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508 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations
Commission
*
G.R. Nos. 88195-96. January 27, 1994.
“Y” TRANSIT CO., INC., petitioner, vs. THE NATIONAL
LABOR RELATIONS COMMISSION and YUJUICO
TRANSIT EMPLOYEES UNION (ASSOCIATED LABOR
UNION), MANUEL VILLARTA, respondents.
Public Service Law; Public Service Commission; Approval of
Transfer of Lease of Franchise.—The following facts have been
established before the NLRC: that the transfer of ownership from
Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. to Jesus Yujuico, and from Jesus Yujuico
to “Y” Transit Co., Inc. lacked the prior approval of the BOT as
required by
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* THIRD DIVISION.
509
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“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations Commission
Section 20 of the Public Service Act; that the buses were
transferred to “Y” Transit Co., Inc. during the pendency of the
action; and that until the time of execution, the buses were still
registered in the name of Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. In Montoya v.
Ignacio, we held: “x x x The law really requires the approval of the
Public Service Commission in order that a franchise, or any
privilege pertaining thereto, may be sold or leased without
infringing the certificate issued to the grantee. The reason is
obvious. Since a franchise is personal in nature any transfer or
lease thereof should be notified to the Public Service Commission
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so that the latter may take proper safeguards to protect the
interest of the public. In fact, the law requires that, before the
approval is granted, there should be a public hearing with notice
to all interested parties in order that the commission may
determine if there are good and reasonable grounds justifying the
transfer or lease of the property covered by the franchise, or if the
sale or lease is detrimental to public interest. Such being the
reason and philosophy behind this requirement, it follows that if
the property covered by the franchise is transferred, or leased to
another without obtaining the requisite approval, the transfer is
not binding against the Public Service Commission and in
contemplation of law, the grantee continues to be responsible
under the franchise in relation to the Commission and to the
public. x x x
Same; Same; Same; There being no prior BOT approval in the
transfer of property, transferee only held the property as agents.—
There being no prior BOT approval in the transfer of the property
from Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. to Jesus Yujuico, it only follows
that as far as the BOT and third parties are concerned, Yujuico
Transit Co., Inc. still owned the properties, and Yujuico, and
later, “Y” Transit Co., Inc. only held the same as agents of the
former. In Tamayo v. Aquino, the Supreme Court stated, thus: “x
x x In operating the truck without transfer thereof having been
approved by the Public Service Commission, the transferee acted
merely as agent of the registered owner and should be responsible
to him (the registered owner) for any damages that he may cause
the latter by his negligence.”
Same; Same; Same; Transferee of vehicles cannot prevent levy
by asserting ownership because as far as the law is concerned, the
one in whose name the vehicle is registered remains to be the
owner and the transferee merely holds the vehicles for the
registered owner.—Where the registered owner is liable for
obligations to third parties and vehicles registered under his
name are levied upon to satisfy his obligations, the transferee of
such vehicles cannot prevent the levy by asserting his ownership
because as far as the law is concerned, the one in whose name the
vehicle is registered remains to be the owner and the
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“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations Commission
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transferee merely holds the vehicles for the registered owner.
Thus, “Y” Transit Co., Inc. cannot now argue that the buses could
not be levied upon to satisfy the money judgment in favor of
herein private respondents. However, this does not deprive the
transferee of the right to recover from the registered owner any
damages which may have been incurred by the former since the x
x x transfer or lease is valid and binding between the parties x x
x.” Thus, had there been any real contract between “Y” Transit
Co., Inc. and Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. or “Y” Transit Co., Inc. and
Jesus Yujuico regarding the sale or transfer of the buses, the
former may avail of its remedies to recover damages.
SPECIAL CIVIL ACTION for certiorari to annul a decision
of the National Labor Relations Commission.
The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.
Cruz, Dunan, Agabin, Atienza, Alday & Tuason for
petitioner.
Evaristo S. Orosa for private respondents.
ROMERO, J.:
This is a special civil action for certiorari filed by “Y”
Transit Co., Inc. for the annulment of the decision of the
National Labor Relations Commission, the dispositive
portion of which reads as follows:
“WHEREFORE, the appealed Order should be as it is hereby
REVERSED reinstating the levy made by the Sheriff on July 13
and 16, 1982. Accordingly, the sale of the levied properties may
proceed pursuant to1 existing laws.
