Deoferio, Vs. Intel Technology Philippines, Inc.

[ G. R. No.20 29 6 . Jun e 1 8,20 14 . ] MAR LO A .DEO FERI O ,p et i t i oner ,vs.I NTE L TE CHNOLO GY PHI LI PPI NES,I NC. and/ orMI KE WEN TLI N, Gr esp on de nt s .

Facts: I nt el Te ch nol ogy Phi l i ppi nes,(I nn c. I t el ) empl oye d Deof er i o as a pr odu ct qu al i t y and r el i abi l i t y engi ne er .I nt el assi gned hi m t o t he Uni t ed St at es as a val i dat i on engi ne er f or an agr eed per i od of t wo ye ar s.How eve r , Deof er i o was e r pa t r i at ed t ot he Phi l i pp i nes a f t er bei ng co nfin ed at Pr ov i denceSt . Vi nce nt Med i cal Cen t er or f aj mor ep dr essi on wi t h psycho si s.I n t he Phi l i pp i ne s, he wor kedas a pr od uct engi neer . Deof er i o under went a se r i es of medi ca l an d psych i at r i c t r eat ment at I nt el ' s exp ense af t er hi s confin em en ti n t he Uni t ed St at es.eHwasdi ag no sedbysever alphysi ci an s t hat suffer i ng f r om moo d di so r der , maj or de pr ess i on, and audi t or y hal l uci nat i on. Af t er se ve r al co nsu l t at i ons,Dr . Lee i ssu ed a psych i at r i c r epor t co ncl udi ng and st at i ng t hat Deof er i o' s psych ot i c sym pt oms ar e not r cu abl e wi t hi n a pe r i od of si x mon t hs an d " wi l l ne ga t i vel y affe ct i s h wor k an d soci al el r at i on wi t h hi s cowor ke r [ s] . " Pur su ant t o h t esefin di ngs,I nt el i ss ued D eof er i o anot i ceof t er mi nat i on o n M ar ch10, 2006. Deof er i o r esp onded t o hi s e t r mi nat i on of empl oym ent by l fi i ng a co mpl ai nt f or i l l egal di sm i ss al wi t h pr aye rf or on meycl ai ms a ga i nst r esp on de ns t nt Iel andMi ke ( r Wen espo t nd l i ng en t s) . He de ned i t ha t he eve r had ment al i l l nessand i nsi st ed t hat he sa t i sf act or i l y p er f or med hi s d ut i es a s apr oductengi neer . He ar gued t hat I nt el vi ol at ed hi s s t at ut or y ri ght t o pr oce dur al due pr oce sswhen i t su mmar i l y ss iued a not i ce of t er mi nat i on. I n de f en se ,t he r esp onden t s a r gu ed t hat Deof er i o' s d i sm i ssa l was b ase d on Dr . Lee ' s c er t i fica t i on t ha t :( 1) s hi sch i zop hr en i a was no t cu r ab l e wi t hi n a pe r i od of x si mon t hs eve n wi t h pr op er m edi ca l t r ea t ment ; an d ( 2) s hi con t i nu ed em pl oym en t wou l d be pr ej ud i ci alt o hi s a nd t o t he ot he r em pl oye es ' heal t h. T he r esp ondent s a l soi nsi st ed t ha t Deof er i o' s p r ese nceat I nt el ' s p r emi se s w oul d po sean act ual ha r m t o hi s coem pl oyees asshow n byhi s pr evi ou s act s.On May8,20 03 , Deo f er i o em ai l edanI nt el em pl oyee wi t h hi ts m essa ge :" Al lsou l ' s da y ba ck ot w or k M on da y W W45 . 1" . On Ja nu ay r 18 , 20 05 , hecut t he mou se cabl es, st epp ed on t he keyboa r ds, an d di sar r an gedt he de sksfo hi s coem pl oyees. he T r esp on de ns t al sohi gh l i gh t ed t ha t Deo f er i o i ncu r r ed nu mer ou s ab sen ces f r om wor k du e t o hi s men t al co ndi t i on , sp eci fica l l y,f r om Ja nuar y 3 1, 200 2 u nt i l Febr uar y 2 8, 2002,f r om Aug ust2002 u nt i l Sept embe r 20 02 , an d f r om May20 03 un t i l Jul y 20 03 . D eo f er i o al sot oo k a n ad mi ni st r at i vel ea vewi t h pa y r f om Jan ua r y 200 5 un t i lDece mbe r 20 05 . The r es po nde nt s f ur t he r as se r t ed t ha t he t t wi nno t i ce r eq ur i em en t n i di sm i ssa l s do es no t ap pl y t o t er mi nat i ons under Ar t i cl e 284 ofLabor t he Code . Th ey em pha si zedhat t he t Lab orCode ' si mpl em en t i ng r ul es( I RR) onl y r equi r es a co mpet ent pu bl i c heal t h aut hor i t y' s ce r t i fica t i on t o effe ci ve tl y t er mi nat e t he se r vi ce s o f an em pl oye e.

