CASE DIGEST (G.R. No.

L-5921)

Supreme Court, EN BANC

Jul 25, 1911

STANDARD OIL COMPANY OF NEW YORK , pl!"#t"$$-!ppellee

%&.
JUAN CODINA ARENAS AND OTHERS, 'e$e#'!#t&
VICENTE SIXTO VILLANUEVA, !ppell!#t.

Chicote and Miranda for appellant.

W.A.
W.A. Kincaid and Thos L. Haritgan for appellee.

 FA
 FACTS 

• De*. 15, 19+ Ju!# Co'"#! Are#!& !#' r!#*"&*o L!r! 'el /"#o (!& pr"#*"p!l&) 0
Al"p"o Lo*&o, "*e#te S"3to "ll!#ue%! !#' (t4e C4"#!m!#) S" o (!& &uret"e&)
!&&ume' o6l"7!t"o# to p! 8 o"#tl !#' &e%er!ll 8 to t4e pl!"#t"$$-!ppellee t4e &um o$ 
/4p :,:+5.;<, t4ree mo#t4& $rom t4"& '!te, 0"t4 !# "#tere&t !t /4p 1 per mo#t4.
• Apr"l 5, 19+9 St!#'!r' ="l &ue' t4e $"%e 'e6tor& $or p!me#t o$ &um, to7et4er 0 t4e
"#tere&t t4ereo# !t r!te o$ 1 per *e#t per mo#t4 $rom '!te o$ !&&ume' o6l"7!t"o#
(12
(1215
15+
+)
) !#'
!#' t4e
t4e *o&t&
*o&t& De$e#
De$e#'!'!#t
#t&& 0ere
0ere &umm
&ummo# o#e'
e',, 0 re*o
re*or'
r' t4!t
t4!t &4o0
&4o0e'e'
&ummo#& 0!& &er%e'
&er %e' o# "*e#te S"3to "ll!#ue%!
"ll!#ue%! o# Apr"l 1;.
• >! 12 "ll!#ue%! !#' o 0ere 'e*l!re' to 6e "# 'e$!ult, #ot"$"e' (1? t4 $or l!tter !#'
15t4 $or $ormer).
• Au7. 2 Court o$ 1 &t I#&t!#*e (o$ t4e *"t o$ >!#"l!) &e#te#*e' !ll 'e$e#'!#t& 'e$e#'!#t& to p!
(o"#tl !#' &e%er!ll) to pl!"#t"$$ *omp!# t4e !$oreme#t"o#e' &um, 0 "#tere&te'
t4ereo# !t 1 per *e#t ! mo#t4 $rom De*. 15, 19+ u#t"l *omplete p!me#t o$ pr"#*"p!l
@ *o&t&.
• 4"le u'7me#t 0!& "# *our&e o$ e3e*ut"o#, El"&! Torre& 'e "ll!#ue%! ("*e#te&
0"$e), !ppe!re' !#' !lle7e' t4e $$
!. Jul
Jul 2?,
2?, 19+9
19+9 l!tt
l!tter
er 0!& 'e*l!
'e*l!rere'
' to 6e "#&!
"#&!#e Court o$ 1 &t  I#&t!#*e
#e 6 Court
(>!#"l!)
 6. S4e 0!& !ppo"#te' 4"& 7u!r'"!# 6 &!me *ourt *ourt
*. =*t. 1111 &4e 0!&
0!& !ut4or"e'
!ut4or"e' 6 t4e t4e *ourt
*ourt !& 4"& 7u!r'"!#
7u!r'"!# to
to "#&t"tute
"#&t"tute t4e proper 
proper 
le7!l
le7!l pro*ee'
pro*ee'"#7"#7&& "# t4e pre&e#
pre&e#tt *!u&e
*!u&e ("&&ue'
("&&ue' "# 6e4!l$
6e4!l$ o$ t4e pl!"#t
pl!"#t"$$
"$$--
!ppellee *o.)
'. S4e !& 7u!r'"!
7u!r'"!# # 0!& #ot
#ot !0!re o$
o$ t4e pro*ee'"#
pro*ee'"#7& 7& 4!' !7!"#&t
!7!"#&t "*e
"*e#te
#te !#' 0!&
0!&
o#l 6 *4!#*e "#$orme' o$ "t, !#'
e. 4e#
4e# "*e#
"*e#te te 7!%e t4e 6o#',
6o#', 4e 0!& !lre!'
!lre!' perm!#e
perm!#e#tl
#tl "#&!#
"#&!#ee !#' 0!& "#
&u*4 &t!te 04e# &ummo#e' !#' &t"ll *o#t"#ue' to 'o &o.
I# *o#*lu&"o#, &4e pet"t"o#e' *ourt to rel"e%e 4er 4u&6!#' $rom *ompl"!#*e, !#' to
reope# t4e tr"!l $or t4e "#tro'u*t"o#
"#tro'u*t"o# o$ e%"'e#*e o# 4"& 6e4!l$, 0"t4 re&pe*t to 4"&
*!p!*"t !t t4e t"me o$ t4e 6o#'& e3e*ut"o#.
• Court 7r!#te' t4e pet"t"o#, t4u& tr"!l 0!& reope#e' $or "#tro'u*t"o# o$ e%"'e#*e (!$ter 
'ue *o#&"'
*o#&"'er!t
er!t"o#
"o#)
) *ourt
*ourt 'e*"'e
'e*"'e'' t4!t
t4!t 04e#
04e# "*e#te
"*e#te "ll!#
"ll!#ue%
ue%!,
!, o# 1215
121519+
19+,
,
e3e*ute' 6o#' "# ue&t"o#, 4e u#'er&too' per$e*tl t4e #!ture !#' *o#&eue#*e& o$ 
t4e !*t per$orme' 6 4"m. A& ! re&ult o$ &u*4 $"#'"#7&, *ourt rule' t4!t t4e pet"t"o# $or 
 !# "#'e$"#"te &t! o$ e3e*ut"o# o$ t4e u'7me#t re#'ere' "# t4e *!&e 6e 'e#"e', !#'
t4!t &!"' e3e*ut"o#
e3e*ut"o# 6e *!rr"e' out. A$ter $"l"#7 o$ !# e3*ept"o#
e3*ept"o# to t4e rul"#7, ! #e0
4e!r"#7 0!& reue&te' 0re$ere#*e to t4e 'e$e#'!#t "*e#te S. "ll!#ue%!F !#' upo#
"t& 'e#"!l, ! 6"ll o$ e3*ept"o#& 0!& pre&e#te' "# &upport o$ &!"' !ppe!l, &u6m"tte' to
SC !#' 6!&e' o# ! &"#7le !&&"7#me#t o$ error

