Case Name: CALIBRE TRADERS, INC., MARIO SISON SEBASTIAN, and MINDA BLANCO SEBASTIAN v BAYER BAYER PHILIPPINES, INC.,
GR No. 161431 Date: October 13, 2010 Facts Calibre Traders, Inc. (Calibre !as one o" #a$er%&ils distrib'torsdealers o" its a)ric'lt'ral c&emicals !it&in t&e %ro*inces o" +an)asinan and Tarlac. Tarlac. T&eir last distrib'tors&i% a)reement !as e""ecti*e "rom 'ne 1-- to 'ne 1--1. /o!e*er, #a$er%&il sto%%ed deli*erin) stocs to Calibre on 'l$ 31, 1-- a"ter t&e latter "ailed to settle its 'n%aid acco'nts in t&e total amo'nt o" +1,1,04.. 5s #a$er%&ils a't&ori6ed dealer, Calibre t&en en7o$ed disco'nts and rebates. 8'bse9'entl$, 8'bse9'entl$, &o!e*er, t&e %arties &ad a disa)reement as to t&e entitlement and com%'tations o" t&ese disco'nts. Calibre, alt&o')& a!are o" t&e deadline to %a$ its debts !it& #a$er%&il, ne*ert&eless !it&&eld %a$ment to com%el #a$er%&il to reconcile its acco'nts. In a letter dated 5')'st 1, 1--, Calibre re9'ested #a$er%&il "or a reconciliation o" acco'nts. It en'merated claims t&at amo'nted to +-,2.2. Calibre sent "ollo!'% letters dated 8e%tember 1, October 13, and No*ember 1, 1--. On 8e%tember 2-, 1--, #a$er%&ils credit and collection o""icer, ;eon 5besamis, 5besamis, con"erred !it& Calibres General
%ressed discontent in #a$er%&ils re"'sal to credit &is claims in "'ll and 'nderscored t&e alle)ed inaction o" #a$er%&il in reconcilin) Calibres acco'nts. T&is !as "ollo!ed b$ a demand letter re9'irin) #a$er%&il to %a$ t&e s'm o" +10,000,000.00 "or t&e dama)es it &ad alle)edl$ ca'sed to Calibre. #a$er%&il re%lied, remindin) t&at Calibre o!ed it +1,22,103.0 as o" December 31, 1--. 5cc'sin) #a$er%&il o" malicio'sl$ breac&in) t&e distrib'tors&i% a)reement b$ mani%'latin) Calibres acco'nts, !it&&oldin) disco'nts and rebates d'e it, c&ar)in) 'n!arranted %enalties, re"'sin) to s'%%l$ )oods, and "a*orin) t&e ne! distrib'torsdealers distrib'torsdealers to dri*e it o't o" b'siness, Calibre, on
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Iss'es a ?&et&er or not Calibre is entitled to an a!ard o" dama)es b t&e %ro%riet$ o" )rantin) relie" to #a$er%&ils co'nterclaim. R'lin) a To 7'sti"$ a )rant o" act'al or com%ensator$ dama)es, t&e amo'nt o" loss m'st be %ro*ed !it& a reasonable de)ree o" certaint$, based '%on com%etent %roo" and t&e best e*idence obtainable b$ t&e in7'red %art$. T&e %ro7ected s'm o" +10 million sales cannot t&'s be t&e %ro%er base in com%'tin) act'al dama)es. Calibre com%'ted its lost income based onl$ on its ca%abilit$ to sell aro'nd +10
Notes