Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Facts: Santiago Fabrigar had been employed as a janitor-messenger of the respondent Iloilo Chinese
Commercial School. His work includes sweeping and scrubbing the floors, cleaning the classrooms and
the school premises, and other janitorial chores. On March 11, 1956, in preparation for the graduation, he
carried desks and chairs from the classroom to the auditorium, set curtains and worked harder and faster
than usual. Although he felt shortness of breath and did not feel well, he continued working. On March
13, he spat blood and stopped working. From April 29 to May 15, 1956 , he received treatment for far
advanced pulmonary tuberculosis and for heart disease from Dr. Quirico Villareal.
On June 28, 1956, Santiago Fabrigar died of beriberi adult. His common-law wife, Leonora Fabrigar
with his heirs filed claim for compensation with the Workmens Compensation Commission wherein it
was alleged tht the cause of death was pulmonary tuberculosis contracted during and as a result of his
employment as janitor. The hearing officer denied the claim and dismissed the case. He concluded that
there was no causal connection between the cause of death and the said employment. The decision was
appealed. The Workmens compensation Commission concluded that he had been suffering from such
disease and his employment as a janitor aggravated his pre-existing illness. And although there was a
discrepancy between the cause of death beriberi adult and the testimony of Dr. Villareal, the latter was
given credence. The commission ordered Chinese Commercial School, Inc. to pay the claimant. The
decision was appealed. Petitioner contended that the Commission erred in finding that the cause of death
was tuberculosis and as a result of his employment; holding that the petitioner was the employer of the
deceased.
Issue: whether there is an employee-employer relationship when the former is employed and paid by its
Board of Directors that would warrant the heirs of the deceased employer compensation under
Workmens compensation law?
Held: Yes. There was an employee-employer relationship between the respondent school and the
deceased. Although it is true that the Board of Directors, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce was the one
who pays for the janitorial service of the school, it was still the latter who exercised supervision and
control over the performance of the deceased. And the court held that power to control employees
conduct is the most important test of employer-employee relation. The decision appealed from was
dismissed.