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FACTS:
ManilaGasCorporationisauthorizedtoconductandoperatethebusinessofservicing
andsupplyinggasintheCityofManilaanditssuburbs.RespondentOngsipappliedforgas
service connection for his kitchen and 48door apartment with petitioner Manila Gas
Corporation.Asaresult,two20galloncapacitywaterstorageheaterswereinstalledandtwo
heavydutygasburners.Theinstallationsandconnectionswerealldonesolelybypetitioner's
employees.
InMayandJunenogasconsumptionwasregisteredinthemeter,promptingpetitionerto
issuea'meterorder'withinstructions tochangethegasmeterinrespondent'sresidence.At
around 1 o'clock in the afternoon, petitioner's employee went to Ongsip's place. Without
notifying or informing respondent, they changed the gas meter and installed new tube
connections.Atthetimetheworkwasbeingundertaken,privaterespondentwastakinganap.
Ongsipinquiredwhytheyweretakingpicturesofthepremisesbuttheemployeesimply
gavehimacallingcardwithinstructionstogotohis(Coronel's)office.There,hewasinformed
abouttheexistenceofabypassvalveor"jumper"inthegasconnectionandthatunlesshegave
CoronelP3,000.00,hewouldbedeported.Herefused.BytheendofAugust,areadingwasmade
onthenewmeterandexpectedly,itregisteredasuddenincreaseingasconsumption.
A complaint for qualified theft was filed by petitioner against respondent Ongsip.
Pendinginvestigation,petitionerdisconnectedrespondent'sgasserviceforallegedfailuretopay
his gas consumptions. The complaint was dismissed by the city fiscal. Ongsip later filed a
complaintformoralandexemplarydamagesagainstpetitionerbasedontwocausesofaction,
firstly:themalicious,oppressiveandmalevolentfilingofthecriminalcomplaint;and,secondly:
theillegalclosureofrespondentOngsip'sgasserviceconnectionwithoutcourtorderandwithout
noticeofwarning.
ISSUE:1)Whetherornotthefilingofcriminalcomplaintwasnotactuatedbymaliceon
thepartofpetitioner
2)WhetherornottheclosureofOngsip'sgasservicewasmadeafterduenoticeto
payhisbackaccounts
HELD:
Evidently,ManilaGasCorporation,infailingtorecoveritslostrevenuecausedbythe
gasmeter'sincorrectrecording,soughttovindicateitsfinanciallossbyfilingthecomplaintfor
qualifiedtheftagainstrespondentOngsipknowingittobefalse.
WHEREFORE,PETITIONERMANILAGASCORPORATIONISHEREBYDIRECTEDTO
PAY
(1)RESPONDENTISIDROM.ONGSIPP25,000.00ASMORALDAMAGESANDP5,000.00
AS EXEMPLARY DAMAGES FOR THE FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION, P15,000.00 AS
MORALDAMAGES AND P5,000.00AS EXEMPLARYDAMAGES FORTHESECOND
CAUSEOFACTION,ANDP10,000.00ASATTORNEY'SFEES;AND
(2)THECOSTS.