Fabre vs. CA, 259 SCRA 426 G.R. No. 111 111127. July 26, 1996 FACTS: Pe!!o"ers #"$ra%!o Fabre, Jr. a"& '!s (!)e (ere o("ers o) a 19*2 +o&el a-&a +!"!bus. T'ey use& 'e bus r!"%!ally r!"%!all y !" %o""e%!o" (!' a bus serv!%e )or s%'ool %'!l&re" ('!%' 'ey oerae& !" a"!la. T'e %oule 'a& a &r!ver, Por)!r!o J. Cab!l, ('o+ 'ey '!re& a)er ry!"$ '!+ ou )or (o (ee/s. 0!s ob (as o a/e s%'ool %'!l&re" o a"& )ro+ 'e S. S%'olas!%as Colle$e !" alae, a"!la. Pr!vae reso"&e" 3or& )or 'e 3orl& C'r!s!a" Fello(s'! "%. 33CFarra"$e& (!' e!!o"ers )or 'e ra"sora!o" ra"sora!o " o) +e+bers o) !s 8ou"$ 8ou"$ A&uls !"!sry !"!sr y )ro+ a"!la o a "!o" a"& ba%/ !" %o"s!&era!o" o) ('!%' r!vae reso"&e" a!& e!!o"ers 'e a+ou" o) P,;;;.;;. T'e usual roue o Caba, a "!o" (as 'rou$' Car+e", Pa"$as!"a". 0o(ever, 'e br!&$e a Car+e" (as u"&er rea!r, so 'a e!!o"er Cab!l, ('o (as u")a+!l!ar (!' 'e area ,! be!"$ '!s )!rs r! o a "!o", (as )or%e& o a/ea &eour 'rou$' 'e o(" o)
s!ee.? T'e roa& (as sl!ery be%ause ! (as ra!"!"$, %aus!"$ 'e bus, ('!%' (as ru""!"$ a 'e see& o) 5; /!lo+eers er 'our, o s/!& o 'e le) roa& s'oul&er. T'e bus '! 'e le) ra))!% seel bra%e a"& s!$" alo"$ 'e roa& a"& ra++e& 'e )e"%e o) o"e Jesus #s%a"o, 'e" ur"e& over a"& la"&e& o" !s le) s!&e, %o+!"$ o a )ull so o"ly a)er a ser!es o) !+a%s. T'e bus %a+e o res o)) 'e roa&. A %o%o"u ree ('!%' ! 'a& '! )ell o" ! a"& s+as'e& !s )ro" or!o". T'e &r!ver, e!!o"er Cab!l, %la!+e& 'e &!& "o see 'e %urve u"!l ! (as (as oo lae. 0e sa!& 'e (as "o )a+!l!ar (!' 'e area a"& 'e %oul& "o 'ave see" 'e %urve &es!e 'e %are 'e oo/ !" &r!v!"$ 'e bus, be%ause ! (as &ar/ a"& 'ere (as "o s!$" o" 'e roa&. 0e sa!& 'a 'e sa( 'e %urve ('e" 'e (as alrea&y (!'!" 15 o ; +eers o) !. 0e alle$e&ly slo(e& &o(" o ; /!lo+eers er 'our, bu ! (as oo lae. T'e !"$aye" ol!%e !"ves!$ae& 'e !"%!&e" 'e "e@ &ay. &ay. " 'e bas!s o) 'e!r )!"&!"$ 'ey )!le& a %r!+!"al %o+la!" a$a!"s 'e &r!ver, Por)!r!o Cab!l. T'e %ase (as laer )!le& (!' 'e !"$aye" Re$!o"al Tr!al Cour. Pe!!o"ers Fabre a!& Jesus #s%a"o P1,5;;.;; )or 'e &a+a$e o 'e laers )e"%e. " 'e bas!s o) #s%a"os a))!&av! o) &es!sa"%e 'e %ase a$a!"s e!!o"ers Fabre (as &!s+!sse&. A+yl!"e A"o"!o, A"o"!o, ('o (as ser!ously ser!ously !"ure&, brou$' '!s '!s %ase !" 'e RTC RTC o) a/a!, a/a!, ero a"!la. As a resul o) 'e a%%!&e", s'e !s "o( su))er!"$ )ro+ arale$!a a"& !s er+a"e"ly araly-e& )ro+ 'e (a!s &o(". Bur!"$ 'e r!al s'e &es%r!be& 'e oera!o"s s'e u"&er(e" a"& a&&u%e& ev!&e"%e re$ar&!"$ 'e %os o) 'er rea+e" a"& 'eray. T'e r!al %our )ou"& 'a "o %o"v!"%!"$ ev!&e"%e (as s'o(" s 'o(" 'a 'a 'e 'e +!"!bus (as roerly %'e%/e& )or ravel o a lo"$ &!sa"%e r! a"& 'a 'e &r!ver (as (as roerly
