Section 3, Rule 10 of the Rules of Court specifically allows substantial amendment of responsive pleadings by leave of court. - G.R. No. 143264

See - G.R. No. 143264

"x x x.

LISAM ENTERPRISES, INC., represented by LOLITA A. SORIANO, and LOLITA A. SORIANO vs. BANCO DE ORO UNIBANK, INC. (formerly PHILIPPINE COMMERCIAL INTERNATIONAL BANK),* LILIAN S. SORIANO, ESTATE OF LEANDRO A. SORIANO, JR., REGISTER OF DEEDS OF LEGASPI CITY, and JESUS L. SARTE, G.R. No. 143264, April 23, 2012 

“x x x.

This resolves the Petition for Review on Certiorari under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court, praying that the Resolution[1] of the Regional Trial Court of Legaspi City (RTC), dated November 11, 1999, dismissing petitioners complaint, and its Order[2] dated May 15, 2000, denying herein petitioners Motion for reconsideration and Motion to Admit Amended Complaint, be reversed and set aside.

X x x.

The Court shall first delve into the matter of the propriety of the denial of the motion to admit amended complaint.Pertinent provisions of Rule 10 of the Rules of Court provide as follows:

Sec. 2. Amendments as a matter of right. − A party may amend his pleadings once as a matter of right at any time before a responsive pleading is served x x x.

Sec. 3. Amendments by leave of court. − Except as provided in the next preceding section, substantial amendments may be made only upon leave of court. But such leave may be refused if it appears to the court that the motion was made with intent to delay. x x x

It should be noted that respondents Lilian S. Soriano and the Estate of Leandro A. Soriano, Jr. already filed their Answer, to petitioners' complaint, and the claims being asserted were made against said parties. A responsive pleading

having been filed, amendments to the complaint may, therefore, be made only by

leave of court and no longer as a matter of right. However, in Tiu v. Philippine Bank of Communications,[4] the Court discussed this rule at length, to wit:

x x x [A]fter petitioners have filed their answer, Section 3, Rule 10 of the Rules of Court specifically allows amendment by leave of court. The said Section states:

SECTION 3. Amendments by leave of court. - Except as provided in the next preceding section, substantial amendments may be made only upon leave of court. But such leave may be refused if it appears to the court that the motion was made with intent to delay. Orders of thecourt upon the matters provided in this section shall be made upon motion filed in court, and after notice to the adverse party, and an opportunity to be heard.

This Court has emphasized the import of Section 3, Rule 10 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure in Valenzuela v. Court of Appeals, thus:

Interestingly, Section 3, Rule 10 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure amended the former rule in such manner that the phrase "or that the cause of action or defense is substantially altered" was stricken-off and not retained in the new rules. The clear import of such amendment in Section 3, Rule 10 is that under the new rules, "the amendment may (now) substantially alter the cause of action or defense."

This should only be true, however, when despite a substantial change or alteration in the cause of action or defense, the amendments sought to be made shall serve the higher interests of substantial justice, and prevent delay and equally promote the laudable objective of the rules which is to secure a "just, speedy and inexpensive disposition of every action and proceeding.

The granting of leave to file amended pleading is a matter particularly addressed to the sound discretion of the trial court; and that discretion is broad, subject only to the limitations that the amendments should not substantially change the cause of action or alter the theory of the case, or that it was not made to delay the action. Nevertheless, as enunciated inValenzuela, even if the amendment substantially alters the cause of action or defense, such amendment could still be allowed when it is sought to serve the higher interest of substantial justice, prevent delay, and secure a just, speedy and inexpensive disposition of actions and proceedings.

The courts should be liberal in allowing amendments to pleadings to avoid a multiplicity of suits and in order that the real controversies between the parties are presented, their rights determined, and the case decided on the merits without unnecessary delay. This liberality is greatest in the early stages of a lawsuit, especially in this case where the amendment was made before the trial of the case, thereby giving the petitioners all the time allowed by law to answer and to prepare for trial. 

Furthermore, amendments to pleadings are generally favored and should be liberally allowed in furtherance of justice in order that every case, may so far as possible, be determined on its real facts and in order to speed up the trial of the case or prevent the circuitry of action and unnecessary expense. That is, unless there are circumstances such as inexcusable delay or the taking of the adverse party by surprise or the like, which might justify a refusal of permission to amend.[5]

x x x."