Act No. 718, enacted on April 4, 1903, declares all land grants or conveyances made by Moro sultans, dattos, or chiefs of non-Christian tribes void if executed without the authority of the Spanish Government or the consent of the United States Government. This includes any rights related to land that are not based on lawful patents or grants from the aforementioned governments. The Act applies retroactively to all such transactions, rendering them illegal and ineffective. It emphasizes the public good and was expedited for passage. The Act took effect immediately upon its enactment.
April 4, 1903
ACT NO. 718
AN ACT MAKING VOID LAND GRANTS FROM MORO SULTANS OR DATTOS OR FROM CHIEFS OF NON-CHRISTIAN TRIBES WHEN MADE WITHOUT GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY OR CONSENT
SECTION 1. All grants, deeds, patents, leases, or other instruments of conveyance purporting to convey from Moro sultans or dattos, or from chiefs of non-Christian tribes, lands situate in the Philippine Archipelago or rights of property, privileges, or easements appertaining to or growing out of land therein, made without the authority of the Spanish Government while the Philippine Archipelago was under the sovereignty of Spain, or without the consent of the United States Government or of the Insular Government since the sovereignty of the Archipelago of the Philippines was transferred by the Treaty of Paris from Spain to the United States, and not based on any lawful patent or grant of the Government of Spain or the United States or of the Insular Government, whether such grants, deeds, patents, leases, or other instruments of conveyance were made before the passage of this Act or shall be made after its passage, being made without any lawful authority or ownership, are hereby declared to be illegal, void, and of no effect.
SECTION 2. 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 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage.
ENACTED, April 4, 1903.