Friday, November 12, 2010

*Crickets* November 13 SPIT class

    Updates on the BAR Exam: MCQs
    Basis of grades:
    • Surprise quizzes every now and then + Recitation - 40%
      • If volunteer, mas mataas grade
    • Midterms - 30% (income tax + transfer tax)
    • Finals - 30% (VAT + Remedies)
    • Term paper on any Tax Topic if mababa grade
    TOPICS
    • Income tax
    • Transfer tax
    • Remedies
    • VAT
  1. In making TAX REVIEWER for the Bar, use sir's book
  2. NIRC Codal - Atty. Casasola
  3. Sir's style in teaching: more on codal and principles vs. Cases
  4. -but not by section, but by principles
    ***
    INCOME TAX
    -Title II: Income Tax
    -Title III: Transfer Tax
    -Title IV: VAT -Title VIII: Remedies
    INCOME TAX
    -includes withholding tax
    What is INCOME TAX
    -tax on income, profits or earnings
    ...on all profits
    ...fruits of capital
    COMPLETE DEFINITION - 3 essential elements
    1. Income/gain/profit
    2. Received/ accrued/realized during the taxable year
    3. NOT exempt from Income tax
    -a direct tax on income/gain/profit received/accrued/realized during the taxable year which is not exempt from taxation
    [DIRECT TAX: imposed upon the person upon whom tax is levied, he is not expected to pass it on to another person]
    • But supposed there is no express provision making VAT an indirect tax. Would it now be a DIRECT tax? NO. It is still an indirect tax, which is supposed to be passed on. So only value added yung definition
    • INCOME/GAIN/PROFIT
    -not all received are income. It may include not only income, but also a return of capital
    e.g. You borrowed money from the bank, w/ interest per annum. You pay what is due by the end of the year. The amount corresponding to the interest is not subject to income tax, because it is a return of capital
    - Profit (gain or loss) = selling price - cost (or adjusted basis)
    SP
    -C/AB
    G/(L)
    [note: sir said that if symbols in parenthesis, it is in the negative]
    [ADJUSTED BASIS: takes note of depreciation]
    E.G. We have a delivery truck. Cost you P1M to acquire delivery truck. Can you deduct full amount of P1M from your gross income? NO. Take note of depreciation rate.
    DEPRECIATION: amount that the law allows you to recover from your investment, determine useful life of the property.
    [note that there is a formula for computing depreciation]
    So in the example, what if after 5 years, you sell the truck at P800k. Do you gain or lose?
    Let's say P100k is the depreciation per year. So the value of the truck after 5 years is P500k. If you sell the truck at P800k, and its current value is P500k, there is a gain of P300k.
    P800k
    -P500k
    P300k
    • ACCRUED...
    • NOT EXEMPTED
    GR: exemptions are construed strictly against tax payer. He who claims exemption should prove claim (show tax provision providing for the same).
    -where do you find exemptions?
    Section 29(d)
    Section 30
    HOW DO WE TAX?
    2 types  of tax system adopted under tax code
    1. Global tax system: uniform tax on income imposed
    -why one rate? Because you consolidate all the kinds of income, then deduct all the allowable deductions, and on the net taxable income, you apply the rate imposed.
    -what are these items you group together?
    1. Schedular tax system: different kinds of income imposed different rates of tax
    -when applied in general, as opposed to the global tax system?  When the income/gain or profit is subject to the FINAL WITHHOLDING tax
    SEC 57(A): if not in Section 57, not subject to final withholding tax
    (A) Withholding of Final Tax on Certain Incomes. ‐ Subject to rules and regulations
    the Secretary of Finance may promulgate, upon the recommendation of the
    Commissioner, requiring the filing of income tax return by certain income payees,
    the tax imposed or prescribed by Sections 24(B)(1), 24(B)(2), 24(C), 24(D)(1);
    25(A)(2), 25(A)(3), 25(B), 25(C), 25(D), 25(E), 27(D)(!), 27(D)(2), 27(D)(3),
    27(D)(5), 28 (A)(4), 28(A)(5), 28(A)(7)(a), 28(A)(7)(b), 28(A)(7)(c), 28(B)(1),
    28(B)(2), 28(B)(3), 28(B)(4), 28(B)(5)(a), 28(B)(5)(b), 28(B)(5)(c); 33; and 282 of
    this Code on specified items of income shall be withheld by payor‐corporation
    and/or person and paid in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as
    provided in Section 58 of this Code.
    When do you say that an income is the final withholding tax?
    -imposed on the payor of the income, not the receiver
    -the income/profit...is always subject to income tax when it is subject to withholding tax!
    -it is subject to FINAL withholding tax if it is enumerated in Section 57(A)
    -it is final as to the amount?
    e.g. If i deposited P1k in the bank, the gross interest income (20%) would be P200, so only P800k would be credited to me, the depositor. But you do not receive any document from the bank saying they deducted the P200 from your account. They would remit the interest income tax to BIR. The P200 is the final withholding tax due actually to the depositor, but paid by the bank in behalf of the depositor, and so the depositor no longer needs to declare the interest income in your ITR because the bank paid it for you, the depositor, to the BIR!
    CREDITABLE WITHHOLDING TAX: Art. 57(B)
    (B) Withholding of Creditable Tax at Source. ‐ The Secretary of Finance may, upon
    the recommendation of the Commissioner, require the withholding of a tax on the
    items of income payable to natural or juridical persons, residing in the Philippines,
    by payor‐corporation/persons as provided for by law, at the rate of not less than
    one percent (1%) but not more than thirty‐two percent (32%) thereof, which shall
    be credited against the income tax liability of the taxpayer for the taxable year.
    *RR 2-98: different items of income subject to the creditable income tax - the tax basis and the creditable income tax applicable
    -if CREDITABLE: just follow the RR to determine how much is the tax to be withheld
    -the recipient of the income is still required to report the income on his ITR, and the withholding agent still withholds and remits the amounts withheld to BIR.
    For purposes of crediting, the withholding agent would give the recipient a CERTIFICATE OF TAX WITHHELD so that the recipient would be able to report it correctly to his ITR, which would be credited (since it was already remitted by the BIR in his behalf by the withholding agent)
    -applies GLOBAL tax system
    HOW TO COMPUTE INCOME TAX: GLOBAL TAX SYSTEM:
    GS (gross sales)
    -COS (Cost of sales)
    GI (Gross income
    -D (deductions)
    -PAE (Personal and additional exemptions for individuals)
    NTI (Net taxable income)
    x rate
    IT due
    -CWT
    BALANCE
    SCHEDULAR TAX SYSTEM:
    -should first know the natures of income
    • Business and professional income
    • Compensation income
    • Passive income
    • Capital gains
    • Other incomes
    When subject to final withholding tax: See Section 57A
    Nature of income
    Subject to FWT
    Compensation income
    57A - creditable wht
    Business/professional income