 Because te !"#e$ c"u$t %"u&' tat te ("&"(a&)a "% *$eat #ea!t, su%%e$e' +
te 'e%e&'a&t-'"es &"t )(.! )&ca.ac)t t" e/ecute a +"&'-

 ISSUE 

 Doe& t4e *l!"m o$ 'e$e#'!#t& 0"$e, 0re&pe*t to t4e 'e$e#'!#t 4"m&el$, o# 6e"#7
e3empte' $rom *ourt& or'er& o$ p!"#7 o"#tl !#' &e%er!ll (0"t4 ot4er 'e$e#'!#t&) t4e &um
!#' !''"t"o#!l *o&t&, u#'er t4e 6!&"& t4!t 4e "& me#t!ll "#&!#e !#' t4ere$ore 0"t4out *!p!*"t
to e#ter &u*4 *o#tr!*t&, &t!#' !& %!l"'

 RULE 

All !l"e#"&t& !#' t4o&e 0r"ter& 04o 4!%e tre!te' o$ t4"& 6r!#*4 o$ me'"*!l &*"e#*e
'"&t"#7u"&4 #umerou& 'e7ree& o$ "#&!#"t !#' "m6e*"l"tH4e#*e t4e *o#$u&"o# !#' t4e 'ou6t
"# t4e m"#'& o$ t4e m!or"t o$ !ut4or& o$ tre!t"&e& o# t4e &u6e*t "# 'eterm"#"#7 t4e l"m"t& o$ 
&!#e u'7me#t !#' t4e po"#t o$ 6e7"##"#7 o$ t4"& "#*!p!*"t, t4ere 6e"#7 &ome 04o *o#&"'er 
!& ! &u$$"*"e#t *!u&e $or &u*4 "#*!p!*"t, #ot o#l "#&!#"t !#' "m6e*"l"t, 6ut e%e# t4o&e ot4er 
&om#!m6ul"&m, ep"lep&, 'ru#e##e&&, &u77e&t"o#, !#7er, !#' t4e '"%er& p!&&"o#!l() &t!te&
04"*4
04"*4 more
more or le&& %"ole#
%"ole#tl
tl 'epr"%
'epr"%ee t4e 4um!#
4um!# 0"ll
0"ll o$ #e*e&&!
#e*e&&!r
r l"6ert
l"6ert..F (>!#re
(>!#re&!,
&!,
Comme#t!r"e& o# t4e C"%"l Co'e, ol. , p.:?2.)

