An Act Providing that the Court of Land Registration shall have No Jurisdiction Over Lands Situated in the Provinces of Lepanto-Bontoc, Benguet, Paragua, and Nueva Vizcaya, or in the Moro Province, Except in Certain Special Cases

August 31, 1904

ACT NO. 1224

AN ACT PROVIDING THAT THE COURT OF LAND REGISTRATION SHALL HAVE NO JURISDICTION OVER LANDS SITUATED IN THE PROVINCES OF LEPANTO-BONTOC, BENGUET, PARAGUA, AND NUEVA VIZCAYA, OR IN THE MORO PROVINCE, EXCEPT IN CERTAIN SPECIAL CASES

SECTION 1. The Court of Land Registration shall not hereafter take cognizance of or have jurisdiction over applications for the registration of title to land or buildings, or an interest therein, under the provisions of Act Numbered Four hundred and ninety-six, entitled "The Land Registration Act," and the amendments thereof, in any case where the land or buildings are situated within the Provinces of Lepanto-Bontoc, Benguet, Paragua, and Nueva Vizcaya, or the Moro Province, except in the cases hereinafter stated, anything in said Act Numbered Four hundred and ninety-six to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided, however, That said court may take jurisdiction over applications for registration of title to land under said Act as to lands situated in the district of Zamboanga in the Moro Provinces: And Provided, further, That said court may take jurisdiction over applications for registration of title to land in all cases coming within the provisions of Acts Numbered Six hundred and twenty-seven, Six hundred and forty-eight, and Eleven hundred and thirty-eight, entitled, respectively, "An Act to bring immediately under the operation of The Land Registration Act all lands lying within the boundaries lawfully set apart for military reservations, and all lands desired to be purchased by the Government of the United States for military purposes," "An Act authorizing the Civil Governor to reserve for civil public purposes, and from sale or settlement, any part of the public domain not appropriated by law for special public purposes, until otherwise directed by law, and extending the provisions of Act Numbered Six hundred and twenty-seven so that public lands desired to be reserved by the Insular Government for public uses, or private lands desired to be purchased by the Insular Government for such uses, may be brought under the operation of The Land Registration Act," and "An Act to bring immediately under the operation of The Land Registration Act all lands lying within the boundaries lawfully set part for naval reservations, and all lands desired to be purchased by the Government of the United States for naval purposes," although the lands affected by such proceedings may be situated in one or more of the provinces aforesaid: And provided, further, That said court may take cognizance of applications for registration of title to land situated in any one of the provinces aforesaid, in accordance with the provisions of Act Numbered Nine hundred and twenty-six, entitled "The Public Land Act," whenever said Public Land Act shall be applied to such province by resolutions of the Philippine Commission, in accordance with the provisions of section seventy-eight of said Public Land Act, in cases where the Philippine Commission, by resolution, shall put in force in said province those provisions of The Public Land Act which authorize action by the Court of Land Registration: And provided, further, That said court may have jurisdiction over applications for registration of title to land situated in any of the provinces aforesaid whenever the applicant has received a written royal grant, decree, or title to such land from the Kingdom of Spain, and shall file such royal grant, decree, or title with his application for registration.

SECTION 2. This Act shall apply to all pending and future applications for registration of title to land situated in any of the provinces aforementioned.

SECTION 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, August 31, 1904.