July 31, 1990 BACHELOR EXPRESS, INCORPORATED, and CRESENCIO RIVERA , petitioners petitioners,, vs. THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS (SIXTH DIVISION), RICARDO BETER, SERGIA BETER, TEOFILO RAUTRAUT and ZOETERA RAUTRAUT, RAUTRAUT , respondents. respondents . Gutierrez, Jr., J.: J.: SUMMARY: Ornominio and Narcisa were on board a Bacelor bus bound !or "a#ayan de Oro. $en tey were %assin# Butuan, a %assen#er ran amuc& and stabbed a %oliceman wo was on board. ' stam%ede ensued( Ornominio and Narcisa were %used o!! te bus as te %assen#ers scam%ered !or te solitary door. 's te bus was still runnin#, te unluc&y cou%le ) kasi dalawa sila eh* eh* !ell into te road and died, as te door was !orced o%en by te %anic&in# %assen#ers. +eir %arents sued Bacelor, its owner and te bus driver. +" absolved tem !rom liability on te #round o! caso fortuito and fortuito and lac& o! ne#li#ence. "' reversed, oldin# tat +" overloo&ed material !acts sowin# ne#li#ence o! Bacelor )ina%%ro%riate s%eed, driver-s !ailure to sto% bus %rom%tly, not enou# doors, conductor %anic&ed*. " u%eld "' and eld Bacelor et.al. liable. DOCTRINE: "ommon carriers are %resumed ne#li#ent in case o! in/ury or deat o! a %assen#er, even wen te %roimate cause o! te deat is a !ortuitous event. n suc cases, te common carrier must sow tat it eercised etraordinary dili#ence in %reventin# arm to its %assen#ers( !or it to be absolved !rom liability. )N"" 1123, 123, 1233, 1234 5 1236* "ommon carrier must %rove tat it eercised care and dili#ence in %rotectin# its customers in te case o! a !ortuitous event )e.#., an une%ected stabbin# incident*. 7or te de!ense o! !orce ma/eure to %ros%er te accident must be due to natural causes and eclusively witout uman intervention. '%%lication '%%lication o! te !ormula !or com%utin# dama#es 8 loss o! o! earnin# ca%acity ca%acity.. NATURE: etition !or review o! a "' decision. Ori#inal action !or sum o! money; . FACTS 'u#ust 1, 1, 19?0 8 B'"@AO B'"@AO A%ress A%ress Bus No. ?00 ?00 was travellin# travellin# !rom !rom Cavao "ity "ity to "a#ayan de Oro via Butuan. o OwnerDO%erator: amson E''E E''E o Criver: "resencio FA' o "onductor: edro "O'NGO o Bus ad only one door 8 at te !ront. $ile te bus was in +abontabon, Butuan, te bus sto%%ed to %ic& u% a %assen#er. 'bout 14 minutes later, later, a commotion commotion arose wen wen a %assen#er %assen#er at te rear rear end o! te te bus )not identi!ied by name* ran amuc& and stabbed a !ellow %assen#er wo was a member o! te ili%%ine "onstabulary. ' stam%ede ensued and te bus bus ad to to be sto%%ed. sto%%ed. n te a!termat a!termat o! te te incident, incident, %assen#ers ONOHNO Beter and N'"' autraut were !ound lyin# on te roadside. o Ornominio died on te s%ot !rom ead in/uries. @e was 3 yDo and a car%enter by trade. o Narcisa eventually died due to severe in/uries se sustained !rom te accident. e was 3 yDo and unem%loyed. •
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+e %assen#er wo ran amuc& was able to /um% o!! te bus but was &illed by te %olice a!ter e was %ursued into te buses. Ornominio-s %arents )te . BA+A* and Narcisa-s %arents )te . 'I+'I+ <'I+'I+>* !iled a com%laint !or sum o! money; a#ainst Bacelor, Easay, and ivera be!ore Branc o! te Butuan +". TESTIMONIES o LEONILA CULLANO (a passenger, testifing for the defense! $en te commotion occurred, se stood u%, and noticed a wounded man. "ollan#o o%ened te door only wen te %assen#ers were soutin# at te driver to sto% te bus. "ollan#o was %anic&in#. +e %assen#ers were in a state o! %anic as well. e saw Narcisa and Ornominio ali#t te bus trou# te door. o "E#$IA %E&E# (also a passenger' Ornoinio)s other! "ate#orically stated tat se saw Ornominio !all o! te bus as te door was %used o%en by te !orce o! onrusin# %assen#ers. o *E+#O COLLAN$O (the conductor' an eploee of %achelor! @e sut te door a!ter te last %assen#er ad entered te bus. ome %assen#ers /um%ed out o! te windows wile te bus was runnin# . 