TEOFISTO I. VERCELES v. MARIA CLARISSA POSADA, et al.

G.R. SP. 159785, 27 April 2007, Quisumbing, J. (Second Division)

It is not the caption but the facts alleged which give meaning to a pleading.
Courts are called upon to pierce the form and go into the substance thereof. There is
nothing in law or jurisprudence that entitles the parents of a consenting adult who begets
a love child to damages.
Respondent Maria Clarissa Posada, a young lass from the barrio of Pandan,
Catanduanes, met a close family friend, petitioner Teofisto Verceles, mayor of Pandan.
He then offered Posada a job. Posada accepted Verceless offer and worked as a casual
employee in the mayors office. Along with some other employees, Posada accompanied
Vereceles to Legaspi City to attend a seminar on town planning. One day, Verceles
started to make amorous advances on her. She panicked, and hurriedly left the hotel.
Afraid of the mayor, she kept the incident to herself. She went on as a casual employee.
One of her tasks was following-up barangay road and maintenance projects.

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