LITONJUA, VS. TERESITA VIGAN.

Ruling

WHEREFORE, judgment is hereby rendered ordering respondents LITONJUA GROUP OF COMPANIES, EDDIE K. LITONJUA and DANILO LITONJUA to jointly and severally pay complainant TERESITA Y. VIGAN, the following amounts: Separation pay (P4,000 x 18) years.... = P72,000.00 Proportionate 13th" month pay (P8,000 x 8 months over 12) ... = 4,666.66 TOTAL AWARD.......... P76,666.66 All other causes of action are DISMISSED for lack of merit." Vigan appealed the decision to the National Labor Relations Commission which modified [7] the arbiter's decision by ruling that Art. 284 of the Labor Code is inapplicable in the instant case but affirmed the legality of the termination of the complainant based on her having effectively abandoned her job; the rest of the decision was affirmed. Vigan moved for a partial reconsideration which was denied in a resolution dated August 7, 1998. Dissatisfied, Vigan filed a petition for certiorari with the respondent Court of Appeals which rendered its assailed decision dated March 20, 2000 reversing the NLRC Resolution. The dispositive portion of the decision reads: [8] "WHEREFORE, premises considered, the assailed NLRC Decision and Resolution are hereby REVERSED and SET ASIDE . In its stead judgment is rendered ordering the respondents LITONJUA GROUP OF COMPANIES, EDDIE K. LITONJUA and DANILO LITONJUA jointly and severally to: (a) Reinstate complainant TERESITA Y. VIGAN if she so desires; or (b) pay her separation compensation in the sum of P8,000.00 multiplied by her years of service counted from February 2, 1979 up to the time this Decision becomes final; and in either case to pay Vigan; (c) full back wages from the time she was illegally dismissed up to the date of the finality of this Decision; (d) moral damages in the amount of P40,000.00; (e) exemplary damages in the amount of P15,000.00; and (f) attorney's fees of P10,000.00. SO ORDERED.