Montalban Vs Maximo PDF
Montalban Vs Maximo PDF
Montalban Vs Maximo PDF
SYLLABUS
DECISION
SANCHEZ , J : p
Chronologically, following are the events that spawned the present case:
August 15, 1958. Plaintiffs commenced suit 1 against Fr. Gerardo Maximo who, according
to the complaint, was residing at the parish church at Concepcion, Malabon, Rizal.
Plaintiffs' cause of action for damages sprang from a motor vehicle accident which
occurred at Padre Faura St., Manila, on December 16, 1957. Paul Hershell Montalban, son
of plaintiffs, suffered injuries.
August 15, 1958. On this same day that the complaint was filed, summons was served on
defendant Fr. Gerardo Maximo at the parish church of Concepcion, Malabon, Rizal, through
Fr. Arsenio Bautista — a priest in the same parish church.
August 23, 1958. Fr. Arsenio Bautista sent a letter (dated August 21) to Macario M.
Ofilada, Clerk of Court of the Court of First Instance of Manila, informing him that
defendant Fr. Gerardo Maximo left for Europe on August 7, and "will be back on the first
week of November." Actually, Fr. Maximo returned from abroad "about the second week of
October, 1958." 2
September 20, 1958. The lower court declared defendant in default, on plaintiffs' motion of
September 13, 1958.
June 8, 1959. Upon plaintiffs' evidence, the court rendered judgment sentencing defendant
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to:
"1. Pay plaintiff Paul Hershell Montalban the amount of
P10,000.00 as actual damages for loss of his spleen;
2. Pay plaintiff Paul Hershell Montalban the amount of
P10,000.00 for loss or impairment of earning capacity, talents and physical
strength;
December 16, 1959. Plaintiffs themselves wrote defendant Fr. Gerardo Maximo, at the
Malabon Catholic Church, informing the latter of the lower court's decision, giving the data:
"Re Civil Case No. 37202 (in which the foregoing judgment was rendered) Montalban vs.
Maximo," quoting therein the dispositive part of the decision just transcribed, requesting
prompt compliance therewith and suggesting that he communicate with or personally see
their lawyer, Jose W. Diokno, at the latter's address, 332 Regina Building, Escolta, Manila.
December 20, 1959. Defendant, through his legal counsel, Dr. Nicanor T. Santos, answered
the foregoing letter expressing regret that he could not comply with plaintiffs' request,
because he (defendant) was not aware of the said civil case, and that, in the criminal action
arising out of the same incident, said defendant was acquitted by the Municipal Court of
Manila. 3
January 14, 1960. Deputy Sheriff Liberato C. Manalo of Rizal notified defendant of the
issuance of the writ of execution dated January 7, 1960, and demanded payment of the
amount set forth therein. The Sheriff's return to the writ shows that in response to such
demand, defendant alleged that he was then "financially hard up," 4 and that the Sheriff
found no property that could be subject to execution.
January 30, 1962. An alias writ of execution was issued. Copy thereof was received by
defendant on February 9, 1962.
February 1, 1962. The Deputy Sheriff attached and levied on a residential house located in
Caloocan City and purportedly belonging to defendant.
February 20, 1962. Two years and two months after defendant admittedly learned of the
lower court's decision from counsel for plaintiffs herein, said defendant, by counsel, filed a
verified motion in the same case praying for the annulment of the entire proceedings. His
ground is this: Summons was not duly served upon him "as provided under Sec. 7, Rule 7 of
the Rules of Court"; 5 accordingly, the lower court "did not acquire jurisdiction over his
person", and "the trial and decision by default" are "null and void," 6
March 3, 1962. The court denied this motion.
March 24, 1962. Defendant's move to reconsider was rejected by the court.
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Hence, this appeal from the orders of March 3 and March 24, 1962, duly certified to this
Court by the Court of Appeals.
September 2, 1965. After the case was submitted for decision, defendant's lawyer
informed this Court of the death of defendant on August 1, 1965.
October 18, 1967. Following extensive efforts to have the deceased defendant substituted
by any of his heirs or the executor or administrator of his estate, which were to no avail,
this Court appointed the Clerk of Court of the Court of First Instance of Manila,
representative of the deceased defendant.
1. A question of transcendental importance which necessarily involves an inquiry into
procedural due process is whether summons in a suit in personam against a resident of
the Philippines temporarily absent therefrom may be validly effected by substituted
service under Section 8, Rule 14 (formerly Section 8, Rule 7) of the Rules of Court. A head
on collision of views becomes inevitable considering the diametrically opposing positions
taken by plaintiffs, on the one hand, and defendant, on the other. For, plaintiffs make the
point that even with defendant temporarily abroad, substituted service is valid under
Section 8 by leaving a copy of the summons "at the defendant's dwelling house or
residence with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein."
