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SECOND DIVISION
[ G.R. No. 213961, January 22, 2020 ]
PRIME STARS INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION CORPORATION AND
RICHARD U. PERALTA, PETITIONERS, VS. NORLY M. BAYBAYAN
AND MICHELLE V. BELTRAN, RESPONDENTS.
DECISION
INTING, J.:
This is a Petition for Review on Certiorari[1] filed pursuant to Rule 45 of the Rules of
Court seeking to reverse and set aside the Decision[2] dated January 14, 2014 and the
Resolution[3] dated August 14, 2014 of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. SP No.
119224 which dismissed the petition filed by Prime Stars International Promotion
Corporation (Prime Stars) and Richard U. Peralta (Peralta) (collectively, petitioners).
The Antecedents
Prime Stars is a local recruitment agency with Taiwan Wacoal Co., Ltd., (Wacoal) and
Avermedia Technologies Inc. (Avermedia) as foreign principals. Peralta is one of the
officers of Prime Stars.
Norly M. Baybayan (Baybayan) was deployed by Prime Stars to Wacoal on June 12,
2007 for a contract period of 24 months or two years, with a monthly salary of
NT$15,840.00 per month.[4] However, he was only paid NT$9,000.00 a month and
upon inquiry, was informed that the amount of NT$4,000.00 was being deducted from
his salary for expenses for his board and lodging. Since he still had debts to pay back
home, he finished the contract and returned to the Philippines on May 19, 2009.[5] He
then instituted a complaint for underpayment of salaries and the reimbursement of his
transportation expenses against petitioners.[6] He further asserted that the petitioners
collected from him an exhorbitant placement fee.
On the other hand, Michelle V. Beltran (Beltran) was likewise recruited by Prime Stars
and was deployed to Avermedia as an "operator" who assembles TV boxes and USB.
Her contract duration was for two years with a monthly salary of NT$17,280.00.[7] She
was deployed on June 22, 2008 and was under the supervision of a Taiwanese
employee named "Melody." After a year, her services was abruptly and
unceremoniously terminated by her supervisor and was immediately repatriated to the
Philippines on July 3, 2009.[8]
Beltran then instituted a complaint for illegal dismissal and sought for the payment of
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