Facts:

• Petitioners: Serena T. Bacelonia, Graciano Bacelonia, Sr., and Graciano T. Bacelonia, Jr., owners of a school shuttle service.
• Respondents: Victorino S. Bolos, Jr. and Olivia P. Bolos, who filed a complaint for damages.
• Complaint filed on January 12, 1998, in Quezon City Regional Trial Court (Civil Case No. Q-98-33149).
• Incident: A vehicular accident on February 3, 1993, involving a school shuttle and a 6 x 6 Isuzu cargo truck.
• Result: Death of Jemelee Bolos, daughter of the respondents, who was a passenger in the shuttle.
• Prior to the Bolos' complaint, petitioners filed their own complaint against co-defendants on March 1, 1995 (Civil Case No. Q-95-23169).
• The earlier case was resolved through a compromise agreement on April 27, 1995, leading to its dismissal.
• On September 24, 1999, petitioners sought to be dropped as defendants, citing the compromise agreement.
• Co-defendants opposed the motion, claiming res judicata did not apply and denying liability.
• Trial court denied the petitioners' motion on January 10, 2000.
• Petitioners filed a motion for reconsideration on January 31, 2000, set for hearing on February 15, 2000.
• They also sought to cancel a scheduled hearing for evidence presentation on February 3, 2000.
• Both motions were denied by the trial court on February 3, 2000.
• Petitioners elevated the matter to the Court of Appeals, which dismissed their petition on March 6, 2000, for being premature and lacking merit.
• A motion for reconsideration was denied on May 19, 2000.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• The Supreme Court denied the petition for review on certiorari.
• The Court affirmed the Court of Appeals' dismissal of the petition in CA-G.R. SP No. 57455.
• The trial court did not ...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The petitioners' motion for reconsideration was filed beyond the ten-day period required by Rule 15, Section 5 of the Revised Rules of Court.
• The scheduled hearing for February 15, 2000, was...continue reading