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Magsaysay v Agan G.R. No. L-6393 January 31, 1955

J. Reyes

Facts:

Te !! "San Antonio", vesse# o$ne% &y Magsaysay, #e't Man(#a, &oun% 'or )asco,)atanes $(t cargo &e#ong(ng to %(''erent s(**ers, a+ong te+ te %e'en%ant. Te

vesse# reace% A*arr( , an% a'ter a %ays sto*over (n tat *ort, $e(ge% ancor to

*rocee% to )asco. )ut $(#e st(## (n *ort, (t ran agroun% at te +out o' te agayan

r(ver, an%, atte+*ts to re'#oat (t un%er (ts o$n *o$er av(ng 'a(#e%, *#a(nt('' ave (t

re'#oate% &y te Luon !teve%or(ng o. at an agree% co+*ensat(on. /nce a'#oat te

vesse# returne% to Man(#a to re'ue# an% ten *rocee%e% to )asco, te *ort o'

%est(nat(on. Tere te cargoes $ere %e#(vere% to te(r res*ect(ve o$ners or

cons(gnees, $o, $(t te e0ce*t(on o' %e'en%ant, +a%e a %e*os(t or s(gne% a &on%

to ans$er 'or te(r contr(&ut(on to te average.

/n te teory tat te e0*enses (ncurre% (n '#oat(ng te vesse# const(tute genera#

average to $(c &ot s(* an% cargo sou#% contr(&ute, *#a(nt('' &rougt te

*resent act(on (n te ourt o' F(rst nstance o' Man(#a to +a2e %e'en%ant *ay (s

contr(&ut(on, a+ounts to 41.. A'ter tr(a#, te #o$er court 'oun% 'or *#a(nt('' an%

ren%ere% 7u%g+ent aga(nst te %e'en%ant 'or te a+ount o' te c#a(+. Fro+ t(s

7u%g+ent %e'en%ant a% a**ea#e% %(rect#y to t(s ourt.

ssue: 8eter te e0*enses (ncurre% (n '#oat(ng a vesse# so stran%e% sou#% &e

cons(%ere% genera# average an% sare% &y te cargo o$ners.

e#%: No. et(t(on grante%.

Rat(o:

Averages are c#ass('(e% (nto s(+*#e or *art(cu#ar an% genera# or gross. Genera##y

s*ea2(ng, s(+*#e or *art(cu#ar averages (nc#u%e a## e0*enses an% %a+ages cause%

to te vesse# or cargo $(c ave not (nure% to te co++on &ene'(t, an% are, to &e

&orne on#y &y te o$ner o' te *ro*erty gave r(se to sa+e $(#e genera# or gross

averages (nc#u%e "a## te %a+ages an% e0*enses $(c are %e#(&erate#y cause% (n

or%er to save te vesse#, (ts cargo, or &ot at te sa+e t(+e, 'ro+ a rea# an% 2no$n

r(s2". )e(ng 'or te co++on &ene'(t, gross averages are to &e &orne &y te o$ners

o' te art(c#es save%

n c#ass('y(ng averages (nto s(+*#e o *art(cu#ar an% genera# or gross an% %e'(n(ng

eac c#ass, te o%e at te sa+e t(+e enu+erates certa(n s*ec('(c cases as co+(ng

s*ec(a##y un%er one or te oter %eno+(nat(on. Go(ng over te s*ec('(c cases

enu+erate% $e '(n% tat, $(#e te e0*enses (ncurre% (n *utt(ng *#a(nt(''s vesse#

a'#oat +ay $e## co+e un%er nu+&er ; o' art(c#e 49-$(c re'ers to e0*enses

su''ere% &y te vesse# "&y reason o' an acc(%ent o' te sea o' te 'orce +a7uere"