Ateneo v. CA [GR L-56180, 16 October 1986] Second Division, Gtierre! "#$% & concr, 1 too' no ()rt *)cts% On *)cts% On 12 December 1967, Juan Ramon Guanzon (from Bacolod, son of Romeo Guanzon and Teresita Realado!, "rst #ear student of $d%& 'o#ola ei)ts, and boarder at t)e *er+ini all! struc at t)e left tem-le of *armelita %ateo, a .aitress in t)e *er+ini all cafeteria/ Ot)er boarders )eld )im from striin aain, but t)e boarders )id t)e incident from 0r/ *am-bell/ T)e uni+ersit# uni+ersit# conducted an in+estiation of t)e sla--in sla--in incident/ On t)e basis basis of t)e in+estiation in+estiation results, Juan Ramon .as dismissed from t)e uni+ersit#/ T)e dismissal of Juan Ramon triered o t)e "lin of a com-laint for damaes b# )is -arents aainst aainst t)e uni+ersit# in t)e t)en *ourt of 0irst nstance (*0! of 3eros Occidental at Bacolod *it#/ T)e com-laint states t)at Juan Ramon .as e4-elled from sc)ool .it)out i+in )im a fair trial in +iolation of )is ri)t to due -rocess and t)at t)e# are -rominent and .ell no.n residents of Bacolod *it#, .it) t)e unceremonious e4-ulsion of t)eir son causin t)em actual, moral, and e4em-lar# damaes as .ell as attorne#5s fees/ n its ans.er, t)e uni+ersit# denied t)e material alleations of t)e com-laint and usti"ed t)e dismissal of Juan Ramon Ramon on t)e round round t)at )is unbecomin unbecomin be)a+ior be)a+ior is contrar# contrar# to ood morals, morals, -ro-er -ro-er decorum, and ci+ilit#, t)at suc) be)a+ior subected )im as a student to t)e uni+ersit#5s disci-linar# disci-linar# reulations5 action and sanction and t)at t)e uni+ersit# )as t)e sole -reroati+e and aut)orit# at an# time to dro- from t)e sc)ool a student found to be undesirabl undesirable e in order to -reser+e and maintain its interit# and disci-line so indis-ensable for its e4istenc e4istence e as an institution of learnin/ $fter due trial, t)e lo.er court found for t)e Guanzons and order ordered ed t)e uni+ersit# to -a# t)em 92/88 as actual damaes :8,888/88 as moral damaes :,888/88 as attorne#5s fees and to -a# t)e costs of t)e suit/ &-on a--eal to t)e *ourt of $--eals b# t)e uni+ersit#, t)e trial court5s decision .as initiall# re+ersed and set aside/ o.e+er, u-on motion for reconsideration "led b# t)e Guanzons, t)e a--ellate court re+ersed its decision and set it aside t)rou) a s-ecial di+ision of "+e/ T)e motion for reconsideration )ad to be referred referred to a s-ecial di+ision di+ision of "+e in +ie. of t)e failure to reac) unanimit# on t)e resolution of t)e motion, t)e +ote of t)e reula reularr di+ision )a+in become 2 to 1/ ence, t)e &ni+ersit# "led a -etition for re+ie. before t)e ;u-reme *ourt/ +sse% <)et)er t)e absence of notice to t)e dismissed student=s -arents +sse% <)et)er -arents neates t)e com-liance of t)e re>uir re>uirements ements of administrati administrati+e +e due -rocess/ ed% Besides t)e administrati+e bod# undertain a fair and obecti+e in+estiation ed% Besides in+estiation of t)e incident, due -rocess in administrati+ administrati+e e -roceedins also re>uires consideration of t)e e+idence -resented and t)e e4istence of e+idence to su--ort t)e decision/ erein, t)e oriinal *ourt of $--eals decision (-enned b# Justice Ganca#co! s)o.ed t)at t)e -rocedures in t)e e4-ulsion case .ere fair, o-en, e4)austi+e, and ade>uate/ T)ere .ere not)in in t)e records to re+erse t)e "ndins in t)e reconsideration/ *learl#, t)ere .as absolutel# no indication of malice, fraud, and im-ro-er or .ilful moti+es or conduct on t)e -art of t)e $teneo de %anila &ni+ersit#/ Juan Ramon .as i+en notice of t)e -roceedins/ e actuall# a--eared to -resent )is side/ T)e in+estiatin board acted fairl# and obecti+el#/ $ll re>uisites of administrati+e due -rocess .ere met/ t cannot be neated b# t)e fact t)at t)e t )e -arents of Juan Ramon .ere not i+en an# notice of t)e -roceedins/ Juan Ramon, .)o at t)e time .as 1? #ears of ae, .as alread# a collee student, intellient and mature enou) to no. )is res-onsibilities/ res-onsibilities/ e .as full# conizant of t)e ra+it# of t)e oense )e committed as )e ased if )e could be e4-elled for .)at )e did/ <)en informed about t)e 19 December 1967 meetin of t)e Board of Disci-line, )e .as ased ased to see ad+ice and assistance from )is uardian and or -arents/ T)e fact t)at )e c)ose to remain silent and did not inform t)em about )is case, not e+en .)en )e .ent )ome to Bacolod *it# for )is *)ristmas +acation, .as not t)e fault of t)e &ni+ersit#/