    Capital Gains

    Passive income

    Other incomes

    Is Pacquio's fight exempted from taxes? NO. He's a professional boxer. Olympic athletes are the ones exempted.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Why not much notes this sem???

I do have notes for my subjects....well some of my subjects at least.
But I was not able to upload it for the following reasons:
1. I changed my laptop. My notes for the start of the sem are saved somewhere...And I'm not sure if I was able to upload it here or in my Scribd account.
2. The internet connection in school sucks. I don't know what's wrong with it but I can't seem to connect to the internet...and it has an inherent bias for Mac Books. Fine. Kayo na.

3. Since I would only be able to connect decently to the internet if I'm at home (which is usually during weekends), there's a gap between my class and the time I'm OL. In short, I'm tamad.

For a compilation of my notes, please check out my Scribd account. Link available somewhere in this blog. And as if it's not that obvious.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

August 16 Islamic Law class notes

Property regime
Verse cited:
-RATIONALE for a regime of Separation of Property
-Institution of Sakah (?) (giving of donations for charity) - one of the means for distributing property

-land code of Ottoman Empire (in Turkey?) - based on Shari'a (as opposed to other land laws of other Muslim countries which are civil law based)
Why late codification (around 1858) when Shari'a was already established long ago? Time of Ottoman, Islamic civilization was already in the decline. The late codification of laws based on Shari'a: All properties belong to God, men are only stewards of God.
Ottomans are Turks, not anymore Arabs.
-land laws of Islam are more socialist in nature...

Islamic reformist: because of the civil law influence, some Muslims want to return to the fundamental Islamic teachings from the date of the revelation to Mohammad...within the sphere of atmosphere of Mohammad's time

Why no codification of land laws: Amanat (trust) - the concept of property in Islam
-all properties are owned by God and men only hold these in trust
Trustor: God
Trustee: man
Beneficiary: mankind

Mal (property)
2 meanings of mal:
• All things capacble of being earned
• All things capable of being subject to legal relations or mal mutaqawwin
Excluded: alcohol, pigs other forbidden things (can also be property but under first classification, not under mal mutaqawwin. Cannot be subjected to legal relations. If they are transacted, the transaction is void)

Treatment of property: 2: 188
-do not consume one another's wealth unjustly
...

4: 2
Give to orphans their properties...
(protection of orphan's properties)

As to acquisition: the means of acquisition of property should be LEGAL
Land ownership: all lands are owned by God
-the heavens and the earth, God has dominion over it

Category of land
Mil - owned by God
Miri - lands that are to be distributed and are now used by the people (concept of usufruct applicable)
Communally owned lands - similar to ancestral domain (in the Code of Muslim Personal laws - mentioned as Communal property - A173)
Religious property - land for religious purposes

As compared to other laws
ROMAN LAW
-use property for legal purposes
-2 classification of property

CIVIL LAW
-Property is aggregate of rights
-classification of property: marami!
-similar to Amanat, State owns property and only taken care of by the people (recognition of a greater owner of property) - in Islamic states, the Caliph is the administrator of lands in representation of God...Steward for God
-there are also limitations to the property one can own
-Real and personal property
-Highest form of property right: ownership
-different modes of acquiring ownership
-property regimes governing marriage

Family Code
Donations by reason of Marriage
-allows donation propter nuptias of future property
X: donations made in the marriage settlements

• What about in Islamic marriages, what if the marriage push through?
If the donation, under the Muslim Code, is given to the couple as a future husband and wife, and the marriage is not pushed through, the donation can no longer be enforced
Under the Family Code, it is still considered valid, and they should go to the courts just to invalidate it!

