REFLECTIONS ON THE MIRROR DOCTRINE: Should Prospective Buyers of Registered Land Examine Not Only the Certificate of Title But Also the Records of the Register of Deeds?
A purchaser of registered land taking a certificate of title for value and in good faith shall hold the same free from all encumbrances except those noted in said certificate (Sec. 44, Property Registration Decree). In other words, a prospective buyer needs to examine only the four corners of the certificate of title as he…