Hector Hernandez v. Susan San Pedro Agoncillo

Summary

This case involves a vehicular accident on October 5, 2006, where a delivery van owned by Hector Hernandez and driven by his employee backed into Susan San Pedro Agoncillo's Honda City, causing P132,302.53 in damages. The Supreme Court upheld the lower courts' decisions finding Hernandez vicariously liable under Article 2180 of the Civil Code. Significantly, the Court rejected Hernandez's procedural arguments, distinguishing the case from Sablas v. Sablas due to his inexcusable delay in filing responsive pleadings. The decision reinforces the principle that while courts have discretion to admit late pleadings, there must be justification and no intent to delay. The case demonstrates the importance of strict procedural compliance and holds that a lawyer's heavy workload cannot justify repeated violations of court rules and deadlines.