La Mallorca vs. CA (GR L-20761, 27 July 1966)

La Mallorca vs.
CA (GR L-20761, 27 July 1966)

En Banc, Barrera (J): 8 concur, 1 concur in result
Facts: On 20 December 1953, at about noontime, the spouses Beltran, together with
their minor daughters, namely Milagros (13 years old), Raquel (about 4-1/2 years
old), and Fe (over 2 years old), boarded the Pambusco Bus 352, (TPU 757; 1953
Pampanga), owned and operated by La Mallorca, at San Fernando, Pampanga,
bound for Anao, Mexico, Pampanga. At the time, they were carrying with them 4
pieces of baggages containing their personal belongings. The conductor of the bus
who happened to be a half-brother of Mariano Beltran, issued 3 tickets covering the
full fares of the spouses and their eldest child, Milagros. No fare was charged on
Raquel and Fe, since both were below the height at which fare is charged in
accordance with La Mallorcas rules and regulations. After about an hours trip, the
bus reached Anao, whereat it stopped to allow the passengers bound therefor,
among whom were the spouses and their children to get off. Mariano Beltran, then
carrying some of their baggages, was the first to get down the bus, followed by his
wife and his children. Mariano led his companions to a shaded spot on the left
pedestrians side of the road about 4 or 5 meters away from the vehicle. Afterwards,
he returned to the bus in controversy to get his other bayong, which he had left
behind, but in so doing, his daughter Raquel followed him unnoticed by her father.
While said Mariano Beltran was on the running board of the bus waiting for the
conductor to hand him his bayong which he left under one of its seats near the
door; the bus, whose motor was not shut off while unloading, suddenly started
moving forward, evidently to resume its trip, notwithstanding the fact that the
conductor has not given the driver the customary signal to start, since said
conductor was still attending to the baggage left behind by Mariano Beltran.
Incidentally, when the bus was again placed into a complete stop, it had travelled
about 10 meters from the point where the Beltrans had gotten off. Sensing that the
bus was again in motion, Mariano Beltran immediately jumped from the running
board without getting his bayong from the conductor. He landed on the side of the
road almost in front of the shaded place where he left his wife and children. At that
precise time, he saw people beginning to gather around the body of the child lying
prostrate on the ground, her skull, crushed, and without life. The child was none
other than his daughter Raquel, who was run over by the bus in which she rode
earlier together with her parents.
For the death of the child Raquel, the Beltrans commenced the present suit against
La Mallorca seeking to recover from the latter an aggregate amount of P6,000 to
cover moral damages and actual damages sustained as a result thereof and
attorneys fees. After trial on the merits the trial court found La Mallorca liable for
breach of contract of carriage and sentenced it to pay P3,000.00 for the death of
the child and P400.00 as compensatory damages representing burial expenses and
costs.
On appeal to the Court of Appeals, La Mallorca claimed that there could not be a
breach of contract in the case, for the reason that when the child met her death,
she was no longer a passenger of the bus involved in the incident and, therefore,
the contract of carriage had already terminated. Although the Court of Appeals
sustained this theory, it nevertheless found La Mallorca guilty of quasi- delict and
held the latter liable for damages, for the negligence of its driver, in accordance
with Article 2180 of the Civil Code. Further, the Court of Appeals did not only find La
Mallorca liable, but increased the damages awarded the Beltrans to P6,000.00,
instead of P3,000.00 granted by the trial court. Hence, the petition for review.
The Supreme Court modified the decision of the Court of Appeals by sentencing La
Mallorca to pay to Mariano Beltran, et al., the sum of P3,000.00 for the death of the
child, Raquel Beltran, and the amount of P400.00 as actual damages; without costs
in this instance.

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