Case Summary (G.R. No. L-16732)
Background of the Case
On June 5, 1958, the plaintiffs filed a complaint in the Court of First Instance of Cebu against the members of the Barrio Council, alleging that the council passed a resolution seeking the construction of a road through their lands. The plaintiffs contended that the council falsely claimed their consent to the right of way and that this led to damage to their properties without any legal proceedings for expropriation. The plaintiffs quantified their claims as actual damages, moral damages, and attorney's fees, seeking a total recovery that exceeded the jurisdictional amount of P2,000.
Jurisdictional Challenge
On June 25, 1958, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, asserting that the Court of First Instance lacked jurisdiction since the amount claimed by each individual plaintiff was less than the P2,000 threshold. The plaintiffs opposed this motion, arguing that their collective claim, which included actual damages, moral damages, and attorney's fees, should be viewed as a single action where the total exceeded the jurisdictional limit, thus granting the court the authority to hear the case.
Court's Reasoning on Jurisdiction
The Court of Appeals referred the issue of jurisdiction to the Supreme Court for clarification on whether jurisdiction should be determined by each plaintiff's individual claim or the aggregate of all claims. The appellants maintained that since their cause of action arose from a common grievance against the defendants, the total claim should be considered. However, the Supreme Court cited a precedent case, Cajilig et al. vs. Co, highlighting that in situations where multiple plaintiffs have distinct claims against a common defendant stemming from the same transaction, it is each individual claim that dictates the jurisdiction.
Decision and Conclusion
Ultimately, the Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of the complaint, agreeing that jurisdict
...continue readingCase Syllabus (G.R. No. L-16732)
Case Citation
- 115 Phil. 94
- G.R. No. L-16132
- Date of Decision: May 29, 1962
Parties Involved
- Plaintiffs and Appellants: Ramon Augusto, Maria Aying, Silvestra Bancale, Clemencia Igot, Silverio Igot, Filomena Malingen, Maximo Silawan, Maximo Ygoy, Demetrio Ygoy
- Defendants and Appellees: Arcadio Abing and members of the Barrio Council of Mactan
Background of the Case
- On June 5, 1958, the plaintiffs filed an action against the members of the Barrio Council of Mactan in the Court of First Instance of Cebu.
- The plaintiffs alleged that a resolution adopted by the Barrio Council requested the construction of a road in Mactan.
- They claimed that the council maliciously stated the plaintiffs had given consent for a right of way on their lands for the road without compensation or awareness.
Allegations by Plaintiffs
- The plaintiffs contended that they did not agree to waive any rights concerning property and personal damages incurred due to the road's construction.
- They reported that workers and bulldozers entered their lands without any expropriation proceedings, leading to the destruction of their crops, including corn, bananas, cassava, coconuts, and bamboo plants.
- The plaintiffs claimed actual damages, totaling P1,956, as follows:
- Ramon Augusto: P150
- Ma