TodayisMonday,July06,2015
RepublicofthePhilippinesSUPREMECOURT
Manila
FIRSTDIVISION
G.R.No.82458September7,1989
CONCRETEAGGREGATESCORPORATION,petitioner,vs.NATIONALLABORRELATIONSCOMMISSIONandSOLITAB.LOPEZ,respondents.
SantiagoandSantiagoLawOfficeandFranciscoOrtigas,Jr.forpetitioner.
DioscoroG.Peligroforprivaterespondent.
GANCAYCO,J.:
The sole issue in this petition is whether or not private
respondent was constructively dismissed from
heremploymentwithpetitioner.
In1979,privaterespondentstartedtoworkwithpetitionerasprobationarypersonneldepartmentsecretary.Later,shewaspromotedtoSecretary"A"oftheAdministrativeLegal/CorporateDivisionofthepetitioner.Sometimein1983,
theGeneralManager,ArleoMagtibaycalledastaffmeetingandaccusedherasoneof
thosespreadinggossip to the effect that he has girlfriends in the
office. Since then, she felt a growing animosity of her
bosstowardsher.
OnSeptember19,1985,Magtibayinformedherthatthecompanywascreatinganewsecretarialstaffingpatternandaspecialprojectsgroupdesignedtolookintomoreincomegeneratingendeavors.Thecompanywasthensufferingfromfinancialreversesandithadtoretrenchmanyofitsemployees.Privaterespondentwastransferredtothespecialprojectscommitteetoconductfeasibilitystudiesonmanpowerexports.Anotheremployee,LilibethHonradowashiredandassignedtothesecretarialstaff.
Whenprivate respondent learnedofhernewassignment,she
feltdepressedandgotsick.Whenshe
reportedbacktowork,shedidnotknowwhattodoinhernewjob.Hertypewriterwastakenawayfromher.Shereceivedanofficememorandumaskingher
to report forworkat theoldengineeringoffice.Feeling that
shewasbeingeasedout,shehandeda letterof
resignationeffectiveOctober16,1985.Shewasgivenherseparationpayofonehalfmonthpayforeveryyearofservice,13thmonthpayandthesalaryforOctober115,1985forwhichshesignedaquitclaimandwaiver.
However,onNovember26,1985,shefiledwithpublicrespondentNationalLaborRelationsCommission(NLRC)acomplaint
for illegal dismissal, reimbursement of hospital expenses, moral
and exemplary damages andattorney'sfees.
In a decision datedOctober 30,1987, the labor arbiter ordered
the reinstatement of private respondent to
herformerpositionwithbackwagesfromOctober16,1985untilthedateofreinstatementandthatshebereimbursedP300.00asmaternitybenefitforhersecondchildbirthbypetitioner.PetitionerappealedtotheNLRCwhereinindue
course a resolution was promulgated on February 26, 1988 affirming
the appealed decision with themodification
thatprivaterespondentshouldreturn topetitioner
theamountshereceivedasseparationpayandthatshe isnotentitled
tomaternitybenefits.WhilePresidingCommissionerLourdesC.Javierconcurred
in
thesaidresolution,shedissentedbyadvancingtheviewthatconstructivedismissalwasnotsufficientlyestablished.
Hence,thehereinpetition.
Thepetitionisimpressedwithmerit.
Theenvironmentalcircumstancesofthecaseshowthatprivaterespondentvoluntarilyresignedfromemploymentandsignedthequitclaimandwaiverafterreceivingall
thebenefits forherseparation.While
itmaybetruethatherbossMr.Magtibayappearedtobehostiletowardsher,hedidnotshowbyhisactsanydesiretofireherfromemployment.At
that time, thecompanywassufferingbusiness lossesand ithadto
layoff54of
itsemployees.Privaterespondentcouldhavebeenincludedintheretrenchmentbutshewasnot.
Perhapsshefeltmisplacedwhenshewasreassignedtothespecialprojectsgroupwithaparticularassignmenttostudymanpowerexports.Petitioneralleges
thatasshehadexperienceand training inpersonnelwork,MBAunits and
connections in theMinistry of Labor andEmployment, shewas
consideredmost appropriate for thisnew assignment that may open the
way to expand the petitioner's business. On the other hand, her
formerpositionwasabolishedandinareorganization,asecretarialstaffwascreatedwhereinHonradowasappointed.Moreover,privaterespondentwasnot
theonlyemployeewhoresignedthen.Therewere100otheremployeeswhoresignedastheycouldseethatthefutureofthebusinesswasdim.Itwasonlyprivaterespondentwhofiledacomplaintagainstpetitioner.
It is thus clear that she was not eased out much less was she
forced to resign. This is a case of
voluntaryresignationandnotofaconstructivedismissal.
WHEREFORE, the petition is GRANTED. The decision of the National
Labor Relations Commission datedFebruary 26, 1988 is hereby set
aside and another decision is hereby rendered dismissing the
privaterespondent'scomplaint.Nocosts.
SOORDERED.
Narvasa,Cruz,GrioAquinoandMedialdea,JJ.,concur.
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