Property Regime
Under Islamic Law: Prenuptial agreement? But in default, separation of property. If other modes of property regime, Family Code would come in suppletorily
In Family Code: Prenuptial agreement. Separation of property shall only take place after judicial order of separation of property
Only limitation to prenuptial agreement: Art 1306, Civil Code
If situation not found in FC or CMPL, custom applies

CMPL FC
Art 37. How governed Art 74
1. Contract 1. Marriage settlement before marriage
2. CMPL 2. Code
3. Custom 3. Local customs
Art 38. default property regime: complete separation of propert Art 75. Absolute community of property
Stipulations in marriage settlements Art 81. void if marriage does not take place... (sorry naguluhan, please see the provision na lang)
Art 39. Void if depend in marriage, if marriage not push through

ACP
Art 88-104, FC
-default regime in FC
-before: CPG

2 reasons for adopting ACP
1. Established customs
2. Unity of the family

-regime not waivable unless judicial separation of property
What constitutes Community property
What excluded
Charges upon and obligations of ACP

-disposition of ACP: in case of disagreement, husband's decision prevails

Causes for terminating ACP
Effects of termination of ACP
Process of liquidation of ACP

CPG
-default prior to FC, Art 105 to 133
Exclusive property

Bottomline: in FC, husband's decision over administration of property governs, but wife can assail it through court process w/n 5 years
-Effects of dissolution

Property regime of unions w/o Marriage
Art 147: unions that can be validated
-presume co-ownership
Art 148: adulterous unions

COMPLETE SEPARATION OF PROPERTY
NCC, FC CMPL
Art 143-146 Art 37-44
-may be partial or total, may include present or future property (Default regime)
Why? 4:32 and 4:17

Ante-nuptial property
Art40, CMPL
Wife shall not lose ownership
Can dispose of the same even w/o consent of husband
Can sue and be sued independently of husband with regards her own property

Art 41. EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF EACH SPOUSE
Husband: capital
Wife: paraphernal
-wife cannot accept gifts from outside the prohibited decrees of marriage; can accept provided it's with the consent of the husband
Note: includes (d) Dower (mahr) of the wife and nuptial gifts to each spouse
• WIFE owns the mahr exclusively!

Art 43. Household property
-definition
-presumption of ownership to the spouse who customarily uses the property

Art 44. Right to sue and be sued
Note: number 4: if litigation concerns the exclusive property of husband
-can only concern the property if the administration of the property now pertains to the wife
-property of wife would not beheld liable


So difference of separation of property under FC and CMPL:
As to family expenses.
FC: borne proportionately by both spouses
CMPL: Only husband bears expenses
As to liability of creditors
FC: solidarily liable
CMPL: only husband liable
As to right to be sued and to sue
FC: should be sued jointly
CMPL: Can be sued separately

DIVORCE
GR: not allowed in the Philippines
x: MUSLIM divorces
Foreign divorces

Art. 14, CMPL
1. Social contract between husband and wife
2. Social institution taken care of by the society, foundation of society

Divorce, art 45
-Formal dissolution of the marriage bond
-Granted only after all means of reconciliation is resorted to

-most hateful to Allah
REASONS:
-by virtue of this, the family is destroyed
-contrary to the laws of nature
-gives mortal blow to the family

But why allowed:
Recognizes the reality that certain marriages can no longer be reconciled
If keep them together, they would only grow to hate each other more
Become more uncomfortable with each other: like putting together persons as if they had committed a crime
"Marriage is meaningless if there is no spark of love between the husband and the wife" - Jainal Rasul
-only possible when it would be the better option, and after all the safeguards are resorted to:
1. Idda
Purposes:
1) Bring about reconciliation
2) To avoid confusion of issues
-idda changes dependent on the basis of divorce
2. Exhaustion of all efforts to reconciliate: helped by well-meaning relatives
Why well-meaning relatives: interest in preservation of marriage; spouses would still feel that their issues/disputes are not made public (still confidential, private)
-allow divorce only after finding of irreparable breakdown of marriage and the relatives cannot do anything about it
-sir: there is nothing to prevent the parties from inviting marriage counsellors
Vs. Art 59, FC: no legal separation unless COURT has taken steps towards reconciliation...Reconciliation via marriage counsellors!

