648 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Wa me . Vele

No. L-20089. Decembe 26, 1964.

BEATRIZ P. WASSMER, lain iff-a ellee, .FRANCISCO X. VELEZ, defendan -a ellan .

Damage ; B each f mi e ma ; Whe ac i able g. O dina il , a me e b each of omi e o

ma i no an ac ionable ong. B o fo mall e a edding and go h o gh all he nece a e a a ion
and blici , onl o alk o of i hen he ma imon i abo o be olemni ed, i i e diffe en . Thi i
al abl and nj ifiabl con a o good c om , fo hich he e ing omi o m be held an e able in
damage in acco dance i h A icle 21 of he Ne Ci il Code.

649

VOL. 12, DECEMBER 26, 1964 649

Wa me . Vele

Same; Same; Same; M al a d e em la damage ma be a a ded i a ac i able b each f mi e i .

When a b each of omi e o ma i ac ionable nde A icle 21 of he Ci il Code, mo al damage ma be
a a ded nde A icle 2219(10) of , he aid Code. E em la damage ma al o be a a ded nde A icle 2232
of aid Code he e i i o en ha he defendan clea l ac ed in a an on, eckle and o e i e manne .
Pleadi g a d ac ice; Affida i ; Affida i f me i i eii f elief m a e fac c i i g
defe e. An affida i of me i o ing a e i ion fo elief f om j dgmen m a e fac con i ing a
alid defen e. Whe e ch an affida i me el a e concl ion o o inion , i i no alid.
Same; T ial b c mmi i e ; Cle k f c ma he alidl de ig a ed. The oced e of de igna ing he
cle k of co a commi ione o ecei e e idence i anc ioned b R le 34 (no R le 33) of he R le of Co .
Same; Same; Same; Defe da c e de ig a i f c mmi i e ece a he e he i i defa l .
The defendan con en o he de igna ion of he cle k of co a commi ione o ecei e e idence i no
nece a he e he a decla ed in defa l and h had no anding in Co .

APPEAL f om a j dgmen of he Co of Fi In ance of Ri al (Q e on Ci B anch). Cal ag, J.

The fac a e a ed in he o inion of he Co .

Jala d i & Jami f defendan -a ellan .
Sam S. Alca a a fo lain iff-a ellee.

BENGZON, J.P., J.:

The f ac ha c lmina ed in hi ca e a ed i h d eam and ho e , follo ed b a o ia e

lanning and e io endea o , b e mina ed in f a ion and, ha i o e, com le e blic
h milia ion.
F anci co X. Velez and Bea i P. Wassmer, follo ing hei m al omi e of lo e, decided o ge
ma ied and e Se embe 4, 1954 a he big da . On Se embe 2, 1954 Velez lef hi no e fo hi
b ide- o-be:
Dea Be
Will ha e o o one edding M mo he o o e i . Am lea ing on he Con ai oda .

650

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650 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
Wa me . Vele

Plea e do no a k oo man eo le abo he ea on h Tha o ld onl c ea e a candal.

Pa ing

B he ne da , Se embe 3, he en he he follo ing eleg am:

NOTHING CHANGED REST ASSURED RETURNING VERY SOON APOLOGIZE MAMA PAPA LOVE
PAKING"

The eaf e Velez did no a ea no a he hea d f om again.

S ed b Bea i fo damage , Velez filed no an e and a decla ed in defa l . Plain iff add ced
e idence befo e he cle k of co a commi ione , and on A il 29, 1955, j dgmen a ende ed
o de ing defendan o a lain iff P2,000.00 a ac al damage ; P25,000.00 a mo al and e em la
damage ; P2,500.00 a a o ne fee ; and he co .
On J ne 21, 1955 defendan filed a e i ion fo elief f om o de , j dgmen and oceeding and
mo ion fo ne ial and econ ide a ion. Plain iff mo ed o ike i o . B he co , on A g 2,
1955, o de ed he a ie and hei a o ne o a ea befo e i on A g 23, 1955 o e lo e a
hi age of he oceeding he o ibili of a i ing a an amicable e lemen . I added ha
ho ld an of hem fail o a ea he e i ion fo elief and he o o i ion he e o ill be deemed
bmi ed fo e ol ion.
On A g 23, 1955 defendan failed o a ea befo e co . In ead, on he follo ing da hi
co n el filed a mo ion o defe fo o eek he e ol ion on defendan e i ion fo elief. The
co n el a ed ha he o ld confe i h defendan in Caga an de O o Ci he la e e idence
on he o ibili of an amicable e lemen . The co g an ed o eek co n ed f om A g 25,
1955.
Plain iff manife ed on J ne 15, 1956 ha he o eek gi en b he co had e i ed on
Se embe 8, 1955 b ha defendan and hi co n el had failed o a ea .
Ano he chance fo amicable e lemen a gi en b he co in i o de of J l 6, 1956 calling
he a ie and
651

