GR 38082; (March, 1933) (Digest)
G.R. No. 38082 ; March 4, 1933
NORTHERN LUZON TRANSPORTATION, INC., petitioner-appellant, vs. SANTIAGON SAMBRANO, respondent-appellee.
FACTS
Respondent Santiago Sambrano, an auto-truck operator, filed an application with the Public Service Commission to increase the number of trips on his lines between Vigan and Laoag and Vigan and San Fernando. The petitioner, Northern Luzon Transportation, Inc., opposed the application. After a hearing, the Commission granted the additional trips. The petitioner appealed, arguing the decision lacked evidentiary support, did not promote public interest, and was irregularly decided because the commissioner who penned the decision was not the one who heard the evidence.
ISSUE
1. Whether the Public Service Commission’s decision to grant additional trips was supported by evidence and promoted public interest.
2. Whether the decision was rendered irregularly because it was penned by a commissioner other than the one who heard the evidence.
RULING
1. Yes. The Supreme Court found the Commission’s decision was supported by evidence showing sufficient traffic on the lines and that public interest would be better served by the additional trips. The Court emphasized that under the Public Service Law, it cannot set aside the Commission’s decision unless it clearly appears unsupported by evidence, which was not the case here.
2. No. The Supreme Court ruled there was no irregularity. The law does not prohibit a commissioner other than the one who heard the evidence from deciding a case. The requirement is that a hearing be held where parties can present evidence, which was complied with. The fact that the deciding commissioner did not have the transcribed stenographic notes at the time of the decision was not fatal, as he could have had the notes read to him. The cited case of *Soriano and Santos vs. Del Rosario and Rural Transit Co.* was distinguished, as it dealt with a lack of proper hearing, not the identity of the deciding commissioner.
The decision of the Public Service Commission was affirmed.
AI Generated by Armztrong.