Oliver vs. Philippine Savings Bank

SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 788 29/07/2018, 2:43 PM
G.R. No. 214567. April 4, 2016.*
DRA. MERCEDES OLIVER, petitioner, vs. PHILIPPINE

SAVINGS BANK and LILIA CASTRO, respondents.
Civil Law; Agency; Agency can be express or implied from the

acts of the principal, from his silence or lack of action, or his failure
to repudiate the agency knowing that another person is acting on his
behalf without authority.·A contract of agency may be inferred
from all the dealings between Oliver and Castro. Agency can be
express or implied from the acts of the principal, from his silence or
lack of action, or his failure to repudiate the agency knowing that
another person is acting on his behalf without authority. The
question of whether an agency has been created is ordinarily a
question which may be established in the same way as any other
fact, either by direct or circumstantial evidence. The question is
ultimately one of intention.
Same; Same; As long as the agent acts within the scope of the
authority given by his principal, the actions of the former shall bind
the latter.·Accordingly, the laws on agency apply to their
relationship. Article 1881 of the New Civil Code provides that the
agent must act within the scope of his authority. He may do such
acts as may be conducive to the accomplishment of the purpose of
the agency. Thus, as long as the agent acts within the scope of the
authority given by his principal, the actions of the former shall bind
the latter.
Banks and Banking; Diligence Required of Banks; In the case of
banks, the degree of diligence required is more than that of a good
father of a family.·In the case of banks, the degree of diligence
required is more than that of a good father of a family. Considering
the fiduciary nature of their relationship with their depositors,
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banks are duty-bound to treat the accounts of their clients with the
highest degree of care. The point is that as a business affected with
public interest and because of the nature of its functions, the bank
is under obligation to treat the accounts of its depositors with
meticu-
_______________
* SECOND DIVISION.
190
190 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Oliver vs. Philippine Savings Bank
lous care, always having in mind the fiduciary nature of their

relationship.
Same; Same; Time and again, the Supreme Court (SC) has
emphasized that the bank is expected to ensure that the depositorÊs
funds shall only be given to him or his authorized representative.·
Time and again, the Court has emphasized that the bank is
expected to ensure that the depositorÊs funds shall only be given to
him or his authorized representative. In Producers Bank of the Phil.
v. Court of Appeals, 397 SCRA 651 (2003), the Court held that the
usual banking procedure was that withdrawals of savings deposits
could only be made by persons whose authorized signatures were in
the signature cards on file with the bank. In the said case, the bank
therein allowed an unauthorized person to withdraw from its
depositorÊs savings account, thus, it failed to exercise the required
diligence of banks and must be held liable.
Same; Same; The bank violated its fiduciary duty because it
allowed a withdrawal by a representative even though the
authorization portion of the withdrawal slip was not signed by the
depositor.·With respect to withdrawal slips, the Court declared in
Philippine National Bank v. Pike, 470 SCRA 328 (2005), that
„[o]rdinarily, banks allow withdrawal by someone who is not the
account holder so long as the account holder authorizes his
representative to withdraw and receive from his account by signing
on the space provided particularly for such transactions, usually

found at the back of withdrawal slips.‰ There, the bank violated its
fiduciary duty because it allowed a withdrawal by a representative
even though the authorization portion of the withdrawal slip was
not signed by the depositor.
Remedial Law; Evidence; Burden of Proof; Words and Phrases;
Section 1, Rule 131 of the Rules of Court defines „burden of proof‰ as
„the duty of a party to present evidence on the facts in issue
necessary to establish his claim or defense by the amount of evidence
required by law.‰·The party who alleges a fact has the burden of
proving it. Section 1, Rule 131 of the Rules of Court defines „burden
of proof‰ as „the duty of a party to present evidence on the facts in
issue necessary to establish his claim or defense by the amount of
evidence required by law.‰ In civil cases, the burden of proof rests
upon the plaintiff, who is required to establish his case by a
preponderance of evidence. Once the plaintiff establishes his case,
the burden of evi-
191
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 191

dence shifts to the defendant, who, in turn, bears the burden to

establish his defense.
Civil Law; Vicarious Liability; Solidary Liability; The bank
should be solidarily liable with its employee for the damages
committed to its depositor. Under Article 2180 of the Civil Code,
employers shall be held primarily and solidarily liable for damages
caused by their employees acting within the scope of their assigned
tasks.·Indeed, the bank should be solidarily liable with its
employee for the damages committed to its depositor. Under Article
2180 of the Civil Code, employers shall be held primarily and
solidarily liable for damages caused by their employees acting
within the scope of their assigned tasks. Castro, as acting branch
manager of PSBank was able to facilitate the questionable
transaction as she was also entrusted with OliverÊs passbook. In
other words, Castro was the representative of PSBank, and, at the
same time, the agent of Oliver, earning commissions from their

transactions. Oddly, PSBank, either consciously or through sheer
negligence, allowed the double dealings of its employee with its
client. Such carelessness and lack of protection of the depositors
from its own employees led to the unlawful withdrawal of the P7
million from OliverÊs account. Although Castro was eventually
terminated by PSBank because of certain problems regarding client
accommodation and loss of confidence, the damage to Oliver had
already been done. Thus, both Castro and PSBank must be held
solidarily liable.
Same; Culpa Contractual; Damages; Moral Damages; In culpa
contractual or breach of contract, like in the present case, moral
damages are recoverable only if the defendant has acted
fraudulently or in bad faith, or is found guilty of gross negligence
amounting to bad faith, or in wanton disregard of his contractual
obligations.·The award of moral damages must also be upheld.
Specifically, in culpa contractual or breach of contract, like in the
present case, moral damages are recoverable only if the defendant
has acted fraudulently or in bad faith, or is found guilty of gross
negligence amounting to bad faith, or in wanton disregard of his
contractual obligations. Verily, the breach must be wanton, reckless,
malicious, or in bad faith, oppressive or abusive. Here, Castro and
PSBank were utterly reckless in allowing the withdrawal of a huge
amount from OliverÊs account without her consent. The bankÊs
negligence is a result of lack of due care and caution required of
managers and
192

