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8 Arriola vs. Pilipino Star Ngayon
8 Arriola vs. Pilipino Star Ngayon
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* THIRD DIVISION.
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LEONEN, J.:
The prescriptive period for filing an illegal dismissal
complaint is four years from the time the cause of action
accrued. This fouryear prescriptive period, not the three
year period for filing money claims under Article 291 of the
Labor Code, applies to claims for backwages and damages
due to illegal dismissal.
This is a petition for review on certiorari of the Court of
Appeals’ decision[1] and resolution[2] in C.A.G.R. S.P. No.
91256, affirming the decision of the National Labor
Relations Commission. The Commission affirmed the Labor
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[1] Rollo, pp. 5057. This decision is dated August 9, 2006. Associate
Justice Bienvenido L. Reyes (now a Justice of this court) penned the
decision, with Associate Justices Jose C. Reyes, Jr. and Enrico A.
Lanzanas, concurring.
[2] Id., at pp. 5859.
[3] Id., at pp. 78.
[4] Id., at pp. 6061.
[5] Id., at pp. 6272.
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[6] Id., at p. 64.
[7] Id., at pp. 6567.
[8] Id., at pp. 8591.
[9] Id., at pp. 87 and 63.
[10] Id., at pp. 141155.
[11] Id., at p. 136.
[12] Id., at p. 97.
[13] Id.
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[14] Id., at p. 98.
[15] Id.
[16] Id., at pp. 9899.
[17] The year 2000 was a leap year.
[18] Rollo, pp. 9599.
[19] Id., at pp. 100104.
[20] Id., at pp. 105118.
[21] Id., at pp. 119120.
[22] Id., at p. 50.
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[23] Id., at p. 53.
[24] Id.
[25] Id.
[26] Id., at p. 54.
[27] Id., at pp. 5455.
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[28] Id., at p. 55.
[29] Id., at pp. 5556.
[30] Id., at pp. 5057.
[31] Id., at p. 58.
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[36] Id., at pp. 2529.
[37] Id., at p. 58, resolution dated January 29, 2007.
[38] Id., at pp. 5970.
[39] Id., at pp. 5960.
[40] Id., at p. 63.
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[41] Id., at pp. 6466.
[42] Id., at pp. 75105.
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[43] Texon Manufacturing v. Millena, 471 Phil. 318; 427 SCRA 377
(2004) [Per J. SandovalGutierrez, Third Division].
[44] Id.
[45] Auto Bus Transport Systems, Inc. v. Bautista, 497 Phil. 863; 458
SCRA 578 (2005) [Per J. ChicoNazario, Second Division].
[46] Republic Planters Bank v. NLRC, 334 Phil. 124; 266 SCRA 142
(1997) [Per J. Bellosillo, First Division].
[47] University of Pangasinan v. Hon. Confesor, 344 Phil. 134; 278
SCRA 591 (1997) [Per J. Romero, Second Division].
[48] Anabe v. Asian Construction (Asiakonstrukt), G.R. No. 183233,
December 23, 2009, 609 SCRA 213 [Per J. CarpioMorales, First Division].
[49] Southeastern Shipping v. Navarra, Jr., G.R. No. 167678, June 22,
2010, 621 SCRA 361 [Per J. Del Castillo, First Division].
[50] Callanta v. Carnation Philippines, Inc., 229 Phil. 279; 145 SCRA
268 (1986) [Per J. Fernan, Second Division].
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[51] Id., at p. 283; p. 273.
[52] Id.
[53] Id., at pp. 283 and 285; p. 275.
[54] LABOR CODE, Art. 290 provides:
Art. 290. OFFENSES.—Offenses penalized under this Code and the
rules and regulations issued pursuant thereto shall prescribe in three (3)
years.
[55] Rollo, p. 285.
[56] Id.
[57] Id., at p. 286.
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[58] Id., at p. 288.
[59] Id., at p. 289.
[60] Id., at p. 287.
[61] Id.
[62] Id.
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[63] Id., at pp. 287288.
[64] Id., at p. 289.
[65] Supra note 43.
[66] Id., at p. 321; p. 378.
[67] Id.
[68] Id., at p. 322; p. 379.
[69] Id., at p. 323; p. 379.
