09
PEDR PEDRO O
T.
LAY LAYUGAN
vs
INT INTERMED RMEDIA IAT TE
APPELLA ELLAT TE
COURT,
GODOFREDO ISIDRO, and TRAVELLERS MULTI-INDEMNITY CORPORATION GR. No. L-73998
November 14, 1988
Ponene! Sarmiento, J. D"#es A$%o&! HABAWEL, HABAWEL, Kirsten Kirsten Denise B. 11937!9 TOPIC!
Do"trine o# res ipsa loquitur
DOCTRINES! Doctrine of Res Ipsa Loquitur dened: $W%ere t%e t%in& '%i"% "()ses in*)r+ is s%o'n to be )ner t%e m(n(&ement o# t%e e#en(nt, (n t%e (""ient is s)"% (s in t%e orin(r+ "o)rse o# t%in&s oes not %(en i# t%ose '%o %(ve t%e m(n(&ement )se roer "(re, it (ors re(son(b/e evien"e, in t%e (bsen"e o# (n e0/(n(on b+ t%e e#en(nt, t%(t t%e (""ient (rose #rom '(nt o# "(re.2 B/("s L(' Di"on(r+ )ts it5 Res ipsa loquitur . 6%e t%in& se(s #or itse/#. Reb)(b/e res)mon or in#eren"e t%(t e#en(nt '(s ne&/i&ent, '%i"% '%i"% (rises (rises )on )on roo# roo# t%(t t%(t instr) instr)men ment(/ t(/it+ it+ "()sin "()sin& & in*)r+ in*)r+ '(s in e#en e#en(nt (nts s e0"/) e0"/)siv sive e "ontr "ontro/, o/, (n t%(t t%(t t%e (""ie (""ient nt '(s one '%i"% '%i"% orin(ri/+ oes not %(en in (bsen"e o# ne&/i&en"e. Res ipsa loquitur is r)/e o# evien"e '%ereb+ ne&/i&en"e o# (//e&e 'ron&oer m(+ be in#erre #rom t%e mere #("t t%(t t%e (""ient %(ene rovie "%(r("ter (""ient (n "ir")mst(n"es (enin& it /e( re(son(b/+ to be/ie# t%(t in (bsen"e o# ne&/i&en"e it 'o)/ not %(ve o"")rre (n t%(t t%in& '%i"% "()se in*)r+ is s%o'n to %(ve been )ner m(n(&ement (n "ontro/ o# (//e&e 'ron&oer. 'ron&oer. Hillen v. Hooker Const. Co., e!. Civ. "pp., #$# S.%. &d ''(, ''). ner o"trine o# $res is( /o)it)r$ t%e %(enin& o# (n in*)r+ ermits ermits (n in#eren"e in#eren"e o# ne&/i&en"e ne&/i&en"e '%ere /(in /(in ro)"es ro)"es s)bst(n s)bst(n(/ (/ evien"e evien"e t%(t in*)r+ '(s "()se "()se b+ (n (&en"+ (&en"+ or instr)ment(/it instr)ment(/it+ + )ner e0"/)sive "ontro/ (n m(n(&ement o# e#en(nt, (n t%(t t%e o"")rren"e '(s s)"% t%(t in t%e orin(r orin(r+ + "o)rs "o)rse e o# t%in&s t%in&s 'o)/ 'o)/ not %(en %(en i# re(son(b/e "(re %( been )se.
6%e o"trine o# Res is( /o)it)r (s ( r)/e o# evien"e is (r")/(r to t%e /(' o# ne&/i&en"e '%i"% re"o&ni:es t%(t rim( #("ie ne&/i&en"e m(+ be est(b/is%e 'it%o)t ire"t roo# (n #)rnis%es ( s)bst)te #or se"i;" roo# o# ne&/i&en"e. 6%e o"trine o"trine is not ( r)/e o# s)bst(nve s)bst(nve /(' b)t mere/+ ( moe o# roo# or ( mere ro"e)r(/ "onvenien"e. 6%e r)/e, '%en (/i"(b/e to t%e #("ts (n "ir")mst(n"es o# ( (r")/(r "(se, is not intene to (n oes not isense 'it% t%e re)irement o# roo# o# ")/(b/e ne&/i&en"e on t%e (rt o# t%e (rt+ "%(r&e.
*e *e presu presump mpo on n of ne/li/ ne/li/enc ence e on t*e part part of t*e master master or emplo-er is 0uris tantum and not 0uris et de 0ure and consequentl-, ma- +e re+u1ed2 It ma- +e overcome +- proof t*at t*e emplo-er e!ercised t*e dili/ence of a /ood fat*er of a famil- in t*e selecon or supervision of *is emplo-ees.
FACTS! =eoner =eoner =ero 6. L(+)&(n L(+)&(n ;/e (n ("on #or (m(&es (m(&es (&(inst (&(inst Resonent Goo#reo n ?(+ ?(+ 1, 197 1979, 9, =eo =eoner ner L(+)& L(+)&(n (n (n %is "om(n "om(nion ion 'ere 'ere re(irin& t%e re o# t%eir "(r&o tr)" '%i"% '(s (re (/on& t%e N(on(/ Hi&%'(+ Hi&%'(+ in B(retbet, B(retbet, B(&(b(&, B(&(b(&, N)ev( @i:"(+(, @i:"(+(, '%en e#en(n e#en(nts ts tr)", tr)", re"/ess/+ riven b+ D(nie/ err(no, b)me L(+)&(n. As ( res)/t, %e '(s %osit(/i:e (n in")rre e0enses. De#en(nt '(s e"/(re in e#()/t, /(ins evien"e '(s re"eive e0-(rte, t%e e"ision '(s set (sie to &ive ( "%(n"e to e#en(nt to ;/e %is (ns'er, (ns'er, (n /(ter on ( t%ir (rt+ "om/(int. De#en(nt
*e doctrine of Res Ipsa Loquitur can +e invoked *en and onl- *en, under t*e circumstance involved, direct evidence is a+sent and not readil- availa+le.
