Lawyer files P2M damage suit against restaurant chain prexy

CEBU, Philippines - A public attorney has filed a civil case for damages against a restaurant after finding a piece of broken glass in her iced tea during her dinner date with her husband earlier this year.

Lawyer Maria Lourdes Bragat is demanding P2 million in moral and exemplary damages as well as P50,000 attorney’s fee against Edwin Vincent Ortiz, president of a restaurant chain in the country.

Bragat said she and her fiancé now husband, Police Senior Inspector Albert Quilitorio, was having a dinner date in one of the respondent’s branches at the North Reclamation Area on January 6, 2013. (Restaurant’s name withheld)

She was surprised to see a piece of broken glass in her iced tea allegedly ruining their “romantic dinner”.

“What the plaintiff and her fiancé had all along considered a romantic dinner turned out to be a disaster, when plaintiff noticed a piece of broken glass in the glass of iced tea that she was drinking,” a portion of the complaint read.

The complainant said they immediately called the attention of the staff and demanded for their supervisor or manager to address the matter. The restaurant manager, Hermie Dumaguit, reportedly confirmed that her glass of iced tea has a piece of broken glass.

Bragat said she started to panic and called up her surgeon friend, Dr. Ferdinand Kionisala, to seek for medical advice. She was allegedly told to go to the hospital to be monitored. Bragat was confined at the hospital where she was made to undergo several medical procedures like Endoscopy.

 Bragat was found to have inflammation of esophagus and gastric erosions-body and antrum. The complainant said she spent her own money for the procedure and hospitalization but the defendant failed to reimburse her expenses despite formal demand.

Bragat said that the incident had caused her to be absent in her judicial duties as public attorney, thus, demanding a monetary compensation.

Bragat is asking P1 million moral damages, P1 million exemplary damages, and P50,000  attorney’s fees and litigation cost. She is assisted by counsels Giovanni Asensi Luna and Fitz Gerald Quinto.  (FREEMAN)