I ss ues :

( 1) he Wt he r Deo f er i o wassuff er i ngf r om schi zop hr en i a an d whe t he r hi s co nt i nu edem pl oym en t was p r ej udi ci al t o hi s h eal t h, as w el l as o tt he heal t h of hi s c oempl oye es; ( 2) Whet her t he w t i nnot i cer equi r ement i n d i sm i ssa l s a ppl i es o tt er mi nat i ons d ue t o di se ase ; and

Rul i ng: 1) I nt elhadanau t hor i zed cau se otdi sm i ss eo Df er i of r om em pl oym en t . C on c o m i t antt o he t

empl oy er ' s i rht t g o f r eel y se l ectand e ngage a n e mpl oy ee s ih t e empl oye r ' s i r ght t o d i sch ar ge t he empl oye ef or j ustand/ or aut hor i ze d ca use s.Tova l i dl y e ffe ctt er mi nat i ons o f empl oy ment ,t hedi sch ar ge must be f or a l i d va cau sei nt heman ne rr eq ur i edbyl aw . Thepur po seof t he set wopr ong edqu ai fica l t i on s i s o t pr ot ectt he wor ki ng cl assf r om t he empl oye r ' s a r bi t r ar y a nd unr easo nabl e exe r ci seof i t s i r ght t o di sm i ss. Thus,i n e t r mi nat i on ca se s,t he aw l pl ace s he t bur den o f pr oof upon h t e e mpl oye rt o s how by su bst ant i al ev i dencet ha tt he t er mi nat i on was o f ra l aw f ul ca useand i nt he mann er r equi r ed byl aw .I n con cr et e e t r ms,t he se u q al i fica t i on s em bo dy he t du e p r oces s eq rur i em en ti n ab lo su r b ca st se an s t i ve — an d p r oc ed ur aldu e pr oce . ss Sub sa t nt i ve ue d pr oc es m ea ns hat t t het er mi na t i onmust beba se d o n j us tand/ oraut hor i z edc aus esofdi s mi s s al .Ont heot herhand,pr oc edur al duepr oc es sr equi r est he empl oye rt o e ffe ctt he d i sm i ssa li n amanner sp t e he ci fie Lab d or n i Code and i t s I RR. Thepr es en t ca sei nvo l ves t er mi nat i ondu e o t d i sea se— anau t ho r i ze d cau sef ordi sm i ssa l un de r Ar t i cl e 284 of h Labor t e Code . Assu ,t he Labor ode an C d i t s I RR r equi r e t he bst an t i ve r eq ui r em en t s pr ese nceof t he f ol l ow i ng el ement s: ( 1)An e mpl oyer ha s be enf ou ndt o b e su ffe r i ngf r om an y di sea se. ( 2) Hi s c ont i nued empl oym ent i s p r ohi bi t ed byl aw or pr ej udi ci al t o hi s h eal t h, as w el l as t ot he heal t h of hi s co empl oye es. ( 3) A co mpet ent publ i c h eal t h aut hor i t y c er t i fie s h t at t he di se asei s o f su chnat ur e or at su cha st ag e t ha ti t ca nn ot be cu r edwi t hi n a pe r i odofsi x mon t hseve n wi t h pr op ermed i ca lt r ea t ment . DaH SI T Wi t h r esp ecto t t he fir st and seco nd el em en t s, he t Cou r t i be lr al l y con st r ue d t he ph r ase as l as "prej udi ci al t o hi s hea l t h wel t o t he heal t h of hi s co empl oye es" otmean " pr ej udi ci al t o hi s heal t hort o t he heal t h ofhi s c oempl oye es" . We di d no tl i mi tt he sco peof t hi s p hr aset o co nt agi ous di se ase s o f rt he r easo n t hatt hi s p hr asei s p r ece de d byt a h n e yp d h i se r a a se se " "un der Ar t i cl e 284 of t he Labor Code , t o wi t : Ar t . 