Case Digest (G.R. No. 225827)
Facts:
Social Security System v. Belinda C. Cuento, G.R. No. 225827, July 28, 2021, Supreme Court Second Division, Inting, J., writing for the Court. Petitioner is the Social Security System (SSS); respondent is Belinda C. Cuento, widow of the deceased member, Maximo M. Cuento.Maximo was employed as a motorized messenger by Gold Rush Services, Corp., assigned to Metro Bank; his last contract began in February 2011. On June 15, 2011, Maximo was diagnosed with a transient ischemic attack. While on duty on October 4, 2011, he suffered loss of consciousness, was brought to San Juan De Dios Hospital and declared dead on arrival; the Post Mortem Death Certificate lists myocardial infarction as the cause of death.
Respondent filed for death benefits with the SSS. The SSS reviewing branch denied the claim, and that denial was sustained by the SSS Medical Operations Department. Respondent appealed the denial to the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), which affirmed the SSS denial, ruling there was no substantial evidence of a causal relationship between the work conditions and the fatal ailment and that atherosclerosis likely caused the myocardial infarction.
Respondent then filed a Petition for Review under Rule 43 with the Court of Appeals (CA). In a Decision dated December 17, 2015 (CA-G.R. SP No. 140167, penned by Associate Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr., with Justices Antonio‑Valenzuela and Lopez concurring), the CA reversed the ECC and ordered the SSS to pay death benefits, finding the messenger’s duties and exposure to heat, rain, pollution and traffic stress constituted sufficient unusual st...(Pro-only)
Issues:
- Is Maximo M. Cuento’s myocardial infarction a compensable disease under PD 626, as amended, and applicable ECC standard...(Pro-only)
Ruling:
- (Pro-only)
Ratio:
- (Pro-only)
Doctrine:
- (Pro-only)