671
Grace filed her claim one year, one month, and 21 days
from her dismissal, her claims were filed within the three
year prescriptive period.[70]
With respect to Marilyn’s complaint for illegal dismissal
with claims for backwages, this court while citing Callanta
as legal basis ruled that the fouryear prescriptive period
under Article 1146 of the Civil Code of the Philippines
applied. Since Marilyn filed her complaint three days from
her dismissal, she filed her complaint well within the four
year prescriptive period.[71]
Applying these principles in this case, we agree that
Arriola’s claims for unpaid salaries have prescribed. Arriola
filed his complaint three years and one day from the time
he was allegedly dismissed and deprived of his salaries.
Since a claim for unpaid salaries arises from employer
employee relations, Article 291 of the Labor Code applies.
[72] Arriola’s claim for unpaid salaries was filed beyond the
threeyear prescriptive period.
However, we find that Arriola’s claims for backwages,
damages, and attorney’s fees arising from his claim of
illegal dismissal have not yet prescribed when he filed his
complaint with the Regional Arbitration Branch for the
National Capital Region of the National Labor Relations
Commission. As discussed, the prescriptive period for filing
an illegal dismissal complaint is four years from the time
the cause of action accrued. Since an award of backwages is
merely consequent to a declaration of illegal dismissal, a
claim for backwages likewise prescribes in four years.
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[70] Id., at p. 324; p. 380.
[71] Id., at p. 325; p. 381.
[72] University of Pangasinan v. Hon. Confesor, 344 Phil. 134; 278
SCRA 591 (1997) [Per J. Romero, Second Division]; Chavez v. Hon. Bonto
Perez, 312 Phil. 88; 242 SCRA 73 (1995) [Per J. Puno, Second Division].
672
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[73] RULES OF COURT, Rule 45, Sec. 1.
[74] New City Builders, Inc. v. NLRC, 499 Phil. 207, 212; 460 SCRA
220, 225 (2005) [Per J. Garcia, Third Division].
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[75] Century Iron Works, Inc. v. Bañas, G.R. No. 184116, June 19, 2013,
699 SCRA 157, 166 [Per J. Brion, Second Division].
[76] Id.
[77] G.R. No. 184116, June 19, 2013, 699 SCRA 157 [Per J. Brion,
Second Division].
[78] Id., at pp. 166167.
[79] Macasero v. Southern Industrial Gases Philippines, 597 Phil. 494,
498; 577 SCRA 500, 503 (2009) [Per J. CarpioMorales, Second
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Division], citing Uy v. Villanueva, 553 Phil. 69, 79; 526 SCRA 73, 8384
(2007) [Per J. Nachura, Third Division].
[80] Rollo, p. 136.
[81] Id., at p. 140.
[82] Cañedo v. Kampilan Security and Detective Agency, Inc., G.R. No.
179326, July 31, 2013, 702 SCRA 647, 658 [Per J. Del Castillo, Second
Division].
[83] Pure Blue Industries, Inc. v. NLRC, 337 Phil. 710, 716; 271 SCRA
259, 265 (1997) [Per J. Kapunan, First Division]
[84] Rollo, p. 54.
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[85] See Orozco v. The Fifth Division of the Honorable Court of Appeals,
584 Phil. 35; 562 SCRA 36 (2008) [Per J. Nachura, Third Division].
[86] Rollo, p. 54.
[87] Camua, Jr. v. NLRC, 541 Phil. 650, 657; 512 SCRA 677, 682 (2007)
[Per J. Quisumbing, Second Division], citing Cruz v. NLRC, 381 Phil. 775,
784; 324 SCRA 770, 778 (2000) [Per J. Purisima, Third Division].
[88] Id., at p. 657; p. 778.
676
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[89] Id.
[90] 387 Phil. 706; 331 SCRA 686 (2000) [Per J. Bellosillo, Second
Division].
[91] 438 Phil. 756; 390 SCRA 201 (2002) [Per J. Bellosillo, Second
Division].
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[92] 439 Phil. 309; 390 SCRA 473 (2002) [Per J. Corona, Third
Division].
[93] Rollo, p. 97.
[94] Villar v. NLRC, supra at pp. 709710; p. 688.
[95] Globe Telecom, Inc. v. FlorendoFlores, supra at pp. 760761; pp.
201202.
[96] Anflo Management & Investment Corp. v. Bolanio, supra at p. 313;
p. 475.
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[97] Rollo, p. 56.
[98] Urbanes, Jr. v. Court of Appeals, 486 Phil. 276, 283284; 355 SCRA
537, 546 (2004) [Per J. AustriaMartinez, Second Division].
** Designated as acting member per Special Order dated May 22, 2014
in view of the vacancy in the Third Division.
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