Charles Tito R.

Aguilar JD-LEGWRTG | JD4103

2014-6622-1 !o"e#$er 26%
2014

CASE BRIEF
Saverio v. Puyat, G.R. No. 186433, 27 Novemer 2!13

FAC"S#
&' Jul( 22% 16% Al)o'so *u(at gra'te+ a loa' to !,. The loa' as #a+e /ursua't to
the e#ora'+u# o) Agree#e't a'+ *ro#issor( !ote &A $etee' the *u(at a'+ !,%
re/rese'te+ $( !uio ,a"erio. t as agree+ that the res/o'+e't oul+ ete'+ a re+it li'e
ith a li#it o) *500%000.00 to !,% to $e /ai+ ithi' thirt( 30 +a(s )ro# the ti#e o) the sig'i'g
o) the +ou#e't. The loa' arrie+ a' i'terest rate o) 17  per annum% or at a' a+8uste+ rate o)
257 per annum i) /a(#e't is $e(o'+ the sti/ulate+ /erio+. The /etitio'ers reei"e+ a total
a#ou't o) *300%000.00 a'+ ertai' #ahi'eries i'te'+e+ )or their )ertili9er /roessi'g /la't
$usi'ess. The /ro/ose+ $usi'ess% hoe"er% )aile+ to #ateriali9e.
&' se"eral oasio's% !uio #a+e /erso'al /a(#e'ts a#ou'ti'g to *600%000.00.
:oe"er% as o) Dee#$er 16% 1% the /etitio'ers allege+l( ha+ a' outsta'+i'g $ala'e o)
*460%505.;6. Whe' the /etitio'ers +e)aulte+ i' the /a(#e't o) the loa'% the res/o'+e't )ile+ a
olletio' suit ith the RTC% allegi'g #ai'l( that the /etitio'ers still oe hi# the "alue o) the
#ahi'eries as sho' $( the <rea=+o' o) Aou't he /rese'te+.
The /etitio'ers re)ute+ the res/o'+e't>s allegatio' a'+ i'siste+ that the( ha"e alrea+(
/ai+ the loa'% e"i+e'e+ $( the res/o'+e't>s reei/t )or the a#ou't o) *600%000.00. The(
su$#itte+ that their re#ai'i'g o$ligatio' to /a( the #ahi'eries> "alue% i) a'(% ha+ lo'g $ee'
eti'guishe+ $( their $usi'ess> )ailure to #ateriali9e. The( /osite+ that% e"e' assu#i'g ithout
o'e+i'g that the( are lia$le% the a#ou't $ei'g lai#e+ is i'aurate% the /e'alt( a'+ the
i'terest i#/ose+ are u'o'sio'a$le% a'+ a' i'+e/e'+e't aou'ti'g is 'ee+e+ to +eter#i'e
the eat a#ou't o) their lia$ilit(.
' its +eisio' +ate+ Dee#$er 15% 2004% the RTC )ou'+ that asi+e )ro# the ash loa'%
the /etitio'ers> o$ligatio' to the res/o'+e't also o"ere+ the /a(#e't o) the #ahi'eries> "alue.
The RTC also )ou'+ #erit i' the res/o'+e't>s o'te'tio' that the /etitio'ers are o'e a'+ the
sa#e. The RTC% #oreo"er% o'lu+e+ that the i'terest rates sti/ulate+ i' the &A ere 'ot
usurious a'+ that the res/o'+e't is e'title+ to attor'e(>s )ees o' aou't o) the /etitio'ers>
ill)ul $reah o) the loa' o$ligatio'.
The /etitio'ers a//eale+ the RTC ruli'g to the CA. There% the( argue+ that i' "ie o) the
la= o) /ro/er aou'ti'g a'+ the res/o'+e't>s )ailure to su$sta'tiate his lai#s% the eat
a#ou't o) their i'+e$te+'ess ha+ 'ot $ee' /ro"e'. !uio also argue+ that $( "irtue o) !,>s
se/arate a'+ +isti't /erso'alit(% he a''ot $e #a+e soli+aril( lia$le ith !,.
&' &to$er 2% 200;% the CA re'+ere+ a +eisio' +elari'g the /etitio'ers 8oi'tl( a'+
se"erall( lia$le )or the a#ou't that the res/o'+e't sought. The CA also a))ir#e+ the RTC ruli'g
that /etitio'ers are o'e a'+ the sa#e.
' a /etitio' )or re"ie o' certiorari  to
 to the ,u/re#e Court% /etitio'ers su$#it that the CA
gra"el( erre+ i' ruli'g that a /ro/er aou'ti'g as 'ot 'eessar(. The( also /oi't to the
a$se'e o) the aar+>s o#/utatio' i' the RTC ruli'g% argui'g that assu#i'g the( are still
i'+e$te+ to the res/o'+e't% the s/ei)i a#ou't o) their i'+e$te+'ess re#ai's u'+eter#i'e+%
thus the 'ee+ )or a' aou'ti'g to +eter#i'e their eat lia$ilit(. The( )urther ?uestio' the CA>s
)i'+i'gs o) soli+ar( lia$ilit(. The( su$#it that i' the a$se'e o) a'( shoi'g that or/orate )itio'
as use+ to +e)eat /u$li o'"e'ie'e% 8usti)( a ro'g% /rotet )rau+ or +e)e'+ a ri#e% or
here the or/oratio' is a #ere alter ego or $usi'ess o'+uit o) a /erso'% !uio>s #ere
o'ershi/ o) )ort( /ere't 407 +oes 'ot 8usti)( the /ieri'g o) the se/arate a'+ +isti't
/erso'alit( o) !,.
ISS$E#
Whether the CA o##itte+ a re"ersi$le error i' a))ir#i'g the RTC>s +eisio' hol+i'g the
/etitio'ers 8oi'tl( a'+ se"erall( lia$le )or the a#ou't lai#e+.

