Lockheed Detective And Watchman Agency v. University Of The Philippines

JR., J.:

Before us is a petition for review on certiorari under Rule 45 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure , as amended, assailing the August 20, 2008 Amended Decision1 and December 23, 2008 Resolution2 of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. SP No. 91281. The antecedent facts of the case are as follows: Petitioner Lockheed Detective and Watchman Agency, Inc. (Lockheed) entered into a contract for security services with respondent University of the Philippines (UP). In 1998, several security guards assigned to UP filed separate complaints against Lockheed and UP for payment of underpaid wages, 25% overtime pay, premium pay for rest days and special holidays, holiday pay, service incentive leave pay, night shift differentials, 13th month pay, refund of cash bond, refund of deductions for the Mutual Benefits Aids System (MBAS), unpaid wages from December 16-31, 1998, and attorney's fees.

On February 16, 2000, the Labor Arbiter rendered a decision as follows:

WHEREFORE, premises considered, respondents Lockheed Detective and Watchman Agency, Inc. and UP as job contractor and principal, respectively, are hereby declared to be solidarily liable to complainants for the following claims of the latter which are found meritorious. Underpaid wages/salaries, premium pay for work on rest day and special holiday, holiday pay, 5 days service incentive leave pay, 13th month pay for 1998, refund of cash bond (deducted at P50.00 per month from January to May 1996, P100.00 per month from June 1996 and P200.00 from November 1997), refund of deduction for Mutual Benefits Aids System at the rate of P50.00 a month, and attorney's fees; in the total amount of P1,184,763.12 broken down as follows per attached computation of the Computation and [E]xamination Unit of this Commission, which computation forms part of this Decision: 1. JOSE SABALAS P77,983.62 2. TIRSO DOMASIAN 76,262.70 3. JUAN TAPEL 80,546.03 4. DINDO MURING 80,546.03 5. ALEXANDER ALLORDE 80,471.78 6. WILFREDO ESCOBAR 80,160.63 7. FERDINAND VELASQUEZ 78,595.53 8. ANTHONY GONZALES 76,869.97 9. SAMUEL ESCARIO 80,509.78 10. PEDRO FAILORINA 80,350.87 11. MATEO TANELA 70,590.58 12. JOB SABALAS 59,362.40 13. ANDRES DACANAYAN 77,403.73 14. EDDIE OLIVAR 77,403.73