MA-AO SUGAR CENTRAL CO., INC. and GUILLERMO ARANETA, petitioners, vs. HON.

COURT OF
APPEALS and HERMINIA FAMOSO, respondents.

FACTS
Fa!oso "as ridin# "it$ a %o-e!p&o'ee in t$e %a(oose or )%ar(onera) o* P&'!o+t$ No. , a
%ar#o train o* t$e petitioner, "$en t$e &o%o!otive "as s+dden&' derai&ed. He and $is
%o!panion +!ped o/ to es%ape in+r', (+t t$e train *e&& on its side, %a+#$t $is &e#s (' its
"$ee&s and pinned $i! do"n. He "as de%&ared dead on t$e spot.
T$e %&ai!s *or deat$ and ot$er (ene0ts $avin# (een denied (' t$e petitioner, t$e $erein
private respondent 0&ed s+it in t$e RTC "$i%$ r+&ed in $er *avor (+t ded+%ted *ro! t$e tota&
da!a#es a"arded 12 t$ereo* *or t$e de%edent3s %ontri(+tor' ne#&i#en%e and t$e tota&
pension o* P4,567.68 private respondent and $er %$i&dren "o+&d (e re%eivin# *ro! t$e SSS
*or t$e ne9t 0ve 'ears.

Investi#ation o* t$e a%%ident revea&ed t$at t$e derai&!ent o* t$e &o%o!otive "as %a+sed ('
protr+din# rai&s "$i%$ $ad %o!e &oose (e%a+se t$e' "ere not %onne%ted and 09ed in p&a%e
(' 0s$ p&ates. Fis$ p&ates are des%ri(ed as strips o* iron :) to ) &on# and 5 ;) t$i%< "$i%$
are atta%$ed to t$e rai&s (' 4 (o&ts, t"o on ea%$ side, to <eep t$e rai&s a&i#ned. A&t$o+#$
t$e' %o+&d (e re!oved on&' "it$ spe%ia& e=+ip!ent, t$e 0s$ p&ates t$at s$o+&d $ave <ept
t$e rai&s a&i#ned %o+&d not (e *o+nd at t$e s%ene o* t$e a%%ident.

T$e petitioner dis%&ai!s &ia(i&it' on t$e #ro+nd o* Arti%&e 76 o* t$e Civi& Code, %ontendin# it
$as e9er%ised d+e di&i#en%e in t$e se&e%tion and s+pervision o* its e!p&o'ees.

ISSUE >$et$er or not t$e de%eased $as a %ontri(+tor' ne#&i#en%e o* $is o"n deat$.

HEL?
NO.
>e a&so do not see $o" t$e de%edent %an (e $e&d #+i&t' o* %ontri(+tor' ne#&i#en%e *ro! t$e
!ere *a%t t$at $e "as not at $is assi#ned station "$en t$e train "as derai&ed. T$at !i#$t
$ave (een a vio&ation o* %o!pan' r+&es (+t %o+&d not $ave dire%t&' %ontri(+ted to $is in+r',
as t$e petitioner s+##ests. It is p+re spe%+&ation to s+ppose t$at $e "o+&d not $ave (een
in+red i* $e $ad sta'ed in t$e *ront %ar rat$er t$an at t$e (a%< and t$at $e $ad (een <i&&ed
(e%a+se $e %$ose to ride in t$e %a(oose.
Contri(+tor' ne#&i#en%e $as (een de0ned as )t$e a%t or o!ission a!o+ntin# to "ant o*
ordinar' %are on t$e part o* t$e person in+re d "$i%$, %on%+rrin# "it$ t$e de*endant3s
ne#&i#en%e, is t$e pro9i!ate %a+se o* t$e in+r'.) 1 It $as (een $e&d t$at )to $o&d a person as
$avin# %ontri(+ted to $is in+ries, it !+st (e s$o"n t$at $e per*or!ed an a%t t$at (ro+#$t
a(o+t $is in+ries in disre#ard o* "arnin#s or si#ns o* an i!pendin# dan#er to $ea&t$ and
(od'.) 6 T$ere is no s$o"in# t$at t$e %a(oose "$ere Fa!oso "as ridin# "as a dan#ero+s
p&a%e and t$at $e re%<&ess&' dared to sta' t$ere despite "arnin#s or si#ns o* i!pendin#
dan#er.