employees of a firm engaged in a business so sensitive

and demanding. Hence, the award of P100,000.00 as moral
damages is warranted.
Same; Same; Same; Exemplary Damages; The award of
exemplary damages is also proper due to the failure of
Castro and Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) to prevent
the unauthorized withdrawal from OliverÊs account.·The
award of exemplary damages is also proper due to the

failure of Castro and PSBank to prevent the unauthorized
withdrawal from OliverÊs account. The law allows the grant
of exemplary damages to set an example for public good.
The Court, however, finds that the amount of exemplary
damages must be decreased to P50,000.00.
Same; Same; Same; AttorneyÊs Fees; Article 2208 of the
Civil Code is clear that attorneyÊs fees may be recovered
when exemplary damages are awarded or when the
plaintiff, through the defendantÊs act or omission, has been
compelled to litigate with third persons.·The Court agrees
with the RTC that Castro and PSBank should be held
solidarily liable for attorneyÊs fees. Article 2208 of the Civil
Code is clear that attorneyÊs fees may be recovered when
exemplary damages are awarded or when the plaintiff,
through the defendantÊs act or omission, has been
compelled to litigate with third persons. A decreased
amount of P50,000.00 attorneyÊs fees should be sufficient.
PETITION for review on certiorari of the decision and

resolution of the Court of Appeals.
The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.
Salud, Calabarzon, Del Fierro Law Firm for petitioner.
Formilleza and Santiago Law Firm for respondent
Lilia Castro.
Manuel, Levosado and Sison Law Offices for
respondent Philippine Savings Bank.
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VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 193

MENDOZA, J.:
This is a petition for review on certiorari seeking to
reverse and set aside the October 25, 2013 Decision1 and
the September 12, 2014 Resolution2 of the Court of Appeals
(CA) in C.A.-G.R. CV No. 95656, which reversed the July
22, 2010 Order3 of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 276,
Muntinlupa City (RTC) in Civil Case No. 99-278, a case for

injunction and damages.
Petitioner Mercedes Oliver (Oliver) was a depositor of
respondent Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) with
account number 2812-07991-6. Respondent Lilia Castro
(Castro) was the Assistant Vice President of PSBank and
the Acting Branch Manager of PSBank San Pedro, Laguna.
OliverÊs Position
In her Complaint,4 dated October 5, 1999, Oliver alleged

that sometime in 1997, she made an initial deposit of P12
million into her PSBank account. During that time, Castro
convinced her to loan out her deposit as interim or bridge
financing for the approved loans of bank borrowers who
were waiting for the actual release of their loan proceeds.
Under this arrangement, Castro would first show the
approved loan documents to Oliver. Thereafter, Castro
would withdraw the amount needed from OliverÊs account.
Upon the actual release of the loan by PSBank to the
borrower, Castro would then charge the rate of 4% a month
from the loan proceeds as interim or bridge financing
interest. Together with the interest income, the principal
amount previously with-
_______________
1 Rollo, pp. 57-67, penned by Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao,

with Associate Justices Elihu A. Ybañez and Victoria Isabel A. Paredes,
concurring.
2 Id., at pp. 68-70.
3 CA Rollo, pp. 272-280.
4 Id., at pp. 18-28.
194

drawn from OliverÊs bank account would be deposited

back to her account. Meanwhile, Castro would earn a
commission of 10% from the interest.
Their arrangement went on smoothly for months. Due to
the frequency of bank transactions, Oliver even entrusted
her passbook to Castro. Because Oliver earned substantial
profit, she was further convinced by Castro to avail of an
additional credit line in the amount of P10 million. The
said credit line was secured by a real estate mortgage on
her house and lot in Ayala Alabang covered by Transfer
Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 137796.5
Oliver instructed Castro to pay P2 million monthly to
PSBank starting on September 3, 1998 so that her credit
line for P10 million would be fully paid by January 3, 1999.
Beginning September 1998, Castro stopped rendering an
accounting for Oliver. The latter then demanded the return
of her passbook. When Castro showed her the passbook
sometime in late January or early February 1999, she
noticed several erasures and superimpositions therein. She
became very suspicious of the many erasures pertaining to
the December 1998 entries so she requested a copy of her
transaction history register from PSBank.
When her transaction history register6 was shown to
her, Oliver was surprised to discover that the amount of
P4,491,250.00 (estimated at P4.5 million) was entered into
her account on December 21, 1998. While a total of P7
million was withdrawn from her account on the same day,
Oliver asserted that she neither applied for an additional
loan of P4.5 million nor authorized the withdrawal of P7
million. She also discovered another loan for P1,396,310.45,
acquired on January 5, 1999 and allegedly issued in
connection with the P10 million credit line.
_______________
5 Records (Vol. IV), p. 1295.

6 Id., at pp. 1308-1310.
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VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 195

In OliverÊs passbook,7 there were no entries from

December 17, 1998 to December 27, 1998. The transaction
history register, however, showed several transactions on
these very same dates including the crediting of P4.5
million and the debiting of P7 million on December 21,
1998. Oliver then learned that the additional P4.5 million
and P1,396,310.45 loans were also secured by the real
estate mortgage,8 dated January 8, 1998, covering the
same property in Ayala Alabang.
Oliver received two collection letters,9 dated May 13,
1999 and June 18, 1999, from PSBank referring to the
nonpayment of unpaid loans, to wit: (1) P4,491,250.00 from
the additional loan and (2) P1,396,310.45 from the P10
million credit line.10 In response, Oliver protested that she
neither availed of the said loans nor authorized the
withdrawal of P7 million from her account.11 She also
claimed that the P10 million loan from her credit line was
already paid in full.12
On July 14, 1999, a final demand letter13 was sent to
Oliver by PSBank, requiring her to pay the unpaid loans.
Oliver, however, still refused to pay. Subsequently, Oliver
received a notice of sale14 involving the property in Ayala
Alabang, issued by Notary Public Jose Celestino Torres on
September 15, 1999. The said notice informed her of the
impending extrajudicial foreclosure and sale of her house
and lot to be held on October 21, 1999.
As a result, Oliver filed the subject complaint against
PSBank and Castro.
_______________
7 Id., at pp. 1311-1314.