28 4. Di sease as gr ou nd f ort er mi na t i on —. An em pl oy er ay m t er mi nat e t he any ser vi cesfo anem pl oyee whohas bee n f ound t o besuffer i ng di sease f r om and p r ej udi ci al othi s hea l t h as who secon t i nu edem pl oym en ti s pr oh i bi t edbyl aw or s i wel l as ott he hea l t h of hi s co em p : l oy Pee r ov s i ded, Tha t he i s p ai d se par at i on pay equi va l ent t o at l eastone ( 1) mont h sa l ar y o rt o onehal f( 1/ 2) mont h sa l ar y o f r eve r y ye ar o f ser vi ce , w hi ch eve r s i gr eat er , af r act i on of ateast l x si ( 6) m ont hs bei ng co nsi der ed a s on e 1 ( ) whol e ye ar .[ under sco r es,i t al i cs na d e mphase s ou r s] Consi st ent wi t h t hi s c onst r uct i on, we appl i ed t hi s p r ovi si on i n r eso l vi ng i l l egal di sm i ss al ca se s d ue t ononco nt ag i ous di sea ses su chas s t r oke , hear t at t ack , ost eoar t hr i t i s,and eyeca t ar act , among ot her s.

I nBabyBus,I nc.v.Mi ni st er of ,Lab we oruphel d t he l abor ar bi t r at i on' s fi ndi ng t hat Ja cn i t o Mangal i no' s cont i nu ed em pl oym en t — af t er e h suffe r ed sever alst r okes — wou l d be pr ej udi ci alt o hi s he at l h. I n Dut ert e v.Ki ng sw oo d Tr ad i ng Co, . ,I nc w e.r eco gni ze d t he appl i ca bi l i t y of Ar t i cl et he 284Labo ofr Code o t hear t at t ack s.I n t hat ca se , we hel d t hat t he empl oy er co mpany' sf ai l ur e t o pr ese nt a ce r t i fic at i on f r om a publ i c h eal t h aut hor i t y e r nder ed Roque Dut er t e' s e t r mi nat i on due t o a hear t at t acki l l egal . We al so appl i ed t hi s p r ov i s i onSy i n v. Cou r t ofAppe t a o l sd et er mi ne w het he r Ja i me S ahotwas l l i ega l l y d i sm i sse d du e t o var i ou s ai l men t s su ch as pr es l eyo pi a, hyp er t ens i ve r et i no pa t hy, st eo oart hr i t i s, nd a he art en l ar ge men t , amon g o t he r s. Man I nl y E xp r ess, I nc. v.Payon , g , r J . w e ul redt ha tt heem pl oye r co mpan ys ' nonpr ese nt ment of a ce r t i fica t i on f r om a pub l i c heal t h au t hor i t y wi t h r esp ectt o Romual do Payo ng Jr . ' s eyeca t ar actwas a f t al t o i t s d ef ense . ACaTI c su an t i at est The t hi r d el em en tbst he con t en t i on t ha tt he em pl oyee ha s i nd ee d be en suff er i ng f r om a di se aset hat :( 1) s ipr ej udi ci al t o hi s heal t h as wel l as t o t he heal t h of hi s co empl oye es;and ( 2) can notbecu r edwi t hi n a pe r i odof si x m on t hseve n wi t h pr op er ed mi cal t r ea t men t . Wi t ho utt hemed i cal can benoau t ho r i zed cau se ce r t i fic at e, h t er e o fr t he em pl oye e' s d i sm i ssa l . Theab se nc e oft hi s e l em ent t hus e r nder s h t e d i sm i ss vo ai l dand i l l egal .

