WHEREFORE, premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered ordering respondents Goodrich Manufacturing Corp. to pay the complainants the following:
Names SEP. PAY 13th Mo. Pay SILP ECOLA SUBTOTALWaiver &
Quitclaim TOTAL
AWARD [Emerlina] Ativo 26,000.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 65,478.44 20,489.58 44,988.86 Warry Balinton 6,500.00 10,075.00 1,937.50 9,434.10 27,946.60 10,625.00 1,732.16 (sic) Jennifer Casas 19,500.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 58,978.44 20,043.13 38,935.31 Michael Fernandez 19,500.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 58,978.44 29,012.76 29,965.68 Rolando Isla 13,000.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 58,978.44 18,225.92 40,752.52 Mark Jon Martin 19,500.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 52,478.44 20,666.67 31,811.72Roberto Mendoza 13,000.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 52,478.44 16,722.71 35,755.73Robert Rago 6,500.00 9,434.10 1,937.50 16,312.40 27,946.60 20,533.96 7,412.64 Lovito Sebuano 19,500.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 58,978.44 20,342.62 38,635.82 Eliseo del Rosario 19,500.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 58,978.44 23,810.00 35,168.44 Edison Gamido 16,250.00 19,429.58 3,736.46 16,312.40 55,728.44 13,125.00 42,603.44 178,750.00 195,016.25 37,503.13 165,679.80 576,949.18 213,598.07
Total Award
365,351.11
All other claims are dismissed for lack of merit.
SO ORDERED. 8
Going over the complainants' deeds of waiver and quitclaim, We are convinced [that] the considerations they received are not unreasonable, vis-á -vis the awards granted [to] them in the assailed Decision. Notably, the awards even include the 13th month pays for 2002 and 2003 which, by respondents' proof (Rollo 219 to 233) appear already paid. We also noted that complainants are not shown to have signed the deeds of waiver and quitclaim involuntarily, without understanding the implication and consequences thereof. x x x.
Respondents' counterclaim is denied. There is no showing that complainants prosecuted their complaint in bad faith.
WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Decision appealed from is hereby REVERSED and SET ASIDE and complainants' monetary claims are hereby dismissed.
Respondents' counterclaim is also dismissed for lack of merit.
SO ORDERED. 9
The record is devoid of any indication that the petitioners were coerced into resigning from the company. On the contrary, the record supports the view that the petitioners chose to resign without any element of coercion attending their option. The quitclaim they executed in favor of the company amounts to a valid and binding compromise agreement. To allow petitioners to repudiate the same will be to countenance unjust enrichment on their part. The court will not permit such a situation.
x x x x
However, We defer to the findings of the [L]abor [A]rbiter that petitioners are entitled to their unpaid thirteenth month pay, ECOLA and service incentive leave pay (SIL) at the amounts computed by the [L]abor [A]rbiter. These are benefits to which petitioners are entitled by statute, and which private respondent[s] failed to disprove.
WHEREFORE, the questioned Decision and Resolution of respondent National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), Second Division, dated February 21, 2007 and January 29, 2008, respectively, are hereby SET ASIDE and the Decision of Labor Arbiter Florentino Darlucio, dated November 22, 2005, [is] REINSTATED.
SO ORDERED. 12
Not all waivers and quitclaims are invalid as against public policy. If the agreement was voluntarily entered into and represents a reasonable settlement, it is binding on the parties and may not later be disowned simply because of a change of mind. It is only where there is clear proof that the waiver was wangled from an unsuspecting or gullible person, or the terms of settlement are unconscionable on its face, that the law will step in to annul the questionable transaction. But where it is shown that the person making the waiver did so voluntarily, with full understanding of what he was doing, and the consideration for the quitclaim is credible and reasonable, the transaction must be recognized as a valid and binding undertaking. 17
Endnotes:
· Referred to as "Jennifer" in some parts of the rollo.
1 Penned by Associate Justice Jose L. Sabio, Jr., with Associate Justices Jose C. Reyes, Jr. and Myrna Dimaranan Vidal, concurring; rollo, pp. 25-32.
2 Rollo, pp. 34-35.
3 Id. at 100-105.
4 Id. at 106-108.
5 Id. at 80-87.
6 Id. at 36-46.
7 Id. at 47-57.
8 Id. at 86-87.
9 Id. at 104.
10 Id. at 106-108.
11 Id. at 109-148.
12 Id. at 30-32.
13 Id. at 13-14.
14 Sime Darby Pilipinas, Inc. v. Arguilla, G.R. No. 143542, June 8, 2006, 490 SCRA 183, 200.
15 Id. at 201.
16 G.R. No. 91298, June 22, 1990, 186 SCRA 724.
17 Id. at 730-731.
18 Rollo, pp. 85 and 104.
19 Id. at 230-243.
20 Id. at 232.
21 Id. at 233.
22 Id. at 234.
23 Id. at 47-57.
Save for the names, addresses, amounts, dates and signatures appearing thereon, the documents entitled Release, Waiver and Quitclaim are similarly worded as follows:KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT:
I, ____________________, Filipino, of legal age, single/married, with postal address at _______________________ having voluntarily served from my employment with GOODRICH MANUFACTURING CORP., hereinafter referred to as COMPANY, hereby acknowledged receipt of the sum of ________________ (Php ___________) Philippine Currency from the said COMPANY, in full payment and settlement of any and all claims of whatsoever kind and nature which I have or may have against the said COMPANY, its officers or employees on account of or incident to my employment therewith and severance thereof.
In consideration of the above-mentioned payment, I have released and forever discharged and by these presents do, for myself and my heirs release and forever discharged (sic) the said COMPANY and its officers and employees from any and all manner of action, damages, claims and demands whatsoever which I ever had, have or which I or my heirs hereafter can, shall or may have against the said COMPANY or its officers and employees, upon or by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever, the intention hereof being to completely, absolutely and finally release and absolve the said COMPANY, its officers and employees from any and all liabilities arising wholly or partially, directly or indirectly, from my employment and subsequent severance with the said COMPANY.
I freely declare that during the entire period of my employment with the said COMPANY, I received and was paid any and all consideration[,] including 13th month pay[,] service incentive leave pay[,] and all benefits and privileges to which I was entitled under by all laws by reason of such employment[,] and that I hereby renounce and waive my rights to any and all claims whatsoever, which I have or might have against the said COMPANY, its officers and employees[;] that I received the above consideration as full and final settlement of any and all such claims[;] and I further manifest that the payment of the above[-]mentioned amount shall not be taken by me, my heirs and successors and assigns as a confession and/or admission of liability on the part of said COMPANY, its officers and employees for any matter, cause demand[,] or damages I may have against them.
I hereby declare that I have read this document before signing it and the release and quitclaim hereby given is made willingly and voluntarily and with full knowledge of my rights under the law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto sign these presents this ___day of _________ at Manila, Philippines.___________________________
SIGNED IN THE PRESENCE OF:_______________________________ ___________________________
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this ___ day of _______ at Manila, Philippines.