8 Id., at pp. 1291-1294.
9 Id., at pp. 1429-1430.
10 Records (Vol. I), pp. 22-23.
11 Records (Vol. IV), pp. 1471-1474.
12 Records (Vol. I), pp. 22-23.
14 Records (Vol. V), p. 1615.
196

CastroÊs Position
In her Answer,15 Castro admitted that she and Oliver

agreed that the latter would lend out money to borrowers
at 4% to 5% interest per month provided that the former
would screen them. She also acknowledged having been
instructed by Oliver to pay the bank P2 million every
month to settle the P10 million credit line. Nonetheless,
Castro informed Oliver that the payment thereof was
subject to the availability of funds in her account. She
disclosed that she made some alterations and erasures in
OliverÊs passbook so as to reconcile the passbook with the
computer printout of the bank, but denied any attempt to
hide the passbook as she was able to return it sometime in
January 1999.
Castro also denied the deceit imputed against her. She
asserted that their arrangement was not „interim or bridge
financing‰ inasmuch as the loans were entirely new and
distinct from that granted by PSBank. When OliverÊs
clients multiplied, Castro advised her to apply for a credit
line of P10 million. The said credit line was first approved
in December 1997 with a term of one year.16
Sometime in August 1998, Castro informed Oliver about
the impending expiration of her credit line. Subsequently,
Oliver applied for another loan in the amount of P4.5
million as evidenced by a promissory note,17 dated
December 21, 1998. On January 5, 1999, another
promissory note18 was executed by Oliver to cover a loan in
the amount of P1,396,310.45.
Castro asserted that, on December 21, 1998, upon
OliverÊs instruction, a total of P7 million was withdrawn
from the latterÊs account and was then deposited to the
account of one Ben Lim (Lim) on the same date. Lim was a
businessman who
_______________
15 Id., at pp. 39-48.

16 CA Rollo, pp. 168-169.
18 Id., at p. 1302.
197
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 197

borrowed money from Oliver. Castro knew him because

he was also a depositor and borrower of PSBank San Pedro
Branch.19
As to the amount of P1,396,310.45, Castro explained
that it was a separate and personal loan obtained by her
from Oliver. To secure the payment of such obligation,
Castro mortgaged a property located in Camella Homes III
in Tunasan, Muntinlupa City.
Castro admitted that on October 19, 1999, she was
terminated by PSBank because of certain problems
regarding client accommodation and loss of confidence.20
PSBankÊs Position
In its defense, PSBank averred that Oliver applied for a
credit line of P10 million which was granted by the bank
and which secured by a real estate mortgage. Because
Oliver failed to pay the P10 million loan, she obtained
another loan in the amount of P4.5 million, as evidenced by
a promissory note. Days later, she again acquired a
separate loan amounting to P1,396,310.45 as shown by
another promissory note. Both loans were secured by a real
estate mortgage, dated January 8, 1998, and the proceeds
thereof were issued as proved by the release tickets,21
dated December 21, 1998 and January 5, 1999,
respectively.22
The RTCÊs Decision
In its March 30, 2010 Decision,23 the RTC dismissed the

complaint and rendered judgment in favor of PSBank and
Castro. According to the RTC, PSBank and Castro should
not
_______________
19 Id., at pp. 138-139.

20 Id., at pp. 154-156.
21 Id., at pp. 1300, 1304.
22 CA Rollo, p. 273.
23 Records (Vol. V), pp. 1828-1837.
198

be held liable for the loan of P4.5 million and the

withdrawal of the P7 million. Castro was able to submit the
Debit Credit Memo24 and the Savings Account Check
Deposit Slip25 to prove that there were some previous loan
transactions between Oliver and Lim. Considering that
neither PSBank nor Castro obtained the P7 million, there
was no obligation on their part to return the amount.
Moreover, the trial court stated that Oliver failed to
controvert PSBankÊs allegation that she had unpaid loan
obligations. Thus, it concluded that PSBank had the right
to foreclose the mortgaged property. The fallo reads:
WHEREFORE, finding lack of merit, the instant

case is hereby DISMISSED. Accordingly, the Writ of
Preliminary Injunction is hereby LIFTED and SET
ASIDE.
SO ORDERED.26
Oliver seasonably filed her motion for reconsideration.27

She insisted that the P7 million was unlawfully
withdrawn. She claimed that what happened in this case

was a „cash savings withdrawal‰ and that there should
have been a corresponding withdrawal slip for such
transaction. Also, if indeed the P7 million was withdrawn
from her account and was credited to the account of Lim,
the deposit slip for his account should have been presented.
The RTCÊs Order
On July 22, 2010, the RTC resolved the motion and

issued an order reversing its earlier decision. According to
the RTC, OliverÊs assertion that the withdrawal was made
without her consent prevailed in the absence of any proof to
the contrary.
_______________
24 Records (Vol. IV), pp. 1432-1433.

25 Records (Vol. V), p. 1617.
26 Id., at p. 1837.
27 Id., at pp. 1838-1860.
199
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 199

The cash savings withdrawal slips should have been

offered in evidence by either PSBank or Castro to settle the
issue of whether the amount of P7 million was actually
withdrawn by Oliver or by her authorized representative or
agent.
The RTC also rejected the position of PSBank and
Castro that the erasures and alterations in OliverÊs
passbook were made simply to reconcile the same with the
transaction history register of the bank because even after
the alleged corrections, the said documents still contained
different entries. Although Oliver and Lim had previous
transactions, none of them pertained to the P7 million
purportedly transferred on December 21, 1998.

