Calalas v CA (Torts)

Calalas v CA. G.R. No. 122039 May 31, 2000 VICENTE CALALAS, petitioner, vs. COURT OF APPEALS, ELIZA JUJEURCHE SUNGA and FRANCISCO SALVA, respondents.

FACTS:
At 10 o'clock in the morning of August 23, 1989, private respondent Eliza Jujeurche G. Sunga, then a college freshman majoring in Physical Education at the Siliman University, took a passenger jeepney owned and operated by petitioner Vicente Calalas. As the jeepney was filled to capacity of about 24 passengers, Sunga was given by the conductor an "extension seat," a wooden stool at the back of the door at the rear end of the vehicle.
On the way to Poblacion Sibulan, Negros Occidental, the jeepney stopped to let a passenger off. As she was seated at the rear of the vehicle, Sunga gave way to the outgoing passenger. Just as she was doing so, an Isuzu truck driven by Iglecerio Verena and owned by Francisco Salva bumped the left rear portion of the jeepney. As a result, Sunga was injured.
On October 9, 1989, Sunga filed a complaint for damages against Calalas, alleging violation of the contract of carriage by the former in failing to exercise the diligence required of him as a common carrier. Calalas, on the other hand, filed a third-party complaint against Francisco Salva, the owner of the Isuzu truck.

DECISION OF LOWER COURTS:
1. RTC – Dumaguete – rendered judgment against Salva holding that the driver of the Isuzu truck was responsible
It took cognizance of another case (Civil Case No. 3490), filed by Calalas against Salva and Verena, for quasi-delict, in which Branch 37 of the same court held Salva and his driver Verena jointly liable to Calalas for the damage to his jeepney.
2. CA – reversed the RTC, awarding damages instead to Sunga as plaintiff in an action for breach of contract of carriage since the cause of action was based on such and not quasi delict.
Hence, current petition for review on certiorari.

ISSUE:
Whether (per ruling in Civil Case) negligence of Verena was the proximate cause of the accident negates his liability and that to rule otherwise would be to make the common carrier an insurer of the safety of its passengers
In relation thereto, does the principle of res judicata apply?

RULING:
No.
The issue in Civil Case No. 3490 was whether Salva and his driver Verena were liable for quasi-delict for the damage caused to petitioner's jeepney. On the other hand, the issue in this case is whether petitioner is liable on his contract of carriage. 

Quasi-delict / culpa aquiliana / culpa extra contractual
1. Has as its source the negligence of the tortfeasor
2. negligence or fault should be clearly established because it is the basis of the action

3. doctrine of proximate cause is applicable

(device for imputing liability to a person where there is no relation between him and another party, obligation is created by law itself)

Breach of contract / culpa contractual
1. premised upon the negligence in the performance of a contractual obligation
2. action can be prosecuted merely by proving the existence of the contract and the fact that the obligor (here, the common carrier) failed to transport his passenger safely to his destination
3. not available; it is the parties themselves who create the obligation and the function of the law is merely to regulate the relation thus created

In case of death or injuries to passengers, Art. 1756 of the Civil Code provides that common carriers are presumed to have been at fault or to have acted negligently unless they prove that they observed extraordinary diligence as defined in Arts. 1733 and 1755 of the Code. This provision necessarily shifts to the common carrier the burden of proof.

Hence, Vicente Calalas (operator) is liable since he did not exercise utmost diligence. 
1. Jeepney was not properly parked;

2. Overloading of passengers.