G.R. No.

186069 January 30, 2013

SPOUSES JESUS L. CABAHUG AND CORONACION M. CABAHUG, Petitioners,

DECISION

PEREZ, J.:

This Rule 45 Petition for Review on Certiorari seeks the reversal of (a) the 16 May 2007
Decision1 rendered by the Eighteenth Division of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CV No.
67331 which reversed the 14 March 2000 Decision rendered by the Regional Trial Court (RTC),
Branch 17, Palompon, Leyte, in Civil Case No. PN-0213 and ordered the dismissal of the complaint
for just compensation tiled by petitioners Spouses Jesus L. Cabahug and Coronacion M. Cabahug
(Spouses Cabahug) against respondent National Power Corporation (NPC);2 and (b) the CA's
Resolution dated 9 January 2009, denying the motion for reconsideration of the 16 May 2007
Decision for lack of merit.3

The facts are not in dispute.

The Spouses Cabahug are the owners of two parcels of land situated in Barangay Capokpok,
Tabango, Leyte, registered in their names under Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) Nos. T-9813 and
T-1599 of the Leyte provincial registry.4 They were among the defendants in Special Civil

Action No. 0019-PN, a suit for expropriation earlier filed by NPC before the RTC, in connection with
its Leyte-Cebu Interconnection Project. The suit was later dismissed when NPC opted to settle with
the landowners by paying an easement fee equivalent to 10% of value of their property in
accordance with Section 3-A of Republic Act (RA) No. 6395.5 In view of the conflicting land values
presented by the affected landowners, it appears that the Leyte Provincial Appraisal Committee,
upon request of NPC, fixed the valuation of the affected properties at P45.00 per square meter.6

On 9 November 1996, Jesus Cabahug executed two documents denominated as Right of Way
Grant in favor of NPC. For and in consideration of the easement fees in the sums of P112,225.50
and P21,375.00, Jesus Cabahug granted NPC a continuous easement of right of way for the latter’s
transmissions lines and their appurtenances over 24,939 and 4,750 square meters of the parcels of
land covered by TCT Nos. T-9813 and T-1599, respectively. By said grant, Jesus Cabahug agreed
not to construct any building or structure whatsoever, nor plant in any area within the Right of Way
that will adversely affect or obstruct the transmission line of NPC, except agricultural crops, the
growth of which will not exceed three meters high. Under paragraph 4 of the grant, however, Jesus
Cabahug reserved the option to seek additional compensation for easement fee, based on the
Supreme Court’s 18 January 1991 Decision in G.R. No. 60077, entitled National Power Corporation
v. Spouses Misericordia Gutierrez and Ricardo Malit, et al. (Gutierrez).7

On 21 September 1998, the Spouses Cabahug filed the complaint for the payment of just
compensation, damages and attorney’s fees against NPC which was docketed as Civil Case No.
PN-0213 before the RTC. Claiming to have been totally deprived of the use of the portions of land
covered by TCT Nos. T-9813 and T-1599, the Spouses Cabahug alleged, among other matters, that
in accordance with the reservation provided under paragraph 4 of the aforesaid grant, they have
demanded from NPC payment of the balance of the just compensation for the subject properties
which, based on the valuation fixed by the Leyte Provincial Appraisal Committee, amounted to
P1,202,404.50.8 In its answer, on the other hand, NPC averred that it already paid the full easement
fee mandated under Section 3-A of RA 6395 and that the reservation in the grant referred to
additional compensation for easement fee, not the full just compensation sought by the Spouses
Cabahug.9

Acting on the motion for judgment on the pleadings that was filed by the Spouses Cabahug, the RTC
went on to render a Decision dated 14 March 2000. Brushing aside NPC’s reliance on Section 3-A of
RA 6395, the RTC applied the ruling handed down by this Court in Gutierrez to the effect that NPC’s
easement of right of way which indefinitely deprives the owner of their proprietary rights over their
property falls within the purview of the power of eminent domain.10 As a consequence, the RTC
disposed of the complaint in the following wise:

WHEREFORE, premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered for the Spouses Cabahug and
against NPC, ordering NPC:

1. To pay the Spouses Cabahug the sum of ONE MILLION THREE HUNDRED THIRTY SIX
THOUSAND and FIVE PESOS (P1,336,005.00) together with the legal rate of interest
thereon per annum reckoned from January 3, 1997 less the amount previously paid by NPC
to the Spouses Cabahug for easement fee only;

2. To pay the Spouses Cabahug the sum equivalent to FIVE (5%) PERCENT of the amount
mentioned in the next preceding paragraph for attorney’s fees; and

3. To pay the Spouses Cabahug the sum of TWENTY THOUSAND (P20,000.00) PESOS for
actual damages and litigation expenses plus costs of the proceedings.