ri&%t (er t%e ")rveC t%(t t%e ro0im(te "()se o# t%e in"ient '(s t%e #(i/)re o# t%e river o# t%e (re ve%i"/e to inst(// t%e e(r/+ '(rnin& evi"e, %en"e t%e river o# t%e (re "(r m)st (ns'er #or t%e (m(&es s)st(ine b+ t%e tr)" o#
b+st(ner or %it"%%ier m)st s)er (// t%e (m(&es %e in")rre. Resonent-De#en(nts "o)nter"/(imC (orne+s #ees, mor(/ (m(&es. A t%ir (rt+ "om/(int '(s ;/e b+ Resonent
6%e
ins)rer 6r(ve//ers ?)/
/i(bi/it+,
(re ve%i"/e, oses ( serio)s (n&er to ( movin& ve%i"/e '%i"% %(s t%e
(m(&es, b+ virt)e o# t%eir
ri&%t to be t%ere. He roers t%(t t%e b)ren to rove t%(t "(re (n
#rom e(t%, boi/+ in*)ries (n (m(&e to roert+. 6%ir (rt+ e#en(nt
i/i&en"e '(s observe, )sin& (n e(r/+ '(rnin& evie #(//s on L(+)&(n, (s
6?
%e "/(ims t%(t %is ve%i"/e %( t%e ri&%t to be t%ere, (n not t%e immobi/e
=o/i"+, its /i(bi/it+ s%(// in no "(se e0"ee t%e /imit e;ne in t%e terms (n
ve%i"/e.
"onions st(te t%erein, t%(t "om/(int is rem(t)re, t%(t t%e (""ient in
)ner t%e o"trine o# res ips loquitur, 'o)/ evoe t%e res)mon o#
)eson '(s (ro0im(te/+ "()se b+ t%e "(re/essness o# L(+)&(n.
ne&/i&en"e on t%e (rt o# t%e river o# t%e (re ve%i"/e (s 'e// (s %is
L(+)&(n e"/(re t%(t %e is ( m(rrie m(n 'it% one "%i/ (n t%(t
%e/er.
%e 'ors (s ( se")rit+ &)(r in ?(n(/)+in& Fit+ (n on %is #ree me, (s ( tr)" %e/er. D)e to t%e (""ient, %is /e /e& '(s (m)t(te (n "o)/ no
ISSUE!
/on&er s)ort %is #(mi/+ s)J"ient/+. Resonent
1. W%et%er t%e o"trine o# res ipsa loquitur 'i// (/+ N>. . Di .
(m(&es s)st(ine b+ %is ve%i"/e b)t not #or t%e t%ir (rt+ /i(bi/it+. Resonents river D(nie/ err(no e"/(re t%(t %e &(ve %is
RULING!
st(tement to t%e B(&(b(& o/i"e, t%(t %e ne' %is resonsibi/it+ (s ( river,
t%(t t%e tr)" o'ner instr)"te %im to be "(re#)/ in rivin& (n t%(t %e
(bo)t 3 or 4 meters #rom t%e re(r o# t%e (re ve%i"/e '(s ( /i&%te
b)me t%e tr)" bein& re(ire b+ L(+)&(n '%i/e t%e s(me '(s stoe.
erosene /(m, (n (mission on t%e (rt o# err(no t%(t (s %e '(s rivin&,
rom t%e evien"e resente, it %( been "/e(r/+ est(b/is%e t%(t
t%e %e(/i&%t o# t%e (ro("%in& ve%i"/e b/ine %im (n t%(t %e i not
t%e in*)ries s)st(ine b+ L(+)&(n 'ere "()se b+ Driver err(no. =o/i"e
no"e t%e (re ve%i"/e bein& re(ire, t%(t (s %e stee on t%e bre(s,
reort "on;rme t%(t '%i/e L(+)&(n '(s re(irin& t%e (re tr)", t%e
it i not 'or.
im("t "()se t%e *(" to is/o&e (n in o'n L(+)&(n, "()sin& in*)r+ to
Absen"e or '(nt o# "(re b+ D(nie/ err(no %(s been est(b/is%e b+
%is /e #ore(rm (n /e /e&, '%i"% %( to be (m)t(te '%en &(n&rene %(
"/e(r (n "onvin"in& evien"e.
set in, t%ereb+ renerin& %im in"(("it(te #or 'or.
)on t%e invo"(on b+ Resonent
6%e 6ri(/ Fo)rt %e/ in #(vo)r o# L(+)&(n, orerin&
to es"(e t%e /i(bi/it+ #or t%e ne&/i&en"e o# %is em/o+ee, t%e resonent
=%7!,!!! (s ("t)(/ (n "omens(tor+ (m(&es, =% ,!!! (orne+s #ees,
"o)rt "ommie reversib/e error. see is")ssion on res ipsa loquitur in
=% ,!!! mor(/ (m(&es, /)s "ost o# s)it. 6%e /o'er Fo)rt orere 6?
D>F6R
to inemni#+
over"ome b+ %is rivers st(tement t%(t %e ne' %is resonsibi/ies (s ( river (n t%(t t%e tr)" o'ner )se to i nstr)"t %im to be "(re#)/ in rivin&. Resonents s)bmission is )nten(b/e. RE, t%e eon is %ereb+ GRAN6ED. 6%e De"ision o# t%e resonent "o)rt (s 'e// (s its Reso/)on en+in& t%e eoners moon #or re"onsier(on (re. %ereb+ E6 A >RDERED.