Dycaico v. SSS G.R. No. 161357 November 30, 2005 FACTS: Bonifacio S. Dycaico became a member of the SSS on Janary 2!, 1"#0. $n hi% %e&f'em(&oye) )ata, he name) the (etitioner, *&ena +. Dycaico, an) their # chi&)ren a% hi% beneficiarie%. t that time, Bonifacio an) *&ena &ive) to-ether a% h%ban) an) ife ithot the benefit of marria-e. $n Jne 1"#", Bonifacio a% con%i)ere) retire) an) be-an receivin- hi% month&y (en%ion from the SSS. /e contine) to receive the month&y (en%ion nti& he (a%%e) aay on Jne 1", 1""7. fe month% month% (rior to hi% )eath, )eath, hoever, hoever, Bonifacio Bonifacio marrie) marrie) the (etitione (etitionerr on Janary Janary 6, 1""7. 1""7. Short&y after Bonifacio% )eath, the (etitioner fi&e) ith the SSS an a((&ication for %rvivor% (en%ion. /er a((&ication, hoever, a% )enie) on the -ron) that n)er the Socia& Secrity a %he co&) not be con%i)ere) a (rimary beneficiary of Bonifacio a% of the )ate of hi% retirement. he (etitioner fi&e) ith the SS a (etition a&&e-in- that the )enia& of her %rvivor% (en%ion a% n% n%tif tifie) ie).. She She conten conten)e )e) ) that that Bonif Bonifac acio io )e%i)e%i-na nate) te) her her an) an) their their chi&)r chi&)ren en a% (rimar (rimary y beneficiarie% in hi% SSS 4orm RS'1 an) that it a% not in)icate) therein that on&y &e-itimate fami&y member% co&) be ma)e beneficiarie%. he SS (rom&-ate) it% Re%o&tion affirmin- the )enia& of the (etitioner% c&aim. he SS refte) refte) the (etitio (etitioner% ner% contenti contention on that that (rimary (rimary benefici beneficiarie arie% % nee) nee) not be &e-itima &e-itimate te fami&y fami&y member% by citin- the )efinition% of (rimary beneficiarie% an) )e(en)ent%. --rieve), --rieve), the (etitioner (etitioner fi&e) ith the a (etition for revie of the SS% 4ebrary 6, 2002 Re%o&tion. $n the a%%ai&e) Deci%ion, the a((e&&ate cort )i%mi%%e) the (etition. he )ec&are) that %ince the (etitioner a% mere&y the common'&a ife of Bonifacio at the time of hi% retirement, hi% )e%i-nation of the (etitioner a% one of hi% beneficiarie% in the SSS 4orm RS'1 in 1"#0 i% voi). he frther ob%erve) that Bonifacio% chi&)ren ith the (etitioner co&) no &on-er a&ify a% (rimary beneficiarie% beca%e they have a&& reache) 21 year% of a-e. ISSUE: 8N Dycaico can be con%i)ere) a% a beneficiary. 8N there i% a vio&ation to ea& (rotection c&a%e of the on%tittion. HELD: &a%%ifyin- )e(en)ent %(o%e% an) )eterminin- their entit&ement to %rvivor% (en%ion ba%e) on hether the marria-e a% contracte) before or after the retirement of the other %(o%e bear% no re&ation to the achievement of the (o&icy obective of the &a. $n)ee), the S )oe% not fin) %b%tantia& )i%tinction beteen %(o%e% ho%e a%%i-nment a% a beneficiary a% ma)e after the marria-e an) %(o%e% ho%e a%%i-nment a% a beneficiary a% ma)e before the marria-e. he %tatte vio&ate% ea& (rotection c&a%e hen it -rant% %rvivin(en%ion% on&y to the %(o%e% be&on-in- to the former ca%e an) not to than the &atter.