SO ORDERED.11

Aggrieved by the foregoing decision, the NPC perfected the appeal which was docketed as CA-G.R.
CV No. 67331 before the CA which, on 16 May 2007, rendered the herein assailed decision,
reversing and setting aside the RTC’s appealed decision. Finding that the facts of a case are
different from those obtaining in Gutierrez and that Section 3-A of RA 6395 only allows NPC to
acquire an easement of right of way over properties traversed by its transmission lines,12 the CA
succinctly ruled as follows:

Unfortunately, the Spouses Cabahug had already accepted the payment of easement fee, pursuant
to R.A. 6395, as amended, way back in 1996. Therefore, NPC’s easement of right of way has for all
legal intents and purposes, been established as far back as 1996. Since vested right has already
accrued in favor of NPC, to allow the Spouses Cabahug to pursue this case when the easement of
right of way had already been consummated would be in violation of the contract. The contracting
parties, the Spouses Cabahug and NPC had already conformed with the terms and conditions of the
agreement. To allow the Spouses Cabahug to again collect from NPC payment of just compensation
would amount to unjust enrichment at the expense of NPC and would sanction violation of the
parties’ contract, which the Spouses Cabahug cannot do in the case at bench. Further, the award of
attorney’s fees and litigation expenses and the costs of suit in favor of the Spouses Cabahug cannot
be justified in the case at bar since it appears that the complaint actually has no legal basis.13

The Spouses Cabahug’s motion for reconsideration of the 16 May 2007 Decision14 was denied for
lack of merit in the CA’s Resolution dated 9 January 2009. Hence, this petition for review on
certiorari.15 In urging the reversal of the CA’s assailed Decision and Resolution, the Spouses
Cabahug argue that the CA erred: (a) in disregarding paragraph 4 of the Grant of Right of Way
whereby Jesus Cabahug reserved the right to seek additional compensation for easement fee; and
(b) in not applying this Court’s ruling in Gutierrez case.16 In representation of NPC, on the other
hand, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) argues that the sums paid in 1996 by way of
easement fees represent the full amount allowed by law and agreed upon by the parties.
Considering that Gutierrez concerned the payment of just compensation for property expropriated by
the NPC, the OSG maintains the CA did not err in according scant consideration to the Spouses
Cabahug’s invocation of the ruling in said case.17

We find the petition impressed with merit.

The CA regarded the Grant of Right of Way executed by Jesus Cabahug in favor of NPC as a valid
and binding contract between the parties, a fact affirmed by the OSG in its 8 October 2009 Comment
to the petition at bench.18Given that the parties have already agreed on the easement fee for the
portions of the subject parcels traversed by NPC’s transmissions lines, the CA ruled that the
Spouses Cabahug’s attempt to collect further sums by way of additional easement fee and/or just
compensation is violative of said contract and tantamount to unjust enrichment at the expense of
NPC. As correctly pointed out by the Spouses Cabahug, however, the CA’s ruling totally disregards
the fourth paragraph of the Grant executed by Jesus Cabahug which expressly states as follows:

That I hereby reserve the option to seek additional compensation for Easement Fee, based on the
Supreme Court Decision in G.R. No. 60077, promulgated on January 18, 1991, which jurisprudence
is designated as "NPC vs. Gutierrez" case.19

From the foregoing reservation, it is evident that the Spouses Cabahug’s receipt of the easement fee
did not bar them from seeking further compensation from NPC. Even by the basic rules in the
interpretation of contracts, we find that the CA erred in holding that the payment of additional sums
to the Spouses Cabahug would be violative of the parties’ contract and amount to unjust enrichment.
Indeed, the rule is settled that a contract constitutes the law between the parties who are bound by
its stipulations20 which, when couched in clear and plain language, should be applied according to
their literal tenor.21 Courts cannot supply material stipulations, read into the contract words it does
not contain22 or, for that matter, read into it any other intention that would contradict its plain
import.23 Neither can they rewrite contracts because they operate harshly or inequitably as to one of
the parties, or alter them for the benefit of one party and to the detriment of the other, or by
construction, relieve one of the parties from the terms which he voluntarily consented to, or impose
on him those which he did not.24

Considering that Gutierrez was specifically made the point of reference for Jesus Cabahug’s
reservation to seek further compensation from NPC, we find that the CA likewise erred in finding that
the ruling in said case does not apply to the case at bench. Concededly, the NPC was constrained to
file an expropriation complaint in Gutierrez due to the failure of the negotiations for its acquisition of
an easement of right of way for its transmission lines. The issue that was eventually presented for
this Court’s resolution, however, was the propriety of making NPC liable for the payment of the full
market value of the affected property despite the fact that transfer of title thereto was not required by
said easement. In upholding the landowners’ right to full just compensation, the Court ruled that the
power of eminent domain may be exercised although title is not transferred to the expropriator in an
easement of right of way. Just compensation which should be neither more nor less than the money
equivalent of the property is, moreover, due where the nature and effect of the easement is to
impose limitations against the use of the land for an indefinite period and deprive the landowner its
ordinary use.

