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    Villanueva Vs Domingo

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    Nath Antonio
    The Supreme Court ruled that the registered owner of a vehicle is primarily liable for damages arising from an accident involving that vehicle, even if being operated by someone else without their consent or knowledge. The main purpose of vehicle registration is to ensure there is a definite individual who can be held responsible for accidents. The registered owner may recover damages from the actual owner through a third-party complaint.

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    Villanueva Vs Domingo

    Uploaded by

    Nath Antonio
    90 views1 page
    The Supreme Court ruled that the registered owner of a vehicle is primarily liable for damages arising from an accident involving that vehicle, even if being operated by someone else without their consent or knowledge. The main purpose of vehicle registration is to ensure there is a definite individual who can be held responsible for accidents. The registered owner may recover damages from the actual owner through a third-party complaint.

    Original Description:

    Commercial Law Review - case digest

    Original Title

    Villanueva vs Domingo

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    The Supreme Court ruled that the registered owner of a vehicle is primarily liable for damages arising from an accident involving that vehicle, even if being operated by someone else without their consent or knowledge. The main purpose of vehicle registration is to ensure there is a definite individual who can be held responsible for accidents. The registered owner may recover damages from the actual owner through a third-party complaint.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    90 views1 page

    Villanueva Vs Domingo

    Uploaded by

    Nath Antonio
    The Supreme Court ruled that the registered owner of a vehicle is primarily liable for damages arising from an accident involving that vehicle, even if being operated by someone else without their consent or knowledge. The main purpose of vehicle registration is to ensure there is a definite individual who can be held responsible for accidents. The registered owner may recover damages from the actual owner through a third-party complaint.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 1

    [G.R. No.

    144274, 20 September 2004, 438 SCRA 485]


    Nostradamus Villanueva vs. Priscilla R. Domingo, et al.
    Facts:
    A car driven by Renato Ocfemia hit a car driven by Leandro Domingo. The registered owner of Ocfemias
    vehicle was Nostradamus Villanueva, although Villanueva has traded/swapped the vehicle for a Pajero owned by
    Albert Jaucian/Auto Palace Car Exchange.
    The Assistant City Prosecutor of Manila recommended the filing of an Information for reckless imprudence
    resulting to damage to property and physical injuries.
    The trial court found Villanueva liable and ordered him to pay damages. The Court of Appeals affirmed the
    trial court but deleted the award for attorneys and appearance fees.
    Villanueva files a petition for review with the Supreme Court.
    Issue:
    Whether a registered owner of a vehicle may be held liable for damages arising from an accident involving the said
    vehicle while it was being operated by the employee of the vehicles buyer without the latters consent and
    knowledge
    Held/Ratio:
    Yes, a registered owner of any vehicle is directly and primarily liable to the public and third persons while it
    is being operated. The petition for review is denied and the Court of Appeals decision is affirmed.
    The public has a right to assume that the registered owner is the actual owner, to make it easier for them to enforce
    actions for injuries caused to them by vehicles negligently operated. However, the registered owner may recover
    from the person to whom he had sold, assigned, or conveyed the vehicle via a third-party complaint.
    The registered owner of any vehicle, even if not used for a public service, should be primarily responsible to
    the public or third persons while the vehicle is being driven on the streets.
    The main aim of registration is to identify the owner so that if any accident happens, responsibility can be
    fixed on a definite individualthe registered owner. The primary purpose is to make certain that the violator shall not
    escape because of lack of means to discover him.
    The law, with its aim in mind, does not relieve him directly of the responsibility that the law places upon him
    as an incident or consequence of registration. If a registered owner is allowed to prove who the supposed
    transferee is, it would be easy for him to escape responsibility and transfer it to an indefinite person or to one who
    possesses no property with which to respond financially for the injury or damage.
    Whether the driver is authorized by the actual owner is irrelevant in determining the liability of the registered owner.
    To require so would defeat the purpose of the enactment of motor vehicle registration.
    The registered owner is the operator with respect to the public and third persons. The owner of record is the
    employer of the driver, the actual owner being considered merely as his agent.

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