Right to divorce generally given to men
-objective ground: financial burden...
-subjective: men are the ones who accepts the women in marriage, so he is the one who can break the bonds + he is the one who pays the dowry

Classification of divorce
• By death of husband or wife
-not really divorce! More of automatic dissolution of marriage
-when wife dies, husband may immediately marry
-but when the husband dies, iddat should first expire
• By act of parties
○ By the Husband
-Talaq (repudiation)
Conditions
• Made under normal conditions (not drunk, angry, joking or coerced)
• Woman is repudiated during tuhr or clean-non-menstrual period
WHY: because if it is done during a non-menstrual period wherein the husband can have sex with wife, it means it is really serious. Minsan after sex, bati na.
• Husband, after talaq, will not have carnal knowledge of the wife thereafter
GROUNDS: none mentioned
PROCEDURE:
1. Muslim male shall file a written notice of talaq
2. Agama Arbitration Council shall be formed
LIMITATIONS:
Only on the 3rd time will the divorce be irrevocable. The first two instances, can marry again w/n Idda (but no need for another marriage ceremony). If after the Idda, should remarry (with all the requisites of marriage) (minor talaq). If after the third repudiation (GREATER talaq), the husband should first wait for another man to marry his wife in order to marry her again! It is as if the institution of marriage is reduced by the couple as something trivial!
-Ila
...continue next meeting...
○ By the Wife

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

"Knowledge is Power": August 11, 2010 Class Lecture for Labor Arbitration

"knowledge is power" - francis bacon
Felix frankfurter- justice of US Federal SC
-Frankfurter- smoked sausage
-civil liberties union
-activist, contributed to the formation of labor standards in US (8-hour labor law, minimum wage law)
-when Cardozo died, he replaced the former
-hired first Afro-American law clerks

ANTONIO HALAGUENA CASE
-parang Almario case, pero binayaran nya ung PAL after sabi ng PAL may utang pa sha for the training. 2 years later, humirit pa ung PAL na milyon daw ung utang nya sa PAL.
RTC: PAL estopped from claiming additional amounts
CA: Affirmed RTC
SC: mukhang upheld din

For the paper:
• Can cite newspaper sources aside from books
• Purely for Labor Arbitration class

Davao Integrated Port Stevedoring Services v. Abarquez
-Company provided for sick leave benefits for its employees, convertible to cash. Both regular employees and workpool employees enjoy said benefits. However, the employer withdrew this benefit from the workpool employees.
H: the CBA was clear: the CBA considers two kinds of workers who enjoy the sick leave benefits:
* REGULAR EMPLOYEES enjoy the 15-day fixed sick leave
* INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES enjoy variable number of sick leave but should not exceed 15 days
-It is not disputed that both classes of workers are entitled to sick leave with pay benefits provided they comply with the conditions set forth under Section 1 in relation to the last paragraph of Section 3, to wit:
(1) the employee-applicant must be regular or must have rendered at least one year of service with the company; and
(2) the application must be accompanied by a certification from a company-designated physician.
-since this ripened into company practice, it cannot be unilaterally withdrawn by the employer - or else violation of LC
-when an existing employer practice becomes an enforceable right: a considerable amount of time has lapsed and said act has been practiced or exercised or done by the employer
-did the court set a hard and fast rule for considering an act a company practice: no, no set number of years
How many years would it take for a practice to ripen into a company practice? SC has not laid down any hard and fast rule
Sevilla Trading: the requirement for the ER to be able to get back or make bawi the benefits given is that to argue that it was given due to mistake - but should do it as early as possible, or else, it would be the fault of the employer
-what is the rule now? The burden is upon the employer to prove that he did not know about the mistake, the withdrawal was immediately done upon discovery of the error
-pwede ba, especially in CBA negotiations, change the existing policy being followed in replacement of another benefit? Yes, allowed, but the substitute should correspond to the benefit withdrawn.
How to determine if it is in equal terms?
- If the parties agree, then no problem
- If none, then labor arbiter

Kimberly Clark v. Lorredo (1st case - 1993)
-CBA provides that if an employee leaves the service of the employer, the employee who is leaving

Kimberly Clark part 2 - sorry ako nagrecite so not much case
-Voluntary arbitrator's power: VA should not dispense with their own type of justice

TSPIC v. TSPIC Union
-EE and ER entered into a CBA which provided for wage increases and regularization increase, but with a crediting clause which provided that the said increases are deemed to be compliance with subsequent wage orders. However, even with the said provision, the ER complied with subsequent wage orders, but upon finding that they made a mistake, announced that they would deduct from the salaries of the affected employees.
Court held that in interpreting the CBA, the specific provisions are followed vs. General provisions
Would not the deductions be tantamount to withdrawal of benefits? No. Not a company -practice as the court held. It was made under a mistake.

Bobcock v. Union
-CBA provided a relocation allowance which is given to employees relocated. 2 branches, Bauan and Makati. Those who live in Bauan, working previously in Makati, but relocated in Bauan now claim the relocation allowance
-company refuses to pay, so complaint for relocation allowance filed
H: CBA clear. Upon relocation, the employee is entitled to relocation allowance

Cheniver printing press case
-the employee was to be relocated. He did not want to be transferred, so would just resign but asks for separation pay/financial assistance
-Court required the employer to pay the affected employee financial assistance
-this ruling is dangerous, especially to pharmaceutical and distribution companies who always send its employees in far flung places

