Facts:

• Respondent Rolando Dubduban was engaged as the chief cook of M/V White Arrow by petitioner Tokomaru Kaiun Co., Ltd. and its Philippine manning agent, Bandila Maritime Services, Inc.
• He boarded the vessel on November 3, 1998, and returned to the Philippines on October 8, 1999, after the expiration of his contract.
• A month later, he underwent a medical examination and was diagnosed with fibroid scarrings in his right upper ear lobe and diabetes mellitus type II.
• Respondent filed a complaint for disability benefits and damages, claiming that he could no longer work as a seafarer due to his diabetes.
• Petitioners argued that they were not liable for disability benefits as respondent was diagnosed with diabetes after his contract expired.

Issue:

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Ruling:

• The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the petitioners and denied respondent's claim for disability benefits.
• The Court held that petitioners were not liabl...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Court found that respondent was diagnosed with diabetes in 1994, four years before he was engaged by petitioners.
• This means that he was not afflicted with the illness only during the term of his contract but even prior to his employment.
• Additionally, respondent did not complain of any complications of the disease during his employment.
• Therefore, he was not entitled to disability benefits under Section 20 (B) of the Employment Contract of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF).
• Even if respondent had contracted the disease during the term of his contract, he failed to comply with the requirement of Section 20 (B) (3) of the ITF Employment Contract.
• This provision requires a claimant to undergo a medical ...continue reading