G.R. No. L-13541. January 28, 1961
EDUARDO TUASON, plaintiff-appellant, vs. LUZON STEVEDORING CO., INC. and JULIAN RAMOS, defendants-appellees.
FACTS
Eduardo Tuason filed a complaint for damages against Luzon Stevedoring Co., Inc. and its driver, Julian Ramos, nearly three years after a vehicular collision on April 13, 1953, in Capas, Tarlac. Tuason alleged that while he was driving his Packard car at a moderate speed on the right lane with headlights on, the company’s truck-trailer, driven recklessly and without lights by Ramos, struck his vehicle. He claimed the collision wrecked his car and caused him serious injuries. The defendants, in their answer, denied negligence and counter-alleged that Ramos was driving at low speed with lights on the right side when Tuason, driving at high speed and on the wrong side of the road, hit the truck. They also noted that a prior criminal case against Ramos had been dismissed.
The trial court, after evaluating the evidence, found Tuason’s testimony and that of his witnesses to be contradictory and unworthy of belief. It held that Tuason was driving at a very high speed on the left lane (the wrong side) facing south, while Ramos’s truck was moving moderately and was almost at a stop before the impact. The court concluded Tuason was solely responsible for the accident and absolved the defendants from liability, dismissing the complaint.
ISSUE
Whether the trial court erred in finding Eduardo Tuason solely negligent and thus absolving the defendants from liability for damages.
RULING
The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s decision, finding no reason to overturn its factual findings. The core issue was one of credibility, a matter best left to the trial judge who directly observed the witnesses’ demeanor. The Court upheld the lower court’s assessment that Tuason’s version was unreliable. His testimony contained contradictions, and given the severity of his injuries, he was likely in extreme pain or unconscious post-collision, undermining his ability to accurately recount details.
The trial court found credible the defense evidence, including the straightforward testimony of driver Julian Ramos and the corroborating account of farmer Mariano Nacpil, whose sworn statement given on the day of the accident was consistent with his court testimony. Physical evidence and logical inferences supported the finding that Tuason’s speeding car on the wrong lane caused the collision. The Court also noted the significant delay of almost three years in filing the suit, which indicated the weakness of Tuason’s claim. Since the proximate cause of the accident was established to be Tuason’s own negligence, the defendants were correctly absolved from liability. The decision dismissing the complaint was therefore affirmed.