April 2012 - Philippine Supreme Court Resolutions
Philippine Supreme Court Resolutions
[G.R. No. 195963 : April 18, 2012]
LEONIS NAVIGATION COMPANY, INC., WORLD MARINE COMPANY, LTD., CAPT. HERNANI FUESCA v. MARITES M. GALAGALA
G.R. No. 195963 (Leonis Navigation Company, Inc., World Marine Company, Ltd., Capt. Hernani Fuesca v. Marites M. Galagala)
RESOLUTION
After a judicious review of the records, the Court resolves to DENY the instant petition for failure to show that the Court of Appeals committed any reversible error in upholding the finding of the Labor Arbiter and the National Labor Relations Commission that respondent Marites M. Galagala in behalf of her husband, Bonifacio Galagala, is entitled to death benefits under the POEA Standard Employment Contract. While it is true that the heirs of a seafarer are not entitled to death benefits if it is established that death occurred after the termination of the contract of employment, the Court has nonetheless repeatedly held that death due to acute myocardial infraction is compensable.[1] Significantly, substantial evidence show that the deceased seaman Bonifacio Galagala performed strenuous work onboard the various vessels of petitioner World Marine Company, Ltd. for a period of more than 14 years, during which time he was consistently declared to be in perfect health and fit for sea service, and that he died merely a few days after disembarkation from MV Marvellous. cralaw
SO ORDERED.
Very truly yours,
(Sgd.) WILFREDO V. LAPITAN
Deputy Division Clerk of Court
Endnotes:
[1] Heirs of Aniban vs. National Labor Relations Commission, et. al., G.R. No. 116354, December 4, 1997.