GR ## GR No. 96643 Petitioner: Ernesto Deiparine, Jr Respondents: Hon. Courts of Appeals, Carungay and Engr. Nicanor Trinidad Date April 23, 1993 Cruz, J.
ISSUES/HELD Cesario
DOCTRINE There can be rescission is the injured party
is left without other recourse but to rescind the contract. (SHORT VERSION) Respondent Carungay entered to a construction contract with the Petitioner Deiparine, who is a contractor. However, it came to the knowledge of Carungay, through Trinidad (his engineer in charge for the construction), that Deiparine is not following the specifications they agreed on for the building and the structure lacks strength and not safe for its future occupants. Carungay moved to rescind the contract. CA ruled in favor of Carungay. SC affirmed. FACTS Respondent Carungay entered to a construction contract with Petitioner Deiparine (a contractor) for the construction of a three-storey dormitory in Cebu City. Carungay agreed to pay P970,000 inclusive of contractors fee, and Deiparine bound himself to erect the said building in strict accordance to plans and specifications. The Plan specified that the building must have 3,000 psi (pounds per square inch) as the acceptable minimum compressive strength. Through Engr. Trinidad, it came to the knowledge of the respondents that Deiparine is not following the plans and that the construction works are faulty and haphazardly in order to maximize his personal profit. Carungay sent memorandums to Deiparine complaining about the work done by the latter, but the same were ignored. Carungay asked for a core testing to examine the compressive strength of the building. Deiparine eventually agreed to undertake such test. The result was against Deiparine, the building failed to bear the minimum 3,000 psi compressive strength. Carungay move to rescind the contract. RTC ruled in the favor of the respondents. CA affirmed. Hence this case. The petitioners are claiming that the specification of 3,000 psi is not included in their contract thus not a valid ground for rescission.
(1) WoN Carungay is entitled to rescission - YES
RATIO (1) The contention of the petitioner that the specification was not included in their contract is untenable. It is true that there was no real specification included in the contract but the same was intended to be followed after the signing and before the commencement of the construction. Also, the petitioners own project manager admitted that Deiparine was actually instructing them (the construction people) to ignore the specific orders or instructions of Carungay and Trinidad. In addition, the Deiparine Construction Firm is not a very able firm since none of them is a engineer except one who only visited the construction site two months after the commencement of the construction. There are two sets of specifications in the contract: (1) list of the materials to be used; (2) the required structural compressive strength of 3,000 psi. Deiparine eventually recognized that there really are specifications but contested that the minimum compressive strength of 3,000 psi is unnecessary for buildings since 3,000 psi is only required for roads. According to him, 2,500 psi is enough for buildings. The explicit deviance to the specifications, in his intial refusal to undergo core testing, and his preference to his personal profit than that of the proper execution of the contract, shows bad faith. The court sees no reason to disturb the ruling of CA that Deiparine did not deal with the Carungays in good faith. His breach if this duty constituted a substantial violation of the contract correctible by judicial rescission. When the structure failed under this test, the respondents were left with no other recourse than to rescind their contract. DECISION Judgment affirmed. O
Starbright Sales Enterprises, Inc., Petitioner, Philippine Realty Corporation, Msgr. Domingo A. Cirilos, Tropicana Properties and Development Corporation and Standard Realty CORPORATION, Respondents