I# t4e SC& #o0le'7e

#o0le'7e (!t t4e t"me) o$ t4e &t!te o$ me#t!l !l"e#!t"o#
!l"e#!t"o# &u*4 *ert!"#t 4!& #ot
et 6ee# re!*4e' !& to 0!rr!#t t4e *o#*lu&"o# 8 "# ! u'"*"!l 'e*"&"o# 8 t4!t 4e 04o &u$$er& t4e
mo#om!#"! o$ 0e!lt4H"& re!ll "#&!#e. I# !6&e#*e o$ ! ur"'"*!l 'e*l!r!t"o#, t4!t 4e !*t&
u#'er t4e "#$lue#*e o$ ! pertur6e' m"#', or t4!t 4"& m"#' "& 'er!#7e' 04e# 4e e3e*ute& !#
o#erou& *o#tr!*t. T4e 6o#' e3e*ute' 6 "ll!#ue%!
"ll!#ue%! o# 121519+, !#' 4"& "#*!p!*"t,
"#*!p!*"t , $or
$or t4e
 purpo&e o$ pro%"'"#7 ! 7u!r'"!# $or 4"m,
4"m, 0!& #ot 'e*l!re' u#t"l +;2?+9.

C"%"l Co'e, Art. 12;; I# t4e *o#tr!*t o$ 6o#' t4e *o#&"'er!t"o#, 7e#er!l, "& #o ot4er, !& "# !ll
*o#tr!*t o$ pure 6e#e$"*e#*e, t4!# t4e l"6er!l"t o$ t4e 6e#e$!*tor.

