Practice question
A private employer proves a valid just cause but omits the required statutory notices. Under Agabon, does that procedural omission alone make the otherwise justified dismissal substantively illegal?
- Yes, automatically in every case.
- Yes, unless the worker signs a quitclaim.
- Yes, because cause and procedure are identical.
- No; the valid cause is distinguished from the procedural violation, which warrants the appropriate nominal damages.
- No, and therefore no remedy exists for the procedural breach.
Legal references
- Agabon v NLRC, G.R. No. 158693, November 17, 2004, en banc main decision, nominal damages for statutory due-process violation: https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/1/46232
- Jaka Food Processing Corporation v Pacot, G.R. No. 151378, March 28, 2005, en banc main decision, authorized cause and notice violation: https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2005/mar2005/gr_151378_2005.html
- Labor Code, DOLE consolidated 2022 edition, Articles 219, 258–260, 262–264, 274 and 278–279: https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/15242/PHL15242%202022.pdf; Articles 294 and 297–299.
- Civil Code, Articles 2221–2222: https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1949/ra_386_1949.html
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