiefoftheGeneralLandRegistrationOffice,withtheapprovaloftheSecretaryofJustice,shallissuerules,regulations,circularsandinstructions,andprescribesuchbooksandblankform,asmaybenecessarytocarryintoeffecttheprovisionsofthisAct.

Section25.Sectionsseventysix,seventysevenandeightynineofActNumberedThirtyonehundredandtenareherebydeclaredinoperative,insofarastheyprovideforthereconstitutionofcertificatesoftitle.

Section26.ThisActshalltakeeffectonitsapproval.

Approved:September25,1946

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