Republic of The Philippines Baguio City: Reyes, Et Al. v. RP Guardians Security G.R. No. 193756

Reyes, et al. v. RP Guardians Security G.R. No.
193756 1 of 4
Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
Baguio City
THIRD DIVISION
G.R. No. 193756 April 10, 2013
VENANCIO S. REYES, EDGARDO C. DABBAY, WALTER A. VIGILIA, NEMECIO M. CALANNO,
ROGELIO A. SUPE, JR., ROLAND R. TRINIDAD, and AURELIO A. DULDULAO, Petitioners,
vs.
RP GUARDIANS SECURITY AGENCY, INC., Respondent.
DECISION
MENDOZA, J.:
Before the Court is a petition for review under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court, assailing the May 18, 2010 Amended
Decision and the September 13, 2010 Resolution of the Court of Appeals (CA), in C.A.-GR. SP No. 106643, which
modified the April 9, 2008 Decision of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) in NLRC LAC Case
No. 11-002990-07, insofar as the award of backwages, the computation of separation pay, and the refund for the
trust fund contributions are concerned.
The Facts:
Petitioners Venancio S. Reyes, Edgardo C. Dabbay, Walter A. Vigilia, Nemesio M. Calanno, Rogelio A. Supe, Jr.,
Roland R. Trinidad, and Aurelio A. Duldulao (petitioners) were hired by respondent RP Guardians Security
Agency, Inc. (respondent) as security guards. They were deployed to various clients of respondent, the last of
which were the different branches of Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank (Banco Filipino).
In September 2006, respondents security contract with Banco Filipino was terminated. In separate letters,
petitioners were individually informed of the termination of the security contract with Banco de Oro. In two (2)
memoranda, dated September 21, 2006 and September 29, 2006, petitioners were directed to turnover their duties
and responsibilities to the incoming security agency and were advised that they would be placed on floating status
while waiting for available post. Petitioners waited for their next assignment, but several months lapsed and they
were not given new assignments.
Consequently, on April 10, 2007, petitioners filed a complaint for constructive dismissal.
In its position paper, respondent claimed that there was no dismissal, of petitioners, constructive or otherwise, and
asserted that their termination was due to the expiration of the service contract which was coterminus with their
contract of employment.
On August 20, 2007, the Labor Arbiter (LA) rendered a decision in favor of petitioners ordering respondent to pay
petitioners separation pay, backwages, refund of trust fund, moral and exemplary damages, and attorneys fees.
Aggrieved, respondent appealed to the NLRC.
On April 9, 2008, the NLRC promulgated its decision sustaining the finding of constructive dismissal by the LA,
and the awards she made in the decision. The award of moral and exemplary damages, however, were deleted.
Reyes, et al. v. RP Guardians Security G.R. No. 193756 2 of 4
Upon denial of its motion for reconsideration, respondent filed a petition for certiorari before the CA.
On February 26, 2010, the CA rendered a decision dismissing the petition and affirming the assailed NLRC
decision and resolution.
On motion for reconsideration, the CA issued the Amended Decision dated May 18, 2010, modifying its earlier
decision. Citing Section 6.5 (4) of Department Order No. 14 of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE
D.O. No. 14), otherwise known as Guidelines Governing the Employment and Working Conditions of Security
Guards and Similar Personnel in the Private Security Industry, the CA reduced the computation of the separation
pay from one month pay per year of service to one-half month pay for every year of service; reduced the refund of
trust fund contribution from Sixty (P60.00) Pesos to Thirty (P30.00)Pesos; and deleted the award of backwages and
attorneys fees.
Hence, this petition anchored on the following:
GROUNDS FOR THE PETITION
8.0 The Court of Appeals has decided a question of substance in a way that is not in accord with law and with
applicable decisions of the Supreme Court concerning the Petitioners basic right to fair play, justice and due
process, with more reason that a conclusion of law cannot be made in the motion for reconsideration.
8.1 The first decision promulgated by the Court of Appeals on February 26, 2010 affirming the decision of the
NLRC awarding both backwages and separation pay of one month pay for every year of service can only be set
aside upon proof of grave abuse of discretion, fraud or error of law.
8.2 Petitioners are entitled to backwages for the period covered from the time the Labor Arbiter rendered the
decision in their favor on August 20, 2007 until said decision was reversed by the Court of Appeals in its Amended
Decision promulgated on May 18, 2010.
There is no doubt that petitioners were constructively dismissed. The LA, the NLRC and the CA were one in their
conclusion that respondent was guilty of illegal dismissal when it placed petitioners on floating status beyond the
reasonable six-month period after the termination of their service contract with Banco de Oro. Temporary
displacement or temporary off-detail of security guard is, generally, allowed in a situation where a security
agencys client decided not to renew their service contract with the agency and no post is available for the relieved
security guard. Such situation does not normally result in a constructive dismissal. Nonetheless, when the floating
status lasts for more than six (6) months, the employee may be considered to have been constructively dismissed.
