Asian Terminals v. Villanueva

CARPIO, J.:

The Case This is a petition for review1 of the 17 February 2000 Decision2 and the 5 May 2000 Resolution of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. SP No. 51086. The Court of Appeals set aside the decision of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) and ordered the reinstatement of respondents Renato P. Villanueva, Rolando T. Rodolfo,3 Alfredo L. Lanza, and Brendo S. Poquiz ("respondents") to positions substantially equivalent to their previous positions without loss of seniority rights, other privileges and benefits, and full backwages. The Facts Respondents were employees of Marina Port Services, Inc.4 (MPSI) and members of the Associated Workers Union of the Philippines (AWU).

In a letter5 dated 9 June 1993 to MPSI, the AWU president sought the dismissal from service of respondents who were expelled from AWU. On 11 June 1993, the MPSI issued a memorandum to respondents terminating them effective immediately pursuant to the closed-shop provision of the MPSI-AWU Collective Bargaining Agreement. Respondents filed a complaint6 for constructive illegal dismissal and unfair labor practice with the Arbitration Branch of the NLRC.

On 27 December 1995, Labor Arbiter Ernesto S. Dinopol ("Labor Arbiter Dinopol") rendered a decision, the dispositive portion of which reads:

WHEREFORE, judgment is hereby rendered declaring illegal the termination of complainants Renato P. Villanueva, Rolando T. Rodolfo, Brendo S. Poquiz and Alfredo Lanza, and ordering respondent Marina Port Services, Inc. to reinstate them to their former or equivalent positions without loss of seniority rights and other privileges and ordering both respondents Associated Workers Union of the Philippines (AWU) and Marina Port Services, Inc. to jointly and severally pay them their backwages from the time of their illegal dismissal on June 11, 1993 up to the time of their reinstatement which, computed as of today, amounts to: Renato P. Villanueva (₱130x26x29.5 mos.) ₱ 99,710.00 Rolando T. Rodolfo 99,710.00 Alfredo Lanza 99,710.00 Brendo S. Poquiz (₱3,800x29.5 mos.) 112,100.00 ₱ 411,230.00