8/20/2019 Torts_Jimenez vs City of Manila_3

1/1

Case Digest

FACTS:

• On August 15, 1974, Jimenez, with his neighbors, went to Sta Ana !ub"i# $ar%et to bu& 'bagoong(

• The )ub"i# mar%et was *"oo+e+ with rainwater that was an%"e+ee)

• -e was about to return home a*ter bu&ing when he ste))e+ on an un#o.ere+ o)ening whi#h #ou"+ not be seen

be#ause o* the +irt& rainwater

• /n that o)ening, there was a *ourin#h +irt& an+ rust& nai" stu#% insi+e /t )ier#e+ his "e*t "eg an+ )enetrate+ to a

+e)th o* about one an+ a ha"* in#hes

• 0ight a*ter the in#i+ent, he went to a nearb& +rugstore *or *irst ai+ treatment an+ then went home with the he") o* his *rien+s in hobb"ing home

• -e *e"t i"" an+ +e.e"o)e+ *e.er, so he ha+ to be #arrie+ to Dr Juanita $as#ar+o

• Des)ite the me+i#ine a+ministere+ to him, his "e*t "eg swe""e+ with great )ain an+ he was rushe+ to the eterans

$emoria" -os)ita" where he was #on*ine+ *or 23 +a&s +ue to high *e.er an+ se.ere )ain

•  A*ter being +is#harge+, he ha+ to wa"% aroun+ with #rut#hes *or 15 +a&s -e was )re.ente+ *rom atten+ing to the

s#hoo" buses he is o)erating an+ he ha+ to engage the ser.i#es o* ien.eni+o a"+ez

• Jimenez sue+ the Cit& o* $ani"a an+ the Asiati# /ntegrate+ Cor)oration un+er whose a+ministration the Sta Ana

!ub"i# $ar%et ha+ been )"a#e+ b& .irtue o* a $anagement an+ O)erating Contra#t

• The CF/ +e#i+e+ in *a.or o* the res)on+ents On a))ea", the /AC he"+ the Asiati# /ntegrate+ Cor)oration "iab"e *or 

+amages but abso".e+ res)on+ent Cit& o* $ani"a

/SS6: O8 the Cit& o* $ani"a shou"+ be he"+ oint"& an+ se.era""& "iab"e with Asiati# /ntegrate+ Cor)oration

0/8;:

• De*en+ants +o not +en& that inuries were sustaine+ b& Jimenez -owe.er, the Cit& o* $ani"a #"aims that it #annot

be he"+ "iab"e be#auseo un+er the $anagement an+ O)erating Contra#t, Asiati# /ntegrate+ Cor)oration assume+ a"" res)onsibi"it&

*or +amages whi#h ma& be su**ere+ b& thir+ )ersons *or an& #ause attributab"e to it< an+o  Arti#"e 1, Se#tion 4 o* 0e)ub"i# A#t 8o 439 or the 0e.ise+ Charter o* $ani"a:

'The Cit& sha"" not be "iab"e or he"+ *or +amages or inuries to )ersons or )ro)ert& arising*rom the *ai"ure o* the $a&or, the $uni#i)a" oar+, or an& other Cit& O**i#er, to en*or#e the)ro.isions o* this #ha)ter, or an& other "aw or or+inan#e, or *rom neg"igen#e o* sai+$a&or, $uni#i)a" oar+, or an& other o**i#ers whi"e en*or#ing or attem)ting to en*or#esai+ )ro.isions(

• The Su)reme Court=s +e#ision:

o >es

o  Art 1, se# 4, 0A 8o 439 re*ers to "iabi"it& arising *rom neg"igen#e, in genera", regar+"ess o* the obe#t,

thereo*, whi"e Arti#"e 21?9 o* the Ci.i" Co+e go.erns "iabi"it& +ue to @+e*e#ti.e streets, )ub"i# bui"+ings an+other )ub"i# wor%s@ in )arti#u"ar an+ is there*ore +e#isi.e on this s)e#i*i# #ase

o C"ari*i#ation: n+er Arti#"e 21?9 o* the Ci.i" Co+e, it is not ne#essar& *or the "iabi"it& therein estab"ishe+ to

atta#h, that the +e*e#ti.e )ub"i# wor%s be"ong to the )ro.in#e, #it& or muni#i)a"it& *rom whi#h res)onsibi"it&is ea#te+ hat sai+ arti#"e reBuires is that the )ro.in#e, #it& or muni#i)a"it& has either @#ontro" or su)er.ision@ o.er the )ub"i# bui"+ing in Buestion

o There is no Buestion that the Sta Ana !ub"i# $ar%et, +es)ite the $anagement an+ O)erating Contra#t

between res)on+ent Cit& an+ Asiati# /ntegrate+ Cor)oration remaine+ un+er the #ontro" o* the *ormer: !ro.isions o* the #ontra#t itse"* shows that Cit& o* $ani"a sti"" has #ontro" o.er the )ub"i# mar%et<

 A+mitte+ b& $a&or 0amon agatsing in his "etter to Se#retar& o* Finan#e Cesar irata, '/t isbe"ie.e+ that there is nothing in#ongruous in the eer#ise o* these )owers .isa.is the eisten#eo* the #ontra#t, inasmu#h as the Cit& retains the )ower o* su)er.ision an+ #ontro" o.er its )ub"i#mar%ets an+ ta"i)a)as un+er the terms o* the #ontra#t(

Cit& o* $ani"a em)"o&e+ a mar%et master *or the Sta Ana !ub"i# $ar%et whose )rimar& +ut& is to

ta%e +ire#t su)er.ision an+ #ontro" o* the mar%et, more s)e#i*i#a""&, to #he#% the sa*et& o* the)"a#e *or the )ub"i#

Se#tion 3 gE o* the o#a" Ta Co+e states that the treasurer sha"" eer#ise +ire#t an+ imme+iate

su)er.ision a+ministration an+ #ontro" o.er public markets an+ the )ersonne" thereo*, in#"u+ingthose whose +uties #on#ern the maintenan#e an+ u)%ee) o* the mar%et an+ or+inan#es an+other )ertinent ru"es an+ regu"ations

• De*en+ants #onten+ Cit& o* $ani"a that )etitioner shou"+ not ha.e .enture+ to go to Sta Ana !ub"i# $ar%et +uring

a storm& weather is in+ee+ untenab"e

o SC a+o)te+ the .iew o* the /AC: A #ustomer in a store has the right to assume that the owner wi"" #om)"&with his +ut& to %ee) the )remises sa*e *or #ustomers /* he .entures to the store on the basis o* su#hassum)tion an+ is inure+ be#ause the owner +i+ not #om)"& with his +ut&, no neg"igen#e #an be im)ute+to the #ustomer

• Jimenez ha+ the right to assume that there were no o)enings in the mi++"e o* the )assagewa&s an+ i* an&, that

the& were a+eBuate"& #o.ere+ -a+ the o)ening been #o.ere+, he #ou"+ not ha.e *a""en into it Thus theneg"igen#e o* the Cit& o* $ani"a is the )roimate #ause o* the inur& su**ere+