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La Razon v Union G.R. No. 13983 September 1, 1919

J. Street

Facts:

Te p!ainti""s, Go Tiaoco #roters, transporte$ a car%o o" rice in te ear!& $a&s o"'a&, 191(, on te steamsip Hondagua"rom te port o" Sai%on to )eb*. +n

$iscar%in% te rice "rom one o" te compartments in te a"ter o!$, *pon arriva! at

)eb*, it as $iscovere$ tat one to*san$ "o*r *n$re$ sevent&-tree sacs a$

been $ama%e$ b& sea ater $*e to a $rain pipe tat as $e"ective. Te !oss so

res*!tin% to te oners o" rice, a"ter proper $e$*ction a$ been ma$e "or te

portion save$, as /3,80(.(. Te tria! co*rt "o*n$ tat te in"!o o" te sea ater

$*rin% te vo&a%e as $*e to a $e"ect in one o" te $rain pipes o" te sip an$

conc!*$e$ tat te !oss as not covere$ b& te po!ic& o" ins*rance. J*$%ment as

accor$in%!& entere$ in "avor o" te $e"en$ant an$ te p!ainti""s appea!e$. 2ence,

tis actionon a po!ic& o" marine ins*rance iss*e$ b& te Union ns*rance Societ& o")anton, Lt$.

Te co*rt "o*n$ in e""ect tat te $e"ect in te $rain pipe above $escribe$ a$

res*!te$ in co*rse o" time "rom or$inar& ear an$ tear an$ not "rom te strainin% o"

te sip in ro*% eater on tat vo&a%e. Te co*rt a!so "o*n$ tat te repairs tat

a$ been ma$e on te pipe ere $e"ective an$ tat, b& reason o" te con$ition o"

tis pipe, te sip as not proper!& e4*ippe$ to receive te rice at te time te

vo&a%e as be%*n. For tis reason te co*rt e!$ tat te sip as *nseaort&.

Te po!ic& o" ins*rance as si%ne$ *pon a "orm !on% in *se amon% companies

en%a%e$ in maritime ins*rance. t p*rports to ins*re te car%o "rom te "o!!oin%

amon% oter riss: 5/eri!s . . . o" te seas, men o" ar, "ire, enemies, pirates, rovers,

tieves, 6ettisons, . . . barratr& o" te master an$ mariners, an$ o" a!! oter peri!s,

!osses, an$ mis"ort*nes tat ave or sa!! come to te *rt, $etriment, or $ama%e

o" te sai$ %oo$s an$ mercan$ise or an& part tereo".5

ss*e: 7eter te ins*rer or te siponer is !iab!e.

2e!$: Siponer. /etition $ismisse$.

Ratio:

t is $etermine$ tat te or$s 5a!! oter peri!s, !osses, an$ mis"ort*nes5 are to beinterprete$ as coverin% riss ic are o" !ie in$ ejusdem generis it te

partic*!ar riss ic are en*merate$ in te prece$in% part o" te same c!a*se o"

te contract. 5ccor$in% to te or$inar& r*!es o" constr*ction, tese or$s m*st be

interprete$ it re"erence to te or$s ic imme$iate!& prece$e tem.; 7en

te& "irst became te s*b6ect o" 6*$icia! constr*ction, te& ave a!a&s been e!$ or

ass*me$ to be restricte$ to cases

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abi$e b& sett!e$ r*!es an$ to avoi$ an&tin% !ie nove! re"inements or a ne

$epart*re.5

n te present case te entrance o" te sea ater into te sipcepts te peri!s o" te sea "rom is en%a%ement *n$er te bi!! o"

!a$in%, i!e tis is te ver& peri! a%ainst ic te ins*rer inten$s to %ive

protection. s app!ie$ to te present case it res*!ts tat te oners o" te $ama%es

rice m*st !oo to te siponer "or re$ress an$ not to te ins*rer.

Te same conc!*sion m*st be reace$ i" te 4*estion be $isc*sse$ it re"erence

to te seaortiness o" te sip. t is *niversa!!& accepte$ tat in ever& contract o"

ins*rance *pon an&tin% ic is te s*b6ect o" marine ins*rance, a arrant& is

imp!ie$ tat te sip sa!! be seaort& at te time o" te inception o" te vo&a%e.

t is a!so e!! sett!e$ tat a sip ic is seaort& "or te p*rpose o" ins*rance

*pon te sip ma& &et be *nseaort& "or te p*rpose o" ins*rance *pon te car%o

n Gi!ro&, Sons ? )o. vs./rice ? )o., it as "o*n$ tat te car%o as improper!&

stoe$ an$ tat te oners o" te sip ere car%eab!e it ne%!i%ence "or "ai!*re

to protect te pipe b& p*ttin% a case over it. t as accor$in%!& e!$ tat te sip

as *nseaort&.