VOL. 12, DECEMBER 26, 1964 651

Wa me . Vele

hei a o ne o a ea on J l 13, 1956. Thi ime, ho e e , defendan co n el info med he

co ha chance of e ling he ca e amicabl e e nil.
On J l 20, 1956 he co i ed an o de den ing defendan afo e aid e i ion. Defendan ha
a ealed o hi Co .
In hi e i ion of J ne 21, 1955 in he co a defendan alleged e c able negligence a
g o nd o e a ide he j dgmen b defa l . S ecificall , i a a ed ha defendan filed no an e
in he belief ha an amicable e lemen a being nego ia ed.
A e i ion fo elief f om j dgmen on g o nd of f a d, acciden , mi ake o e c able negligence,
m be d l o ed b an affida i of me i a ing fac con i ing a alid defen e. (Sec. 3,
R le 38, R le of Co .) Defendan affida i of me i a ached o hi e i ion of J ne 21, 1955
a ed: Tha he ha a good and alid def en e again lain iff ca e of ac ion, hi fail e o ma
he lain iff a ched led ha ing been d e o f o i o e en and/o ci c m ance be ond hi
con ol. An affida i of me i like hi a ing me e concl ion o o inion in ead of fac i no
alid. (Co e . Co B n Kim, L-3926, Oc . 10, 1951; Va ani . P. Ta achand B o ., L-15800,
Decembe 29, 1960.)
Defendan , ho e e , o ld con end ha he affida i of me i a in fac nnece a , o a me e
l age, beca e he j dgmen o gh o be e a ide a n ll and oid, i ha ing been ba ed on
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e idence add ced befo e he cle k of co . In P o ince of Panga inan . Pali oc, L-16519, Oc obe
30, 1962, hi Co oin ed o ha he oced e of de igna ing he cle k of co a commi ione
o ecei e e idence i anc ioned b R le 34 (no R le 33) of he R le of Co . No a o
defendan con en o aid oced e, he ame did no ha e o be ob ained fo he a decla ed in
defa l and h had no anding in co (Velez . Rama , 40 Phil. 787; Alano . Co of Fi
In ance, L-14557, Oc obe 30, 1959).
In o of hi mo ion fo ne ial and econ ide a ion, defendan a e ha he j dgmen
i con a o
652

652 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Wa me . Vele

la . The ea on gi en i ha he e i no o i ion of he Ci il Code a ho i ing an ac ion fo b each

of omi e o ma . Indeed, o ling in He mo i ima . Co of A eal (L-14628, Se . 30,
1960), a ei e a ed in E o a . Bian a (L-14733, Se . 30, 1960), i ha me e b each of a omi e
o ma i no an ac ionable ong. We oin ed o ha Cong e delibe a el elimina ed f om he
d af of he ne Ci il Code he o i ion ha o ld ha e i o.
I m no be o e looked, ho e e , ha he e en o hich ac no con a o la ma be
e e a ed i h im ni , i no limi le fo A icle 21 of aid Code o ide ha an e on ho
ilf ll ca e lo o inj o ano he in a manne ha i con a o mo al , good c om o
blic olic hall com en a e he la e fo he damage.
The eco d e eal ha on A g 23, 1954 lain iff and defendan a lied fo a licen e o con ac
ma iage, hich a b e en l i ed (E h . A, A-1). Thei edding a e fo Se embe 4,
1954. In i a ion e e in ed and di ib ed o ela i e , f iend and ac ain ance (T n., 5; E h.
C). The b ide- o-be o ea , a d e e and o he a a el f o he im o an occa ion e e
cha ed (T n., 7 8). D e e fo he maid of hono and he flo e gi l e e e a ed. A
ma imonial bed, i h acce o ie , a bo gh . B idal ho e e e gi en and gif ecei ed (T n., 6;
E h. E). And hen, i h b o da befo e he edding, defendan , ho a hen 28 ea old,
im l lef a no e fo lain iff a ing: Will ha e o o one edding M mo he o o e I .
He en laned o hi home ci in Mindanao, and he ne da , he da befo e he edding, he i ed
lain iff: No hing changed e a ed e ning oon. B he ne e e ned and a ne e hea d
f om again.
S el hi i no a ca e of me e b each of omi e o ma . A a ed, me e b each of omi e o
ma i no an ac ionable ong. B o fo mall e a edding and g h o gh all he abo e-
de c ibed e a a ion and blici , onl o alk o of i hen he ma imon i abo
653

VOL. 12, DECEMBER 28, 1964 653

Pe le .C a e

o be olemni ed, i i e diffe en . Thi i al abl and nj ifiabl con a o good c om fo

hich defendan m be held an e able in damage in acco dance . i h A icle 21 afo e aid.
Defendan ge in hi afo e- a ed e i ion ha he damage a a ded e e e ce i e. No
e ion i ai ed a o he a a d of ac al damage . Wha defendan o ld eall a e he e nde
i ha he a a d of mo al and e em la damage , in he amo n of P25,000.00, ho ld be o all
elimina ed.
Pe e e o i ion of A icle 2219(10) of he Ne Ci il Code, mo al damage a e eco e able in
he ca e men ioned in A icle 21 of aid Code. A o e em la damage , defendan con end ha
he ame co ld no be adj dged again him beca e nde A icle 2232 of he Ne Ci il Code he
condi ion eceden i ha he def endan ac ed in a an on, f a d len , eckle , o e i e, o
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male olen manne . The a g men i de oid of me i a nde he abo e-na a ed ci c m ance of
hi ca e defendan clea l ac ed in a an on , eckle [and] o e i e manne . Thi Co
o inion, ho e e , i ha con ide ing he a ic la ci c m ance of hi ca e, P15,000.00 a mo al
and e em la damage i deemed o be a ea onable a a d.
PREMISES CONSIDERED, i h he abo e-indica ed modifica ion, he lo e co j dgmen i
he eb affi med, i h co .

Be g , C.J., Ba i a A gel , Re e ,
J.B.L., Ba e a, Pa ede , Di , Regala, Makali al, and Zaldi a , JJ., conc .

J dgme affi med i h m difica i .

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