6/7/2021
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FIRST DIVISION
[ G.R. No. 229372, August 27, 2020 ]
MARYVILLE MANILA, INC., PETITIONER, VS. LLOYD C. ESPINOSA,
RESPONDENT.
DECISION
LOPEZ, J.:
The reasonable link between the seafarer's illnesses and nature of work is the main
issue in this Petition for Review on Certiorari under Rule 45 assailing the Court of
Appeal's (CA) Decision[1] dated September 1, 2016 in CA-G.R. SP No. 138222, which
reversed and set aside the findings of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).
ANTECEDENTS
On September 12, 2010, Maryville Manila, Inc. (Maryville Manila), a local manning
agency acting for and in behalf of its principal Maryville Maritime, Inc. (Maryville
Maritime), deployed Lloyd Espinosa (Lloyd) as a seafarer on board the vessel M/V
Renuar. On December 11, 2010 to April 23, 2011, the Somali pirates held hostage the
vessel and its entire crew. On May 5, 2011, Lloyd was repatriated.[2] On January, 10,
2012, Maryville Manila re-hired Lloyd to work on board M/V Iron Manolis for a period of
nine months. However, Lloyd was repatriated after seven months or on August 29,
2012.[3]
On July 15, 2013, Lloyd filed a complaint for total and permanent disability benefits
against Maryville Manila and Maryville Maritime before the labor arbiter (LA). Lloyd
alleged that he was repatriated after suffering flashbacks of the hostage incident and
experiencing mental breakdown. Yet, Maryville Manila refused to give him medical
assistance when he arrived in the Philippines. He then sought on February 12, 2013 the
advice of a clinical psychologist who diagnosed him with "Occupational Stress Disorder
(Work-related); Hypomanic Mood Disorder, to consider; Bipolar Condition; R/O
Schizophrenic Episode; and [Post-traumatic] Stress Disorder."[4] This work-related and
work-aggravated condition rendered him permanently incapacitated to work as a
seafarer.[5] On the other hand, Maryville Manila and Maryville Maritime claimed that
Lloyd voluntarily disembarked from the vessel without any medical incident or accident.
Moreover, Lloyd did not immediately report to the company-designated physician after
his repatriation. It was only in July 2013 that Lloyd visited Maryville Manila asking for
another contract of employment.[6]
On February 28, 2014, the LA granted Lloyd's claim for total and permanent disability
benefits. It explained that Maryville Manila and Maryville Maritime failed to prove that
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