With regard to PSBank, the RTC stated that it failed to
exercise utmost diligence in safekeeping OliverÊs deposit.
Had it not been for the unauthorized, withdrawal which
was attributable to the bank and Castro, the P4.5 million
and the P1,396,310.45 loans would not have remained
outstanding, considering that the improperly withdrawn
P7 million was more than sufficient to discharge those
liabilities.28 The dispositive portion of the order reads:
WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Motion

for Reconsideration is hereby GRANTED. The
Decision dated March 30, 2010 is hereby reconsidered
and set aside. In lieu thereof, a new one is hereby
rendered ordering the defendants Lilia Castro and
Philippine Savings Bank to jointly and solidarily pay
plaintiff Dra. Mercedes Oliver, the sums of:
1. P1,111,850.77 as actual damages;
2. P100,000.00 as moral damages;
3. P100,000.00 as attorneyÊs fees; and
4. P100,000.00 as exemplary damages.
Moreover, the Writ of Preliminary Injunction is
_______________
200

hereby made permanent.

SO ORDERED.29
Aggrieved, Castro and PSBank appealed before the CA.

The CAÊs Decision
On October 25, 2013, the CA granted the appeal. It
reversed the July 22, 2010 of the RTC order and reinstated
its March 30, 2010 decision. The appellate court found no

compelling evidence to prove that fraud attended the
processing and release of the P4.5 million loan as well as
the withdrawal of P7 million from OliverÊs account. The CA
found that Oliver admitted signing the loan documents, the
promissory notes and the release tickets pertaining to the
obligations that she had contracted with PSBank. In
addition, the CA stated that Oliver also failed to establish
her assertion that she was manipulated and defrauded into
signing the said loan documents.
The CA also found that PSBank exercised extraordinary
diligence in handling OliverÊs account, thus, the awards of
damages were deleted. The dispositive portion of the CA
decision reads:
WHEREFORE, the Appeal is hereby GRANTED.

The Order dated 22 July 2010 of the Regional Trial
Court of Muntinlupa City, Branch 276, is REVERSED
and SET ASIDE, and another one entered
REINSTATING the Decision dated March 30, 2010, in
Civil Case No. 99-278.
SO ORDERED.30
Oliver filed her motion for reconsideration but the same

was denied in the CA Resolution, dated September 12,
2014.
Hence, this petition.
_______________
29 Id., at p. 280.
30 Rollo, p. 66.
201
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 201

Issues
I
WHETHER OR NOT THE COURT OF
APPEALS GRAVELY ERRED IN RULING THAT
THE PETITIONER FAILED TO SHOW
COMPELLING EVIDENCE TO PROVE THAT
FRAUD ATTENDED THE PROCESSING AND
RELEASE OF THE LOAN OF P4.5 MILLION AS
WELL AS THE WITHDRAWAL OF P7 MILLION
FROM HER ACCOUNT.
II
APPEALS GRAVELY ERRED WHEN IT RULED
THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO PROVE
THAT THE SUM OF P7 MILLION WAS
DEBITED FROM THE ACCOUNT OF
PETITIONER SANS HER AUTHORIZATION.
III
APPEALS GRAVELY ERRED WHEN IT RULED
THAT THE RESPONDENTS TREATED THE
PETITIONERÊS ACCOUNT WITH
EXTRAORDINARY DILIGENCE.
IV
APPEALS GRAVELY ERRED WHEN IT FAILED
TO HOLD THAT THE RESPONDENTS ARE
JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY LIABLE TO THE
PETITIONER FOR DAMAGES.31
_______________
31 Id., at pp. 29-30.
202
In her petition for review,32 Oliver insisted that she had

no knowledge of any loan released because she never
availed of any new loan from PSBank. Neither the P4.5
million loan nor the cash withdrawal of P7 million was
reflected in her passbook.
Oliver further argued that the burden of proving that
the withdrawal was made with her authority would lie on
the part of PSBank and Castro. The cash savings
withdrawal slip containing the signature of Oliver should
have been presented in court. While the respondents
claimed that the amount withdrawn was lent to Lim, the
latter was never called to the witness stand as PSBank and
Castro opted not to present him in court. Castro, aside from
her self-serving testimony, failed to present any concrete
proof to show that Oliver indeed lent the withdrawn P7
million cash to Lim.
Finally, Oliver averred that the erasures and alterations
in her passbook undeniably established that Castro
manipulated the same to conceal the loan release and the
cash withdrawal from her account.
In her Comment,33 Castro countered that the CA had
more opportunity and facilities to examine the facts. Hence,
there was no reason to depart from the rule that the
findings of fact of the CA were final and conclusive and
could not be reviewed on appeal. She asserted that there
was no proof that the P7 million was withdrawn without
OliverÊs authority. She added that Oliver was an astute
businesswoman who knew her clients and bank deposits
and who was knowledgeable of her bank transactions and
was aware of her loaned amounts from the bank.
In its Comment,34 PSBank asserted that the issues and
arguments propounded by Oliver had been judiciously
passed upon. On the stated facts alone, the petition, which
was akin
_______________
32 Id., at pp. 10-52.