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

August 4, 2010 Labor Arbitration Lecture Notes

Instead of Midterms, hand in a paper which would be the grade for the midterm
-September 1 deadline of paper (there's still classes on September 1)
-come up with a good paper
TOPICS:
• Almario vs. PAL: on liability of ER blah blah
• Short paper on the current dispute taking place in PAL
§ Retirement age of PAL: PAL desires to further lower the retirement age to 40 (from 55-50-45)
§ Employer's claim: the pilots that included Captains and first officers are in breach of their contractual obligations without giving the required 180 day notice before submitting their letters of resignation vs. Employer compelling them to return to their jobs vs. Ees: masaya ka!
DRILON: PAL cannot compel the Pilots to comeback or else violates involuntary servitude
(consti leading case involved a maid in Kaungka v. Salazar (unreported case))
• Claim of some labor fe
• deration officials (boy herrera): if the law, QJA...are inclined upon the presentation of required proof, to permit or allow an employer to resort to measures such as retrenchment, downsizing, restructuring...to help employer survive its plight, why can't it understand employees? Can further refine language used. Point is this: if the law allows or permits corporations to resort to harsh and extreme measures to survive, why can't the law understand the sufferings of the employees to survive?
• Not limited to these issues but sir wants us to focus on these suggested topics basta more or less related to the PAL dispute
-come up with a short paper, 10-15 pages, double spaced with necessary footnotes

SMC vs. NLRC (403 SCRA 428) (2003)
-IBM (Union) filed a notice of strike. A non-strikeable issue was included so NCMB converted it to a preventive mediation case. Still, union held strike.
H: 1. PAL v. DRILON: Declaration of preventive mediation has the effect of dropping the notice of strike from the docket
2. SMC v. NLRC (1999): Failure to exhaust all steps in the grievance machinery and arbitration proceedings in CBA. Notice of strike should be dismissed as illegal.
-the strike was illegal for lack of notice of strike
SIR: significance of these cases cannot be overestimated:
• Took JN of the fact that the NCMB has no coercive power to issue an injunction
-when the court takes JN of a fact, it means the parties need not prove the said allegation
-so can invoke it against NCMB when it exercises coercive powers, as opposed to the NLRC which has the power to stop immediately an illegal strike and any threatened illegal strike (if you're for the employer)
-strike cases: ER would go to the NLRC, say the Union has threatened an illegal strike, conducting an illegal strike - so would ask for a TRO (good for 20 days)
...so the strike would be prevented or must be stopped. If continued, can sue the union
-while TRO existing, ER must present evidence for a permanent writ of injunction to justify the relief sought
...during the actual trial, UNION must be present. Union must be given a chance to present their evidence/side as due process requirement
-here, SMC opposed Union's motion to dismiss because they had reasonable grounds to believe that a strike may be held. This was correct sabi ni sir.

CBA PROPER
RIVERA v ESPIRITU
-PAL employees went on a 3-week strike when PAL downsized its labor force (or vice versa? )
-PAL now wanted to close down...so union was forced to concede to the suspension of the CBA negotiations for 10 years, provisions of which maintained PALEA as the union and respecting the closed-shop agreement as contained in the existing CBA
-the petitioners were the breakaway group from PALEA
*Abdication of constitutional right to bargain: Court held that it was not, since the union voluntarily entered it, it was meant for the stabilization of the industrial relations within the company and for the parties to have specific time tables
* Argument that while the 10 year period running, the employees would not be able to exercise their right to change the EBR after expiration of 5 years. Court held that the employees approved it. Included in the right to collective bargaining is the right to suspend it.
-as to argument that PALEA in effect became a company union: no, it was meant to stabilize relations in the company, it was for unionism in fact by ensuring the existence of PALEA
SIR: sa SC decision, they continually said that it was the union who asked for it so they should not complain about it. Do you agree?
CHA: NO. The employees were pinned to agree to the suspension because the company was about to close. If they do not agree, they would lose their jobs.
-the SC in effect says that the government could step in to prevent the closure of the company.
Recall Manila fashions: since the company was closing, the Union agreed to condone the minimum wage orders. But here the court held that the waiver of the wage order is illegal. Why did the court not make a similar declaration:
CHA: because that involved a negotiation of an issue which is not really subject to CBA negotiations, as it should be provided by law
FASAP Case: they were illegally dismissed because PAL failed to present evidence that the retrenchment was necessary. What the corporation should have presented was the balance sheet, audited financial report.
-There was bad faith on the part of PAL: Right after they dismissed the employees, they hired another set of new employees for probation.
...but in the end, justified daw PAL in terminating the employees. Now the Cabin crew are seeking reconsideration of the ruling

INTERPHIL LAB UNION v. INTERPHIL LAB
F: ER refused to renegotiate with the union because allegedly it was "premature" (2 years first then around 4 months early?) but the union insisted in renegotiating the CBA. When the ER refused to renegotiate, they undertook a boycott of work schedule, arguing that the 2-shift schedule was not in the CBA (note however that the employees have been complying with the 2-shift schedule and they were paid overtime pay)
H: the union cannot invoke that since the2-shift work schedule is not in the CBA so they are not compelled to follow it, it being that they have been observing it as company practice
SIR: In addition, there is a crucial fact that the CBA recognizes the discretion of the employer to change the working hours
-why slowdown is not lawful: you are still being paid even if you are there in the premises of the employer but not doing job for the employer

