Case Digest (G.R. No. 220647)
Facts:
Noli D. Aparicio and Renan Clarito v. Manila Broadcasting Company, G.R. No. 220647, December 10, 2019, First Division, Lazaro-Javier, J., writing for the Court.
Petitioners Noli Aparicio and Renan Clarito (together with co-complainants originally) were radio technicians employed by Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) assigned to stations in Bacolod (FFES Bacolod/DYEZ) and related facilities. On February 22, 2002 MBC, under a company program called “Hating Kapatid,” served notices terminating several employees effective thirty (30) days from notice; some employees signed quitclaims while others (including Aparicio and Clarito) filed complaints for illegal dismissal and attendant monetary and moral claims before the Labor Arbiter.
By Decision dated July 27, 2007, the Labor Arbiter found the dismissals illegal for lack of proof of financial losses and failure to apply fair criteria in selecting employees for redundancy, and awarded backwages, separation pay and attorney’s fees to the complainants. MBC appealed to the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), which, by Decision dated November 25, 2008, reversed the Labor Arbiter and upheld the retrenchments as a valid management reorganization; the NLRC denied reconsideration by Resolution dated April 24, 2009.
Petitioners brought the matter to the Court of Appeals via certiorari, challenging the NLRC’s findings and the timeliness of MBC’s appeal to the NLRC. In a Decision dated August 20, 2013 the Court of Appeals partly granted the petition: it reversed and set aside the NLRC decision with respect to respondents Dilig, Brillantes and Solutan, but upheld the NLRC’s disposition as to petitioners Aparicio and Clarito (finding their terminations valid). The Court of Appeals denied partial motions for reconsideration by Resolution dated August 25, 2015.
Only petitioners Aparicio and Clarito elevated their claims to the Supreme Court by a Petition for Review on Certiorari, contesting (1) ...(Pro-only)
Issues:
- Was MBC’s appeal to the NLRC timely filed?
- Were petitioners Noli Aparicio and Renan Clarito validly dismissed on the ground of redund...(Pro-only)
Ruling:
- (Pro-only)
Ratio:
- (Pro-only)
Doctrine:
- (Pro-only)