Question

Scenario:

John and Maria are neighbors who have been involved in a property dispute regarding a portion of their adjoining lands. After months of negotiations, they finally reached a settlement agreement to resolve their dispute. The settlement agreement stipulated that John would give up his claim to the disputed portion of land in exchange for Maria paying him a certain amount as compensation.

However, a few months later, John had a change of heart and decided that he wanted to pursue his claim to the disputed portion of land. Maria, on the other hand, insists that John waived his rights over the land through their settlement agreement.

Question:

1. Did John validly waive his rights over the disputed portion of land through the settlement agreement? Discuss the effect and application of Article 6 of the Civil Code in determining the validity of the waiver of rights in this scenario.