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712 Phil. 459
SECOND DIVISION
[ G.R. No. 186475, June 26, 2013 ]
POSEIDON INTERNATIONAL MARITIME SERVICES, INC.,
PETITIONER, VS. TITO R. TAMALA, FELIPE S. SAURIN, JR.,
ARTEMIO A. BO-OC AND JOEL S. FERNANDEZ, RESPONDENTS.
DECISION
BRION, J.:
We resolve in this petition for review on certiorari[1] the challenge to the September 30,
2008 Decision[2] and the February 11, 2009[3] Resolution of the Court of Appeals (CA)
in CA-G.R. SP No. 98783. These CA rulings set aside the December 29, 2006 and
February 12, 2007 Resolutions[4] of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) in
NLRC CA No. 049479-06. The NLRC, in turn, affirmed in toto the May 2006 Decision[5]
of the labor arbiter (LA) dismissing the complaint for illegal termination of employment
filed by respondents Tito R. Tamala, Felipe S. Saurin, Jr., Artemio A. Bo-oc and Joel S.
Fernandez against petitioner Poseidon International Maritime Services, Inc. (Poseidon),
and its principal, Van Doorn Fishing Pty, Ltd. (Van Doorn).
The Factual Antecedents
In 2004, Poseidon hired the respondents, in behalf of Van Doorn, to man the fishing
vessels of Van Doorn and those of its partners – Dinko Tuna Farmers Pty. Ltd. (Dinko)
and Snappertuna Cv. Lda. (Snappertuna) - at the coastal and offshore area of Cape
Verde Islands. The respondents’ contracting dates, positions, vessel assignments,
duration of the contract, basic monthly salaries, guaranteed overtime pay and vacation
leave pay, as reflected in their approved contracts,[6] are summarized below:
Artemio A. Booc
Joel S.
Fernandez
Felipe S.
Saurin, Jr.
Tito R. Tamala
Date
Contracted
June 1, 2004
June 24, 2004
July 19,
2004[7]
October 20,
2004
Position
Third Engineer
Chief Mate
Third Engineer
Ordinary
Seaman
Vessel
Assignment
M/V "Lukoran
DVA"
M/V "Lukoran
DVA"
M/V "Lukoran
Cetriri"
M/V "Lukoran
DVA"
Contract
Duration
Twelve (12)
months
Twelve (12)
months
Twelve (12)
months
Twelve (12)
months
Basic
Monthly
US$800.00
US$1,120.00
US$800.00
US$280.00
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