33 Id., at pp. 87-98.
34 Id., at pp. 100-104.
203
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 203

to a motion for reconsideration, should be denied

outright for being pro forma.
In her Reply,35 Oliver faulted PSBank and Castro for
failing to present the cash withdrawal slip which would
show her signature to prove that the money was withdrawn
with her authority. She also reiterated that Lim should
have been presented as a witness to substantiate their
defense that he actually received the amount of P7 million.
The CourtÊs Ruling
The petition is impressed with merit.
There was an implied agency

between Oliver and Castro; the
loans were properly acquired
A contract of agency may be inferred from all the

dealings between Oliver and Castro. Agency can be express
or implied from the acts of the principal, from his silence or
lack of action, or his failure to repudiate the agency
knowing that another person is acting on his behalf
without authority.36 The question of whether an agency has
been created is ordinarily a question which may be
established in the same way as any other fact, either by
direct or circumstantial evidence. The question is
ultimately one of intention.37
In this case, Oliver and Castro had a business
agreement wherein Oliver would obtain loans from the
bank, through the help of Castro as its branch manager;
and after acquiring the loan proceeds, Castro would lend
the acquired amount to prospective borrowers who were
waiting for the actual release
_______________
35 Id., at pp. 119-123.

36 Article 1869, New Civil Code of the Philippines.
37 De Leon and De Leon, Jr., Comments and Cases on Partnership,
Agency and Trusts, pp. 337-338, 2010 ed.
204

of their loan proceeds. Oliver would gain 4% to 5%

interest per month from the loan proceeds of her borrowers,
while Castro would earn a commission of 10% from the
interests. Clearly, an agency was formed because Castro
bound herself to render some service in representation or
on behalf of Oliver, in the furtherance of their business
pursuit.38
For months, the agency between Oliver and Castro
benefited both parties. Oliver, through CastroÊs
representations, was able to obtain loans, relend them to
borrowers, and earn interests; while Castro acquired
commissions from the transactions. Oliver even gave
Castro her passbook to facilitate the transactions.
Accordingly, the laws on agency apply to their
relationship. Article 1881 of the New Civil Code provides
that the agent must act within the scope of his authority.
He may do such acts as may be conducive to the
accomplishment of the purpose of the agency. Thus, as long
as the agent acts within the scope of the authority given by
his principal, the actions of the former shall bind the latter.
Oliver claims that the P4.5 million loan, released on
December 21, 1998, and the P1,396,310.45 loan, released
on January 5, 1999, were not acquired with her consent.
Castro and PSBank, on the other hand, countered that
these loans were obtained with OliverÊs full consent.
The Court finds that the said loans were acquired with
OliverÊs authority. The promissory notes39 and the release
tickets40 for the said loans bore her signatures. She failed
to prove that her signatures appearing on the loan
documents were forged. Hence, the loan documents were
reliable and these proved that the loans were processed by
Castro within the scope of her authority. As the loans were
validly obtained,
_______________
38 Article 1868, New Civil Code of the Philippines.

39 Records (Vol. IV), pp. 1298 and 1302.
40 Id., at pp. 1300 and 1304.
205
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 205

PSBank correctly stated that Oliver had incurred a debt

of P4.5 million and P1,396,310.45, or a total of
P5,888,149.33.
P7 million was improperly

withdrawn; agent acted be-
yond her scope of authority
Although it was proven that Oliver authorized the loans,

in the aggregate amount of P5,888,149.33, there was
nothing in the records which proved that she also allowed
the withdrawal of P7 million from her bank account. Oliver
vehemently denied that she gave any authority whatsoever
to either Castro or PSBank to withdraw the said amount.
In her judicial affidavit before the RTC, Castro initially
claimed that Oliver authorized the withdrawal of P7
million from her bank account, to wit:
Q: Do you know when was this 4.5 million pesos loan was credited to
plaintiff Ês deposit account?
A: Based on the Transaction Ledge of PSBank, the 4.5 million pesos was
credit to plaintiff Ês deposit account on 21 December 21 1998.
Q: What happened after the 4.5 million pesos loan was credited to
plaintiff Ês account?
A: Upon plaintiffÊs instruction, 7 million was withdrawn from her
account including her loaned amount to be deposited at Mr. Ben LimÊs
account at PSBank, San Pedro Branch.41
[Emphasis supplied]
During her cross-examination, however, Castro could no

longer remember whether Oliver gave her the authority to
withdraw the P7 million from her account. The transcript
of stenographic notes reads:
_______________
41 Records (Vol. II), p. 681.
206

Q: You said here, your statement here, „Upon Plaintiff Ês instruction.‰ So,
my question is, who did the Plaintiff instruct you, was it you?
A: I cannot remember, sir.
Q: You are not definite? Your statement here it is categorical. ItÊs on page 9
of 17 in the Judicial Affidavit, the question is „What happened after
the 4.5 million Pesos loan was credited to the Plaintiff Ês account‰ And
your answer was, „Upon Plaintiff Ês instruction Seven (7) million was
withdrawn from her account. My question is, this phrase, upon
plaintiff Ês instruction, who did the Plaintiff Ês (sic) instruct, was it you?
A: I cannot remember, sir because I still have other officers other than me,
who were assisting me during that time, so it could be the instruction
even I said upon the instruction of the plaintiff, but I cannot
remember if I was the one who received the instruction from
the plaintiff. It could be other officers of mine during that
time, sir.
Q: May I remind you, this is Seven (7) million Pesos?
A: Yes, sir.42
[Emphasis supplied]
Verily, Castro, as agent of Oliver and as branch manager

of PSBank, utterly failed to secure the authorization of
Oliver to withdraw such substantial amount. As a standard
banking practice intended precisely to prevent
unauthorized and fraudulent withdrawals, a bank manager
must verify with the client-depositor to authenticate and
confirm that he or she has validly authorized such
withdrawal.43
CastroÊs lack of authority to withdraw the P7 million on
behalf of Oliver became more apparent when she altered
the passbook to hide such transaction. It must be
remembered
_______________
42 TSN, January 27, 2009, pp. 6-7.

