Flashcards Studio

(a) Define possession under Philippine Civil Law. Identify the essential elements of possession (corpus and animus).
(b) Apply the rule to the following scenario and determine whether the described person possesses the land: Arci, a street muralist, discovers a vacant parcel with no title. He brings a shipping container onto the land, clears weeds, constructs a simple wooden fence, and uses the land as his studio and living space, painting murals on the container. He occupies and uses the land for 12 months, openly telling neighbors that the parcel is his and that he intends to apply for title in due course. The true owner is unknown and there is no title or registration. Does Arci possess the land?
(c) Distinguish possession from custody and from ownership, focusing on corpus and animus.