SO ORDERED.”
The antecedent facts of the case are as follows:
In March 1960 and sometime thereafter, Yujuico Transit
Co., Inc., mortgaged ten (10) of its buses to the
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to secure a
loan in the amount of P2,795,129.36. Thereafter, the Board
of Directors of Yujuico Transit, Co., Inc. passed a resolution
authorizing its President, Jesus Yujuico to enter into a
dacion en pago arrangement with
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1 Rollo, p. 36.
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“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations
Commission
the DBP, whereby Jesus Yujuico would transfer to the DBP
the Saint Martin Technical Institute in consideration of the
full settlement of the obligations of three companies, one of
which was Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. Accordingly, on or
about October 24, 1978, the transfer of the property was
made and DBP released the mortgages constituted on the
buses of Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. Consequently, the
company transferred the ownership of its mortgaged
properties, including the buses, to Jesus Yujuico.
Meanwhile, sometime in June and July 1979, the
Yujuico Transit Employees Union (Associated Labor Union)
filed two (2) consolidated complaints against Yujuico
Transit Co., Inc. for Unfair Labor Practice and violations of
Presidential Decrees Nos. 525, 1123, 1614 and 851 (non-
payment of living allowances).
On May 21, 1980, Jesus Yujuico sold the subject buses to
herein petitioner “Y” Transit Co., Inc. for P3,485,400.00.
On July 23, 1981, the Labor Arbiter rendered a decision
dismissing the complaint for unfair labor practice but
holding Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. liable under the
aforementioned Presidential Decrees in the amount of
P142,780.49. On February 9, 1982, a writ of execution for
the said amount was issued by the Labor Arbiter. On June
14, 1982, an alias writ of execution was issued and levy
was made upon the ten (10) buses. Thereafter, “Y” Transit
Co., Inc. filed Affidavits of Third Party Claim.
Private respondents herein opposed the Third Party
claim on the ground that the transactions leading to the
transfer of the buses to “Y” Transit Co., Inc. were void
because they lacked the approval of the BOT as required by
the Public Service Act. They also argued that the buses
were still registered in the name of Yujuico Transit Co.
which was, therefore, still the lawful owner thereof.
The Labor Arbiter found that “Y” Transit Co., Inc. had
valid title to the buses and that the BOT, by its subsequent
acts had approved the transfer. The decision stated further,
thus:
“The fact that the registration certificates of most of the vehicles
in question are still in the name of Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. at the
time of levy on execution does not militate against the claimant
Registration of a motor vehicle is not the operative act that
transfers ownership, unlike in land registration cases.
Furthermore, the evidence shows that the claimant cannot be
faulted for its failure to have the certificates of registration
transferred in its own name. Prior to the levy,
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“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations Commission
claimant had already paid for the transfer fee, the fee for the
cancellation of mortgage and other fees required by the BLT.
Moreover, the registration fees of the vehicles whose last digit of
their plate numbers made the vehicles due for registration were
already paid for by the claimant (Exhibits ‘N’ to ‘N-7’). Therefore,
there was already a constructive registration made by the
claimant (Mariano B. Arroyo vs. Maria Corazon Yu de Sane, et.
al., 54 Phil. 511, 518), sufficient notice to affect the rights of third-
parties. It is now ministerial on the part of the BLT to issue the
Registration Certificates in the name of the claimant, but the
same was held in abeyance pending the computerization of the
records of BOT on public utility vehicles. On all fours is the ruling
of the Supreme Court in Mariano B. Arroyo vs. Ma. Corazon Yu
de Sane, 54 Phil. 511, which upheld the right of PNB as
mortgagee over motorized water vessels as superior over the
rights of a judgment creditor who had already secured a writ of
attachment and execution over the vessels, it appearing that the
delay was caused by the Collector of Custom’s2 uncertainty as to
the necessity of the registration of the vessels.”
Accordingly, the Third-Party Claim was granted and the
release of all the buses levied for execution was ordered.
On appeal, the NLRC reversed the labor arbiter’s
decision on the ground that the transfer of the buses lacked
the BOT approval. It ordered the reinstatement of the levy
and the auction of the properties.
