Magsaysay v Agan G.R. No. L-6393 J.

Reyes Facts:

January 31, 1955

T e !! "San Antonio", vesse# o$ne% &y Magsaysay, #e't Man(#a, &oun% 'or )asco, )atanes $(t cargo &e#ong(ng to %(''erent s (**ers, a+ong t e+ t e %e'en%ant. T e vesse# reac e% A*arr( , an% a'ter a %ay,s sto*over (n t at *ort, $e(g e% anc or to *rocee% to )asco. )ut $ (#e st(## (n *ort, (t ran agroun% at t e +out o' t e -agayan r(ver, an%, atte+*ts to re'#oat (t un%er (ts o$n *o$er av(ng 'a(#e%, *#a(nt('' ave (t re'#oate% &y t e Lu.on !teve%or(ng -o. at an agree% co+*ensat(on. /nce a'#oat t e vesse# returne% to Man(#a to re'ue# an% t en *rocee%e% to )asco, t e *ort o' %est(nat(on. T ere t e cargoes $ere %e#(vere% to t e(r res*ect(ve o$ners or cons(gnees, $ o, $(t t e e0ce*t(on o' %e'en%ant, +a%e a %e*os(t or s(gne% a &on% to ans$er 'or t e(r contr(&ut(on to t e average. /n t e t eory t at t e e0*enses (ncurre% (n '#oat(ng t e vesse# const(tute genera# average to $ (c &ot s (* an% cargo s ou#% contr(&ute, *#a(nt('' &roug t t e *resent act(on (n t e -ourt o' F(rst 1nstance o' Man(#a to +a2e %e'en%ant *ay (s contr(&ut(on, a+ounts to 3451.56. A'ter tr(a#, t e #o$er court 'oun% 'or *#a(nt('' an% ren%ere% 7u%g+ent aga(nst t e %e'en%ant 'or t e a+ount o' t e c#a(+. Fro+ t (s 7u%g+ent %e'en%ant a% a**ea#e% %(rect#y to t (s -ourt. 1ssue: 8 et er t e e0*enses (ncurre% (n '#oat(ng a vesse# so stran%e% s ou#% &e cons(%ere% genera# average an% s are% &y t e cargo o$ners. 9e#%: No. 3et(t(on grante%. Rat(o: Averages are c#ass('(e% (nto s(+*#e or *art(cu#ar an% genera# or gross. Genera##y s*ea2(ng, s(+*#e or *art(cu#ar averages (nc#u%e a## e0*enses an% %a+ages cause% to t e vesse# or cargo $ (c ave not (nure% to t e co++on &ene'(t, an% are, to &e &orne on#y &y t e o$ner o' t e *ro*erty gave r(se to sa+e: $ (#e genera# or gross averages (nc#u%e "a## t e %a+ages an% e0*enses $ (c are %e#(&erate#y cause% (n or%er to save t e vesse#, (ts cargo, or &ot at t e sa+e t(+e, 'ro+ a rea# an% 2no$n r(s2". )e(ng 'or t e co++on &ene'(t, gross averages are to &e &orne &y t e o$ners o' t e art(c#es save% 1n c#ass('y(ng averages (nto s(+*#e o *art(cu#ar an% genera# or gross an% %e'(n(ng eac c#ass, t e -o%e at t e sa+e t(+e enu+erates certa(n s*ec('(c cases as co+(ng s*ec(a##y un%er one or t e ot er %eno+(nat(on. Go(ng over t e s*ec('(c cases enu+erate% $e '(n% t at, $ (#e t e e0*enses (ncurre% (n *utt(ng *#a(nt('',s vesse# a'#oat +ay $e## co+e un%er nu+&er ; o' art(c#e 469-$ (c re'ers to e0*enses su''ere% &y t e vesse# "&y reason o' an acc(%ent o' t e sea o' t e 'orce +a7uere" < an% s ou#% t ere'ore &e c#ass('(e% as *art(cu#ar average, t e sa(% e0*enses %o not

