Meyr Enterprises Corporation v. Rolando Cordero

Summary

Meyr Enterprises Corporation sued Rolando Cordero for damages allegedly caused by a dike that disrupted sea waves and damaged their coastal property. The Regional Trial Court dismissed the complaint, ruling that Meyr lacked standing to sue since the affected area was foreshore land owned by the State and covered by a Community-Based Forest Management Agreement. The court found Cordero's dike construction was properly authorized by local government resolution. Cordero's counterclaim for malicious prosecution succeeded, with courts finding Meyr filed the baseless suit with intent to harass, especially given Meyr's knowledge of the authorization and its own quarrying activities that may have caused the erosion. The Court of Appeals affirmed, and the Supreme Court denied Meyr's petition, ruling that the lower courts' factual findings of malicious prosecution were binding and supported by substantial evidence. The case establishes that moral damages and attorney's fees are recoverable for malicious prosecution under Articles 2219 and 2208 of the Civil Code.