Case Digest: City of Pasig & Assessor v. Republic
G.R. No. 185023 : August 24, 2011
CITY OF PASIG REPRESENTED BY THE CITY TREASURER AND THE CITY ASSESSOR, Petitioner, v. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REPRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE, Respondent.
CARPIO, J.:
FACTS:
Mid-Pasig Land Development Corporation (MPLDC) owned two parcels of land, with a total area of 18.4891 hectares, situated in Pasig City. The properties are covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) Nos. 337158 and 469702 and Tax Declaration Nos.E-030-01185 and E-030-01186 under the name of MPLDC.Portions of the properties are leased to different business establishments.
In 1986, the registered owner of MPLDC, Jose Y. Campos (Campos), voluntarily surrendered MPLDC to the Republic of the Philippines.
On 30 September 2002, the Pasig City Assessors Office sent MPLDC two notices of tax delinquency for its failure to pay real property tax on the properties for the period 1979 to 2001 totaling P256,858,555.86. In a letter dated 29 October 2002, Independent Realty Corporation (IRC) President Ernesto R.Jalandoni(Jalandoni) and Treasurer Rosario Razon informed the Pasig City Treasurer that the tax for the period 1979 to 1986 had been paid, and that the properties were exempt from tax beginning 1987.
In letters dated 10 July 2003 and 8 January 2004, the Pasig City Treasurer informed MPLDC and IRC that the properties were not exempt from tax. In a letter dated 16 February 2004, MPLDC General Manager Antonio Merelos(Merelos) andJalandoniagain informed the Pasig City Treasurer that the properties were exempt from tax. In a letter dated 11 March 2004, the Pasig City Treasurer again informed Merelos that the properties were not exempt from tax.
On 20 October 2005, the Pasig City Assessors Office sent MPLDC a notice of final demand for payment of tax for the period 1987 to 2005 totaling P389,027,814.48. On the same day, MPLDC paidP2,000,000partial payment under protest.
On 9 November 2005, MPLDC received two warrants of levy on the properties. On 1 December 2005, respondent Republic of the Philippines, through the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), filed with the RTC a petition for prohibition with prayer for issuance of a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction to enjoin petitioner Pasig City from auctioning the properties and from collecting real property tax.
On 2 December 2005, the Pasig City Treasurer offered the properties for sale at public auction. Since there was no other bidder, Pasig City bought the properties and was issued the corresponding certificates of sale.
On 19 December 2005, PCGG filed with the RTC an amended petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against Pasig City.
RTC granted the petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus.
Pasig City appealed to the Court of Appeals. In its 31 March 2008 Decision, the Court of Appeals set aside the RTCs 6 November 2006 Decision.
Hence, the present petition.
ISSUES:
CITY OF PASIG REPRESENTED BY THE CITY TREASURER AND THE CITY ASSESSOR, Petitioner, v. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REPRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE, Respondent.
CARPIO, J.:
FACTS:
Mid-Pasig Land Development Corporation (MPLDC) owned two parcels of land, with a total area of 18.4891 hectares, situated in Pasig City. The properties are covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) Nos. 337158 and 469702 and Tax Declaration Nos.E-030-01185 and E-030-01186 under the name of MPLDC.Portions of the properties are leased to different business establishments.
In 1986, the registered owner of MPLDC, Jose Y. Campos (Campos), voluntarily surrendered MPLDC to the Republic of the Philippines.
On 30 September 2002, the Pasig City Assessors Office sent MPLDC two notices of tax delinquency for its failure to pay real property tax on the properties for the period 1979 to 2001 totaling P256,858,555.86. In a letter dated 29 October 2002, Independent Realty Corporation (IRC) President Ernesto R.Jalandoni(Jalandoni) and Treasurer Rosario Razon informed the Pasig City Treasurer that the tax for the period 1979 to 1986 had been paid, and that the properties were exempt from tax beginning 1987.
