ELOISE 

CASE 71 | TOPIC: CONSTRUCTION DISPUTE ARBITRATION

METRO CONSTRUCTION, INC., vs. CHATHAM PROPERTIES

FACTS: Respondent CHATHAM and petitioner MCI entered into a contract for the construction of a multi-storey building:
Chatham House. MCI sought to collect from CHATHAM a sum of money for unpaid progress billings and other charges and
instituted a request for adjudication of its claims with the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC).

CIAC rendered judgment in favor of MCI directing CHATHAM to pay MCI the net sum of 16,126,922.91 php.

Impugning the decision of the CIAC, CHATHAM instituted a petition for review with the Court of Appeals.

Court of Appeals confirmed the jurisprudential principle that absent any showing of arbitrariness, the CIAC’s findings as an
administrative agency and quasi-judicial body should not only be accorded great respect but also given the stamp of finality.
However, contrary to CIAC findings, CA ascertained that the evidence overwhelmingly proved that there was no takeover by
CHATHAM and that MCI exercised complete control, authority and responsibility over the construction. CA likewise had
modifications as to damages, directing MCI to pay CHATHAM the net sum of 4,935,578.31 php.

MR in the CA was denied, hence this instant petition for review before the SC. MCI contends that while it may be argued that
recent (1) issuances by the Supreme Court, specifically, Circular No. 1-91, which eventually became Revised Administrative
Circular No. 1-95; (2) legislation, in particular, Republic Act No. 7902, which amended Batas Pambansa Blg. 129; and (3)
amendments to the Rules on Civil Procedure, modifying E.O. No. 1008 in the sense that questions of facts, of law, or mixed
questions of facts and law may be the subject of an appeal of the CIACs decision to the Court of Appeals, it is still E.O. No. 1008
which remains to be the fundamental and substantive law that endows parties to an arbitral controversy the right to appeal.
Hence, the provisions on appeal of E.O. No. 1008 should be controlling, i.e., only questions of law should be entertained.
Therefore, the only effect of these rules on E.O. No. 1008 is the transfer of the appeal forum from the Supreme Court to the
Court of Appeals.

ISSUE: The core issue in this case is whether under existing law and rules the CA can also review findings of facts of the CIAC.

RULING: YES. E.O. No. 1008 vests upon the CIAC original and exclusive jurisdiction over disputes arising from, or
connected with, contracts entered into by parties involved in construction in the Philippines, whether the dispute
arises before or after the completion of the contract, or after the abandonment or breach thereof. By express provision
of Section 19 thereof, the arbitral award of the CIAC is final and unappealable, except on questions of law, which are
appealable to the Supreme Court.
The parties, however, disagree on whether the subsequent Supreme Court issuances on appellate procedure and R.A. No. 7902
removed from the Supreme Court its appellate jurisdiction in Section 19 of E.O. No. 1008 and vested the same in the Court of
Appeals, and whether appeals from CIAC awards are no longer confined to questions of law.

On 27 February 1991, SC issued Circular No. 1-91, which prescribes the Rules Governing Appeals to the Court of Appeals from
Final Orders or Decisions of the Court of Tax Appeals and Quasi-Judicial Agencies Through Circular No. 1-91, the Supreme
Court intended to establish a uniform procedure for the review of the final orders or decisions of the Court of Tax Appeals and
other quasi-judicial agencies provided that an appeal therefrom is then allowed under existing statutes to either the Court of
Appeals or the Supreme Court. The Circular designated the Court of Appeals as the reviewing body to resolve questions
of fact or of law or mixed questions of fact and law. It is clear that Circular No. 1-91 covers the CIAC. In the first place, it
is a quasi-judicial agency. A quasi-judicial agency or body has been defined as an organ of government other than a court and
other than a legislature, which affects the rights of private parties through either adjudication or rule-making. In the second
place, the language of Section 1 of Circular No. 1-91 emphasizes the obvious inclusion of the CIAC even if it is not named in the
enumeration of quasi-judicial agencies.

In sum, under Circular No. 1-91, appeals from the arbitral awards of the CIAC may be brought to the Court of Appeals, and not
to the Supreme Court alone. The grounds for the appeal are likewise broadened to include appeals on questions of facts and
appeals involving mixed questions of fact and law. The jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals over appeals from final orders or
decisions of the CIAC is further fortified by the amendments to B.P. Blg.129, as introduced by R.A. No. 7902. With the
amendments, the Court of Appeals is vested with appellate jurisdiction over all final judgments, decisions, resolutions, orders
or awards of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or commissions, except those within
the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in accordance with the Constitution, the Labor Code of the Philippines under
Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, the provisions of this Act, and of subparagraph (1) of the third paragraph and
subparagraph (4) of the fourth paragraph of Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.