020QUEZONCITYGOVERNMENTandEngineerRAMIR

J. TIAMZON, Petitioners, vs. FULGENCIO DACARA*,

Respondent.
G.R.No.150304June15,2005
TOPIC:LiabilityofMunicipalCorporationArticle2189
PONENTE:PANGANIBAN,J.

AUTHOR:
NOTES:(ifapplicable)

FACTS:
1. DacaraJr.scarturnedturtleuponhittingarammedintoapileofearth/streetdiggingsfoundatMatahimikSt.,QuezonCity,
whichwasthenbeingrepairedbytheQuezonCitygovernment.Asaresult,DacarraJr.,hissonwhowaslikewiseonboardthe
car,sustainedbodilyinjuriesandthevehiclesufferedextensivedamageforitturnedturtlewhenithitthepileofearth..
2. FulgencioDacarainbehalfofhisminorchildrenfiledacomplaintfordamagesagainstQuezonCityandEngr.RamirTiamzon
beforeRTC.Heprayedfordamages.
3. TheLGUcontendedthatthefaultiswiththedriver,sincetheLGUhaveoutupwarningsigns.ThetrialcourtruledthattheLGU
isliable.
4. TheCAagreedwiththeRTC'sfindingthatpetitioners'negligencewastheproximatecauseofthedamagesufferedbyrespondent.
ISSUE(S):WhetherornottheQuezonCityGovernmentisliablefordamagesduetotheinjuriessufferedbyDacaraJr.?
HELD:YES.TheprovisionsofArticle2189oftheNewCivilCodecapsulizestheresponsibilityofthecitygovernmentrelativetothe
maintenanceofroadsandbridgessinceitexercisesthecontrolandsupervisionoverthesame.
RATIO:
Maintainingthattheywerenotnegligent,petitionersinsistthattheyplacedallthenecessaryprecautionarysignstoalertthepublicofa
roadsideconstruction.Theyarguethatthedriver,FulgencioDacaraJr.,ofrespondent'scarwasoverspeeding,andthathisown
negligencewasthereforethesolecauseoftheincident.
TheCourtfoundpetitioner,QuezonCity,negligent.
"Contrarytothetestimonyofthewitnessesforthedefensethatthereweresigns,gaserawhichwasburiedsothatitslightcouldnotbe
blownoffbythewindandbarricade,nonewaseverpresentedtostressthepointthatsufficientandadequateprecautionarysignswere
placedatMatahimikStreet.Ifindeedsignswereplacedthereat,howthencoulditbeexplainedthataccordingtothereportevenofthe
policemanwhichforclarityisquotedagain,nonewasfoundatthesceneoftheaccident.
NegligenceofQCistheproximatecause
Proximatecauseisdefinedasanycausethatproducesinjuryinanaturalandcontinuoussequence,unbrokenbyanyefficient
interveningcause,suchthattheresultwouldnothaveoccurredotherwise.15Proximatecauseisdeterminedfromthefactsofeachcase,
uponacombinedconsiderationoflogic,commonsense,policyandprecedent.16
Negligenceofapersonwhethernaturalorjuridicaloveraparticularsetofeventsistransfixedbytheattendingcircumstancessothat
thegreaterthedangerknownorreasonablyanticipated,thegreateristhedegreeofcarerequiredtobeobserved.
TheprovisionsofArticle2189oftheNewCivilCodecapsulizestheresponsibilityofthecitygovernmentrelativetothemaintenance
ofroadsandbridgessinceitexercisesthecontrolandsupervisionoverthesame.Failureofthedefendanttocomplywiththestatutory
provisionfoundinthesubjectarticleistantamounttonegligencepersewhichrenderstheCitygovernmentliable.Harshapplicationof
thelawensuesasaresultthereofbutthestateassumedtheresponsibilityforthemaintenanceandrepairoftheroadsandbridgesand
neitherexceptionnorexculpationfromliabilitywoulddeemjustandequitable.
PetitionersbelatedlypointoutthatFulgencioJr.wasdrivingatthespeedof60kilometersperhour(kph)whenhemettheaccident.
Thisspeedwasallegedlywellabovethemaximumlimitof30kphallowedon"citystreetswithlighttraffic,whennotdesignated
'throughstreets,'"asprovidedundertheLandTransportationandTrafficCode(RepublicAct4136).Thus,petitionersassertthat
FulgencioJr.,havingviolatedatrafficregulation,shouldbepresumednegligentpursuanttoArticle2185oftheCivilCode.
Thesematterswere,however,notraisedbypetitionersatanytimeduringthetrial.Itisevidentfromtherecordsthattheybroughtup
forthefirsttimethematterofviolationofRA4136intheirMotionforReconsiderationoftheCADecisiondatedFebruary21,2001.It
istoolateinthedayforthemtoraisethisnewissue.Itiswellsettledthatpointsoflaw,theoriesorargumentsnotbroughtoutinthe
originalproceedingscannotbeconsideredonrevieworappeal.
Indeed,boththetrialandtheappellatecourts'findings,whichareamplysubstantiatedbytheevidenceonrecord,clearlypointto

petitioners'negligenceastheproximatecauseofthedamagessufferedbyrespondent'scar.Noadequatereasonhasbeengivento
overturnthisfactualconclusion.