Plaintiffs argue that if the ordinary method prescribed by the rules, that is, personal service
under Section 7, Rule 14, is not feasible, then the substituted service in Section 8 aforesaid
comes into play. Section 8 says:
"SEC. 8. Substituted service. — If the defendant cannot be served
within a reasonable time as provided in the preceding section, service may
be effected (a) by leaving copies of the summons at the defendant's
dwelling house or residence with some person of suitable age and discretion
then residing therein, or (b) by leaving the copies at defendant's office or
regular place of business with some competent person in charge thereof."
Upon the other hand, defendant advances the theory that in a situation like the present,
where defendant was temporarily abroad, the sole and exclusive method of service of
summons in a case in personam is that set forth in Section 18, Rule 14 of the Rules
(formerly Section 18, Rule 7), which reads:
"SEC. 18. Residents temporarily out of the Philippines. — When
an action is commenced against a defendant who ordinarily resides within
the Philippines, but who is temporarily out of it, service may, by leave of
court, be effected out of the Philippines, as under the preceding section." 7
Section 17 referred to in Section 18 (Section 17, Rule 7 in the old Rules) in turn states:
"SEC. 17. Extraterritorial service. — When the defendant does not
reside and is not found in the Philippines and the action affects the personal
status of the plaintiff or relates to, or the subject of which is, property within
the Philippines, in which the defendant has or claims a lien or interest, actual
or contingent, or in which the relief demanded consists, wholly or in part, in
excluding the defendant from any interest therein, or the property of the
defendant has been attached within the Philippines, service may, by leave of
court, be effected out of the Philippines by personal service as under section
7; or by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in such places and
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for such time as the court may order, in which case a copy of the summons
and order of the court shall be sent by registered mail to the last known
address of the defendant, or in any other manner the court may deem
sufficient. Any order granting such leave shall specify a reasonable time
which shall not be less than sixty (60) days after notice, within which the
defendant must answer."
Not that he cannot be reached within a reasonable time to enable him to contest a suit
against him. There are now advanced facilities of communication. Long distance telephone
calls and cablegrams make it easy for one he left behind to communicate with him.
In the light of the foregoing, we find ourselves unwilling to concede that substituted
service provided in Section 8 may be down- graded as an ineffective means to bring
temporarily absent residents within the reach of our courts.
As we go back to the case at hand, there is the temporarily absent defendant who was a
parish priest. Summons upon him was served upon Fr. Bautista who lived in the same
convent where defendant resided. Fr. Bautista, we must assume, is a responsible person.
Service upon him is effective.
2. The view we take of this case sweeps away defendant's argument that Section 18 is
the sole provision that governs summons upon a defendant temporarily absent in an
action in personam, as here. Indeed, defendant's posture strikes at the very language
employed by this reglementary provision cited by him. The word "may" — in the statement
in Section 18 that "service may, by leave of court, be effected out of the Philippines," as
under Section 17 — will not support the deduction, without more, that Section 18 is the
only provision controlling in this case. On the contrary, the phraseology of the rule is a
recognition of the fact that substituted service — out of the Philippines — under Section 17
is but one of the modes of effective service to bring a defendant in court. And upon the
basic concepts under which our rules governing processes operate, the normal method of
service of summons on one temporarily absent is by substituted service set forth in
Section 8. And this, because personal service outside the country and service by
publication are not ordinary means of summoning defendants.
In practical terms, we perceive that — in suits in personam — the more circuitous
procedure delineated in Sections 17 and 18 is resorted to by a plaintiff if defendant's
dwelling house or residence or place of business in this country is not known; or, if known,
service upon him cannot be had thereat upon the terms of Section 8. Here, since personal
service is impossible, resort to substituted service becomes a necessity. A comparison
between the service in Section 8 and that in Sections 17 and 18 is beside the point. They
both provide for substituted service. Anyway, as Goodrich observed: "[I]f a substitute is to
be made where an actual personal service is impossible, 'the best is none too good.'" 2 4
3. The judgment has long since become final. It enjoys the presumption of regularity. It
is, unless stricken down, entitled to respect. Non quieta movere. Because "[p]ublic policy
and sound practice demand that, at the risk of occasional errors, judgments of courts
should become final at some definite date fixed by law." 2 5
The norm of conduct observed by defendant would not, we believe, tilt the scales of justice
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in his favor. We go to the background facts. Logic and common sense tell us that Fr.
