Brewmaster v Lazaro

RULE 6: Kinds of Pleadings VICTORINA (VICTORIA) ALICE LIM LAZARO,  !RE"MA#TER INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, INC$,  %$ Ca&'io, R *+-, *+-, A.g.s/ +0, +11 +11 DOCTRINE:

$ A Co2'lain/ Co2'lain/ 2.s/ 2a3e 2a3e a 'lain, 4on4ise, 4on4ise, and di&e4/ di&e4/ s/a/e2en/ s/a/e2en/ of /5e .l/i2a/e .l/i2a/e fa4/s fa4/s on 5i45 /5e 'lain/i7 &elies fo& 5is 4lai2$ +$ Non8a''ea& Non8a''ea&an4e an4e in /5e P&eli2ina&9 P&eli2ina&9 Confe&e Confe&en4e n4e on 4ases led fo& #.22a&9 #.22a&9 P&o4ed.& P&o4ed.&e e 'la4es /5e 4ase .nde& R.le 6 of /5e Reised R.les of #.22a&9 P&o4ed.&e: i/ ill ;e de4ided a44o&ding /o /5e 2a/e&ial allega/ions of /5e 4o2'lain/$ FACTS:

Na/.& Na/.&e: e: Pe/i/ Pe/i/ion ion fo& &eie &eie  on Ce&/io Ce&/io&a& &a&ii of CA de4isi de4ision on aa&di aa&ding ng a2o.n/ a2o.n/ so.g5 so.g5// ;9 &es'o &es'onde nden/s n/s ;e4a.se /5ei& 4o2'lain/s, in /5e o&ds of #e4/ion 6 of /5e Reised R.le on #.22a&9 P&o4ed.&e, /5e   4onside&ing /5a/ ;o/5 defendan/s failed /o a''ea& d.&ing /5e '&eli2ina&9 4onfe&en4e$ MR denied$ ISSUE:

"oN /5e Co.&/ of A''eals e&&ed in a''l9ing /5e '&oisions of /5e Reised R.les of #.22a&9 P&o4ed.&e HELD:

No$ T5e Co.&/ of A''eals 4o&&e4/l9 a''lied /5e R.les of #.22a&9 P&o4ed.&e in /5is 4ase$ #in4e /5is is a 4olle4/ion 4ase .nde& /5e MeTC, i/ s5o.ld ;e .nde& #.22a&9 P&o4ed.&e 5en4e /5e CA as 4o&&e4/ in .sing /5e 7 &.les: Sec. 7. Preliminary conference; conference; appearance appearance of parties. — Not Not later than thirty (30) days days after the last answer is led, a preliminary conference shall e held. !he r"les on pre#trial in ordinary cases shall e applicale to the preliminary conference "nless inconsistent with the pro$isions of this %"le.chan roles $irt"al law lirary  !he fail"re of the plainti& to appear in the preliminary conference conference shall e a ca"se for the dismissal of his complaint . The defendant who appears in the absence of the plainti shall be entitled to  judgment on his counterclaim counterclaim in accordance accordance with Section 6 hereof. hereof. All cross-claims shall be dismissed.

'f a sole defendant shall fail to appear, the plainti& shall e entitled to "dment in accordance with Section * hereof. !his %"le shall not apply where one of two or more defendants s"ed "nder a common ca"se of action who had pleaded a common defense shall appear at the preliminary conference. Sec. *. +&ect of fail"re to answer. — Sho"ld the defendant fail to answer the complaint within the period ao$e pro$ided, the co"rt, mot" proprio, or on motion of the plainti&, shall render judgment as may be warranted by the facts alleged in the complaint and limited to what i s prayed for therein: Pro$ided, howe$er, that the co"rt may in its discretion red"ce the amo"nt of damaes and attorneys fees claimed for ein e-cessi$e or otherwise "nconscionale. !his is witho"t pre"dice to the applicaility of Section , %"le / of the %"les of 1o"rt, if there are two or more defendants.  T5.s, /5e non8a''ea&an4e of /5e #'o.ses La@a&o in /5e '&eli2ina&9 4onfe&en4e 2ean/ /5a/ /5e MeTC s5o.ld 5ae de4ided on /5e 4ase ;ased on =/5e fa4/s alleged in /5e 4o2'lain/>$ T5e #ales Inoi4e 5e&e /5e MeTC fo.nded /5ei& &.ling .'on is i&&elean/ in /5e 4ase sin4e i/ is eiden4ia&9 and s5o.ld no/ 5ae ;een &e4ogni@ed ;9 /5e MeTC$ T5e onl9 2a/e&ial fa4/s a&e /5ose alleged in /5e 4ase and /5e MeTC s5o.ld 5ae de4ided on /5e 4ase ;ased on i/$ Pe/i/ione& is sa9ing /5a/ /5e 4o2'lain/ did no/ s/a/e a 4a.se of a4/ion$ #C sa9s i/ did$ Pe/i/ione& sa9s /5e inoi4e '&oes /5a/ s5e as no/ /5e '.&45ase&$ #C sa9s /5a/Bs eiden4ia&9, and /5e Co.&/ does no/ go /5e&e if /5e 4ase is s.''osed /o ;e onl9