Diaz vs Davao Light Digest

In Antonio Diaz v. Davao Light & Power Corp., et al., G.R. No. 16099, April !, "00# $Calle%o, ', petitioner  (nilaterall) in*talle+ a eter to repla-e another one. here wa* a noti-e o/ +i*-onne-tion an+ event(all), the -onne-tion wa* -(t. here wa* a petition /or an+ator) in%(n-tion to re*tore -onne-tion. It wa* however *ettle+ ) wa) o/ a -oproi*e agreeent where the partie* agree+ to re+(-e the re*pon+ent* -lai an+ to waive the -o(nter-lai an+ to in*tall the ele-tri- *ervi-e. here wa* no agreeent to ar the in*tit(tion o/ other a-tion. herea/ter, re*pon+ent /ile+ -riinal -a*e* /or the/t again*t the petitioner petitioner,, hen-e, a -oplaint /or +aage* /or a(*e o/ right (n+er Arti-le 19, NCC wa* /ile+. Petitioner in*i*te+ that the -oproi*e agreeent a* well a* the +e-i*ion a*e+ on it alrea+) *ettle+ the -ontrover*ie* etween the2 )et, DLPC in*tit(te+ the the/t -a*e again*t petitioner, an+ wor*e, in*tit(te+ another a-tion /or violation o/ P.D. !01, a* aen+e+ ) 3.P. 4#6. h(*, the onl) -on-l(*ion that -an e in/erre+ /ro the a-t* o/ DLPC i* that the) were +e*igne+ to hara**, earra**, pre%(+i-e, an+ r(in hi. 5e /(rther averre+ that the -oproi*e agreeent in -ivil -a*e -opletel) era*e+ litigio(* atter* that -o(l+ ne-e**aril) ari*e o(t o/ either le-tri- 7eter No. 4!#8# or 466#809. 7oreover, he a**erte+ that the evi+en-e he pre*ente+ i* *(//i-ient to prove the +aage* he *(//ere+ ) rea*on o/ the ali-io(* in*tit(tion o/ the -riinal -a*e*. In r(*hing a*i+e h i* -ontention*, the C 5el+: Arti-le Arti-le "0"4 o/ the Civil Co+e +e/ine* a -oproi*e a* a -ontra-t where) the partie*, ) a;ing re-ipro-al -on-e**ion*, avoi+ litigation or p(t an en+ to one alrea+) -oen-e+. he p(rpo*e o/ -oproi*e i* to *ettle the -lai* o/ the partie* an+ ar all /(t(re +i*p(te* an+ -ontrover*ie*. 5owever, -riinal liailit) i* not a//e-te+ ) -oproi*e /or it i* a p(li- o//en*e whi-h (*t e pro*e-(te+ an+ p(ni*he+ ) the Governent on it* own otion, tho(gh -oplete reparation *ho(l+ have een a+e o/ the +aage* *(//ere+ ) the o//en+e+ part). A -riinal -a*e i* -oitte+ again*t the People, an+ the o//en+e+ part) a) not waive or e 84'. hatever +aage* petitioner a) have *(//ere+ wo(l+ have to e orne ) hi alone *in-e it wa* hi* a-t* whi-h le+ to the /iling o/ the -oplaint* again*t hi.