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Roque v IAC G.R. No. L-66935 November 11, 1985

This petitio !or "ertior#ri #s$s !or the revie% o! the &e"isio o! the Iterme&i#te

Appe''#te Court %hi"h #bso've& the respo&et isur#"e "omp#( !rom 'i#bi'it( o

the )rou&s th#t the vesse' "#rr(i) the isure& "#r)o %#s use#%orth( #& the

'oss o! s#i& "#r)o %#s "#use& ot b( the peri's o! the se# but b( the peri's o! the

ship.

* +ebru#r( 19, 19, the #i'# /#( Li)hter#)e Corpor#tio 0#i'# /#(, #

"ommo "#rrier, etere& ito # "otr#"t %ith the petitioers %hereb( the !ormer

%ou'& 'o#& #& "#rr( o bo#r& its b#r)e #b'e 12 #bout .18 "ubi" meters o! 'o)s

!rom #'#mp#(# 4ou&, #'#%# to North #rbor, #i'#. The petitioers isure&

the 'o)s #)#ist 'oss !or 122,222.22 %ith respo&et ioeer Isur#"e #& 4uret(

Corpor#tio 0ioeer.

* +ebru#r( 9, 19, the petitioers 'o#&e& o the b#r)e, 811 pie"es o! 'o)s #t

#'#mp#(# 4ou&, #'#%# !or "#rri#)e #& &e'iver( to North #rbor, ort o!

#i'#, but the shipmet ever re#"he& its &esti#tio be"#use #b'e 12 s#$ %ith

the 811 pie"es o! 'o)s some%here o7 C#bu'i oit i #'#%# o its %#( to #i'#.

As #''e)e& b( the petitioers i their "omp'#it #& #s !ou& b( both the tri#' #&

#ppe''#te "ourts, the b#r)e %here the 'o)s %ere 'o#&e& %#s ot se#%orth( su"h th#t

it &eve'ope& # 'e#$. The #ppe''#te "ourt !urther !ou& th#t oe o! the h#t"hes %#s

'e!t ope "#usi) %#ter to eter the b#r)e #& be"#use the b#r)e %#s ot provi&e&

%ith the e"ess#r( "over or t#rp#u'i, the or&i#r( sp'#sh o! se# %#ves brou)ht

more %#ter isi&e the b#r)e.

* #r"h 8, 19, the petitioers %rote # 'etter to #i'# /#( &em#&i) p#(met

o! 152,222.22 !or the 'oss o! the shipmet p'us 122,222.22 #s ure#'ie& prots

but the '#tter i)ore& the &em#&. Aother 'etter %#s set to respo&et ioeer

"'#imi) the !u'' #mout o! 122,222.22 u&er the isur#"e po'i"( but respo&et

re!use& to p#( o the )rou& th#t its h#bi'it( &epe&e& upo the :Tot#' 'oss b( Tot#'

Loss o! ;esse' o'(:. e"e, petitioers "omme"e& Civi' C#se No. 86599 #)#ist

#i'# /#( #& respo&et ioeer.

A!ter he#ri), the tri#' "ourt !ou& i !#vor o! the petitioers. The &ispositive portio

o! the &e"isio re#&su&)met #s !o''o%soit'( #& sever#''(, the sum o!

122,222.22?

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0b 4ete"i) &e!et #i'# /#( Li)hter#)e Corpor#tio to p#( p'#iti7, i

#&&itio, the sum o! 52,222.22, p'us 1,522.22, th#t the '#tter #&v#"e& to the

!ormer #s &o% p#(met !or tr#sporti) the 'o)s i questio?

0" *r&eri) the "outer"'#im o! &e!et Isur#"e #)#ist p'#iti7s, &ismisse&,

!or '#"$ o! merit, but #s to its "ross-"'#im #)#ist its "o-&e!et #i'# /#(Li)hter#)e Corpor#tio, the '#tter is or&ere& to reimburse the !ormer !or %h#tever

#mout it m#( p#( the p'#iti7s #s su"h suret(?

0& *r&eri) the "outer"'#im o! &e!et Li)hter#)e #)#ist p'#iti7s, &ismisse&

!or '#"$ o! merit?

0e '#iti7s@ "'#im o! ot 'ess th# 122,222.22 #& 5,222.22 #s eemp'#r(

m#)es #re or&ere& &ismisse&, !or '#"$ o! merits? p'#iti7s@ "'#im !or #ttore(@s

!ees i the sum o! 12,222.22 is hereb( )r#te&, #)#ist both &e!ets, %ho #re,

moreover or&ere& to p#( the "osts? #&

0! The sum o! 152,222.22 #%#r& to p'#iti7s, sh#'' be#r iterest o! si per "et

06B !rom #r"h 5, 195, uti' #mout is !u''( p#i&.

Respo&et ioeer #ppe#'e& to the Iterme&i#te Appe''#te Court. #i'# /#( &i&

ot #ppe#'. A""or&i) to the petitioers, the tr#sport#tio "omp#( is o 'o)er

&oi) busiess #& is %ithout !u&s.

uri) the iiti#' st#)es o! the he#ri), #i'# /#( i!orme& the tri#' "ourt th#t it

h#& s#'v#)e& p#rt o! the 'o)s. The "ourt or&ere& them to be so'& to the hi)hest

bi&&er %ith the !u&s to be &eposite& i # b#$ i the #me o! Civi' C#se No. 86599.