's&ed to %rovide an estimate o! te bus- s%eed at te time te commotion occurred, e stated tat tey were runnin# at not less than - or - iles /per hour0 , e=uivalent to ?64 &ilometers %er our. +e bus was runnin# slowly as tey ave /ust %ic&ed u% a %assen#er. +e bus was runnin# at second #ear wen te commotion bro&e out. BACHELOR’S DEFENSES o t was able to trans%ort te %assen#ers sa!ely to teir res%ective %laces o! destination ece%t Ornominio and Narcisa, wo /um%ed o!! te bus witout te &nowled#e and consent o! ivera and "ollan#o o t ad eercised due dili#ence in te coice o! its em%loyees o +e incident was not a tra!!ic accident or veicular accident but a !ortuitous event very muc beyond te control o! Bacelor, Easay or ivera o Bacelor et.al. were not %arties to te incident com%lained o! as it was an act o! a tird %arty wo is not in any way connected wit tem and o! wic tey ave no control and su%ervision. RTC DECISION o 1AC&UAL 1IN+IN$" +e %arties %resented con!lictin# evidence as to ow Narcisa and Ornominio died. 7rom te evidence adduced by %s. Beter and %s. autraut, te "ourt could not see wy te two deceased could ave !allen o!! te bus wen teir own witnesses testi!ied tat wen te commotion ensued inside te bus, te %assen#ers %used and soved eac oter towards te door a%%arently in order to #et o!! !rom te bus trou# te door. T! "a##!n$!%# &'d n'* a+! "a##!d *%'$ *! d''% !&a#! a&&'%d-n$ *' *! !+-d!n&! *! d''% .a# '&/!d0 "ourt #ave credence to te evidence adduced by Bacelor et.al. tat wen te commotion ensued inside te bus, te two deceased %anic&ed o
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and, in a state o! soc& and !ear, tey /um%ed o!! !rom te bus trou# te window. ivera and "ollan#o were not ne#li#ent in teir duties. +ey ad every ri#t to acce%t %assen#ers absent any mani!estation o! violence or drun&enness. o 2OL+IN$ "om%laint was dismissed. +rans%ortation com%anies are not insurers o! teir %assen#ers. ! and wen suc %assen#ers arm oter %assen#ers witout te &nowled#e o! te trans%ortation com%anyKs %ersonnel, te latter sould not be !aulted. CA DECISION o 1AC&UAL 1IN+IN$" T!%! .a# n' !+-d!n&! *' #""'%* *! &'n&#-'n *a* *! d''% .a# '&/!d0 "ollan#o-s testimony must not be #iven wei#t because, a%art !rom bein# inconsistent, it is biased. @e is an em%loyee o! Bacelor( e was also involved in te incident and would be inclined to testi!y in is em%loyer-s !avor. +e lone disinterested eyewitness, "ullano, testi!ied tat te door was opened . "ourt #ave credence to te testimonies o! er#ia and "ullano. +e bus was not runnin# slowly. ?64 &mD cannot be considered slow. CIRCUMSTANCES SHO1ING NEGLIGENCE ivera sto%%in# te bus only a!ter mass a#itation by te %assen#ers ec&less o%enin# o! te doors o! te bus wile travelin# at an a%%reciably !ast s%eed Fiolation o! te and +rans%ortation and +ra!!ic "ode in o%eratin# a %ublic utility bus wit only one door o 2OL+IN$ Bacelor et.al. eld liable: 7or Ornominio-s deat 24,000.00 in loss o! earnin#s and su%%ort, moral dama#es, strai#t deat indemnity and attorneyKs !ees 7or Narcisa-s deat 4,000.00 !or strai#t deat indemnity, moral dama#es and attorneyKs !ees. "osts o! suit Bacelor et.al. a%%ealed to te "
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ISSUE (HELD) $DN Bacelor et.al. is liable !or te deats o! Ornominio and Narcisa (YES) SUB-ISSUES (HELD) 1* $DN te %roimate cause o! te incident was beyond te control o! Bacelor et.al. (YES) * $DN Bacelor eercised etraordinary dili#ence to sa!e#uard its %assen#ers- lives (NO) RATIO
