GREGORIO ARANETA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION VS. NLRC, ET.

AL.
GR NO. 75925-26/ SCRA
October 29, 1987
Digest by: Angelo Lopez
Petitioners: Gregorio Araneta University Foundation (GAUF) and Obed
Meneses
Respondent: NLRC,
Private Respondents: Reyes et. al.
Petition: annul the decision of NLRC ordering Petitioners to reinstate Reyes
et. al. to their former positions
FACTS:
1. The President of GAUF, Cesar Mijares wrote to Minister of Labor
Ople soliciting his opinion on a proposed retrenchment and
reorganization program because of GAUFs financial difficulties.
2. Minister Ople then found no serious problem regarding the
retrenchment and said that it should be implemented without
prejudice to whatever benefits that might have accrued to employees.
3. GAUF then implemented the retrenchment requiring faculty
members and associates to submit courtesy letters of resignation or
else they may not be reappointed.
4. Private Respondents did not submit their courtesy resignations and
thus were given notices of termination.
5. Private respondents then filed cases for illegal dismissal, nonpayment of separation pay and other benefits.
6. The university denied the private respondents allegations saying that
the private respondents dismissal was due to their non-submission of
their resignation letters as directed and stated that by receiving the
terminal 30-day pay, the private respondents were operatively put in
estoppel to question their dismissal.
7. The Labor Arbiter upheld the dismissal of the Private Respondents
but the NLRC ordered them reinstated
ISSUE:
WON private respondents are in estoppel to question their dismissal

RULING/ RATIO:
NO, suffice it to state that the private respondents cannot waive their rights
because it is protected by no less than the Constitution. Section 18, Article 11
of the 1987 Constitution provides that "The state affirms labor as a primary
social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their
welfare." This constitutional protection to labor has been carried through all
our three (3) constitutions since 1935.
DISPOSITIVE: WHEREFORE, the instant petition is hereby DISMISSED.
The questioned decision of the National Labor Relations Commission is
AFFIRMED.
DOCTRINE: Section 18, Article 11 of the 1987 Constitution provides that
"The state affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect
the rights of workers and promote their welfare." This constitutional
protection to labor has been carried through all our three (3) constitutions
since 1935.