In letters dated 10 July 2003 and 8 January 2004, the Pasig City Treasurer informed MPLDC and IRC that the properties were not exempt from tax. In a letter dated 16 February 2004, MPLDC General Manager Antonio Merelos(Merelos) andJalandoniagain informed the Pasig City Treasurer that the properties were exempt from tax. In a letter dated 11 March 2004, the Pasig City Treasurer again informed Merelos that the properties were not exempt from tax.
On 20 October 2005, the Pasig City Assessors Office sent MPLDC a notice of final demand for payment of tax for the period 1987 to 2005 totaling P389,027,814.48. On the same day, MPLDC paidP2,000,000partial payment under protest.
On 9 November 2005, MPLDC received two warrants of levy on the properties. On 1 December 2005, respondent Republic of the Philippines, through the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), filed with the RTC a petition for prohibition with prayer for issuance of a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction to enjoin petitioner Pasig City from auctioning the properties and from collecting real property tax.
On 2 December 2005, the Pasig City Treasurer offered the properties for sale at public auction. Since there was no other bidder, Pasig City bought the properties and was issued the corresponding certificates of sale.
On 19 December 2005, PCGG filed with the RTC an amended petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against Pasig City.
RTC granted the petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus.
Pasig City appealed to the Court of Appeals. In its 31 March 2008 Decision, the Court of Appeals set aside the RTCs 6 November 2006 Decision.
Hence, the present petition.
ISSUES:
1) Whether the lower courts erred in granting PCGGs petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus and
2) Whether the lower courts erred in ordering Pasig City to assess and collect real property tax from the lessees of the properties.
HELD: The petition is partly meritorious.
CIVIL LAW: the republic is the owner of the property
As correctly found by the RTC and the Court of Appeals, the Republic of the Philippines owns the properties. Campos voluntarily surrendered MPLDC, which owned the properties, to the Republic of the Philippines. In Republic of the Philippines v. Sandiganbayan, the Court stated:
xxxJose Y. Campos, a confessed crony of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, voluntarily surrendered or turned over to the PCGG the properties, assets and corporations he held in trust for the deposed President. Among the corporations he surrendered were the Independent Realty Corporation and the Mid-Pasig Land Development Corporation.
InRepublic of the Philippines v. Sandiganbayan, the Court stated:
The antecedent facts are stated by the Solicitor General as follows:
xxxx
3. Sometime in the later part of August 1987, defendant Jose D. Campos, Jr., having been served with summons on August 5, 1987, filed with the respondent Court an undated Manifestation and Motion to Dismiss Complaint with Respect to Jose D. Campos praying that he be removed as party defendant from the complaint on the grounds that he had voluntarily surrendered or turned over any share in his name on [sic] any of the corporations referred to, aside from disclaiming any interest, ownership or rightthereonto the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and that he was entitled to the immunity granted by the Presidential Commission on Good Government pursuant to Executive Order No. 14, under the Commissions Resolution dated May 28, 1986 to Mr. Jose Y. Campos and his family he being a member of the immediate family of Jose Y. Campos.
xxxx
In the instant case, the PCGG issued a resolution dated May 28, 1986, granting immunity from both civil and criminal prosecutions to Jose Y. Campos and his family. The pertinent provisions of the resolution read as follows:
3.0. In consideration of the full cooperation of Mr. Jose Y. Campos to this Commission, his voluntary surrender of the properties and assets disclosed and declared by him to belong to deposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, his full, complete and truthful disclosures, and his commitment to pay a sum of money as determined by the Philippine Government, this Commission has decided and agreed:
xxxx
Undoubtedly, this resolution embodies a compromise agreement between the PCGG on one hand and Jose Y. Campos on the other. Hence, in exchange for the voluntary surrender of the ill-gotten properties acquired by the then President Ferdinand E. Marcos and his family which were in Jose Campos control, the latter and his family were given full immunity in both civil and criminal prosecutions. xxx
xxxx
By virtue of the PCGGs May 28, 1986 resolution, Jose Campos, Jr. was given full immunity from both civil and criminal prosecutions in exchange for the full cooperation of Mr. Jose Y. Campos to this Commission, his voluntary surrender of the properties and assets disclosed and declared by him to belong to deposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, his full, complete and truthful disclosures, and his commitment to pay a sum of money as determined by the Philippine Government. In addition, Campos, Jr. had already waived and surrendered to the Republic his registered equity interest in the Marcos/Romualdezcorporations involved in the civil case.