s%ree"e& a"& ese& be)ore be!"$ a&+!e& )or e+loy+e". "&ee&, all 'e ev!&e"%e rese"e& 'ave s'o(" 'e "e$l!$e" a% o) 'e &e)e"&a"s ('!%' ul!+aely resule& o 'e a%%!&e" sube% o) '!s %ase. T'e r!al %our or&ere& 'ere!" e!!o"ers o ay 3or& )or 'e 3orl& C'r!s!a" Fello(s'!, "%. a"& s. A+yl!"e A"o"!o )or 'ey (ere 'e o"ly o"es('o a&&u%e& ev!&e"%e )or 'e!r %la!+ )or &a+a$es. T'e Cour o) Aeals a))!r+e& 'e &e%!s!o" o) 'e r!al %our (!' rese% o A+yl!"e A"o"!o bu &!s+!sse& ! (!' rese% o 'e o'er la!"!))s o" 'e $rou"& 'a 'ey )a!le& o rove 'e!r rese%!ve %la!+s. 0e"%e, '!s e!!o". SS#: 3'e'er or "o 'e e!!o"ers, o!"ly or sol!&ar!ly, (ere "e$l!$e" a"& !) 'ey are l!able )or &a+a$es a"& o ('a e@e". 0#B: T'e )!"&!"$ 'a Cab!l &rove '!s bus "e$l!$e"ly, ('!le '!s e+loyer, 'e Fabres, ('o o("e& 'e bus, )a!le& o e@er%!se 'e &!l!$e"%e o) a $oo& )a'er o) 'e )a+!ly !" 'e sele%!o" a"& suerv!s!o" o) 'e!r e+loyee !s )ully suore& by 'e ev!&e"%e o" re%or&. T'ese )a%ual )!"&!"$s o) 'e (o %ours (e re$ar& as )!"al a"& %o"%lus!ve, suore& as 'ey are by 'e ev!&e"%e. "&ee&, ! (as a&+!e& by Cab!l 'a o" 'e "!$' !" ues!o", ! (as ra!"!"$, a"&, as a %o"seue"%e, 'e roa& (as sl!ery, a"& ! (as &ar/. 0e averre& 'ese )a%s o us!)y '!s )a!lure o see 'a 'ere lay a s'ar %urve a'ea&. 0o(ever, ! !s u"&!sue& 'a Cab!l &rove '!s bus a 'e see& o) 5; /!lo+eers er 'our a"& o"ly slo(e& &o(" ('e" 'e "o!%e& 'e %urve so+e 15 o ; +eers a'ea&.
" 'e %ase a bar, 'e Fabres, !" allo(!"$ Cab!l o &r!ve 'e bus o a"!o", aare"ly &!& "o %o"s!&er 'e )a% 'a Cab!l 'a& bee" &r!v!"$ )or s%'ool%'!l&re" o"ly, )ro+ 'e!r 'o+es o 'e S. S%'olas!%as Colle$e !" ero a"!la. 'ey 'a& '!re& '!+ o"ly a)er a (o=(ee/ are"!%es'!. T'ey 'a& ese& '!+ )or %era!" +aers, su%' as ('e'er 'e %oul& re+e+ber 'e "a+es o) 'e %'!l&re" 'e (oul& be a/!"$ o s%'ool, ('!%' (ere !rreleva" o '!s ual!)!%a!o" o &r!ve o" a lo"$ &!sa"%e ravel, ese%!ally %o"s!&er!"$ 'a 'e r! o a "!o"(as '!s )!rs. T'e e@!se"%e o) '!r!"$ ro%e&ures a"& suerv!sory ol!%!es %a""o be %asually !"vo/e& o overur" 'e resu+!o" o) "e$l!$e"%e o" 'e ar o) a" e+loyer. Pe!!o"ers ar$ue 'a 'ey are "o a %o++o" %arr!er, 'e"%e, or&!"ary &!l!$e"%e or &!l!$e"%e o) a $oo& )a'er o) a )a+!ly !s o"ly 'e &e$ree o) &!l!$e"%e &ue o) 'e+. As alrea&y sae&, '!s %ase a%ually !"volves a %o"ra% o) %arr!a$e. Pe!!o"ers, 'e Fabres, &!& "o 'ave o be e"$a$e& !" 'e bus!"ess o) ubl!% ra"sora!o" )or 'e rov!s!o"s o) 'e C!v!l Co&e o" %o++o" %arr!ers o aly o 'e+. T'e ar!%le +a/es "o &!s!"%!o" be(ee" o"e ('ose r!"%!al bus!"ess a%!v!y !s 'e %arry!"$ o) erso"s or $oo&s or bo', a"& o"e ('o &oes su%' %arry!"$ o"ly as a" a"%!llary a%!v!y. As %o++o" %arr!ers, 'e Fabres (ere bou"& o e@er%!se >e@raor&!"ary &!l!$e"%e? )or 'e sa)e ra"sora!o" o) 'e asse"$ers o 'e!r &es!"a!o". T'!s &uy o) %are !s "o e@%use& by roo) 'a 'ey e@er%!se& 'e &!l!$e"%e o) a $oo& )a'er o) 'e )a+!ly !" 'e sele%!o" a"& suerv!s!o" o) 'e!r e+loyee. T'e l!ab!l!y o) 'e %o++o" %arr!ers &oes "o %ease uo" roo) 'a 'ey e@er%!se& all 'e &!l!$e"%e o) a $oo& )a'er o) a )a+!ly !" 'e sele%!o" a"& suerv!s!o" o) 'e!r e+loyees. T'e &e%!s!o" o) 'e Cour o) Aeals !s a))!r+e& (!' +o&!)!%a!o" as o 'e a(ar& o) &a+a$es. Pe!!o"ers are or&ere& o ay o!"ly a"& severally 'e r!vae reso"&e" A+yl!"e A"o"!o.
