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since the company-designated physician had already made an assessment of his
disability, which should be respected, pursuant to Section 20 (B) 3 of the POEA-SEC.
Lastly, the petitioners reiterate that Cabatay is not entitled to damages and attorney's
fees because they have not committed any act of bad faith in dealing with him. From
the moment he was repatriated, they point out, he was taken care of, and was referred
to the company doctor for examination and treatment until he attained maximum cure.
Cabatay's Position
In his comment[15] dated September 22, 2014, Cabatay prays for a dismissal of the
petition for lack of merit, contending that:
1. His claim for full disability benefits had not been mooted even after he secured the
execution of the $46,000.00 awarded by the NLRC. The ruling in Career Philippines
Ship Management, Inc. v. Geronimo Madjus,[16] invoked by the petitioners, is not
squarely applicable in his situation. In that case, the manning agency executed the
judgment award in favor of the seafarer to prevent its imminent execution while it
pursued its petition for certiorari with the CA.
In the same case, the Court considered the Conditional Satisfaction of Judgment as an
amicable settlement between the parties, which rendered the agency's petition for
certiorari academic, thereby putting closure to the case; otherwise, it would place the
seafarer at a disadvantage. The Court explained that while the agency had other
remedies available to it, such as its petition for certiorari itself and eventually an appeal
to the Court, the seafarer could no longer pursue other claims, including the award of
interest that may accrue during the pendency of the case.
In the present dispute, Cabatay points out, he was the one who enforced the NLRC
award, without prejudice to his petition for certiorari before the CA. He simply moved
for execution of the uncontested portion of the award, which is allowed under the NLRC
rules of procedure; but unless he makes an unequivocal waiver of his right to pursue
the case, the petitioners should not assume that he is giving up the balance of his
claim.
2. He is entitled to full disability benefits. The TCC-FA, whose applicability the
petitioners acknowledge, requires only that the seafarer is deprived of employment on
account of an accident which occurred during his tour of duty, to be entitled to 100%
compensation. Thus, all that he has to prove is the loss of his profession because of his
disability.
He insists that he has already lost his employment or his "profession." The company
doctor's certification showed that he has a severe communication handicap, severe
fracture of the spine, and impeded elevation of the arm at 90 degrees. Moreover, the
petitioners themselves have not re-hired him. This is an indication, he submits, that he
would no longer pass any pre-employment medical examination (P.E.M.E).
3. The award of attorney's fees to him is proper because he had to secure the services
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