CASE DIGEST - Sps Perena v Sps Nicola; GR No. 157917 J. Bersamin; 29 August 2012

 

PUBLIC USE

Sps Perena v Sps Nicola; GR No. 157917

J. Bersamin; 29 August 2012

DOCTRINE: "Public use" is the same as "use by the public". The essential feature of the public use is not confined to privileged individuals, but is open to the indefinite public. It is this indefinite or unrestricted quality that gives it its public character. In determining whether a use is public, we must look not only to the character of the business to be done, but also to the proposed mode of doing it. If the use is merely optional with the owners, or the public benefit is merely incidental, it is not a public use, authorizing the exercise of the jurisdiction of the public utility commission. There must be, in general, a right which the law compels the owner to give to the general public. It is not enough that the general prosperity of the public is promoted. Public use is not synonymous with public interest. The true criterion by which to judge the character of the use is whether the public may enjoy it by right or only by permission.

FACTS:

Pereñas were engaged in the business of transporting students from their respective residences in Parañaque City to Don Bosco in Pasong Tamo, Makati City, and back. In their business, the Pereñas used a KIA Ceres Van (van) with Plate No. PYA 896, which had the capacity to transport 14 students at a time, two of whom would be seated in the front beside the driver, and the others in the rear, with six students on either side. They employed Clemente Alfaro (Alfaro) as driver of the van.

Zarates contracted the Pereñas to transport Aaron to and from Don Bosco. During the effectivity of the contract of carriage and in the implementation thereof, Aaron, the minor son of spouses Zarate died in connection with a vehicular/train collision which occurred while Aaron was riding the contracted carrier Kia Ceres van of spouses Pereña, then driven and operated by the latter's employee/authorized driver Clemente Alfaro, which van collided with the train of PNR, at around 6:45 A.M. of August 22, 1996, within the vicinity of the Magallanes Interchange in Makati City.

At the time of the vehicular/train collision, the subject site of the vehicular/train collision was a railroad crossing used by motorists for crossing the railroad tracks. During the said time of the vehicular/train collision, there were no appropriate and safety warning signs and railings at the site commonly used for railroad crossing. The train driver or operator left the scene of the incident on board the commuter train involved without waiting for the police investigator.

The site commonly used for railroad crossing by motorists was not in fact intended by the railroad operator for railroad crossing at the time of the vehicular collision. PNR received the demand letter of the spouses Zarate. PNR refused to acknowledge any liability for the vehicular/train collision.

The eventual closure of the railroad crossing alleged by PNR was an internal arrangement between the former and its project contractor. The site of the vehicular/train collision was within the vicinity or less than 100 meters from the Magallanes station of PNR. Zarates commenced this action for damages against Alfaro, the Pereñas, PNR and Alano. The Pereñas and PNR filed their respective answers, with cross-claims against each other, but Alfaro could not be served with summons. RTC rendered decision in favor of the plaintiff. Both the Pereñas and PNR appealed. CA affirmed the findings of the RTC with modification. Hence, this instant case.

ISSUE:

Whether the operation of school bus is considered common carrier?

RULING:

Yes. The operation of school bus is considered common carrier.

A carrier is a person or corporation who undertakes to transport or convey goods or persons from one place to another, gratuitously or for hire. The carrier is classified either as a private/special carrier or as a common/public carrier.

A private carrier is one who, without making the activity a vocation, or without holding himself or itself out to the public as ready to act for all who may desire his or its services, undertakes, by special agreement in a particular instance only, to transport goods or persons from one place to another either gratuitously or for hire. The provisions on ordinary contracts of the Civil Code govern the contract of private carriage. The diligence required of a private carrier is only ordinary, that is, the diligence of a good father of the family.

In contrast, a common carrier is a person, corporation, firm or association engaged in the business of carrying or transporting passengers or goods or both, by land, water, or air, for compensation, offering such services to the public. Contracts of common carriage are governed by the provisions on common carriers of the Civil Code, the Public Service Act, and other special laws relating to transportation. A common carrier is required to observe extraordinary diligence, and is presumed to be at fault or to have acted negligently in case of the loss of the effects of passengers, or the death or injuries to passengers.

"Public use" is the same as "use by the public". The essential feature of the public use is not confined to privileged individuals, but is open to the indefinite public. It is this indefinite or unrestricted quality that gives it its public character. In determining whether a use is public, we must look not only to the character of the business to be done, but also to the proposed mode of doing it. If the use is merely optional with the owners, or the public benefit is merely incidental, it is not a public use, authorizing the exercise of the jurisdiction of the public utility commission. There must be, in general, a right which the law compels the owner to give to the general public. It is not enough that the general prosperity of the public is promoted. Public use is not synonymous with public interest. The true criterion by which to judge the character of the use is whether the public may enjoy it by right or only by permission.

The true test for a common carrier is not the quantity or extent of the business actually transacted, or the number and character of the conveyances used in the activity, but whether the undertaking is a part of the activity engaged in by the carrier that he has held out to the general public as his business or occupation. If the undertaking is a single transaction, not a part of the general business or occupation engaged in, as advertised and held out to the general public, the individual or the entity rendering such service is a private, not a common, carrier. The question must be determined by the character of the business actually carried on by the carrier, not by any secret intention or mental reservation it may entertain or assert when charged with the duties and obligations that the law imposes.

Applying these considerations to the case before us, there is no question that the Pereñas as the operators of a school bus service were: (a) engaged in transporting passengers generally as a business, not just as a casual occupation; (b) undertaking to carry passengers over established roads by the method by which the business was conducted; and (c) transporting students for a fee. Despite catering to a limited clientèle, the Pereñas operated as a common carrier because they held themselves out as a ready transportation indiscriminately to the students of a particular school living within or near where they operated the service and for a fee.