43 Philippine National Bank v. Tria, 686 Phil. 1139, 1157; 671 SCRA
440, 457 (2012).
207
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 207

that Oliver entrusted her passbook to Castro. In the

transaction history register for her account, it was clear
that there was a series of dealings from December 17, 1998
to December 23, 1998. When compared with OliverÊs
passbook, the latter showed that the next transaction from
December 16, 1998 was on December 28, 1998. It was also
obvious to the naked eye that the December 28, 1998 entry
in the passbook was altered. As aptly observed by the RTC,
nowhere in the testimony of Castro could be gathered that
she made a detailed, plausible and acceptable explanation

as to why she had to make numerous corrections in the
entries in the passbook.44 Even after the corrections
allegedly done to reconcile the records, the passbook and
the transaction history register still contained different
entries.
Curiously, though she asserts that Oliver obtained a
loan of P4.5 million and authorized the withdrawal of P7
million,45 Castro could not explain why these transactions
were not reflected in the passbook which was in her
possession. Bearing in mind that the alleged unauthorized
withdrawal happened on December 21, 1998, while Castro
was questionably withholding the passbook, the Court is of
the impression that she manipulated the entries therein to
conceal the P7 million withdrawal.
Further, Castro claims that Oliver instructed her to
withdraw the P7 million from her bank account and to
deposit the same in LimÊs account. Glaringly, Lim was not
presented as a witness to substantiate her defense. Even
though she testified that the P7 million transfer from
OliverÊs account to LimÊs was duly documented, Castro
never presented a single documentary proof of that specific
transaction.
The Court is convinced that Castro went beyond the
scope of her authority in withdrawing the P7 million from
OliverÊs bank account. Her flimsy excuse that the said
amount was
_______________
45 Rollo, p. 95.
208

transferred to the account of a certain Lim deserves
scant consideration. Hence, Castro must be held liable for

prejudicing Oliver.46
PSBank failed to exercise

the highest degree of dili-
gence required of banking
institutions
Aside from Castro, PSBank must also be held liable

because it failed to exercise utmost diligence in the
improper withdrawal of the P7 million from OliverÊs bank
account.
In the case of banks, the degree of diligence required is
more than that of a good father of a family. Considering the
fiduciary nature of their relationship with their depositors,
banks are duty-bound to treat the accounts of their clients
with the highest degree of care. The point is that as a
business affected with public interest and because of the
nature of its functions, the bank is under obligation to treat
the accounts of its depositors with meticulous care, always
having in mind the fiduciary nature of their relationship.47
In Simex International (Manila), Inc. v. Court of
Appeals,48 the Court held that the depositor expected the
bank to treat his account with the utmost fidelity, whether
such account consisted only of a few hundred pesos or of
millions. The bank must record every single transaction
accurately, down to the last centavo, and as promptly as
possible. This has to be done
_______________
46 Art. 1898. If the agent contracts in the name of the principal,

exceeding the scope of his authority, and the principal does not
ratify the contract, it shall be void if the party with whom the agent
contracted is aware of the limits of the powers granted by the principal.
In this case, however, the agent is liable if he undertook to secure the
principalÊs ratification.
47 Philippine Bank of Commerce v. Court of Appeals, 336 Phil. 667,
682; 269 SCRA 695, 709 (1997).
48 262 Phil. 387; 183 SCRA 360 (1990).
209
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 209

if the account is to reflect at any given time the amount

of money the depositor can dispose of as he sees fit,
confident that the bank will deliver it as and to whomever
he directs. A blunder on the part of the bank, such as the
dishonor of a check without good reason, can cause the
depositor not a little embarrassment if not also financial
loss and perhaps even civil and criminal litigation.49
Time and again, the Court has emphasized that the
bank is expected to ensure that the depositorÊs funds shall
only be given to him or his authorized representative. In
Producers Bank of the Phil. v. Court of Appeals,50 the Court
held that the usual banking procedure was that
withdrawals of savings deposits could only be made by
persons whose authorized signatures were in the signature
cards on file with the bank. In the said case, the bank
therein allowed an unauthorized person to withdraw from
its depositorÊs savings account, thus, it failed to exercise
the required diligence of banks and must be held liable.
With respect to withdrawal slips, the Court declared in
Philippine National Bank v. Pike51 that „[o]rdinarily, banks
allow withdrawal by someone who is not the account holder
so long as the account holder authorizes his representative
to withdraw and receive from his account by signing on the
space provided particularly for such transactions, usually
found at the back of withdrawal slips.‰ There, the bank
violated its fiduciary duty because it allowed a withdrawal
by a representative even though the authorization portion
of the withdrawal slip was not signed by the depositor.
Finally, in Cagungun v. Planters Development Bank,52 a
case very similar to the present one, the depositors therein
entrusted their passbook to the bank employees for some
_______________
49 Id., at p. 396; p. 367.

50 445 Phil. 702; 397 SCRA 651 (2003).
51 507 Phil. 322, 344; 470 SCRA 328, 343 (2005).

52 510 Phil. 51, 69; 473 SCRA 259, 277 (2005).
210

specific transactions. The bank employees went beyond

their authority and were able to withdraw from the
depositorsÊ account without the latterÊs consent. The bank
was held liable therein for the acts of its employees because
it failed to safeguard the accounts of its depositors.
In the case at bench, it must be determined whether the
P7 million was withdrawn from the bank with the
authority of Oliver. As testified to by Castro, every
withdrawal from the bank was duly evidenced by a cash
withdrawal slip, a copy of which is given both to the bank
and to its client.53 Contrary to the position of the CA and
that of the respondents, Oliver cannot be required to
produce the cash withdrawal slip for the said transaction
because, precisely, she consistently denied giving
authority to withdraw such amount from her account.
Necessarily, the party that must have access to such
crucial document would either be PSBank or Castro. They
must present the said cash withdrawal slip, duly signed by
Oliver, to prove that the withdrawal of P7 million was
indeed sanctioned. Unfortunately, both PSBank and Castro
failed to present the cash withdrawal slip.
During the trial, the counsel of PSBank conceded that
the cash withdrawal slip for the P7 million transaction
could not be located, to quote:
ATTY. DEJARESCO:
Your Honor, excuse me just a comment for the record we asked for two (2)
years, Your Honor to subpoena this from the bank, the bank never
produce (sic) the withdrawal slip two (2) years (sic), Your Honor, this
case was delayed by the previous Court for two (2) years. Your Honor,
no withdrawal slip was produced by the bank, Your Honor. I would just
like to place it on record.
_______________
53 Rollo, p. 92.
211
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 211