1* #UNNIN$ A3UC4 5A" *#O6I3A&E CAU"E' E7EN& 5A" 1O#&UI&OU"' CO33ON CA##IE#" NO& I33E+IA&EL8 A%"OL7E+ Bacelor is correct in claimin# tat te %roimate cause o! te incident was te stabbin# o! te constable. o +e sudden and une%ected stabbin# incident drove te %assen#ers and te bus crew to %anic. o ' stam%ede ensued wen te %assen#ers all rused to te solitary eit, causin# te deat o! Narcisa and Ornominio )more on tis below* N"" 1123: Ace%t in cases e%ressly s%eci!ied by law, or wen it is oterwise declared by sti%ulations, or wen te nature o! te obli#ation re=uires te assum%tion o! ris&, no %erson sall be res%onsible !or tose !+!n*# .-& &'d n'* ! 2'%!#!!n, '% .-& *'$ 2'%!#!!n, .!%! -n!+-*a!0 +is %rovision was ta&en !rom 'rt. 1104 o! te %anis "ivil "ode, wic uses te term caso fortuito. Lasa 9. "ith <+orts>: some etraordinary circumstance inde%endent o! te will o! te obli#or, or o! is em%loyees, is an essential element o! a caso fortuito. CO33ON CA##IE# 3U"& "&ILL *#O7E &2A& I& 5A" NO& NE$LI$EN& IN CAU"IN$ &2E INJU#IE" #E"UL&IN$ 1#O3 1O#&UI&OU" E7EN&" o N"" 1246: "ommon carriers are %resumed ne#li#ent i! a %assen#er dies or is in/ured. o &an Chiong "ian 9. Inchausti : Co. : "ommon carrier must %rove tat it eercised care and dili#ence in %rotectin# its customers in te case o! a !ortuitous event o %L&% Co. 9. IAC; 7or te de!ense o! !orce ma/eure to %ros%er te accident must be due to natural causes and e
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* %AC2ELO# +I+ NO& E6E#CI"E E6&#AO#+INA#8 +ILI$ENCE Ba&!'%’# a%$3!n*#: o ivera was drivin# cautiously #ivin# due re#ard to tra!!ic rules, laws and re#ulations trou#out te course o! te tri%, even durin# te incident. o 's ruled by te trial court, common carriers are not insurers o! teir %assen#ers. SC: Intenable. +ere is enou# evidence to %rove Bacelor-s !ailure to eercise etraordinary dili#ence. t tere!ore !ailed to %rove tat te deats o! Ornominio and Narcisa were attributable solely to te !ortuitous event 0 " noted tat te +"-s and "'-s !actual !indin#s were con!lictin#. <ence te " reviewed te record> " u%eld te "'- !indin#s o! !act , wic %oint to te !ailure o! Bacelor to eercise etraordinary dili#ence. +e +" disre#arded tese material !acts. CIRCUMSTANCES SHOWING NEGLIGENCE o ivera did not immediately sto% te bus at te ei#t o! te commotion o +e bus was s%eedin# !rom a !ull sto% o +e victims !ell !rom te bus door wen it was o%ened or #ave way wile te bus was still runnin# o "ollan#o %anic&ed and blew is wistle a!ter %eo%le ad already !allen o!! te bus o +e bus was not %ro%erly e=ui%%ed wit enou# doors in accordance wit law t is tere!ore clear tat Bacelor et.al. ave !ailed to overcome te %resum%tion o! !ault and ne#li#ence !ound in te law #overnin# common carriers. •
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%A"I" 1O# LIA%ILI&8 O1 CO33ON CA##IE#" o "ul%a contractual or breac o! contract o! carria#e o N"" 123: "ommon carriers are %ersons, cor%orations, !irms or associations en#a#ed in te business o! carryin# or trans%ortin# %assen#ers or #oods or bot by land, water, or air, !or com%ensation, o!!erin# teir services to te %ublic. o N"" 1233: "ommon carriers, !rom te nature o! teir business and !or reasons o! %ublic %olicy, are 'nd *' '#!%+! !4*%a'%d-na%5 d--$!n&! -n *! +-$-an&! '+!% *! $''d# and 2'% *! #a2!*5 '2 *! "a##!n$!%# *%an#"'%*!d 5 *!3, a&&'%d-n$ *' a *! &-%&3#*an&!# '2 !a& &a#! . o N"" 1244: ' common carrier is bound to carry te %assen#ers sa!ely as !ar as uman care and !oresi#t can %rovide, #-n$ *! *3'#* d--$!n&! '2 +!%5 &a*-'# "!%#'n#, wit a due re#ard !or all te circumstances. o N"" 1246: n case o! d!a* '2 '% -n6%-!# *' "a##!n$!%#, &'33'n &a%%-!%# a%! "%!#3!d *' a+! !!n a* 2a* '% *' a+! a&*!d n!$-$!n*5 , unless the pro9e that the o=ser9ed e? and >?@@ .
