Question

Scenario:

Maria filed a civil case against John for breach of contract. After a thorough examination of the evidence presented by both parties, the trial court rendered its judgment in favor of Maria. The court ordered John to pay Maria the amount of Php 1,000,000 as damages.

1. While reviewing the case, the trial court realized that it inadvertently made an error in its computation of damages. The correct amount of damages should have been Php 500,000 instead of Php 1,000,000. However, the judgment has already been entered and served to both parties. Discuss whether the court has the duty to correct the erroneous judgment and if so, how can it effectively do so? (5 points)
2. Six months after the judgment was rendered, Maria discovered new evidence that significantly affects the case and would have likely led to a different outcome. Can Maria file a motion for reconsideration or an appeal to have the judgment reconsidered based on the newly discovered evidence? Explain the effect of the duty to render judgment in this situation. (5 points)