COURT:
Were there subpoenas issued by the bank, was there an order?
ATTY. DEJARESCO:
Yes Your Honor, I think the good counsel was the counsel at that time
would you able to confirm that it took us two (2) years to subpoena and
subpoena (sic) this withdrawal slip because there must be an authority
to withdraw, and if there is a signature of the plaintiff, we will admit
that.
ATTY. CORPUZ:
I remember having manifested that the withdrawal slip cannot be
located.
ATTY. DEJARESCO:
LetÊs put that on record, Your Honor.
ATTY. CORPUS: (sic)
I remember having made that manifestation, Your Honor.
COURT:
ThatÊs the reason why no document was produced in Court by the PSBank?
ATTY. CORPUS:
(sic) With respect to the withdrawal slip only, Your Honor on December 21.
ATTY. DEJARESCO:
Of that Seven (7) million from the account.
COURT:
Make that on record.
ATTY. CORPUS:
Yes, Your Honor.54
[Emphasis supplied]
Castro, as agent of Oliver, could not produce either the

said withdrawal slip allegedly authorizing the withdrawal
of the P7 million, her testimony is quoted as follows:
_______________
54 TSN, January 27, 2009, pp. 65-66.
212

ATTY. DEJARESCO:
Q: Can you show proof of the withdrawal slip?
A: The withdrawal slip.
Q: IÊm asking you do you have proof?
A: None, sir.
Q: You cannot produce in Court in support of your Judicial
Affidavit?
A: None.
Q: And you cannot produce that in Court?
A: As far as the withdrawal slip as for myself, none.55
[Emphasis supplied]
From the foregoing, there was a clear showing of

PSBankÊs failure to exercise the degree of diligence that it
ought to have exercised in dealing with its clients. It could
not prove that the withdrawal of P7 million was duly
authorized by Oliver. As a banking institution, PSBank
was expected to ensure that such substantial amount
should only be transacted with the consent and authority of
Oliver. PSBank, however, reneged on its fiduciary duty by
allowing an encroachment upon its depositorÊs account
without the latterÊs permission. Hence, PSBank must be
held liable for such improper transaction.
PSBank and Castro failed
to discharge their burden

and must be held solidarily
liable
The party who alleges a fact has the burden of proving

it. Section 1, Rule 131 of the Rules of Court defines „burden
of proof‰ as „the duty of a party to present evidence on the
facts in issue necessary to establish his claim or defense by
the amount of evidence required by law.‰ In civil cases, the
bur-
_______________
55 TSN, August 9, 2011, pp. 10-11.
213
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 213

den of proof rests upon the plaintiff, who is required to

establish his case by a preponderance of evidence. Once the
plaintiff establishes his case, the burden of evidence shifts
to the defendant, who, in turn, bears the burden to
establish his defense.56
Here, Oliver alleged that she did not authorize the
withdrawal of P7 million from her account. To establish her
allegation, Oliver presented the following: (1) the
transaction history register which showed the withdrawal
of P7 million from her account on December 21, 1998; (2)
the passbook which contained alterations to conceal the
withdrawal on December 21, 1998 while in the possession
of Castro; and (3) testimonial evidence that she did not
allow the withdrawal of the said amount.57 The Court is of
the view that Oliver had sufficiently discharged her burden
in proving that P7 million was withdrawn from her account
without her authorization. Hence, the burden was shifted
to the respondents to refute the allegation of Oliver.
As discussed above, both Castro and PSBank failed to
establish the burden of their defense. They failed to present

proof that Oliver authorized the said transaction. They
could have presented either the cash withdrawal slip for
the P7 million on December 21, 1999 or LimÊs testimony to
prove the transfer of funds to the latterÊs account, but they
did neither. Without an iota of proof to substantiate the
validity of the said transaction, the respondents unlawfully
deprived Oliver of her funds.
Indeed, the bank should be solidarily liable with its
employee for the damages committed to its depositor.58
Under Article 2180 of the Civil Code, employers shall be
held pri-
_______________
56 De Leon v. Bank of the Philippine Islands, G.R. No. 184565,

November 20, 2013, 710 SCRA 443, 453-454.
57 TSN, February 6, 2001, p. 13.
58 Producers Bank of the Phil. v. Court of Appeals, supra note 50.
214

marily and solidarily liable for damages caused by their

employees acting within the scope of their assigned tasks.
Castro, as acting branch manager of PSBank was able to
facilitate the questionable transaction as she was also
entrusted with OliverÊs passbook. In other words, Castro
was the representative of PSBank, and, at the same time,
the agent of Oliver, earning commissions from their
transactions. Oddly, PSBank, either consciously or through
sheer negligence, allowed the double dealings of its
employee with its client. Such carelessness and lack of
protection of the depositors from its own employees led to
the unlawful withdrawal of the P7 million from OliverÊs
account. Although Castro was eventually terminated by
PSBank because of certain problems regarding client
accommodation and loss of confidence, the damage to

