[60] FGU INSURANCE CORPORATION vs CA ● Since the D/B Lucio had no engine of its own, it could not maneuver by

G.R. No. 137775 | G.R. No. 140704 | March 31, 2005 | CHICO – NAZARIO, J. itself and had to be towed by a tugboat for it to move from one place to
another
SUMMARY: 2. San Miguel Corporation (SMC) shipped from Cebu, on board the D/B Lucio
ANCO owned the tugboat M/T ANCO and the barge D/B Lucio, wherein the former to be towed by M/T ANCO, around 40,550 cases of beer. Around half was to
would have to tow the latter to move from place to place since the latter had no engine be delivered to San Jose, Antique, and the rest to Iloilo.
of its own. San Miguel Corp. shipped cases of beer on board D/B Lucio, to be tugged
● The vessels arrived at San Jose at 1:00pm. M/T ANCO thereafter
by M/T ANCO. Upon arrival at the destination place, M/T ANCO left D/B Lucio despite
immediately left the barge D/B Lucio, notwithstanding the fact that at this
the looming bad weather. Thereafter the unloading was halted due to bad weather, and
despite requests to transfer the barge to a safer place, ANCO’s representatives did not time, the clouds were already dark and the waves were big.
accede. At this time, only the D/B Lucio was left at the place among all the barges that 3. The arrastre workers unloading the cargoes of SMC on board the D/B Lucio began
were initially there. As a result, some cases of beer were swept away. SMC filed a to complain about their difficulty in unloading the cargoes. SMC’s District Sales
complaint against ANCO, which filed a third-party complaint against FGU Insurance, Supervisor, requested ANCO’s representative to transfer the barge to a
the insurer of the cases of beer. SC ruled in favor of FGU Insurance upon finding that safer place because the vessel might not be able to withstand the big waves.
ANCO was grossly negligent. ANCO’s representative did not heed the request because he was confident
that the barge could withstand the waves.
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE: N/A ● This, notwithstanding the fact that at that time, only the M/T ANCO was
left at the wharf of San Jose, Antique, as all other vessels already
left the wharf to seek shelter. With the waves growing bigger and
DOCTRINE:
bigger, only Ten Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety (10,790) cases of beer
One of the purposes for taking out insurance is to protect the insured against the
were discharged into the custody of the arrastre operator.
consequences of his own negligence and that of his agents. Thus, it is a basic rule in
● At about ten to eleven o’clock in the evening of the following day, the
insurance that the carelessness and negligence of the insured or his agents
crew of D/B Lucio abandoned the vessel because the barge’s rope
constitute no defense on the part of the insurer.
attached to the wharf was cut off by the big waves.
● This rule however presupposes that the loss has occurred due to causes
● At around midnight, the barge run aground and was broken and the
which could not have been prevented by the insured, despite the
cargoes of beer in the barge were swept away.
exercise of due diligence. When evidence show that the insured’s
4. As a consequence of the incident, SMC filed a complaint for Breach of Contract
negligence or recklessness is so gross as to be sufficient to constitute a willful
of Carriage and Damages against ANCO for the amount of P1,346,197.00 plus
act, the insurer must be exonerated.
interest, litigation expenses and Twenty-Five Percent (25%) of the total claim as
● In the case of Standard Marine Ins. Co. v. Nome Beach L. & T. Co.,[24] the
attorney’s fees.
United States Supreme Court held that: “The ordinary negligence of the
● ANCO claims that it should not be liable since the cargo was lost
insured and his agents has long been held as a part of the risk which the
due to fortuitous event. ANCO further asserted that there was an
insurer takes upon himself, and the existence of which, where it is the
agreement between them and SMC to insure the cargoes in order to
proximate cause of the loss, does not absolve the insurer from liability. But
recover indemnity in case of loss. Pursuant to that agreement, the
willful exposure, gross negligence, negligence amounting to misconduct, etc.,
cargoes to the extent of 20,000 cases was insured with FGU Insurance
have often been held to release the insurer from such liability.”
Corporation (FGU) for the total amount of P858,500.00.
o According to the Court, while mistake and negligence of the master
● ANCO, with leave of court, filed a Third-Party Complaint against
or crew are incident to navigation and constitute a part of the perils
FGU, alleging that before the vessel of ANCO left for San Jose, Antique
that the insurer is obliged to incur, such negligence or recklessness
with the cargoes owned by SMC, were insured with FGU.
must not be of such gross character as to amount to misconduct or
● According to ANCO, the loss of said cargoes occurred as a
wrongful acts; otherwise, such negligence shall release the insurer
result of risks insured against in the insurance policy and during
from liability under the insurance contract.
the existence and lifetime of said insurance policy.
FACTS:
ISSUES/HELD/RATIO:
1. Anco Enterprises Company (ANCO) was engaged in the shipping business. It
1) WON ANCO was negligent – YES
owned the M/T ANCO tugboat and the D/B Lucio barge which were operated
as common carriers. A careful study of the records shows that ANCO’s representatives failed to exercise the
extraordinary degree of diligence required by the law to exculpate them from liability for
the loss of the cargoes.
 ● It is an established fact that the barge D/B Lucio had no engine of its own and
could not maneuver by itself.
● Yet, the patron of ANCO’s tugboat M/T ANCO left it to fend for itself
notwithstanding the fact that as the two vessels arrived at the port of
San Jose, Antique, signs of the impending storm were already manifest.
o As stated by the lower court, witness Mr. Anastacio Manilag testified
that the captain or patron of the tugboat M/T ANCO left the barge
D/B Lucio immediately after it reached San Jose, Antique, despite
the fact that there were already big waves and the area was already
dark.
● The other vessels in the port of San Jose, Antique, managed to transfer to
another place, a circumstance which prompted SMC’s District Sales
Supervisor to request that the D/B Lucio be likewise transferred, but to no
avail.
o In fact, Even if ANCO’s representatives wanted to transfer it, they no
longer had any means to do so as the tugboat M/T ANCO had
already departed, leaving the barge to its own devices

In this case, the calamity which caused the loss of the cargoes was not
unforeseen nor was it unavoidable. The captain of the tugboat should have had the
foresight not to leave the barge alone considering the pending storm

2) WON FGU is liable – NO

SEE DOCTRINE FIRST

In the case at bar, both the trial court and the appellate court had concluded from the
evidence that the crewmembers of both the D/B Lucio and the M/T ANCO were
blatantly negligent. To wit:
● There was blatant negligence on the part of the employees of defendants-
appellants when the patron (operator) of the tug boat immediately left the
barge at the San Jose, Antique wharf despite the looming bad weather.
● Negligence was likewise exhibited by the defendants-appellants’ representative
who did not heed Macabuag’s request that the barge be moved to a more secure
place.
● The prudent thing to do, as was done by the other sea vessels at San
Jose, Antique during the time in question, was to transfer the vessel to
a safer wharf.
● he negligence of the defendants-appellants is proved by the fact that on 01
October 1979, the only simple vessel left at the wharf in San Jose was the D/B
Lucio

DISPOSITIVE: WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Decision of the Court of