3* On %achelor)s allegation that the "ps. %eter and the "ps. #autraut were not the parents of Ornoinio and Narcisa, respecti9el : Nagpapalusot na lang ang %achelor . +e s%ouses were identi!ied as te %arents o! te deceased durin# te trial and were reco#nized by te +" as suc. +e com%laint was dismissed solely on te #round tat Bacelor et.al. were not ne#li#ent. t is a belated attem%t to evade liability. * Award of +aages 7'"+O +O "ONCA ) Alcantara 9. "urro*: 1* li!e e%ectancy )considerin# te state o! ealt o! te deceased and te mortality tables are deemed conclusive* and loss o! earnin# ca%acity * %ecuniary loss, loss o! su%%ort and service 3* moral and mental su!!erin# Filla ey ule, as reiterated in *eople 9. +aniel : B'A 7O "OHI+NG O O7 A'NNG "''"+E: 1* number o! years on te basis o! wic te dama#es sall be com%uted( and * rate at wic te losses sustained by te eirs sould be !ied. Isin# +a9ila 9. *AL !ormula: at te a#e o! 30 oneKs normal li!e e%ectancy is 331D3 years based on te 'merican A%ectancy +able o! Hortality )D3 ?03*. By ta&in# into account te %ace and nature o! te li!e o! a car%enter, it is reasonable to ma&e allowances !or tese circumstances and reduce te li!e e%ectancy o! Ornominio to 4 years. +o !i te rate o! losses it must be noted tat 'rt. 06 re!ers to #ross earnin#s less necessary livin# e%enses o! te deceased, in oter words, only net earnin#s are to be considered. CO3*U&A&ION 1O# O#NO3INIO o "onsiderin# is social standin# and %osition o Ceductible, livin# and incidental e%ensesL00 a mont, ,?00 annually, and 10,000 !or 4 years. o Caily ncome: "onsiderin# tat Ornominio-s wor& is seasonal ) arawan*, " assumed tat e wor&s 0 days a mont at 4 a day or 400 a mont. o 'nnual ncomeL6,000 or 140,000 !or 4 years. •
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"om%ensation !or oss o! su%%ort and serviceL30,000 )140,000 minus 10,000* o trai#t deat indemnity under N"" 06L30,000 o Horal Cama#esL10,000.00 as an ece%tion to te #eneral rule a#ainst moral dama#es in case o! breac o! contract rule 'rt. 00 ) Necesito 9. *aras*. o 'ttorneyKs !eesL4,000. o +O+' NCAHN+E !or icardo and er#ia Beter as %arents and eirs o! OrnominioL24,000. CO3*U&A&ION 1O# NA#CI"A o trai#t deat indemnityL30,000.00 o Horal dama#esL10,000.00 o 'ttorneyKs !ees L4,000.00 o +O+' NCAHN+EL 4,000.00 o No indemnity !or loss o! earnin# ca%acity as tere was no evidence tat se ad visible means o! su%%ort. o
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DISPOSITION: etition dismissed, "' decision a!!irmed.
