- Petitioner
- Doris U. Sunbanun
- Respondent
- Aurora B. Go
- Citation
- G.R. No. 163280
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- Second Division
- Ponente
- Carpio, J.
- Decided
- February 2, 2010
Summary
This case involves a breach of lease contract where lessor Doris Sunbanun prematurely ejected lessee Aurora Go's lodgers three months before the one-year lease expired. The lease contract specifically allowed use as a lodging house, making the subletting arrangement valid. The Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeals' decision awarding comprehensive damages totaling P153,000 plus costs. The case established that judgment on pleadings admits all material allegations when moved by defendant without objection. The Court emphasized that lessors must maintain lessees' peaceful enjoyment throughout the contract duration, and breach accompanied by bad faith warrants moral and exemplary damages. The decision reinforced Civil Code provisions on contractual obligations and damages, particularly Articles 1654 (lessor's duty), 2219-2220 (moral damages), and 2232 (exemplary damages).
Intellegal Wiki · Key Holding
Denied the petition, holding that a lessor who prematurely ejects the lessee's lodgers breaches the duty to maintain the lessee's peaceful enjoyment under Article 1654, and that such a bad-faith breach warrants moral damages under Articles 2219, 2220, and 21 and exemplary damages under Article 2232; moving for judgment on the pleadings admitted the complaint's material allegations.
An editorially maintained summary of the rule this Supreme Court decision is cited for — not legal advice.