Facts:

• The case involves North Camarines Lumber Company, Inc. (plaintiff-appellant) and Metropolitan Insurance Company (defendant-appellant).
• Initiated in the Court of First Instance of Manila on June 11, 1959.
• The plaintiff sought to recover insurance proceeds for the loss of a vessel and its cargo, totaling P135,000.00 (including interest and 15% attorney's fees).
• The plaintiff also claimed P35,520.37 for repairs (including interest and 22% of premiums paid, plus 15% attorney's fees).
• The defendant counterclaimed for P24,578.00, alleging malice in the plaintiff's complaint.
• The lower court dismissed the first cause of action but ordered the defendant to return P2,500.00 in premiums.
• For the second cause of action, the court ordered the defendant to pay P31,301.01 to the plaintiff, without addressing the counterclaim.
• Both parties appealed the decision, raising factual and legal questions.

Issue:

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Ruling:

• The Supreme Court determined that the case should be certified to the Court of Appeals.
• The amounts claimed by the plaintiff and defendant separately did not meet the P200,000.00 threshold for Supreme Court jurisdiction. ...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The court's reasoning emphasized that each party's claims must be evaluated separately to determine the correct appellate jurisdiction.
• Since neither party's claim reached the P200,000.00 jurisdictional amount, the Supreme Court concluded it lacked jurisdiction over the appeal.
• The court highlighted the necessity o...continue reading