Peaceful Takeover

𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗮𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲; 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Boracay Island–The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 2 has declared the heirs of Spouses Orlando and Eden Laurente as the rightful owners of a contested 500-square-meter property in Boracay Island, and authorities are now moving to formally restore the land to the family.
In a decision penned by Presiding Judge Joebil Delmoro dated January 20, 2025, the court ruled in favor of the Laurente heirs in Civil Case No. 11482, a lawsuit centered on the recovery of possession, quieting of title, and damages. The court found that their land was wrongfully targeted and destroyed in a 2020 demolition stemming from a separate legal dispute.
𝗘𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Despite the court’s ruling and a Sheriff’s Notice to Vacate issued on February 27, 2026, the defendants have refused to leave the contested premises.
An reliable source told the Aklan News Channel that in order to enforce the court’s mandate, the Writ of Execution originally dated October 21, 2025, will be implemented to peacefully restore possession of the property to the Laurente family.
It maybe recalled that on June 8, 2026, Sheriff IV Dennis Yasa—acting on behalf of Ex-Officio Provincial Sheriff Atty. Arnaldo Tejada, Jr.—officially requested police assistance from the Philippine National Police.
A formal letter was sent to Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, Regional Director of Police Regional Office 6 in Iloilo City, requesting personnel to ensure orderly and peaceful proceedings during the property turnover.
The sheriff’s office noted that the Sualog heirs “refused and still continue to refuse to comply” with the order to immediately vacate the property, despite being given due notice and a considerable length of time to do so.
The letter was officially received by the Office of the Regional Director on June 8, 2026.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲
The case traces back to November 25, 1991, when the late Spouses Orlando and Eden Laurente purchased a 500-square-meter portion of “Lot No. 144-pt.” in Barangay Manoc-Manoc, Boracay Island, from Manuel Sualog.
The land was subsequently segregated, designated as Lot No. 144-2-B-1, and registered under successive tax declarations in the Laurente name.
For decades, the Laurente family maintained peaceful, continuous possession, building a two-story commercial and boarding house on the lot.
However, a neighboring parcel—also confusingly designated as “Lot No. 144-pt.” and owned by Pablito Sualog—became the subject of a completely separate property lawsuit (Civil Case No. 8116) filed in 2007.
The ruling cited that the Laurente family was never informed or impleaded in that case.
When the Sualog heirs won their separate lawsuit, a Special Order of Demolition was issued.
On November 4, 2020, court sheriffs arrived in Boracay and mistakenly demolished the Laurente family’s two-story building, believing it to be part of the Sualog property.
Despite frantic protests from the Laurentes at the scene, the demolition proceeded.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁’𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
The court heavily relied on physical and documentary evidence to resolve the boundary confusion.
It noted that back in 1989, the Sualog heirs themselves had signed a Joint Affidavit recognizing Manuel Sualog’s 2,000-square-meter chunk and asking the Provincial Assessor to exclude it from their father’s property assessment. This proved they were fully aware that the Laurente lot was distinct from their own.
For his part, Court-appointed Commissioner and Geodetic Engineer Larry Reontoy confirmed that Lot No. 144-2-B-1 was an entirely separate property that had been erroneously swept into the demolition zone. And because the Sualog heirs failed to appear for mandatory mediation conferences and missed key court requirements, the plaintiffs were permitted to present their evidence ex parte, which went completely uncontroverted.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀
While the Laurente heirs sought ₱400,000 for the destroyed building, ₱15,000 for a concrete fence, and ₱17,000 monthly in lost rental income, the court denied these specific monetary amounts due to a lack of formal receipts and concrete financial proof.
Citing established jurisprudence, Judge Delmoro emphasized that actual damages must be backed by competent, tangible evidence.
Instead, the court awarded ₱100,000.00 in nominal damages to vindicate the violation of the Laurentes’ property rights.
The Court also ruled that Sheriff IV Danilo Yap, who executed the initial 2020 demolition order on behalf of RTC Branch 8, to be completely absolved of civil liability, as it found jhuki no evidence that the sheriff acted in bad faith or with malice while executing what he believed to be a valid court mandate.

As this develops, Laurente expressed their gratitude to the Sualog family for a peaceful takeover of the once contested property.