Even without the reservation made by Jesus Cabahug in the Grant of Right of Way, the application
of Gutierrez to this case is not improper as NPC represents it to be. Where the right of way
easement, as in this case, similarly involves transmission lines which not only endangers life and
limb but restricts as well the owner's use of the land traversed thereby, the ruling in Gutierrez
remains doctrinal and should be applied.25 It has been ruled that the owner should be compensated
for the monetary equivalent of the land if, as here, the easement is intended to perpetually or
indefinitely deprive the owner of his proprietary rights through the imposition of conditions that affect
the ordinary use, free enjoyment and disposal of the property or through restrictions and limitations
that are inconsistent with the exercise of the attributes of ownership, or when the introduction of
structures or objects which, by their nature, create or increase the probability of injury, death upon or
destruction of life and property found on the land is necessary.26 Measured not by the taker’s gain
but the owner’s loss, just compensation is defined as the full and fair equivalent of the property taken
from its owner by the expropriator.271âwphi 1

Too, the CA reversibly erred in sustaining NPC’s reliance on Section 3-A of RA 6395 which states
that only 10% of the market value of the property is due to the owner of the property subject to an
easement of right of way. Since said easement falls within the purview of the power of eminent
domain, NPC’s utilization of said provision has been repeatedly struck down by this Court in a
number of cases.28 The determination of just compensation in eminent domain proceedings is a
judicial function and no statute, decree, or executive order can mandate that its own determination
shall prevail over the court's findings.29 Any valuation for just compensation laid down in the statutes
may serve only as a guiding principle or one of the factors in determining just compensation, but it
may not substitute the court's own judgment as to what amount should be awarded and how to
arrive at such amount.30Hence, Section 3A of R.A. No. 6395, as amended, is not binding upon this
Court.31

In this case, the Leyte Provincial Appraisal Committee fixed the valuation of the affected properties
at P45.00 per square meter at the instance of NPC. Considering that the installation of the latter’s
transmission lines amounted to the taking of 24,939 and 4,750 square meters from the parcels of
land covered by TCT Nos. T-9813 and T-1599 or a total of 29,689 square meters, the RTC correctly
determined that the Spouses Cabahug are entitled to P1,336,005.00 (29,689 x P45.00) by way of
just compensation for their properties. Inasmuch as NPC had already paid the sums of P112,225.50
and P21,375.00 as easement fee, the sum of P133,600.50 should be deducted from P1,336,005.00
for a remaining balance of P1,202,404.50. To this latter sum, the RTC also correctly imposed legal
interest since the Spouses Cabahug, as landowners, are entitled to the payment of legal interest on
the compensation for the subject lands from the time of the taking of their possession up to the time
that full payment is made by petitioner. In accordance with jurisprudence, the legal interest allowed
in payment of just compensation for lands expropriated for public use is six percent (6%) per
annum.32

For want of a statement of the rationale for the award in the body of the RTC’s 14 March 2000
Decision, we are constrained, however, to disallow the grant of attorney’s fees in favor of the
Spouses Cabahug in an amount equivalent to 5% of the just compensation due as well as the legal
interest thereon. Considered the exception rather than the general rule, the award of attorney’s fees
is not due every time a party prevails in a suit because of the policy that no premium should be set
on the right to litigate.33 The RTC's award of litigation expenses should likewise be deleted since, like
attorney's fees, the award thereof requires that the reasons or grounds therefor must be set forth in
the decision of the court.34 This is particularly true in this case where the litigation expenses awarded
were alternatively categorized by the RTC as actual damages which, by jurisprudence, should be
pleaded and adequately proved. Time and again, it has been ruled that the fact and amount of actual
damages cannot be based on speculation, conjecture or guess work, but must depend on actual
proof.35

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the petition is GRANTED and the CA's assailed 16 May 2007
Decision and 9 January 2009 Resolution are, accordingly, REVERSED and SET ASIDE. In lieu
thereof, another is entered REINSTATING the RTC's 14 March 2000 Decision, subject to the
MODIFICATION that the awards of attorney's fees, actual damages and/or litigation expenses are
DELETED.

SO ORDERED.