Patent Land Title

Hello:

Presuming this is in the Philippine jurisdiction, the situation you described involves a tax declaration still in the name of the mother despite there being patent titles already issued to the children. However, the patent titles were not yet carried over or registered with the Registry of Deeds. One of the children already sold his or her titled portion, but since it was not recorded with the Registry of Deeds, there is no official record of the transfer.

The better remedy would be as follows: a.) You must first secure certified true copies of the Original Certificates of Title or Patent Titles issued by the DENR/LMB or the agency that processed the free patent. These documents will serve as the basis to register with the Registry of Deeds. b.) File the proper registration of the patent titles with the Registry of Deeds where the property is located, even if belatedly, because under the Property Registration Decree (PD 1529), registration is the operative act that conveys or affects third persons. c.) For the sale made by the heir with a patent title, the buyer must also register the deed of sale to make the conveyance binding on third parties. If not yet notarized, you need to execute a proper Deed of Absolute Sale, have it notarized, and present it for registration at the Registry of Deeds. d.) Once the titles are properly registered, you should request the Municipal or City Assessor to transfer the tax declaration to the names of the registered owners, because a tax declaration alone does not prove ownership but should follow the title for assessment purposes.

In short, the priority is to record the patent titles with the Registry of Deeds since they were issued as early as 2011. The delay in registration can be corrected by presenting the patents and other supporting documents. If there are complications or the Registry requires additional steps, such as an Affidavit of Non-Registration or confirmation from the DENR, these can be complied with accordingly.