R$%ING#
1. The ,C hel+ that a re#a'+ o) the ase to the ourt o) origi' )or a o#/lete
aou'ti'g a'+ +eter#i'atio' o) the atual a#ou't o) the /etitio'ers>
i'+e$te+'ess is alle+ )or.
2. *ieri'g o) the or/orate "eil is 'ot 8usti)ie+. The /etitio'ers are 'ot o'e a'+ the
sa#e. !,>s lia$ilit( shoul+ 'ot attah to !uio.
3. Res/o'+e't>s e'title#e't to attor'e(>s )ees is 8usti)ie+.

RA"I&NA%E#
1. While the )at o) i'+e$te+'ess $( the /etitio'er is u'+is/ute+% the +eter#i'atio'
o) the ete't o) the a+8u+ge+ #o'e( aar+ is 'ot% $eause o) the la= o) a'(
su//orti'g +ou#e'tar( a'+ testi#o'ial e"i+e'e. t is a settle+ rule that i' the
eerise o) the ,u/re#e Court>s /oer o) re"ie% the Court is 'ot a trier o) )ats
a'+ +oes 'ot 'or#all( u'+erta=e the re-ea#i'atio' o) the e"i+e'e /rese'te+
$( the o'te'+i'g /arties +uri'g the trial o) the ase o'si+eri'g that the )i'+i'gs
o) )ats o) the CA are o'lusi"e a'+ $i'+i'g o' the Court. :oe"er% the Court
ha+ reog'i9e+ se"eral ee/tio's to this rule% to it@ he' the )i'+i'gs are
grou'+e+ e'tirel( o' s/eulatio'% sur#ises or o'8etures
2. <e)ore the or/orate )itio' a' $e +isregar+e+% alter-ego ele#e'ts #ust )irst $e
su))iie'tl( esta$lishe+. The reor+s o) the ase% hoe"er% +o 'ot sho that
!uio ha+ o'trol or +o#i'atio' o"er !,>s )i'a'es. While !uio as the
sig'ator( o) the loa' a'+ the #o'e( as +eli"ere+ to hi#% the /roee+s o) the
loa' ere u'?uestio'a$l( i'te'+e+ )or !,>s /ro/ose+ $usi'ess /la'. Tha tthe
bus ine ssdi dno tmat eri
al iz
ei sno tal sos
uffic ientpr ooft ojus t
ifyapi ercing ,i'
the a$se'e o) /roo) that the $usi'ess /la' as a )rau+ule't she#e geare+ to
seure )u'+s )ro# the res/o'+e't )or the /etitio'ers> u'+islose+ goals.
3. There is 'o +ou$t that res/o'+e't as )ore+ to litigate to /rotet his i'terest%
i.e.% to reo"er his #o'e(. The ,C )ou'+% hoe"er% that i' "ie o) the /artial
/a(#e't o) *600%000.00% the aar+ o) attor'e(>s )ees e?ui"ale't to 257 shoul+
$e re+ue+ to 107 o) the total a#ou't +ue. The aar+ o) a//eara'e )ee o)
*3%000.00 a'+ litigatio' ost o) *10%000.00 shoul+% hoe"er% sta'+ as these are
osts 'eessaril( atte'+a't to litigatio'.