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INATASAN ng Korte Suprema ang pamunuan ng Philippine National Bank (PNB) na ibigay ang cost of living allowance (COLA) at iba pang benepisyong nakalaan sa mga empleyado, kasabay ng pagbasura ng petisyon ng naturang bangko laban sa mga kapasyahan ng ng Court of Appeals (CA) at Pasay City Regional Trial Court.
Ayon sa Korte Suprema, kailangan ibigay ng PNB ang 40% ng COLA at 10% amelioration allowance para sa mga panahon mula Hulyo 1989 hanggang Mayo 1996.
“PNB was given several opportunities to show how respondents were not entitled to their monetary claims, or how it has no duty to pay the same. However, instead of using these opportunities to present evidence, PNB insisted on employing delays, filing unnecessary pleadings, and asking for several postponements,” saad sa isang bahagi ng pasya ng Korte Suprema.
“In fact, PNB’s prayer in the instant petition for the remand of the case to the RTC appears to be another futile attempt to delay the payment of respondents’ monetary claims. To the Court’s mind, PNB could no longer be allowed to assert that no evidence has been presented when such is due to its own fault,” dagdag pa ng Kataas-Taasang Husgado.
Paliwanag ng Korte, napatunayan ng mga empleyado ang kanilang karapatan sa COLA at iba pang benepisyong nakasaad sa ilalim ng Republic Act 6758 (Salary Standardization Law).
Tugon naman ng PNB, isinama na nila ang COLA at iba pang benepisyo sa buwanang sweldo ng mga empleyado.