%tatte, to be va&i) an) rea%onab&e, m%t %ati%fy the fo&&oin- reirement%9 m%t %ati%fy the fo&&oin- reirement%9 :1; it m%t re%t on %b%tantia& )i%tinction%< :2; it m%t be -ermane to the (r(o%e of the &a< :3; it m%t not be &imite) to e=i%tin- con)ition% on&y< an) :!; it m%t a((&y ea&&y to a&& member% of the %ame c&a%%. % i&&%trate) by the (etitioner% ca%e, the (rovi%o a% of the )ate of hi% retirement in Section 12' B:); of Re(. ct No. #2#2 hich a&ifie% the term (rimary beneficiarie% re%&t% in the c&a%%ification of )e(en)ent %(o%e% a% (rimary beneficiarie% into to -ro(%9 :1; ho%e )e(en)ent %(o%e% ho%e re%(ective marria-e% to SSS member% ere contracte) prior to the &atter% retirement< an) :2; ho%e )e(en)ent %(o%e% ho%e re%(ective marria-e% to SSS member% ere contracte) after the &atter% retirement. >n)er&yin- the%e to c&a%%ification% of )e(en)ent %(o%e% i% that their re%(ective marria-e% are va&i). $n other or)%, both -ro(% are &e-itimate or &e-a& %(o%e%. he )i%tinction beteen them &ie% %o&e&y on the )ate the marria-e a% contracte). he (etitioner be&on-% to the %econ) -ro( of )e(en)ent %(o%e%, i.e., her marria-e to Bonifacio a% contracte) after hi% retirement. % %ch, %he an) tho%e %imi&ar&y %itate) )o not a&ify a% (rimary beneficiarie% n)er Section 12' B:); of Re(. ct No. #2#2 an), therefore, are not entit&e) to %rvivor% (en%ion n)er the %ame (rovi%ion by rea%on of the %bect (rovi%o. 4rther, the c&a%%ification of )e(en)ent %(o%e% on the ba%i% of hether their re%(ective marria-e% to the SSS member ere contracte) (rior to or after the &atter% retirement for the (r(o%e of entit&ement to %rvivor% (en%ion )oe% not re%t on rea& an) %b%tantia& )i%tinction%. $t i% arbitrary an) )i%criminatory. $t i% too %ee(in- beca%e the (rovi%o a% of the )ate of hi% retirement, hich effective&y )i%a&ifie% the )e(en)ent %(o%e% ho%e re%(ective marria-e% to the retire) SSS member ere contracte) after the &atter% retirement a% (rimary beneficiarie%, nfair&y &m(% a&& the%e marria-e% a% %ham re&ation%hi(% or ere contracte) %o&e&y for the (r(o%e of acirin- benefit% accrin- (on the )eath of the other %(o%e. WHEREFORE, the (etition i% GRANTED. he Deci%ion )ate) (ri& 15, 2003 an) Re%o&tion )ate) December 15, 2003 of the ort of ((ea&% in 'G.R. S+ No. 6"632 are REVERSED an) SET ASIDE. he (rovi%o a% of the )ate of hi% retirement in Section 12'B:); of Re(. ct No. #2#2 i% )ec&are) VOID for bein- contrary to the )e (roce%% an) ea& (rotection c&a%e% of the on%tittion. he Socia& Secrity Sy%tem cannot )eny the c&aim of (etitioner *&ena +. Dycaico for %rvivor% (en%ion on the ba%i% of thi% inva&i) (rovi%o.
GSIS v. Raoet G.R. No. 15703# December 23, 200" FACTS: he re%(on)ent% h%ban), 4ranci%co ?. Raoet : Francisco;, entere) -ovt %ervice on J&y 16, 1"7! a% an *n-ineer rainee at the Nationa& $rri-ation )mini%tration : NIA;.8n J&y 5, 1"7#, he a% a((ointe) a% Jnior ivi& *n-ineer, an) on (ri& 22, 1"#1, he ro%e to the ran@ of $rri-ation *n-ineer B. 8n -%t 1, 1""#, he a% (romote) to the (o%ition of *n-ineer the (o%ition he he&) nti& hi% )eath on ?ay 5, 2001. $n 2000, 4ranci%co a% )ia-no%e) ith Hypertension, Severe, Stage III, Coronary Artery Disease, an) he a% confine) at the Re-ion $ ?e)ica& enter from J&y 16 to J&y 25, 2000. % the GS$S con%i)ere) thi% a or@'re&ate) con)ition, 4ranci%co a% aar)e) 30 )ay% em(orary ota& Di%abi&ity benefit%, (&% reimbr%ement of me)ica& e=(en%e% incrre) )rin- treatment. 