Oliver had already been done. Thus, both Castro and
PSBank must be held solidarily liable.
Award of damages;
invalid foreclosure
To recapitulate, the loans of Oliver from PSBank which

were secured by real estate mortages amounted to
P5,888,149.33. Finding PSBank and Castro solidarily liable
to Oliver in the amount of P7 million because it was
improperly withdrawn from her bank account, the Court
agrees with the RTC that had it not been for the said
unauthorized withdrawal, OliverÊs debts amounting to
P5,888,149.33 would have been satisfied.
Consequently, PSBankÊs foreclosure of the real estate
mortgage covering the two (2) loans in the total amount of
P5,888,149.33 was improper. With PSBank being found
liable to Oliver for P7 million, after offsetting her loans
would have PSBank and Castro still owing her
P1,111,850.77, which must be suitably paid in the form of
actual damages.
The award of moral damages must also be upheld.
Specifically, in culpa contractual or breach of contract, like
in the present case, moral damages are recoverable only if
the de-
215
VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 215

fendant has acted fraudulently or in bad faith, or is

found guilty of gross negligence amounting to bad faith, or
in wanton disregard of his contractual obligations. Verily,
the breach must be wanton, reckless, malicious, or in bad
faith, oppressive or abusive.59
Here, Castro and PSBank were utterly reckless in
allowing the withdrawal of a huge amount from OliverÊs
account without her consent. The bankÊs negligence is a
result of lack of due care and caution required of managers

and employees of a firm engaged in a business so sensitive
and demanding.60 Hence, the award of P100,000.00 as
moral damages is warranted.
The award of exemplary damages is also proper due to
the failure of Castro and PSBank to prevent the
unauthorized withdrawal from OliverÊs account. The law
allows the grant of exemplary damages to set an example
for public good.61 The Court, however, finds that the
amount of exemplary damages must be decreased to
P50,000.00.
Finally, the Court agrees with the RTC that Castro and
PSBank should be held solidarily liable for attorneyÊs fees.
Article 2208 of the Civil Code is clear that attorneyÊs fees
may be recovered when exemplary damages are awarded or
when the plaintiff, through the defendantÊs act or omission,
has been compelled to litigate with third persons. A
decreased amount of P50,000.00 attorneyÊs fees should be
sufficient.
WHEREFORE, the petition is GRANTED. The
October 25, 2013 Decision and the September 12, 2014
Resolution
of the Court of Appeals in C.A.-G.R. CV No. 95656 are
REVERSED and SET ASIDE. The July 22, 2010 Order of
the
_______________
59 Herbosa v. Court of Appeals, 425 Phil. 431, 458; 374 SCRA 578,
596-597 (2002).
60 Prudential Bank v. Court of Appeals, 384 Phil. 817, 824; 328 SCRA
264, 271 (2000).
61 Cagungun v. Planters Development Bank, supra note 52 at p. 65; p.
273.
216

Regional Trial Court, Branch 276, Muntinlupa City in

Civil Case No. 99-278 is hereby REINSTATED with the
MODIFICATION that the award of exemplary damages
and attorneyÊs fees be decreased to P50,000.00 each.
All awards shall earn interests at the rate of six percent
(6%) per annum from the finality of this decision.
SO ORDERED.
Carpio (Chairperson), Brion, Del Castillo and Leonen,

JJ., concur.
Petition granted, judgment and resolution reversed and

set aside.
Notes.·There is solidary liability when the obligation

expressly so states, when the law so provides or when the
nature of the obligation so requires. (Alba vs. Yupangco,
622 SCRA 503 [2010])
Under Article 2180 of the New Civil Code, when an
injury is caused by the negligence of the employee, there
instantly arises a presumption of law that there was
negligence on the part of the master or employer either in
the selection of the servant or employee, or in supervision
over him after selection or both. (Filipinas Synthetic Fiber
Corporation vs. De los Santos, 645 SCRA 463 [2011])
··o0o··
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 788 29/07/2018, 2:43 PM

G.R. No. 214567. April 4, 2016.*

DRA. MERCEDES OLIVER, petitioner, vs. PHILIPPINE

Civil Law; Agency; Agency can be express or implied from the

190 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

lous care, always having in mind the fiduciary nature of their

on the space provided particularly for such transactions, usually

VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 191

dence shifts to the defendant, who, in turn, bears the burden to

same time, the agent of Oliver, earning commissions from their

192 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

employees of a firm engaged in a business so sensitive

award of exemplary damages is also proper due to the

PETITION for review on certiorari of the decision and

VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 193

Muntinlupa City (RTC) in Civil Case No. 99-278, a case for

In her Complaint,4 dated October 5, 1999, Oliver alleged

1 Rollo, pp. 57-67, penned by Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao,

194 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

drawn from OliverÊs bank account would be deposited

5 Records (Vol. IV), p. 1295.

VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 195

In OliverÊs passbook,7 there were no entries from

7 Id., at pp. 1311-1314.

196 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

In her Answer,15 Castro admitted that she and Oliver

15 Id., at pp. 39-48.

VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 197

borrowed money from Oliver. Castro knew him because

The RTCÊs Decision

In its March 30, 2010 Decision,23 the RTC dismissed the

19 Id., at pp. 138-139.

198 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

be held liable for the loan of P4.5 million and the

WHEREFORE, finding lack of merit, the instant

Oliver seasonably filed her motion for reconsideration.27

withdrawn. She claimed that what happened in this case

The RTCÊs Order

On July 22, 2010, the RTC resolved the motion and

24 Records (Vol. IV), pp. 1432-1433.

VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 199

The cash savings withdrawal slips should have been

purportedly transferred on December 21, 1998.

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Motion

200 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

hereby made permanent.

Aggrieved, Castro and PSBank appealed before the CA.

its March 30, 2010 decision. The appellate court found no

WHEREFORE, the Appeal is hereby GRANTED.

Oliver filed her motion for reconsideration but the same

VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 201

31 Id., at pp. 29-30.

202 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

Oliver vs. Philippine Savings Bank

In her petition for review,32 Oliver insisted that she had

32 Id., at pp. 10-52.

34 Id., at pp. 100-104.

VOL. 788, APRIL 4, 2016 203

to a motion for reconsideration, should be denied