Bautista who received the summons and who took interest in the case must have informed
defendant one way or another of the suit, at the latest upon his return in October, 1958. By
then there was still time for him to move to set aside the default order of September 20,
1958. Defendant did not move. It is well to remember also that judgment by default was
not rendered against defendant until June 8, 1959, or almost nine (9) months after the
default order was issued. Again, defendant did nothing. According to defendant, he learned
of that judgment on December 20, 1959. The full impact of the judgment totalling P34,000
must have by then left an indelible mark in his mind. A judgment of a court of justice is no
piddling matter. It should not be trifled with. Especially so when the amount is big, as it is
here. That same day — December 20 — his attorney took a hand on the matter, wrote back
plaintiffs refusing payment of the claim. The first writ of execution was served on
defendant on January 14, 1960. That time he did not pay, because according to the
Sheriff's return, defendant then stated that he was "financially hard up."
Defendant did not bestir himself until February 20, 1962, i.e., not less than two years and
two months after he learned-by his own admission-of the judgment. And, that was shortly
after levy was made on his house in Caloocan. It is in this factual environment that then CFI
Judge Magno Gatmaitan, in his order of March 24, 1962, correctly observed that 'the Court
once again believes that this solution (denial of the motion to reconsider the appealed
order) is just because of the apparent intentional inaction of defendant since 20
December, 1959."
Indeed, it was not right that defendant should have supinely sat on the decision, and
deliberately disregarded the import thereof. Neither was it correct for him to have waited
so long, slept on his rights, and only put plaintiffs to task when his own property was
threatened because of the levy and execution thereon.
The decision below may not thus be annulled. Plaintiffs may not be compelled to file a
fresh suit. Because, prejudice to plaintiffs, which could have been avoided by defendant,
will become a reality. The additional expense, trouble and anxiety need not be essayed. The
accident took place on December 16, 1957. The lower court's decision made mention of
two eyewitnesses and two doctors of medicine who testified as to injuries. To bring back
those witnesses to court becomes a serious problem. Plaintiffs will have to search for
them and if found, they may not be able to present to the court a narrative as accurately as
they had done before. Time has an unfortunate tendency of obliterating occurrences from
a witness' memory. Recollections are apt to be blurred. Human memory can even be
treacherous. Lapse of time may also carry with it dissipation of other evidence. Surely,
there is great validity to the statement that the march of time is truth in flight. 2 6 These, in
broad outlines, give life to the salutary policy on which laches is founded.
WHEREFORE, the orders appealed from dated March 3, 1962 and March 24, 1962 are
hereby affirmed.
Costs against defendant-appellant. So Ordered.
Reyes, J.B.L., Actg. C.J., Dizon, Bengzon, J.P., Zaldivar, Castro and Angeles, JJ., concur.
Makalintal, J., concurs in the result.
1. Civil Case No. 37202, Court of First Instance of Manila, entitled "Pablo C. Montalban and
Regina Barretto, in their own behalf and as natural guardians, in behalf of minor Paul
Hershell B. Montalban, Plaintiffs vs. Gerardo Maximo, Defendant."
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid, at p. 17.
13. Blackmer vs. U.S. 284 U.S. 421, 438, 76 L. ed. 375, 383. See also: 42 Am. Jur., p. 58; 72
C.J.S., p. 997.
14. 311 U.S. 457, 463, 85 L. ed. 287, 283; italics supplied.
15. McDonald vs. Mabee, 243 U.S. 90, 91, 61 L. ed. 608, 609.
16. Camden Safe-Deposit & Trust Co. vs. Barbour, 48 A. 1008-1009, where defendant was
in Europe and service was made at the dwelling house at Monmouth Beach, New Jersey,
where his wife and family lived.
17. Missell vs. Hayes, et al., 85 A. 818-319, where summons was left at the father's home in
New Brunswick, New Jersey, while defendant was a student at a college in Maryland in
preparation for the ministry; Verdenburgh, et al. vs. Weidmann, 183 A. 459-460, where
summons was left at the father's house in New Jersey while defendant was a student at
Yale Law School in New Haven; Skidmore vs. Green, 33 F. Supp. 529-530, where
summons and complaint were served on a brother's home, considered defendant's usual
place of abode since defendant's life was of a migratory nature; Rovinski vs. Rowe, 131
F. ed 687-693, where service had been made upon defendant's mother at her residence in
Michigan, although defendant had actually been living in various places in other states
for a number of years; Blaw-Knox Co. vs. Miller's Gold Seal Dairy, Inc., 14 Fed. Rules
Serv. 4d. 122, Case 1, pp. 16-17, where summons was left with defendant's wife at his
usual place of abode (Ohio), to which he returned from time to time, although he took
employment at another state (Wisconsin) without any intention to return and the wife
was going to follow him when accommodations could be found.