The cer t i ficat i on f r om a com pe t en t p ub l i c he at l h au t ho r i t y i s pr eci sel y t he su b st an t i al evi den cee r qui r ed by l aw t o pr ovet he exi st enceof t he di se asei t se l f ,i t s noncu r abi l i t y wi t hi n a per i od of si x m ont hs e ve n wi t h pr op er medi ca lt r eat ment , and t he pr ej udi cet hat i t woul d ca uset o t he heal t h of t he si ck mpl e oye e a ndt o ho tse f ohi s coem pl oye es . I n t he cu r r en t ca se , we ag r ee wi t h t he CA t hat Dr . Le e' s psych i at r i c r epor t su bst ant i al l y pr ove s t hat Deo f er i o was s uffe r i ng f r om sch i zo phr eni a, t hat hi s d i se asewas n otcu r abl e wi t hi n a per i od of si x mon t hseve n wi t h pr op er ed mi ca lt r ea t men t , an d t ha t hi s co nt i nu edem pl oym en t wou l d bepr ej ud i ci alt o hi s m ent al heal t h. Thi s c oncl usi on i s u f r t her su bst ant i at ed by h t e unusu al and bi za r r e act s h t at Deof er i o co mmi t t ed whi l e a tI nt el ' s e mpl oy. CASI Ea

2)Thet wi nnot i cer equi r ementappl i est ot er mi nat i onsunderAr t i cl e284oft he abo L r Cod . e The

Labor Code and i t s I RRar e si l ent on pr t he oc ed ur aldu e p r oce ss r equi r ed i n t er mi nat i ons d ue t o di se ase . Desp i t et hese emi ng ga pi n h t el aw , Sect i on2, Rul e 1, B I R o R oke xp V I r ess of l yt he s t at es h t at t heem pl oyee sho ul d b e a ffo r de d p r oce du r aldu e p r oce al l ss ca se n s i o f di sm i ss al s. I nSy v. Cou r t ofApp ea an l d sMan l y E xp r es s,I nc . v.Payon , g , r J . pr om ul ga t edi n 20 03 nd a 20 05, r espe ct i vel y,t he Cou r t fin al y l pr on ou nc ed t he r ul e t ha tt he em pl oye r m us tf ur ni sh t he em pl oye e t wo wr i t t en not i ce s i n t er mi nat i on s due t o di se ase , namel y:( 1) h t e no t i cet o app r i se t he empl oye e of he t gr ound f or whi chhi s d i sm i ssa li s so ught ; and ( 2) t he not i cei nf or mi ng t he empl oye e of hi s d i sm i ssa l ,t o be i ssued af t er he t em pl oyee ha s be en gi venr ea sona bl e op po r t un i t y t o an sw er and t o be he ad r on hi s def ense . Theser ul i ngs e r i nf or cet he St at e pol i cy f opr ot ect i ng t he wor ke r s r f om bei ng t er mi nat ed wi t hout ca useand w i t hout affo r di ng h t em t he oppor t uni t y o t e xp l ai n t hei r si de of t he c ont r ove r sy.