Even as the Republic of the Philippines is now the owner of the properties in view of the voluntary surrender of MPLDC by its former registered owner, Campos, to the State, such transfer does not prevent a third party with a better right from claiming such properties in the proper forum. In the meantime, the Republic of the Philippines is the presumptive owner of the properties for taxation purposes.
TAXATION LAW: properties owned by the Republic of the Philippines are exempt from real property tax; exception
Section 234(a) of Republic Act No. 7160 states that properties owned by the Republic of the Philippines are exempt from real property tax except when the beneficial use thereof has been granted, for consideration or otherwise, to a taxable person.Thus, the portions of the properties not leased to taxable entities are exempt from real estate tax while the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities are subject to real estate tax. The law imposes the liability to pay real estate tax on the Republic of the Philippines for the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities. It is, of course, assumed that the Republic of the Philippines passes on the real estate tax as part of the rent to the lessees.
Article 420 of the Civil Code classifies as properties of public dominion those that are intended for public use, such as roads, canals, rivers, torrents, ports and bridges constructed by the State, banks, shores,roadsteads and those that are intended for some public service or for the development of the national wealth. Properties of public dominion are not only exempt from real estate tax,they are exempt from sale at public auction. In Heirs of Mario Malabanan v. Republic, the Court held that, It is clear that property of public dominion, which generally includes property belonging to the State, cannot be subject of the commerce of man.
InPhilippine Fisheries Development Authority v. Court of Appeals,the Court held:
xxxThe real property tax assessments issued by the City of Iloilo should be upheld only with respect to the portions leased to private persons.In case the Authority fails to pay the real property taxes due thereon, said portions cannot be sold at public auction to satisfy the tax delinquency. In Chavez v. Public Estates Authority it was held that reclaimed lands are lands of the public dominion and cannot, without Congressional fiat, be subject of a sale, public or privatexxx.
In the same vein, the port built by the State in the Iloilo fishing complex is a property of the public dominion and cannot therefore be sold at public auction. Article 420 of the Civil Code, provides:
Article 420.The following things are property of public dominion:
InManila International Airport Authority, the Court held:
xxxThe Airport Lands and Buildings of MIAA are properties devoted to public use and thus are properties of public dominion. Properties of public dominion are owned by the State or the Republic. Article 420 of the Civil Code provides:
Art. 420. The following things are property of public dominion:
xxx
Under Article 420 of the Civil Code, the Airport Lands and Buildings of MIAA, being devoted to public use, are properties of public dominion and thus owned by the State or the Republic of the Philippines. Article 420 specifically mentions ports xxxconstructed by the State, which includes public airports and seaports, as properties of public dominion and owned by the Republic. As properties of public dominion owned by the Republic, there is no doubt whatsoever that the Airport Lands and Buildings are expressly exempt from real estate tax under Section 234(a) of the local Government Code.This Court has also repeatedly ruled that properties of public dominion are not subject to execution or foreclosure sale.
In the present case, the parcels of land are not properties of public dominion because they are not intended for public use, such as roads, canals, rivers, torrents, ports and bridges constructed by the State, banks, shores,roadsteads. Neither are they intended for some public service or for the development of the national wealth. MPLDC leases portions of the properties to different business establishments. Thus, the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities are not only subject to real estate tax, they can also be sold at public auction to satisfy the tax delinquency.