* D#u#r( 32, 198, the #ppe''#te "ourt mo&ie& the tri#' "ourt@s &e"isio #bso've& ioeer !rom 'i#bi'it( #!ter &i) th#t there %#s # bre#"h o! imp'ie&

%#rr#t( o! se#%orthiess o the p#rt o! the petitioers #& th#t the 'oss o! the

isure& "#r)o %#s "#use& b( the :peri's o! the ship: #& ot b( the :peri's o! the

se#:. It ru'e& th#t the 'oss is ot "overe& b( the m#rie isur#"e po'i"(.

A!ter the #ppe''#te "ourt &eie& their motio !or re"osi&er#tio, the petitioers

'e& this petitio %ith the !o''o%i) #ssi)mets o! errorseure... :%#s ot supporte& b( the evi&e"e. At

the time #b'e 12 s#$, there %#s o t(phoo but or&i#r( stro) %i& #& %#ves,

# "o&itio %hi"h is #tur#' #& orm#' i the ope se#. The evi&e"e sho%s th#t

the si$i) o! #b'e 12 %#s &ue to improper 'o#&i) o! the 'o)s o oe si&e so th#t

the b#r)e %#s ti'ti) o oe si&e #& !or th#t it &i& ot #vi)#te o eve $ee'? th#t

it %#s o 'o)er se#%orth( th#t %#s %h( it &eve'ope& 'e#$? th#t the persoe' o!

the tu)bo#t #& the b#r)e "ommitte& # mist#$e %he it ture& 'oose the b#r)e

!rom the tu)bo#t e#st o! C#bu'i poit %here it %#s bu7ete& b( storm #& %#ves,%hi'e the tu)bo#t pro"ee&e& to %est o! C#bu'i poit %here it %#s prote"te& b( the

mout#i si&e !rom the storm #& %#ves "omi) !rom the e#st &ire"tio. ...:

I !#"t, i the petitioers@ "omp'#it, it is #''e)e& th#t :the b#r)e #b'e 12 o!

&e!et "#rrier &eve'ope& # 'e#$ %hi"h #''o%e& %#ter to "ome i #& th#t oe o!

the h#t"hes o! s#i& b#r)e %#s e)'i)et'( 'e!t ope b( the perso i "h#r)e thereo!

"#usi) more %#ter to "ome i #& th#t :the 'oss o! s#i& p'#iti7s@ "#r)o %#s &ue to

the !#u't, e)'i)e"e, #&Jor '#"$ o! s$i'' o! &e!et "#rrier #&Jor &e!et

"#rrier@s represet#tives o b#r)e #b'e 12.:

It is quite umist#$#b'e th#t the 'oss o! the "#r)o %#s &ue to the peri's o! the shipr#ther th# the peri's o! the se#. The !#"ts "'e#r'( e)#te the petitioers@ "'#im

u&er the isur#"e po'i"(. I the "#se o! Go Tiaoco y Hermanos v. Union Ins.

Society of Canton su$ra, %e h#& o""#sio to e'#bor#te o the term :peri's o! the

ship.: Fe ru'e&u&i"e o! the o%er@s iterest.: 04e". 11, E.4.

Isur#"e L#%, quote& i ;#"e, #&boo$ o L#% o! Isur#"e, 1951, p. 99.

/#rr#tr( e"ess#ri'( requires # %i''!u' #& itetio#' #"t i its "ommissio. No

hoest error o! >u&)met or mere e)'i)e"e, u'ess "rimi#''( )ross, "# be

b#rr#tr(. 04ee ;#"e o L#% o! Isur#"e, p. 99 #& "#ses "ite& therei.

I the "#se #t b#r, there is o &i) th#t the 'oss %#s o""#sioe& b( the %i''!u' or

!r#u&u'et #"ts o! the vesse'@s "re%. There %#s o'( simp'e e)'i)e"e or '#"$ o!

s$i''. e"e, the se"o& #ssi)met o! error must 'i$e%ise be &ismisse&.

Aet the thir& #ssi)met o! error, %e #)ree %ith the petitioers th#t the #mout

o! 8,222.22 represeti) the #mout o! the s#'v#)e& 'o)s shou'& h#ve bee

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#%#r&e& to them. o%ever, this shou'& be &e&u"te& !rom the #mouts %hi"h h#ve

bee #&>u&i"#te& #)#ist #i'# /#( Li)hter#)e Corpor#tio b( the tri#' "ourt.

F=R=+*R=, the &e"isio #ppe#'e& !rom is A++IR= %ith the mo&i"#tio th#t the

#mout o! 8,222.22 represeti) the v#'ue o! the s#'v#)e& 'o)s %hi"h %#s or&ere&

to be &eposite& i the #i'# /#$i) Corpor#tio i the #me o! Civi' C#se No.86599 is hereb( #%#r&e& #& or&ere& p#i& to the petitioers. The 'i#bi'it( #&>u&)e&

#)#ist #i'# /#( Li)hter#)e Corpor#tio i the &e"isio o! the tri#' "ourt is

#""or&i)'( re&u"e& b( the s#me #mout.