SMC EMPLOYEES UNION V. CONFESSOR
F:
Under the labor code, a CBA has a lifetime of only 5 years?
Substitutionary doctrine: after the lifetime of the EBR, a new union can argue that the former EBR does not represent the majority of the employees in the bargaining unit. PCE...basta new union emerges triumphant. But then the CBA is still not expiring. What will happen to the old CBA? The CBA continues, has to be respected. The new union will assume the role of the administrator of the old CBA. What the new EBR could do is to ask for the shortening of the period of the CBA.
-see the history of the HERRERA-VELOSO law

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Proj Dev July 31 Notes

Group number 1 - presentation September 1
-yellow part

Nationalization laws: laws that give priority to Filipinos in Economic activities
Where to find:
• CONSTITUTION
-where in the Constitution?
IN ART 2:
• SEC 19: Filipinos have effective control
• SEC 20: Private sector participation
IN ART 12
• SEC 2: DEDU of natural resources
• SEC 3: Alienable lands can only be acquired by Filipino Citizens
• SEC 7: Private lands only to those who can acquire & hold Alienable lands
• SEC 10: Reservation of Areas of investment to Filipinos
• SEC 11: Public utilities limited to Filipino (operation upon acquisition of franchise/ certificate/privilege)
-what provisions have percentages:
• SEC 2: EDU of natural resources: State may enter into co-production, joint venture or production sharing w/ Fil citizens or private corp or assoc w/ at least 60% capital owned by Filipinos
• MASS MEDIA - 100%
□ But does it matter? No. Many Filipinos would not care if they're watching Filipino shows and non-Filipino shows.
□ Rationale appears to be we want to be in control. Why? We don't want foreigners to be controlling us - especially through media


• Anti-dummy law

Look at foreign investment negative list
-why ended up with those limitations
-continue with Anti-Dummy Law

OLA Component_July 31, 2010 (vulnerable groups and how to handle them)

-woman with HIV refused treatment in hospitals, causing the death of her child

  • What makes her situation one of vulnerability:
Vulnerable:
  1. Pregnancy
  2. HIV
  3. Prone discrimination, helpless
Ma'am Litong:
  • HIV is a medical condition, not a disability
  • There's a special law which is applicable to HIV/AIDS positive persons
  • Vulnerability of the pregnant woman that makes her prone to discrimination:  the misappreciation of the condition, the misinformation in the society attaches a stigma to the person with the medical condition - to the extent that the person would refuse to pursue a case to avoid publicity of her case
  • The fact that she is a woman does not make her vulnerable: the HIV condition makes her more vulnerable - so the fact that she is a woman makes her still vulnerable in this case!
  • Responsible behavior on the part of others would have helped the condition
  • Women are more vulnerable to HIV virus because women offers an orifice - receiver of the semen which may be affected by the virus. Thus, it is on the man to which the responsibility lies
  • Criminal cases/administrative cases do not prosper because in the first place, no case is filed by an HIV positive person
  • HIV positive condition was interpreted as  "suicide" before in insurance cases

"How to handle the case: consider where she is coming from"

Defense of the hospitals:
  • Damnum absque injuria
  • Admits lack of facility, if not capable, would put the woman more at risk  (balance interest)
MA'AM: the law does not allow hospitals to refuse admission to hospitals, regardless of what condition the patient may have (UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES). This apply to both provincial and lying in hospitals. Lying in hospitals usually only perform normal deliveries
  • How HIV virus transmitted during delivery? Know how!

How to assist client with HIV? Nasa HIV law RA 8504. (provides penalties - criminal prosecution)

  1. Ips and Minors
Short Facts: In IP Community, a child stole something from neighbor. Dad volunteered to surrender the thing stolen and in addition, agreed to the decision of the elders that he be publicly humiliated by displaying him in public tied for 4 hours. Police authorities saw him, decided to filed charges against the elders and all who participated in deciding that public humiliation be resorted to. Child to be subjected to juvenile justice system
-actual case in Mindoro (Mangyans)

PROSECUTE
DEFEND
  1. Apply mainstream law
  1. Dapat inalam muna ng authorities if IP sha and why ginapos
How to look at the case: look using individualistic perspective: act is itself a criminal act, in isolation of all other facts then prosecute on the basis of mainstream law? Or look at IPRA (informal justice systems)
  • Pag usapin ng Ips, cannot remove the community because it's a community issue
  • Automatic na napupunta sa NCIP

  1. Homosexuals
2 homosexuals, cross-dressers were beat up, and 2 teenagers who beat them up forcibly had anal intercourse with them

PROSECUTE
DEFEND
  1. Refer to organized sectors
  2. Rape law: now recognized as rape even if victim is homosexual
  3. Ask what gender of legal counsel preferred
  4. Metalegal remedies:
    • Treat as a hate crime
    • Refer to organzed group for counseling
    • Go to media, at option of client
  1. Very biased narration of facts
  2. Focus on "teenagers"
  3. Below 15: exempted from criminal liability
    15-18: if did not act with discernment, even if they did intend what they did
    Presumption of minority
    If 18-19: argue that the teenagers were ""drugged"

Ma'am: it's a hate crime!
-statistics: violence against homosexuals are based on hate felt against them
-balancing: obviously there is rape and it has to be recognized. The handling counsel should be able to tell it to the victims
-alleged "drugged": malabo?
-mahirap iprosecute: HR must develop sa usapin ng kabataan
-encourage LGBTs, because almost all the time they are victims of violence. Explain to the client that it's not their fault that they were treated that way but because of the way society treats them.
-Lesbians, para maging babae nirerape. Most integrated response
-Minors: intervention should be undertaken, or else they may be your future criminals (do not insist on automatic exemption) - restorative justice - should make the minors know that what they did was wrong, a hate crime. Be sensitive to their needs for development.


