SC affirms COA denial of transit employees’ money claims

The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) that employees of the now-defunct Metro Transit Organization Inc. (MTOI) cannot seek compensation from the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

In a decision, the SC En Banc found that LRTA and the MTOI cannot be held liable for the backwages and separation pay of the former employees and members of the Pinag-Isang Lakas ng Mga Manggagawa sa Metro (PIGAS).

GMA News Online has sought comment from PIGLAS but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

The employees of the MTOI, which had an operations and management agreement with the LRTA, were terminated after the LRTA no longer renewed the agreement following a strike in July 2000 over a bargaining deadlock.

They then filed a complaint against MTOI and the LRTA for illegal dismissal and unfair labor practices.

The Labor Arbiter later ruled that their dismissal was illegal and ordered MTOI and LRTA to pay them separation pay and backwages amounting to P208.2 million.

However, in its ruling, the Supreme Court cited a previous decision that found that the LRTA cannot be held liable as the Labor Arbiter and the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) had no jurisdiction over the LRTA.

“This rendered their judgment void, with no force and effect. The COA was correct to deny the money claim against the LRTA,” the SC said in a statement. --VAL, GMA Integrated News