Dismissed LRTA workers seek SC oral arguments to address illegal dismissal

MANILA, Philippines — Former employees of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) urged the Supreme Court (SC) to conduct oral arguments for their petition, seeking a review of their alleged illegal dismissal from the state-controlled transport firm.

In a statement on Tuesday, the illegally dismissed employees said that an oral argument by the SC can result in a speedy resolution by the high court on the issue “considering the voluminous records of their case whose execution proceeding spans about 20 years.”

In a statement on Tuesday, the employees who were illegally dismissed said that a Supreme Court oral argument could lead to a swift resolution by the high court, especially “considering the voluminous records of their case whose execution proceeding spans about 20 years.”

The case stemmed from the LRTA's decision not to renew its contract with Metro Transit Organization Inc. (MTOI) following a strike in 2000 that paralyzed operations. This resulted in the termination of the entire workforce of the state-controlled transport firm.

The labor arbiter (LA) declared in 2004 that the employees’ dismissal was illegal and ordered LRTA to grant separation pay, full back wages and other payments and fees. 

The LA resolution was then affirmed by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) in May 2006, which was concurred by the SC in April 2008.

“In the implementation of their judgment award, the said LRT employees as the prevailing party submitted an updated computation of judgment award with legal interest to the Labor Arbiter and which was approved by the NLRC with finality in the amount of P461,554,636.77, as of  Feb. 13, 2018,” the press release read.

However, in September 2023, the Commission on Audit overturned the SC decision, rendering the LA decision invalid.

In reversing the high court’s decision, state auditors said that the LRTA has no liability to the terminated employees, emphasizing the separation of the firm from the MTOI.

The former employees said that the SC should immediately grant their motion as it would give justice to the terminated employees. 

“The increasing number of their ranks are suffering from all kinds of life-threatening ailments resulting from their impoverishment, unemployment and stress on their protracted execution proceeding,” the press release read, quoting labor group PIGLAS President Paul Legaspi.

“Worse, more than 30 of their ranks already died without even seeing a doctor for most of them,” he added.