FACTS:

Spouses  Cruz  were  the  occupants  of  a  front  portion  of  a  property.    An accion publiciana was filed against them by spouses Fernando, alleging that they  are  the  rightful  owners  thereof  and  asking  that  the  Cruz  spouses vacate  the  land  and  pay  reasonable  rent  for  the  use  thereof.    The  RTC ruled in favor of the spouses Fernando.   
 

HELD:

The absence of any formal deed of conveyance is a strong indication that the parties didn’t intend immediate transfer of ownership.
 
Petitioners don’t have a superior right of ownership or possession to speak of.  Their occupation of the property was merely through the tolerance of the  owners.    Evidence  on  record  shows  that  petitioners  and  their predecessors  were  able  to  live  and  build  their  house  on  the  property through the permission and kindness of the previous owner.  They have no title or at the very least, a contract of lease over the property.  Based as it is  was  on  mere  tolerance,  petitioner’s  possession  could  neither  ripen  into ownership  nor  operate  to  bar  any  action  by  respondents  to  recover absolute possession thereof.  A person who occupies the land of another at the latter’s forebearance or permission without any contract between them is  necessarily  bound  by  an  implied  promise  that  he  will  vacate  upon demand.