 AAL!SIS 

• SC 4!& #ot $ou#' t4e proo$ o$ t4e error, "t 0oul' 4!%e 6ee# #e*e&&!r to &4o0 t4!t
&u*4 mo#om!#"! 0!& 4!6"tu!l !#' *o#&t"tute' ! %er"t!6le me#t!l pertur6!t"o# "# t4e
 p!t"e#t t4!t t4ere 0!& #ot, #or *oul' t4ere 4!%e 6ee# !# ot4er *!u&e $or t4e *o#tr!*t
t4!# !# o&te#t!t"o# o$ 0e!lt4 !#' t4"& purel !# e$$e*t o$ mo#om!#"! o$ 0e!lt4, !#'
t4!t t4e mo#om!#"! e3"&te' o# t4e '!te 04e# t4e 6o#' "# ue&t"o# 0!& e3e*ute'.
• "t#e&& te&t"mo#"e& $rom 'e$e#'!#t& p4&"*"!#&, Do# Ru'e&"#o Cuer%o !#' Do#
Ger%!&"o 'e =*!mpo, t4e $"r&t o$ 04om 4!' %"&"te' 4"m &ome  t"me& $rom 19+2-
1+9:, !#' t4e l!tter o#l o#*e "# 19+ 0"t4 re7!r'& to t4e 'e$e#'!#t& !lle7e'
mo#om!#"! Dr. Cuer%o 6el"e%e& t4!t "$ 'e$e#'!#t 0ere to 6e pre&e#te' ! 'o*ume#t
 #ot *o#*er#"#7 4"& 4ou&e&, 4e 0oul' 6e !6le to u#'er&t!#' !#' *ompre4e#' t4e
*o#te#t&, 04"le o# t4e top"* o$ &!#e "#tell"7e#*e, Dr. =*!mpo &t!te' t4!t 4e "& o$ 
or'"#!r "#tell"7e#*eF, 0"t4 #o0le'7e o# 4o0 to re!' !#' 0r"te.
• >e!#04"le, >r. .B. I#7er&oll (0"t#e&& $or pl!"#t"$$) te&t"$"e' t4!t !& ! #ot!r 4e 4!'
 prep!re' t4e 6o#' !#' re*e"%e' t4e &"7#er& &t!teme#t& !#' t4!t 4e 4!' e3pl!"#e' to
'e$e#'!#t "t& *o#te#t& !#' upo# o6&er%!t"o# $ou#' t4e 'e$e#'!#t to 6e #orm!l !#'
re7ul!r 0"t4 #ot4"#7 t4!t 0oul' "#'"*!te t4e *o#tr!rF, 0"t4 t4e 'e$e#'!#t 6e"#7
u"et !#' *ompo&e' !#' &poe "# !# or'"#!r 0!HF. I# !''"t"o#, o#. Ju'7e
Ar!ullo
Ar!ullo te&t"$"e' !& ! 0"t#e&& $or t4e pl!"#t"$$
pl!"#t"$$ !& 0ell !#' te&t"$"e' t4e &!me !& m!#,
m!#,
"# t4!t 4e '"' #ot #ot"*e !# p!rt"*ul!r '"&or'er or pertur6!t"o# o$ 4"& me#t!l $!*ult"e&.
C!p!*"t to !*t mu&t 6e &uppo&e' to !tt!*4 to ! per&o# 04o 4!& #ot pre%"ou&l 6ee#
'e*l!re' "#*!p!6le, !#' &u*4 *!p!*"t "& pre&ume' to *o#t"#ue &o lo#7 !& t4e *o#tr!r
 6e #ot pro%e'. Court &"'e& 0"t4 op"#"o#
op"#"o# t4!t "t 4!& #ot.
• #*le!r 04 "ll!#ue%! 7!%e t4e 6o#' "# $!%or o$ t4e t0o mem6er& o$ Are#e!& K Co.
"# r!#*"&*o L!r! !#' Ju!# Are#!&. I# !''"t"o#, !ppell!#t pre&e#te' ! #ote 6 t4e l!tter 
!''re&&e' to 4"& $r"e#'F, >r. "ll!#ue%!, o# +51:+9, 04"*4 0!& t0o '!& 6e$ore 4e
0!& 'e*l!re' to 6e "# 'e$!ult, "#%"t"#7 4"m to ! *o#$ere#*e $or t4e purpo&e o$ tre!t"#7
o$ ! m!tt
m!tter
er o$ 7re!
7re!tt "mpo
"mport
rt!#
!#*e
*e o$ "#ch interest 
interest  to "ll!#
"ll!#ue%
ue%!HF
!HF It *!##ot
*!##ot 6e
!$$"rme' 0"t4 *ert!"#t t4!t 'e$e#'!#t e#7!7e' "# t4e 6u&"#e&& o$ 7"%"#7 6o#'& #or 
*!# "t 6e &u&t!"#e' t4!t t4ere 0!& #o ot4er *!u&e $or t4e 7"%"#7 o$ 6o#' "# ue&t"o#
t4!# t4e me#t!l '"&or'er t4!t 'om"#!te' 'e$e#'!#t& "#telle*t. T4ere "& #o proo$ t4!t
t4e &!"' 6o#' 0!& merel t4e pro'u*t o$ !# "#&e#&!te o&te#t!t"o# o$ 0e!lt4 #or t4!t 4e
0!& "#$lue#*e' o#l 6 t4e mo#om!#"! o$ 6o!&t"#7 0e!lt4. ere 'e$e#'!#t& 0"$e
&tre&&e& t4!t &4e 4!' #o *lue t4!t 4er 4u&6!#' e#7!7e' "# t4e &ell"#7 o$ 6o#'&, !#' t4!t
0"t4 re$ere#*e to t4e o#e *o#*er#e', &4e 4!' o#l le!r#e' o$ "t 6 $"#'"#7 to #ote
04ere"# 4e 0!& "#%"te' to e#7!7e "# &u*4 6 Are#!&.
• T4ere "& !l&o #o proo$ 7r!#t"#7 t4!t 4e 0!& ! mo#om!#"!*, !#' t4!t 4e 0!& 'om"#!te'
 6 t4!t m!l!' upo# t4e 6o#'& e3e*ut"o#. It "& ! rule o$ *o#&t!#t !ppl"*!t"o# t4!t "t "&
#ot e#ou74 t4!t t4ere 6e more or le&& pro6!6"l"t t4!t ! per&o# 0!& "# ! &t!te o$ 
'eme#t"! !t ! 7"%e# t"me.

C$CLUSI$ 

It "& %er e%"'e#t

e%"'e#t t4!t "t *!##ot
*!##ot 6e *o#*lu'e'
*o#*lu'e' t4!t o# t4e '!te t4!t 'e$e#'!#t
'e$e#'!#t e#7!7e'
"# t4e 6u&"#e&&
6u&"#e&& o$ 6o#'&
6o#'& (121519+
(121519+)
) t4!t 4e '"' #ot po&&e&&
po&&e&& t4e #e*e&&!r *!p!*"t
*!p!*"t to 7"%e
e$$"*"e#t *o#&e#t. e 4!' $reel !#' #o0"#7l e3e*ute' t4e 6o#' "# ue&t"o#. T4ere$ore, t4e
 u'7me#t !ppe!le' $rom "& !$$"rme' (0"t4 *o&t&).