In sum, only those portions of the properties leased to taxable entities are subject to real estate tax for the period of such leases. Pasig City must, therefore, issue to respondent new real property tax assessments covering the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities. If the Republic of the Philippines fails to pay the real property tax on the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities, then such portions may be sold at public auction to satisfy the tax delinquency.
PARTIALLY GRANTED.
HELD: The petition is partly meritorious.
CIVIL LAW: the republic is the owner of the property
As correctly found by the RTC and the Court of Appeals, the Republic of the Philippines owns the properties. Campos voluntarily surrendered MPLDC, which owned the properties, to the Republic of the Philippines. In Republic of the Philippines v. Sandiganbayan, the Court stated:
xxxJose Y. Campos, a confessed crony of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, voluntarily surrendered or turned over to the PCGG the properties, assets and corporations he held in trust for the deposed President. Among the corporations he surrendered were the Independent Realty Corporation and the Mid-Pasig Land Development Corporation.
InRepublic of the Philippines v. Sandiganbayan, the Court stated:
The antecedent facts are stated by the Solicitor General as follows:
xxxx
3. Sometime in the later part of August 1987, defendant Jose D. Campos, Jr., having been served with summons on August 5, 1987, filed with the respondent Court an undated Manifestation and Motion to Dismiss Complaint with Respect to Jose D. Campos praying that he be removed as party defendant from the complaint on the grounds that he had voluntarily surrendered or turned over any share in his name on [sic] any of the corporations referred to, aside from disclaiming any interest, ownership or rightthereonto the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and that he was entitled to the immunity granted by the Presidential Commission on Good Government pursuant to Executive Order No. 14, under the Commissions Resolution dated May 28, 1986 to Mr. Jose Y. Campos and his family he being a member of the immediate family of Jose Y. Campos.
xxxx
In the instant case, the PCGG issued a resolution dated May 28, 1986, granting immunity from both civil and criminal prosecutions to Jose Y. Campos and his family. The pertinent provisions of the resolution read as follows:
3.0. In consideration of the full cooperation of Mr. Jose Y. Campos to this Commission, his voluntary surrender of the properties and assets disclosed and declared by him to belong to deposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, his full, complete and truthful disclosures, and his commitment to pay a sum of money as determined by the Philippine Government, this Commission has decided and agreed:
xxxx
Undoubtedly, this resolution embodies a compromise agreement between the PCGG on one hand and Jose Y. Campos on the other. Hence, in exchange for the voluntary surrender of the ill-gotten properties acquired by the then President Ferdinand E. Marcos and his family which were in Jose Campos control, the latter and his family were given full immunity in both civil and criminal prosecutions. xxx
xxxx
By virtue of the PCGGs May 28, 1986 resolution, Jose Campos, Jr. was given full immunity from both civil and criminal prosecutions in exchange for the full cooperation of Mr. Jose Y. Campos to this Commission, his voluntary surrender of the properties and assets disclosed and declared by him to belong to deposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, his full, complete and truthful disclosures, and his commitment to pay a sum of money as determined by the Philippine Government. In addition, Campos, Jr. had already waived and surrendered to the Republic his registered equity interest in the Marcos/Romualdezcorporations involved in the civil case.
Even as the Republic of the Philippines is now the owner of the properties in view of the voluntary surrender of MPLDC by its former registered owner, Campos, to the State, such transfer does not prevent a third party with a better right from claiming such properties in the proper forum. In the meantime, the Republic of the Philippines is the presumptive owner of the properties for taxation purposes.
TAXATION LAW: properties owned by the Republic of the Philippines are exempt from real property tax; exception
Section 234(a) of Republic Act No. 7160 states that properties owned by the Republic of the Philippines are exempt from real property tax except when the beneficial use thereof has been granted, for consideration or otherwise, to a taxable person.Thus, the portions of the properties not leased to taxable entities are exempt from real estate tax while the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities are subject to real estate tax. The law imposes the liability to pay real estate tax on the Republic of the Philippines for the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities. It is, of course, assumed that the Republic of the Philippines passes on the real estate tax as part of the rent to the lessees.
