MABUHAY SHIPPING vs.

NLRC

Romulo Sentina was employed by Mabuhay Shipping as ship engineer.

As the vessel was docked in Greece, Sentina, visibly drunk, boarded the vessel. Sentina
became violent, which led him to cause injury to one of his crewmates. The situation
escalated causing the two to engage in a fight which eventually led to the death of Sentina.
The widow of Sentina filed a complaint with the POEA for death benefits.
Mabuhay Shipping contends that the acts of Sentina can be collectively construed as an act
on his own life thus exonerating them from liability.
POEA granted, ordered for the payment of death benefits. NLRC affirmed.

ISSUE: WON the subject seaman's death resulted from the fight he himself created, such
nonetheless does constitute a "deliberate or wilfull act on his own life."

RULING: YES. When the death of the seaman resulted from a deliberate or willful act on his own life,
and it is directly attributable to the seaman, such death is not compensable. By the same token,
when as in this case the seaman, in a state of intoxication, committed an unlawful aggression against
another, the latter, in his own defense fought back and in the process killed the seaman, the
circumstances of the death of the seaman could be categorized as a deliberate and willful act on his
own life directly attributable to him. The death of seaman Sentina is attributable to his unlawful
aggression and thus is not compensable.