8n ?ay 5, 2001, 4ranci%co a% r%he) to the Dr. ?arce&o ?. han ?emoria& /o%(ita& beca%e he a% vomitin- b&oo). /e a% (rononce) )ea) on arriva& at the ho%(ita&. /i% )eath certificate &i%te) the ca%e% of hi% )eath a% car)iac arre%t ith n)er&yin- ca%e of (e(tic &cer )i%ea%e. he re%(on)ent, a% i)o, fi&e) ith the GS$S on ?ay 2!, 2001 a c&aim for income benefit% accrin- from the )eath of her h%ban). he GS$S )enie) the c&aim on the -ron) that the re%(on)ent )i) not %bmit any %((ortin- )ocment% to %ho that 4ranci%co% )eath a% )e to (e(tic &cer. 8n a((ea&, the * affirme) the fin)in-% of the GS$S in it% )eci%ion of J&y 2!, 2002. ccor)into the *, it co&) not )etermine if 4ranci%co% )eath a% com(en%ab&e )e to the ab%ence of )ocment% %((ortin- the re%(on)ent% c&aim. Since 4ranci%co ha) no (rior hi%tory of con%&tation re&atin- to (e(tic &cer an) no ato(%y a% (erforme) to a%certain the ca%e of hi% )eath, the * co&) not conc&)e that Bleeding Peptic Ulcer Disease a% the rea%on for hi% )emi%e. rever%e) the * )eci%ion. $t he&) that hi&e the men)e) R&e% on *m(&oyee% om(en%ation )oe% not &i%t (e(tic &cer a% an occ(ationa& )i%ea%e, 4ranci%co% )eath %ho&) be com(en%ab&e %ince it% imme)iate ca%e a% car)iac arre%t. ISSUE: 8N the ai&ment Acute assive He!orr"age t#c Bleeding Peptic Ulcer Disease, hich ca%e) the )eath of the &ate 4ranci%co, i% or@'connecte) or hether there a% any (roof to %ho that the ri%@ of contractin- the %ame a% increa%e) by factor% atten)ant to hi% em(&oyment an) if re%(on)ent can be -iven the income benefit for it. HELD: Ba%e) on 4ranci%co% )eath certificate, the imme)iate ca%e of hi% )eath a% car)iac arre%t< the antece)ent ca%e a% acte ma%%ive hemorrha-e, an) the n)er&yin- ca%e a% b&ee)in(e(tic &cer )i%ea%e. e fin) that the re%(on)ent %bmitte) %fficient (roof of the ca%e of her h%ban)% )eath hen %he (re%ente) hi% )eath certificate. e he&) that death certiicate! an) the note% by a mnici(a& hea&th officer (re(are) in the re-&ar (erformance of hi%
)tie% are prima facie evide"ce o act! therei" !tated. A d#$y%re&i!tered death certiicate i! co"!idered a '#($ic doc#)e"t a"d the e"trie! o#"d therei" are 're!#)ed correct, n&e%% the (arty ho conte%t% it% accracy can (ro)ce (o%itive evi)ence e%tab&i%hina contrary conc&%ion. e %tre%% that in )eterminin- the com(en%abi&ity of an i&&ne%%, e )o not reire that the em(&oyment be the %o&e factor in the -roth, )eve&o(ment, or acce&eration of a c&aimant% i&&ne%% to entit&e him to the benefit% (rovi)e) for. $t i% eno-h that hi% em(&oyment contribte), even if on&y in a %ma&& )e-ree, to the )eve&o(ment of the )i%ea%e. $n thi% ca%e, the chain of ca%ation that &e) to the (e(tic &cer i% too obvio% to be )i%re-ar)e). he (re%%re% of 4ranci%co% or@ con%tant, continin- an) con%i%tent at hi% &eve& of re%(on%ibi&ity inevitab&y manife%te) their (hy%ica& effect% on 4ranci%co% hea&th an) bo)y< the initia& an) mo%t obvio% ere the hy(erten%ion an) coronary artery )i%ea%e that the GS$S it%e&f reco-niAe). e%% obvio%, bt neverthe&e%% ari%in- from the %ame (re%%re% an) %tre%%e%, ere the %i&ent @i&&er%, &i@e (e(tic &cer, that mi-ht not have attracte) 4ranci%co% attention to the (oint of )rivin- him to %ee@ imme)iate an) active me)ica& intervention. >&timate&y, hen the &cer' (ro)cin- %tre%%e% )i) not en), hi% &cer b&e) (rof%e&y, affectin- hi% heart an) ca%in- it% arre%t. $n thi% manner, 4ranci%co )ie). hat hi% i)o %ho&) no be -rante) benefit% for 4ranci%co% )eath i% a conc&%ion e cannot avoi) an) i%, in fact, one that e %ho&) -&a)&y ma@e a% a matter of &a an) %ocia& %tice.
