‘6. Termination of your employment with the Bank may be made by either party after notice of one (1) day in writing during probation, one
month notice upon confirmation or the equivalent of one (1) day’s or month’s salary in lieu of notice.’
"Florence O. Cabansag accepted the position and assumed office. In the meantime, the Philippine Embassy in Singapore processed the employment
contract of Florence O. Cabansag and, on March 8, 1999, she was issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, an ‘Overseas
Employment Certificate,’ certifying that she was a bona fide contract worker for Singapore.
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"Barely three (3) months in office, Florence O. Cabansag submitted to Ruben C. Tobias, on March 9, 1999, her initial ‘Performance Report.’ Ruben C.
Tobias was so impressed with the ‘Report’ that he made a notation and, on said ‘Report’: ‘GOOD WORK.’ However, in the evening of April 14, 1999,
while Florence O. Cabansag was in the flat, which she and Cecilia Aquino, the Assistant Vice-President and Deputy General Manager of the Branch
and Rosanna Sarmiento, the Chief Dealer of the said Branch, rented, she was told by the two (2) that Ruben C. Tobias has asked them to tell Florence
O. Cabansag to resign from her job. Florence O. Cabansag was perplexed at the sudden turn of events and the runabout way Ruben C. Tobias
procured her resignation from the Bank. The next day, Florence O. Cabansag talked to Ruben C. Tobias and inquired if what Cecilia Aquino and
Rosanna Sarmiento had told her was true. Ruben C. Tobias confirmed the veracity of the information, with the explanation that her resignation was
imperative as a ‘cost-cutting measure’ of the Bank. Ruben C. Tobias, likewise, told Florence O. Cabansag that the PNB Singapore Branch will be sold
or transformed into a remittance office and that, in either way, Florence O. Cabansag had to resign from her employment. The more Florence O.
Cabansag was perplexed. She then asked Ruben C. Tobias that she be furnished with a ‘Formal Advice’ from the PNB Head Office in Manila.
However, Ruben C. Tobias flatly refused. Florence O. Cabansag did not submit any letter of resignation.
"On April 16, 1999, Ruben C. Tobias again summoned Florence O. Cabansag to his office and demanded that she submit her letter of resignation, with
the pretext that he needed a Chinese-speaking Credit Officer to penetrate the local market, with the information that a Chinese-speaking Credit Officer
had already been hired and will be reporting for work soon. She was warned that, unless she submitted her letter of resignation, her employment
record will be blemished with the notation ‘DISMISSED’ spread thereon. Without giving any definitive answer, Florence O. Cabansag asked Ruben C.
Tobias that she be given sufficient time to look for another job. Ruben C. Tobias told her that she should be ‘out’ of her employment by May 15, 1999.
"However, on April 19, 1999, Ruben C. Tobias again summoned Florence O. Cabansag and adamantly ordered her to submit her letter of resignation.
She refused. On April 20, 1999, she received a letter from Ruben C. Tobias terminating her employment with the Bank.
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"On January 18, 2000, the Labor Arbiter rendered judgment in favor of the Complainant and against the Respondents, the decretal portion of which
reads as follows:
‘WHEREFORE, considering the foregoing premises, judgment is hereby rendered finding respondents guilty of Illegal dismissal and devoid of due
process, and are hereby ordered:
1. To reinstate complainant to her former or substantially equivalent position without loss of seniority rights, benefits and privileges;
2. Solidarily liable to pay complainant as follows:
a) To pay complainant her backwages from 16 April 1999 up to her actual reinstatement. Her backwages as of the date of the
promulgation of this decision amounted to SGD 40,500.00 or its equivalent in Philippine Currency at the time of payment;
b) Mid-year bonus in the amount of SGD 2,250.00 or its equivalent in Philippine Currency at the time of payment;
c) Allowance for Sunday banking in the amount of SGD 120.00 or its equivalent in Philippine Currency at the time of payment;
d) Monetary equivalent of leave credits earned on Sunday banking in the amount of SGD 1,557.67 or its equivalent in Philippine
Currency at the time of payment;
e) Monetary equivalent of unused sick leave benefits in the amount of SGD 1,150.60 or its equivalent in Philippine Currency at
the time of payment.
f) Monetary equivalent of unused vacation leave benefits in the amount of SGD 319.85 or its equivalent in Philippine Currency
at the time of payment.
g) 13th month pay in the amount of SGD 4,500.00 or its equivalent in Philippine Currency at the time of payment;
3. Solidarily to pay complainant actual damages in the amount of SGD 1,978.00 or its equivalent in Philippine Currency at the time of
payment, and moral damages in the amount of PhP 200,000.00, exemplary damages in the amount of PhP 100,000.00;
4. To pay complainant the amount of SGD 5,039.81 or its equivalent in Philippine Currency at the time of payment, representing attorney’s
fees.