“Y” Transit Co., Inc. thereafter filed this special civil
action for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court
praying for the issuance of a Restraining Order and/or a
Writ of Preliminary Injunction and for the annulment of
the NLRC decision as it was issued with grave abuse of
discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction.
In this petition, “Y” Transit Co., Inc. raised the following
issue, to wit:
“I
The public respondent NLRC committed palpable legal
error and grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of
jurisdiction when it held that there was no valid transfer of
ownership in favor of the petitioner, completely
disregarding the preponderance of evidence and the exist-
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_____________
2 Rollo, pp. 28-29.
513
VOL. 229, JANUARY 27, 1994 513
“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations
Commission
ing jurisprudence which support 3
the validity of the transfer
of ownership to the petitioner.”
On July 6, 1989, petitioner filed a motion to cite Labor
Arbiter Benigno C. Villarente, Jr. for contempt of court and
for the issuance of an order for the immediate release of the
property. Petitioner argues that the Labor Arbiter refused
to release the vehicles levied on June 5, 1989 despite notice
that a TRO has been issued by the Supreme Court; that
there was no reason to hold on to the levy as petitioner had
already posted a bond to answer for the damages and
award in the above-entitled case; that the labor arbiter
wrongly required the payment of storage charges and
sheriff’s fees before releasing the levied buses. Did public
respondent commit grave abuse of discretion in reinstating
the levy on the buses which have been allegedly
transferred to a third party, herein petitioner “Y” Transit
Co., Inc.?
We rule in the negative.
The following facts have been established before the
NLRC: that the transfer of ownership from Yujuico Transit
Co., Inc. to Jesus Yujuico, and from Jesus Yujuico to “Y”
Transit Co., Inc. lacked the prior approval of the4 BOT as
required by Section 20 of the Public Service Act; that the
buses were transferred to “Y”
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3 Ibid, p. 11.
4 Section 20. Acts requiring the approval of the Commission.—Subject to
established limitations and exceptions and saving provisions to the
contrary, it shall be unlawful for any public service or for the owner,
lessee or operator thereof, without the approval and authorization of the
Commission previously had—
x x x x x x x x x
(g) To sell, alienate, mortgage, encumber or lease its property, franchises,
certificates, privileges, or rights or any part thereof; or merge or consolidate its
property, franchises privileges or rights, or any part thereof, with those of any
other public service. The approval herein required shall be given, after notice to
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the public and after hearing the persons interested at a public hearing, if it be
shown that there are just and reasonable grounds for making the mortgage or
encumbrance, for liabilities of more than one year maturity, or the sale, alienation,
lease, merger, or consolidation to be approved, and that the same are not detri-
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“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations
Commission
Transit Co., Inc. during the pendency of the action; and
that until the time of execution, the buses were still
registered in the name of Yujuico Transit Co., Inc.
In Montoya v. Ignacio,5 we held:
“x x x The law really requires the approval of the Public Service
Commission in order that a franchise, or any privilege pertaining
thereto, may be sold or leased without infringing the certificate
issued to the grantee. The reason is obvious. Since a franchise is
personal in nature any transfer or lease thereof should be notified
to the Public Service Commission so that the latter may take
proper safeguards to protect the interest of the public. In fact, the
law requires that before the approval is granted, there should be a
public hearing with notice to all interested parties in order that
the commission may determine if there are good and reasonable
grounds justifying the transfer or lease of the property covered by
the franchise, or if the sale or lease is detrimental to public
interest. Such being the reason and philosophy behind this
requirement, it follows that if the property covered by the
franchise is transferred, or leased to another without obtaining
the requisite approval, the transfer is not binding against the
Public Service Commission and in contemplation of law, the
grantee continues to be responsible under the franchise in
relation to the Commission and to the public. x x x
It may be argued that Section 16, paragraph (h) provides in its
last part that ‘nothing herein contained shall be construed to
prevent the sale, alienation, or lease by any public utility of any of
its property in the ordinary course of business,’ which gives the
impression that the approval of the Public Service Commission is
but a mere formality which does not affect the effectivity of the
transfer or lease of the property belonging to a public utility. But
such provision only means that even if the approval has not been
obtained the transfer or lease is valid and binding between the
parties although not effective against the
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mental to the public interest, and in case of a sale, the date on which the same
is to be consummated shall be fixed in the order of approval: Provided, however,
that nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the transaction from
being negotiated or completed before its approval or to prevent the sale, alienation,
or lease by any public service of any of its property in the ordinary course of its
business.
x x x x x x x x x.
