ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Jan. 20, 2025
Dear Chief Acosta,
Pumasok ako sa isang kontrata, ngunit hindi tumupad ang kabilang partido. Gusto kong maghain ng reklamo laban sa kanya, ngunit may nagsabi sa akin na ilegal daw ang kontrata namin. Gayundin, may nabanggit sa akin na “in pari delicto” diumano ito. Ano ba ang konsepto ng “in pari delicto”? — Airam
Dear Airam,
Sa ilalim ng doktrinang in pari delicto, ang mga partido sa isang kontrobersya o kaso ay pantay na may kasalanan o nagkasala. Kaya, hindi sila magkakaroon ng aksyon laban sa isa’t isa. Tinalakay ito ng ating Korte Suprema sa kasong Oscar Constantino, et al. vs. Heirs of Pedro Constantino, Jr. (G.R. No. 181508, 02 Oktubre 2013) sa panulat ni Kagalang-galang na Kasamang Mahistrado Jose P. Perez:
“Latin for ‘in equal fault,’ in pari delicto connotes that two or more people are at fault or are guilty of a crime. Neither courts of law nor equity will interpose to grant relief to the parties, when an illegal agreement has been made, and both parties stand in pari delicto. Under the pari delicto doctrine, the parties to a controversy are equally culpable or guilty, they shall have no action against each other, and it shall leave the parties where it finds them. This doctrine finds expression in the maxims ‘ex dolo malo nonoritur action’ and ‘in pari delicto potior est conditio defendentis.’
When circumstances are presented for the application of such doctrine, courts will take a hands off stance in interpreting the contract for or against any of the parties. This is illustrated in the case of Packaging Products Corporation v. NLRC, where this Court pronounced that:
This Court cannot give positive relief to either petitioner or respondent because we are asked to interpret and enforce an illegal and immoral arrangement. (See Articles 1409, 1411, and 1412 of the Civil Code). Kickback arrangements in the purchase of raw materials, equipment, supplies and other needs of offices, manufacturers, and industrialists are so widespread and pervasive that nobody seems to know how to eliminate them. xxx
Both the petitioners and the private respondent are in pari delicto. Neither one may expect positive relief from courts of justice in the interpretation of their contract. The courts will leave them as they were at the time the case was filed.
As a doctrine in civil law, the rule on pari delicto is principally governed by Articles 1411 and 1412 of the Civil Code, which state that:
Article 1411. When the nullity proceeds from the illegality of the cause or object of the contract, and the act constitutes a criminal offense, both parties being in pari delicto, they shall have no action against each other, and both shall be prosecuted. xxx
Article 1412. If the act in which the unlawful or forbidden cause consists does not constitute a criminal offense, the following rules shall be observed: xxx
1. When the fault is on the part of both contracting parties, neither may recover what he has given by virtue of the contract, or demand the performance of the other’s undertaking;”
Alinsunod dito, sa mga kaso kung saan ang mga kasangkot na partido ay pantay na may kasalanan, ang hukuman ay hindi makikialam upang magbigay ng kaluwagan sa mga partido, kaugnay sa ilegal na kasunduan. Sa madaling salita, hindi maaaring gantimpalaan ang isang tao para sa kanilang pantay na pagkakamali.
Kaya naman, maaaring hindi ka makapaghain ng reklamo laban sa taong iyong kakontrata kung tunay ngang ilegal ang inyong kasunduan. Kung ang inyong kasunduan ay nagreresulta rin sa isang krimen, maaari pa kayong parehong makasuhan at maparusahan dahil dito.
Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.
Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.
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