G.R. No. 257151 (Formerly UDK 16942) - BANCO DE ORO UNIVERSAL BANK, INC.,[1] VIVIAN DULDULAO,[2] AND CHRISTINE[3] NAKANISHI, VS. LIZA A. SEASTRES[4] AND ANNABELLE[5] N. BENAJE.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

Accordingly, Seastres filed a criminal case against Benaje before the Makati City Prosecutor's Office but the same was dismissed for lack of probable cause. Seastres did not appeal this finding. Instead, she filed the instant case for collection of sum of money against [petitioners]. Benaje was included as defendant when Seastres filed a Motion for Leave to File Amended Complaint, which was granted by the RTC in an Order dated April 17, 2012. [11] Ruling of the RTC In its Decision [12] dated March 10, 2017, the RTC held that BDO, through its employees, reneged in its obligation to treat the accounts of its customers, particularly Seastres, with meticulous care and extraordinary diligence, [13] to wit: WHEREFORE , in view of the foregoing, judgment is hereby rendered: [Seastres'] prayer for actual and moral damages including the attorney's fees and costs of suit is hereby GRANTED . [Petitioners] are hereby ordered to be jointly and severally liable to [Seastres] in the following damages and amounts: The actual damages in the amount of Eight Million Sixty[-]Seven Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty[-]Nine Pesos and Fifty[-]Nine Centavos (Php 8,067,939.59); One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00) as moral damages; One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00) as attorney's fees; and d. Costs of suit. [Seastres'] prayer for exemplary damages is hereby DENIED for lack of merit. [Petitioners'] Counterclaim against the [Seastres] is hereby DENIED for lack of merit. [Respondent] Benaje is hereby ordered to indemnify and pay [petitioners] BDO, Duldulao and Nakanishi: Any and all damages, costs and expenses that BDO, Duldulao and Nakanishi may be required to pay [Seastres] under the Amended Complaint; One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00) each for moral damages; Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00) each for exemplary damages; and Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000) for attorney's fees. SO ORDERED.