5/19/2021
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FIRST DIVISION
[ G.R. No. 246125, June 23, 2020 ]
PACIFIC OCEAN MANNING, INC., V. SHIPS UK LTD., SOUTHERN
SHIPMANAGEMENT CO. S.A. AND/OR ENGR. EDWIN S. SOLIDUM,
PETITIONERS, VS. RAMON S. LANGAM, RESPONDENT.
DECISION
REYES, J. JR., J.:
This is a petition for review on certiorari[1] seeking to reverse and set aside the
Decision[2] dated December 12, 2018 and the Resolution[3] dated March 21, 2019 of
the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. SP No. 157086.
The Facts
On May 10, 2016, Ramon S. Langam (respondent) was hired as chief cook by Pacific
Ocean Manning, Inc. for its principal, V Ships UK Ltd./Southern Shipment Co. S.A.
(collectively, petitioners), on board the vessel "Cochrane." Prior to embarkation,
respondent underwent pre-employment medical examination and was declared fit for
sea duty.[4]
On January 2, 2017, respondent was cooking in the vessel's kitchen when the hot
cooking oil "accidentally splashed, splattered and hit his right eye." To relieve the pain,
he immediately washed his eye with running water and resumed with his normal
activities. The following day, he felt persistent pain in the right eye which appeared to
be swollen and experienced blurred vision. He initially sought medical assistance from
the ship doctor but due to lack of proper medical equipment in the vessel, he was
brought to a hospital in Korea. The attending physician in Korea declared respondent
unfit for duty in order to rule out optic nerve neuritis and ischemic syndrome in the
right eye. On January 5, 2017, respondent was medically repatriated.[5]
On January 9, 2017, respondent reported to petitioners and requested a post-medical
evaluation. He was referred to the company-designated physician at the Chinese
Medical Hospital. Based on Dr. Carter S. Rabo's prognosis, respondent is unlikely to
recover his vision to its normal acuity. Thus, respondent continued with the medical
treatment. He claimed that there was hardly an improvement in his medical condition
when he was informed by the company-designated physician that his treatment was
already discontinued. He asked for a copy of the final assessment and an explanation of
his true medical condition but he was refused and referred to petitioner. The latter
allegedly reasoned that the medical reports and assessment were confidential.[6]
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