Article 420 of the Civil Code classifies as properties of public dominion those that are intended for public use, such as roads, canals, rivers, torrents, ports and bridges constructed by the State, banks, shores,roadsteads and those that are intended for some public service or for the development of the national wealth. Properties of public dominion are not only exempt from real estate tax,they are exempt from sale at public auction. In Heirs of Mario Malabanan v. Republic, the Court held that, It is clear that property of public dominion, which generally includes property belonging to the State, cannot be subject of the commerce of man.
InPhilippine Fisheries Development Authority v. Court of Appeals,the Court held:
xxxThe real property tax assessments issued by the City of Iloilo should be upheld only with respect to the portions leased to private persons.In case the Authority fails to pay the real property taxes due thereon, said portions cannot be sold at public auction to satisfy the tax delinquency. In Chavez v. Public Estates Authority it was held that reclaimed lands are lands of the public dominion and cannot, without Congressional fiat, be subject of a sale, public or privatexxx.
In the same vein, the port built by the State in the Iloilo fishing complex is a property of the public dominion and cannot therefore be sold at public auction. Article 420 of the Civil Code, provides:
Article 420.The following things are property of public dominion:
1. Those intended for public use, such as roads, canals, rivers, torrents, ports and bridges constructed by the State, banks, shores,roadsteads, and others of similar character;
2. Those which belong to the State, without being for public use, and are intended for some public service or for the development of the national wealth.The Iloilo fishing port which was constructed by the State for public use and/or public service falls within the term port in the aforecited provision. Being a property of public dominion the same cannot be subject to execution or foreclosure sale. In like manner, the reclaimed land on which the IFPC is built cannot be the object of a private or public sale without Congressional authorization.
InManila International Airport Authority, the Court held:
xxxThe Airport Lands and Buildings of MIAA are properties devoted to public use and thus are properties of public dominion. Properties of public dominion are owned by the State or the Republic. Article 420 of the Civil Code provides:
Art. 420. The following things are property of public dominion:
(1) Those intended for public use, such as roads, canals, rivers, torrents, ports and bridges constructed by the State, banks, shores,roadsteads, and others of similar character;
(2) Those which belong to the State, without being for public use, and are intended for some public service or for the development of the national wealth.The term ports constructed by the Sate includes airports and seaports. The Airport Lands and Buildings of MIAA are intended for public use, and at the very least intended for public service. Whether intended for public use or public service, the Airport Lands and Buildings are properties of public dominion. As properties of public dominion, the Airport lands and Buildings are owned by the Republic and thus exempt from real estate tax under Section 234(a) of the Local Government Code
xxx
Under Article 420 of the Civil Code, the Airport Lands and Buildings of MIAA, being devoted to public use, are properties of public dominion and thus owned by the State or the Republic of the Philippines. Article 420 specifically mentions ports xxxconstructed by the State, which includes public airports and seaports, as properties of public dominion and owned by the Republic. As properties of public dominion owned by the Republic, there is no doubt whatsoever that the Airport Lands and Buildings are expressly exempt from real estate tax under Section 234(a) of the local Government Code.This Court has also repeatedly ruled that properties of public dominion are not subject to execution or foreclosure sale.
In the present case, the parcels of land are not properties of public dominion because they are not intended for public use, such as roads, canals, rivers, torrents, ports and bridges constructed by the State, banks, shores,roadsteads. Neither are they intended for some public service or for the development of the national wealth. MPLDC leases portions of the properties to different business establishments. Thus, the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities are not only subject to real estate tax, they can also be sold at public auction to satisfy the tax delinquency.
In sum, only those portions of the properties leased to taxable entities are subject to real estate tax for the period of such leases. Pasig City must, therefore, issue to respondent new real property tax assessments covering the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities. If the Republic of the Philippines fails to pay the real property tax on the portions of the properties leased to taxable entities, then such portions may be sold at public auction to satisfy the tax delinquency.
PARTIALLY GRANTED.