Lawyering for the vulnerable groups has extra obligation: to tell the truth to the client, what would happen to the case. Aside from being skilled and knowledgeable to the law is not enough.

  1. Women accused of adultery
Defense:
  • Condonation
  • Power of man over woman reinforced by law: law makes it easier for the man to prosecute for adultery.
  • Added layer: if with VAWC, more problematic
  • If present the case that child would lose parents if both would be jailed. In more cases, woman would give in because society imposes on her the burden of reproduction and if she would not give in, the society would look down at her.
  • That's why VAWC prevents compromises to prevent the situation of power play between woman and men
  • VACWC easier to prove and access: it has protection measures. You play these aspects of the law so that she would not be forced to compromise in this case.
  • Woman  easily placed in a position of stigma: woman usually do not resort to remedies available to her
  • Normal for lawyers to compromise in this kind of case. Sometimes, the woman client would even propose this compromise because of the burdens on her. It is her decision, respect

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

July 28 Labor Arbitration Lecture Notes

Robert Frost poem
-was a poet lauriat - he was asked during state functions to compose poems, including that of JFK
---so around 30 minutes about Culture…
*"Men of culture would never be irrelevant in society"

What has this to do, at all, with our class in Labor Law?
When you become lawyers, you have to be "cultured".

Obsequitious 

DUTY TO BARGAIN
-important: almost always, dito nagsisimula ung labor dispute
-start of the process where the parties would finally end up with Voluntary Arbitration
-if you examine the entire relationship (EER) and attempt to divide that relationship into portions, you can start initially with bargaining, then conciliation, mediation, grievance procedure then finally voluntary arbitration
-start: bargaining in GF
-end: VA

SAMAHAN SA PERMEX V. SOLE
F: Certification Election was conducted, wherein 61% of the employees voted "no union" (Feb 1991). However, SMP wrote to PERMEX to be recognized as the SBR, and PERMEX complied with it. Employees contested this, even saying they were coerced or misled into signing a document which turned out to be in support of SMP as its CB Agent. CBA was entered into by SMP and PERMEX.
H: Since there is a question as to the majority status of the recognized BR, the CBA is not effective.
-Also, improper for the ER to voluntarily recognize SMP. Should have a CE to determine which Union all the employees recognize as its EBR.
-found it dubious that SMP was recognized as EBR by the ER even after 10 months after the CE wherein "No union" won
*on the 10 month period: if it was longer, would it change anything? No. the employer should not have voluntarily recognized SMP, but should have held a CE to determine the sentiments of the employees as to who they want to represent them - now, direct recognition by the ER is prohibited

ALU V. FERRER-CALLEJA
F: ALU asked to be the EBR of the employees, and ER wrote back asking that ALU show proof of majority status. 2 days after, ALU and the ER entered into CBA negotiations. 2 other labor unions questioned the status of ALU as the majority representative of the employees, petitioned for a Certification Election.
H: For there to be collective bargaining, 3 things should first be shown to exist (Kiok loy jurisdictional requirements), one of which is proof of majority representation which in this case does not exist or was not shown to exist.
-what is wrong with the ER voluntarily recognizing ALU as the sole bargaining rep? CHA: because the status of ALU as the majority representative of the employees of the company is questionable
What factual circumstances show this:
  • There are at least 2 other union in the company
  • The 2 unions conducted a strike
WHAT IS WRONG ACCORDING TO SIR: the ER knew that there was an issue as to the majority status of the Union. Even so, it voluntarily recognized ALU as the EBR of the employees. The circumstances should have put the ER on notice of the issue of majority status of the Union.
"there was precipitate haste…"
"unusual promptitude"
"an apparent and suspicious hurry"
Show BF on the part of ER
Precipitate: sudden, too soon….