5 94 Phil. 182 (1953).
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“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations Commission
public and the Public Service Commission. The approval is only
necessary to protect public interest.” (Italics ours)
There being no prior BOT approval in the transfer of the
property from Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. to Jesus Yujuico, it
only follows that as far as the BOT and third parties are
concerned, Yujuico Transit Co., Inc. still owned the
properties, and Yujuico, and later, “Y” Transit Co., Inc. only
held the6
same as agents of the former. In Tamayo v.
Aquino, the Supreme Court stated, thus:
“x x x In operating the truck without transfer thereof having been
approved by the Public Service Commission, the transferee acted
merely as agent of the registered owner and should be responsible
to him (the registered owner) for any damages that he may cause
the latter by his negligence.”
Conversely, where the registered owner is liable for
obligations to third parties and vehicles registered under
his name are levied upon to satisfy his obligations, the
transferee of such vehicles cannot prevent the levy by
asserting his ownership because as far as the law is
concerned, the one in whose name the vehicle is registered
remains to be the owner and the transferee merely holds
the vehicles for the registered owner. Thus, “Y” Transit Co.,
Inc. cannot now argue that the buses could not be levied
upon to satisfy the money judgment in favor of herein
private respondents. However, this does not deprive the
transferee of the right to recover from the registered owner
any damages which may have been incurred by the former
since the x x x transfer 7or lease is valid and binding
between the parties x x x.” Thus, had there been any real
contract between “Y” Transit Co., Inc. and Yujuico Transit
Co., Inc. or “Y” Transit Co., Inc. and Jesus Yujuico
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regarding the sale or transfer of the buses, the former may
avail of its remedies to recover damages.
Regarding the Motion for Contempt filed by petitioner,
we are constrained to deny the same since the Order to levy
upon petitioner’s alleged properties was issued even before
the issuance by this Court of a temporary restraining
order. From the
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6 105 Phil. 949 (1959).
7 Montoya v. Ignacio, supra.
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“Y” Transit Co., Inc. vs. National Labor Relations
Commission
records, it appeared that Labor Arbiter Villarente ordered
the public auction of the subject properties on May 12,
1989. The sheriff levied on the properties on June 5, 1989.
The Supreme Court issued the Temporary Restraining
Order on June 19, 1989 and this was received by the Labor
Arbiter on June 22, 1989. On June 28, 1989, the Labor
Arbiter directed the sheriff to release the two buses already
levied upon by him.
Likewise, we find no error in requiring petitioner to pay
the storage fees prior to the release of the properties.
Storage costs are imposed in accordance with the
provisions of Rule IX of the NLRC Manual of Instructions
for Sheriffs, to wit:
“Sec. 3. Storing of Levied Property.—To avoid pilferage of or
damage to levied property, the same shall be inventoried and
stored in a bended warehouse, wherever available, or in a secured
place as may be determined by the sheriff with notice to and
conformity of the losing party or third party claimant. In case of
disagreement, the same shall be referred to the Labor Arbiter or
proper officer who issued the writ of execution for proper
disposition. For this purpose, sheriffs should inform the Labor
Arbiter or proper officer issuing the writ of the corresponding
storage fees, furnishing him as well as the parties with a copy of
the inventory. The storage fees shall be shouldered by the losing
party.”
WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, this petition is
hereby DISMISSED.
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The Motion to Cite Labor Arbiter Benigno Villarente, Jr.
is DENIED and petitioner is ordered to PAY storage costs
and sheriff’s fees.
This decision is immediately executory.
SO ORDERED.
Feliciano (Chairman), Bidin, Melo and Vitug, JJ.,
concur.
Petition dismissed.
Note.—A legislative franchise partakes of the nature of
a contract (Commissioner of Internal Revenue vs. Court of
Tax Appeals, 195 SCRA 444).
517
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