G.R. No. 107545 - UNICANE WORKERS UNION-CLUP AND ITS MEMBERS, VS. NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS COMMISSION, UNICANE FOOD PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION AND ITS OWNER-MANAGER, BENIDO ANG.

Ruling

WHEREFORE, in view of all the foregoing considerations, judgment is hereby rendered, as follows: 1. Ordering the respondents to reinstate immediately all the thirty-six (36) complainants to their former positions under the same terms and conditions prevailing prior to their dismissal, or at the option of the respondents, to reinstate them in the payroll, without loss of seniority rights and other privileges and benefits, plus full backwages from the time of their illegal dismissal on the second week of June 1990 up to their actual reinstatement, partially computed in the amount of P27,768.00 for each complainant or a total of P999,648.00 for all the 36 complainants (computation of one year backwages only); 2. Ordering respondents to pay the following monetary claims: a. Overtime pay P1,998,817.26 b. 5-days incentive leave pay 30,940.00 c. 13th month pay 140,194.88 3. Claims for salary differentials, holiday pay and rest day pay are dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence; and, 4. Claim for payment of damages is denied for lack of merit." Respondents appealed from said decision alleging serious errors in the findings of fact of the labor arbiter and lack of basis in law and in fact for the computation of the monetary award. The appeal was filed on time, but without a cash or surety bond. Instead, respondents filed a motion for reconsideration with prayer that respondent company be allowed to file the bond after the monetary award was recomputed. Petitioners filed opposition to the appeal with motion to dismiss, alleging that (i) respondents were afforded full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence, but that they did not avail of the same; and (ii) the appeal was not perfected due to the failure to file the required supersedeas bond. During the pendency of the appeal, the petitioners through their authorized representative filed with respondent Commission a Quitclaim and Release, together with a Special Power of Attorney [4] dated July 15, 1991 which was signed by the 36 complainants-petitioners and provided, inter alia : "That we, the undersigned and complainants of NLRC Case No. RAB-III-06-1589-90, all of legal ages, residents of San Fernando, Pampanga, has made, constituted and appointed Mr. Francisco E. Viola to be our true and lawful attorney-in-fact to prosecute and negotiate our case now pending in the Regional Arbitration Branch No. III of the NLRC, San Fernando, Pampanga, bearing Case No. RAB-III-06-1589-90 entitled UNICANE WORKERS UNION-CLUP AND ITS MEMBERS vs. UNICANE FOOD PRODUCTS MFG. CORP. AND ITS OWNER/MANAGER BENIDO ANG, respondents, as well as other case/s that may arise in the course of our representation, to do and perform the following acts and deeds, namely: To represent us in the prosecution of the aforementioned case/s including other case/s that may arise in the course of their representation, to make demands, to compromise, to collect and receive any and all sums of money, whether in cash or check, which are now