'(t (nto any o' t e s*ec('(c cases o' genera# average enu+erate% (n art(c#e 411. No. 6 o' t (s art(c#e %oes +ent(on "e0*enses cause% (n or%er to '#oat a vesse#," &ut (t s*ec('(ca##y re'ers to "a vesse# (ntent(ona##y stran%e% 'or t e *ur*ose o' sav(ng (t" an% $ou#% ave no a**#(cat(on $ ere, as (n t e *resent case, t e stran%(ng $as not (ntent(ona#. T ese are t e re=u(s(tes 'or genera# average: F(rst, t ere +ust &e a co++on %anger. T (s +eans, t at &ot t e s (* an% t e cargo, a'ter as &een #oa%e%, are su&7ect to t e sa+e %anger, $ et er %ur(ng t e voyage, or (n t e *ort o' #oa%(ng or un#oa%(ng: t at t e %anger ar(ses 'ro+ t e acc(%ents o' t e sea, %(s*os(t(ons o' t e aut or(ty, or 'au#ts o' +en, *rov(%e% t at t e c(rcu+stances *ro%uc(ng t e *er(# s ou#% &e ascerta(ne% an% (++(nent or +ay rat(ona##y &e sa(% to &e certa(n an% (++(nent. !econ%, t at 'or t e co++on sa'ety *art o' t e vesse# or o' t e cargo or &ot sacr('(ce% %e#(&erate#y. (s

T (r%, t at 'ro+ t e e0*enses or %a+ages cause% 'o##o$s t e success'u# sav(ng o' t e vesse# an% cargo. Fourt , t at t e e0*enses or %a+ages s ou#% ta2(ng *ro*er #ega# ste*s an% aut or(ty. ave &een (ncurre% or (n'#(cte% a'ter

8(t res*ect to t e '(rst re=u(s(te, t e ev(%ence %oes not %(sc#ose t at t e e0*enses soug t to &e recovere% 'ro+ %e'en%ant $ere (ncurre% to save vesse# an% cargo 'ro+ a co++on %anger. T e vesse# ran agroun% (n '(ne $eat er (ns(%e t e *ort at t e +out o' a r(ver, a *#ace %escr(&e% as "very s a##o$". 1t $ou#% t us a**ear t at vesse# an% cargo $ere at t e t(+e (n no (++(nent %anger or a %anger $ (c +(g t "rat(ona##y &e soug t to &e certa(n an% (++(nent." 1t (s, o' course, conce(va&#e t at, (' #e't (n%e'(n(te#y at t e +ercy o' t e e#e+ents, t ey $ou#% run t e r(s2 o' &e(ng %estroye%. )ut as state% at t e a&ove =uotat(on, "t (s #ast re=u(re+ent e0c#u%es +easures un%erta2en aga(nst a %(stant *er(#." 1t (s t e %e#(verance 'ro+ an (++e%(ate, (+*en%(ng *er(#, &y a co++on sacr('(ce, t at const(tutes t e essence o' genera# average. 1n t e *resent case t ere (s no *roo' t at t e vesse# a% to &e *ut a'#oat to save (t 'ro+ (++(nent %anger. 8 at %oes a**ear 'ro+ t e test(+ony o' *#a(nt('',s +anager (s t at t e vesse# a% to &e sa#vage% (n or%er to ena&#e (t "to *rocee% to (ts *ort o' %est(nat(on." )ut as $as sa(% (n t e case 7ust c(te% (t (s t e sa'ety o' t e *ro*erty, an% not o' t e voyage, $ (c const(tutes t e true 'oun%at(on o' t e genera# average. As to t e secon% re=u(s(te, $e nee% on#y re*eat t at t e e0*enses (n =uest(on $ere not (ncurre% 'or t e co++on sa'ety o' vesse# an% cargo, s(nce t ey, or at #east t e cargo, $ere not (n (++(nent *er(#. T e cargo cou#%, $(t out nee% o' e0*ens(ve sa#vage o*erat(on, ave &een un#oa%e% &y t e o$ners (' t ey a% &een re=u(re% to %o so.

8(t res*ect to t e t (r% re=u(s(te, t e sa#vage o*erat(on, (t (s true, $as a success. )ut as t e sacr('(ce $as 'or t e &ene'(t o' t e vesse# < to ena&#e (t to *rocee% to %est(nat(on < an% not 'or t e *ur*ose o' sav(ng t e cargo, t e cargo o$ners are not (n #a$ &oun% to contr(&ute to t e e0*enses. T e '(na# re=u(s(te as not &een *rove%, 'or (t %oes not a**ear t at t e e0*enses ere (n =uest(on $ere (ncurre% a'ter 'o##o$(ng t e *roce%ure #a(% %o$n (n art(c#e 413.