Vironvsdelossantos

Facts:

Thisisanactiontorecoverdamagesbasedon
quasidelict
filedasaresultofa
vehicularaccidentintheafternoonofAugust16,1993betweenapassengerbusowned
bypetitionerVironTransportationCo.,Inc.andaForwardCargoTruckownedby
privaterespondentRudySamidan.Plantiffsversionoftheaccidentisthatitisapublic
utilitytransportationcompany,istheregisteredownerofVironTransitBusNo.1080,
withPlateNo.TBAVC332whilethedefendantRudySamidanistheregisteredowner
oftheForwardCargoTruckwithPlateNo.TDY524which,atthetimeofthevehicular
accidentinquestion,wasdrivenandoperatedbythedefendantAlbertodelosSantosy
Natividad.OnAugust16,1993,ataround2:30intheafternoon,theaforesaidbuswas
drivenbyplaintiffsregulardriverWilfredoVillanuevaalongMacArthurHighwaywithin
thevicinityofBarangayParsolingan,Gerona,TarlaccomingfromtheNorthenrouteto
itsdestinationinManila.ItwasfollowingtheForwardCargoTruckproceedingfromthe
samedirectionthenbeingdriven,asaforesaid,bythedefendantAlbertodelosSantos.
Thecargotruckswervedtotherightshoulderoftheroadand,whileabouttobe
overtakenbythebus,againswervedtothelefttooccupyitslane.Itwasatthatinstance
thatthecollisionoccurred,theleftfrontsideofthetruckcollidedwiththerightfrontside
ofthebuscausingthetwovehiclessubstantialdamages.

Ontheotherhand,thisistheversionoftherespondent,DefendantAlbertodelos
SantoswasthedriverofdefendantRudySamidanofthelattersvehicle,aForward
CargoTruckwithPlateNo.TDY524,onthatfatefuldayinquestion.Atabout12:30in
theafternoonofAugust16,1993,hewasdrivingsaidtruckalongtheNationalHighway
withinthevicinityofBarangayParsolingan,Gerona,Tarlac.TheVironbuswithBody
No.1080andPlateNo.,TBAVC332,drivenbyWilfredoVillanuevayGaudia,triedto
overtakehistruck,andheswervedtotherightshoulderofthehighway,butassoonas
heoccupiedtherightlaneoftheroad,thecargotruckwhichhewasdrivingwashitby
theVironbusonitsleftfrontside,asthebusswervedtohislanetoavoidanincoming
busonitsoppositedirection.Withthedriverofanothertruckdealinglikewisein
vegetables,Dulnuan,thetwoofthemandthedriveroftheVironbusproceededto
reporttheincidenttotheGeronaPoliceStation.

ThelowercourtdismissedVironscomplaintandsustainedSantoscounterclaim
fordamages.

Issues:W/nVironTransportationCo.wasliablefordamagecausebytheirdriver.

Held:
ItistobenotedthatpetitionerVironTransportationCo.,Inc.,astheregistered
ownerofthebusinvolvedinthesubjectvehicularaccidentoriginallybroughttheaction
fordamagesagainstprivaterespondents.Privaterespondentsasdefendantsinthe
courtaquodeniedanyliabilityandfiledinsteadacounterclaimfordamagesclaiming
thatitwasthedriverofthebuswhowasatfaultintheoperationofthebus.Wefindthat
thecounterclaimofprivaterespondentsallegestheultimatefactsconstitutingtheir
causeofaction.Itisnotnecessarytostatethatpetitionerwasnegligentinthe
supervisionorselectionofitsemployees,asitsnegligenceispresumedbyoperationof
law.

Infine,whentheemployeecausesdamageduetohisownnegligence
whileperforminghisownduties,therearisesthejuristantumpresumptionthatthe
employerisnegligent,rebuttableonlybyproofofobservanceofthediligenceofagood
fatherofafamily.Petitioner,throughitswitnesses,namely,DaniloAzardon,ashop
supervisorandFernandoMallare,anadministrativeofficer,failedtorebutsuchlegal
presumptionofnegligenceintheselectionandsupervisionofemployees,thus,
petitionerastheemployerisresponsiblefordamages,thebasisoftheliabilitybeingthe
relationshipofpaterfamiliasorontheemployersownnegligence.