Pagtanggal ng kumpanya sa isang direktor

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Apr. 10, 2025

Dear Chief Acosta,

Direktor ako sa isang kumpanya. Isang araw ay naiwan ko ang aking baunan kaya bumalik ako sa aming opisina. Nadatnan ko si Topher, isa sa mga empleyado na pinamumunuan ko, na nagkakarga sa kanyang sasakyan ng isang kahon ng papel ng aming opisina. Naikuwento ko ang insidenteng ito sa aking kapwa direktor na si Andrea. Tinanong ako ni Andrea kung nagawan ko na ng ulat ang insidente ng pagnanakaw na ginawa ni Topher. Ipinaliwanag ko sa kanya na hindi na ako gagawa ng ulat sapagkat napagsabihan ko naman na si Topher at ibinalik din naman niya kaagad ang kanyang ninakaw. Makalipas ang isang linggo, pinatawag ako sa opisina ng bise presidente ng aming kumpanya at ako ay sinabihan na tatanggalin na diumano ako sa trabaho sa kadahilanang nawala na diumano ang tiwala nila sa akin bilang direktor dahil pinagtakpan ko diumano si Topher noong hindi ko inulat ang kanyang tangkang pagnanakaw ng mga papel ng kumpanya. Aking ipinaliwanag na hindi naman natuloy ang pagnanakaw at maliit na halaga lang naman ang nasangkot. May karapatan ba ang kumpanya na tanggalin ako sa aking trabaho? — Joselle

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Dear Joselle, 

Alinsunod sa Artikulo 282 ng ating Labor Code of the Philippines, maaaring matanggal sa trabaho ang isang empleyado para sa alinman sa mga sumusunod na dahilan:  

“ART. 282. Termination by employer. -- An employer may terminate an employment for any of the following causes:

(a) Serious misconduct or willful disobedience by the employee of the lawful orders of his employer or representative in connection with his work;

(b) Gross and habitual neglect by the employee of his duties;

(c) Fraud or willful breach by the employee of the trust reposed in him by his employer or duly authorized representative;

(d) Commission of a crime or offense by the employee against the person of his employer or any immediate member of his family or his duly authorized representatives; and

(e) Other causes analogous to the foregoing.”

Ayon sa nasabing probisyon ng batas, ang panloloko o sinasadyang paglabag ng empleyado sa tiwala na ipinagkaloob sa kanya ng kanyang employer o awtorisadong kinatawan ay maaaring maging sanhi ng pagtanggal sa trabaho. 

Sa iyong sitwasyon, ang hindi mo paggawa ng naaangkop na ulat sa insidente ng tangkang pagnanakaw ay maaaring magdulot ng pagkawala ng tiwala sa iyo ng kumpanya bilang isang direktor. Ang iyong sitwasyon ay katulad sa kasong East Asia Utilities Corp., et al., vs. Joselito Z. Arenas, (G.R. No. 211443, December 01, 2021), kung saan ipinaliwanag ng Korte Suprema, sa panulat ni Honorable Associate Justice Rosmari D. Carandang, na:

“In view of the nature of respondent’s occupation, his employment may be terminated for breach of trust under Article 297(c)30 of the Labor Code. To justify a valid dismissal based on loss of trust and confidence, the concurrence of two conditions must be satisfied: (1) the employee concerned must be holding a position of trust and confidence; and (2) there must be an act that would justify the loss of trust and confidence. These two requisites are present in this case.

The first requisite has already been established. Respondent, as the shift superintendent, certainly required the full trust and confidence of EAUC. As to the second requisite that there must be an act that would justify the loss of trust and confidence, however, the degree of proof required in proving loss of trust and confidence differs between a managerial employee and a rank and file employee. The Court already made the distinction between managerial employees and rank-and-file personnel insofar as terminating them on the basis of loss of trust and confidence; thus:

It must be noted, however, that in a plethora of cases, this Court has distinguished the treatment of managerial employees from that of rank-and-file personnel, insofar as the application of the doctrine of loss of trust and confidence is concerned. Thus, with respect to rank-and-file personnel, loss of trust and confidence, as ground for valid dismissal, requires proof of involvement in the alleged events in question, and that mere uncorroborated assertions and accusations by the employer will not be sufficient. In terminating managerial employees based on loss of trust and confidence, proof beyond reasonable doubt is not required, but the mere existence of a basis for believing that such employee has breached the trust of his employer suffices. As firmly entrenched in our jurisprudence, loss of trust and confidence, as a just cause for termination of employment, is premised on the fact that an employee concerned holds a position where greater trust is placed by management and from whom greater fidelity to duty is correspondingly expected.  The betrayal of this trust is the essence of the offense for which an employee is penalized.

Set against these parameters, respondent was validly dismissed based on loss of trust and confidence. As shift superintendent, respondent was expected to be always on top of any situation that may occur at the plant, which includes the safeguarding of the company’s assets. Evidently, the intricate position held by respondent required the full trust and confidence of EAUC.”

Tulad sa nasabing kaso, ikaw bilang direktor na kasama sa mga may mataas na posisyon sa iyong kumpanya ay pinagkalooban ng tiwala at kumpiyansa ng iyong kumpanya. Ang hindi mo pag-ulat ng tangkang pagnanakaw ay isang klase ng aksyon na maaaring makapagbigay-katwiran sa pagkawala ng tiwala at kumpiyansa ng kumpanya sa iyo. Hindi ka katulad ng ibang karaniwang empleyado kung saan kailangan pa ng patunay ng pagkakasangkot sa mga pinaghihinalaang kaganapan o insidente bago masabing nawalan na ng tiwala ang kumpanya. 

Hindi rin kinakailangan ng kumpanya ng proof beyond reasonable doubt na ikaw ay kasabwat sa tangkang pagnanakaw ng papel upang ikaw ay maalis sa trabaho. Sapat na kapag ang kumpanya ay may batayan para paniwalaan na linabag mo ang tiwala nila sa iyo dahil hindi mo ginawa ang iyong tungkulin bilang direktor ng kumpanya sa pamamagitan ng pag-uulat tungkol sa insidente ng tangkang pagnanakaw ng mga papel. 

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay. 

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.