No less than the Constitution guarantees the right of workers to security of tenure, thus, employees can only be
dismissed for just or authorized causes and after they have been afforded the due process of law.
Settled is the rule that that an employee who is unjustly dismissed from work shall be entitled to reinstatement
without loss of seniority rights and other privileges, and to his full backwages, inclusive of allowances and to his
other benefits or their monetary equivalent computed from the time his compensation was withheld up to the time
of actual reinstatement. If reinstatement is not possible, however, the award of separation pay is proper.
Backwages and reinstatement are separate and distinct reliefs given to an illegally dismissed employee in order to
alleviate the economic damage brought about by the employees dismissal. "Reinstatement is a restoration to a state
from which one has been removed or separated" while "the payment of backwages is a form of relief that restores
the income that was lost by reason of the unlawful dismissal." Therefore, the award of one does not bar the other.
In the case of Aliling v. Feliciano, citing Golden Ace Builders v. Talde, the Court explained:
Thus, an illegally dismissed employee is entitled to two reliefs: backwages and reinstatement. The two reliefs
provided are separate and distinct. In instances where reinstatement is no longer feasible because of strained
relations between the employee and the employer, separation pay is granted. In effect, an illegally dismissed
employee is entitled to either reinstatement, if viable, or separation pay if reinstatement is no longer viable, and
backwages.
The normal consequences of respondents illegal dismissal, then, are reinstatement without loss of seniority rights,
and payment of backwages computed from the time compensation was withheld up to the date of actual
reinstatement. Where reinstatement is no longer viable as an option, separation pay equivalent to one (1) month
salary for every year of service should be awarded as an alternative. The payment of separation pay is in addition to
payment of backwages. [Emphasis Supplied]
Furthermore, the entitlement of the dismissed employee to separation pay of one month for every year of service
should not be confused with Section 6.5 (4) of DOLE D.O. No. 14 which grants a separation pay of one-half month
for every year service, to wit:
6.5 Other Mandatory Benefits. In appropriate cases, security guards/similar personnel are entitled to the mandatory
benefits as listed below, although the same may not be included in the monthly cost distribution in the contracts,
except the required premiums for their coverage:
a. Maternity benefit as provided under the SSS Law;
b. Separation pay if the termination of employment is for authorized cause as provided by law and as enumerated
below:
Half-Month Pay Per Year of Service, but in no case less than One Month Pay, if separation is due to:
1. Retrenchment or reduction of personnel effected by management to prevent serious losses;
2. Closure or cessation of operation of an establishment not due to serious losses or financial reverses;
3. Illness or disease not curable within a period of 6 months and continued employment is prohibited by law or
prejudicial to the employee's health or that of co-employees; or
4. Lack of service assignment for a continuous period of 6 months.The said provision contemplates a situation
where a security guard is removed for authorized causes such as when the security agency experiences a surplus of
security guards brought about by lack of clients. In such a case, the security agency has the option to resort to
retrenchment upon compliance with the procedural requirements of "two-notice rule" set forth in the Labor Code
and to pay separation pay of one-half month for every year of service.
In this case, respondent would have been liable for reinstatement and payment of backwages. Reinstatement,
however, was no longer feasible because, as found by the LA, respondent had already ceased operation of its
business. Thus, backwages and separation pay, in the amount of one month for every year of service, should be
paid in lieu of reinstatement.
As to their claim of attorney's fees, petitioners were compelled to file an action for the recovery of their lawful
wages and other benefits and, in the process, incurred expenses. Hence, petitioners are entitled to attorney's fees
equivalent to ten percent (10%) of the monetary award.
Finally, as to the refund of the trust fund contribution, a perusal of the records shows that the amount deducted for
the trust fund contribution from each petitioner varies. Some petitioners were deducted the amount of P15.00 every
payday while others were deducted P30.00 every payday. Thus, the Court deems it proper to refer the computation
of the same to the LA.
WHEREFORE, the pet1t10n is GRANTED. The May 18, 2010 Amended Decision and the September 13, 2010
Resolution of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. SP No. 106643 are REVERSED and SET ASIDE. The April 9,
2008 Decision of the National Labor Relations Commission, modifying the August 20, 2007 Decision of the Labor
Arbiter, is REINSTATED.
The case is REMANDED to the Labor Arbiter for further proceedings to make a detailed computation of the exact
amount of monetary benefits due petitioners.
SO ORDERED.
Velasco, Jr., (Chairperson), Peralta, Abad, and Leonen, JJ., concur.

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