STANDARD CHARTERED BANK EMPLOYEES UNION V. CONFESSOR
F: Surface bargaining v. blue sky-bargaining
H: NO ULP in either side
-Duty to bargain does not compel either party to agree to a proposal or to require the making of a concession

SMB v. NLRC (1999)
F: in an attempt to streamline its operations, SMC laid off some of its employess. The employees and SMC underwent the grievance procedure provided in the CBA. Arguing that there was a deadlock in the grievance procedure, the Union filed a notice for strike.
H: No deadlock yet because there was still a grievance procedure
CSR: corporate social responsibility
-in SMC's case, as part of its CSR even before it became a buzzword, before dismissing its employees, SMC should first find a job among its units (when all that is required from the ER when it finds that the services of an EE is redundant is TO GIVE 30-DAY notice to affected EE and DOLE).
-it's a precedent-setting case:
  • SC agreed with the ER that NLRC has positive legal duty to stop an ongoing strike/prevent an incoming strike when doing so is violative of a law/CBA
-strike:
  • Deadlock in CBA
  • Deadlock based in ULP
-if not strikeable, ER would file a motion to dismiss the notice of strike! (as was done in this case) But before NLRC refused to do so, saying its not their duty to prevent a threatened strike or stop an ongoing strike
  • However, there is no clear express law providing that power. What NLRC/NCMB does is to convert the notice to strike into a Preventive Mediation Case, considered the notice to strike as not having been filed at all (which does not have any affect at all to Unions, who would still strike since there is no clear order from NLRC/NCMB that the strike is illegal)
  • University of San Agustin: SC penalized NCBM/NLRC for not stopping an illegal strike!

SAMAHAN SA TOP FORM v. NLRC (1998)
F: During the CBA negotiations, provisions mandating ACROSS THE BOARD implementation of wage orders was not included in the CBA, with the ER promising to incorporate it in the CBA. When Wage Orders were issued, the Union insisted on the Across the Board implementation of the wage, in accordance with the minutes of the CBA negotiations. ER refused to comply, saying it is not included in the CBA.
H: Only provisions included in the CBA should be interpreted and implemented - so minutes of the CBA negotiations not binding upon the ER
-No BF bargaining:
  1. ER was willing to negotiate - and did negotiate!
  2. CBA was entered into
  3. No BF to insist on a position to the point of stalemate - not required to give concessions and to agree to a proposal
-it is one of management's negotiation strategies to tentatively agree to the demands of the union
-It is the union's duty to insist that the said "promise" be included in the CBA
...Whenever discussed: warn class not to be misled by some of the things the SC said:
  • Minutes of the meeting walang kabuluhan unless/until find print in the CBA: here, the labor union failed to give evidence that the employer agreed on the implementation of the across the board wage increase. Union should have made that said agreement a part of the actual part of the CBA. SO MAKE IT A POINT THAT AN IMPORTANT AGREEMENT REACHED DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS BE INCLUDED IN THE CBA!!!


July 21 Labor Arbitration Lecture Notes

    Letran v. Union of Faculty and Admin
    -which ULP was accused of LETRAN:
    1. Refusal to bargain
    2. Termination of Union president as interference on union activities
    *sir pointed out to the management prerogative to reschedule the schedule  of the employees. Why considered interference? Taking consideration all factual circumstances (TOTALITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES TEST), such as that the employee dismissed is the president of the union and that the said president contested the decisions of the ER as to its refusal to bargain and failure to resolve the issue in a grievance procedure, there is definitely anti-union animus on the part of the school/ER
    Lesson which should be learned from LETRAN CASE:
  1. Bargain expeditiously, in GF
  2. When the company is suffering economically. It may go either way.
    1. Company may retrench employees
    2. Employees (in an unorgainzed establishment) may form a union, then have stronger bargaining position with regards financial assistance (separation benefits, other economic assistance to the employees affected). The Union would now go to DOLE, argue that the company is not really losing, but the ER wants to dismiss them in a form of union-busting. To add more pressure, the Union would also file a notice of strike, arguing there was union-busting.
    *in the realm of labor relations, it is not merely one sided. Just as the employer may come up with reasons to justify retrenchment, so could the employees by unionizing.
    Bargainable Issue in Collective Bargaining Negotiations
    -wages, hours of work, all other terms and conditions of employment
    Nonbargainable issues
    -issues that are not subject to condonation and negotiation, such as the implementation of Wage Orders
    Manila Fashions v. NLRC
    -wage orders cannot be condoned, not subject to agreement of the parties because it is against public policy to waive it. 
    -cannot waive the implementation of the wage order: the employees stand in a less powerful bargaining stance than the employer
    Republic Savings Bank v. CIR
    -don't you find it odd that a libelous statement was made against the bank officer BUT, in effect, the right procedure was for the officer to proceed to grievance procedure than a criminal proceeding for libel against the said employees?
    • NOT ODD: valid expression of grievances of the employees against the management; valid exercise of constitutional right of freedom of expression
    • YES ODD: also incumbent upon the Union to subject their issues in a grievance machinery. Procedure they employed is not correct.
    -this case is authority to say that CB is a never-ending, ever continuing process, and you see this at work at the grievance procedure!!!
    -the body and soul of collective bargaining is the grievance procedure
    -Cf Art 260: grievance machinery on implementation and interpretation of CBA and company personnel policies
    SIR: Art 260 only speaks of EOJ of voluntary arbitrators (included productivity bonus, wage distortion issues). "Grievance" usually defined as anything at all that has to do with EER. It's that broad, sweeping.
    …Art. 260 came into being in 1989. This case was decided in 1967.
    -concepts were already floating in the air in the 60s and partially followed or implemented. The doctrine was distilled, found its way to Article 260.
    Navarro v. Damasco
    -rape case. The "rapist" argued that the matter should have undergone a grievance procedure. Court held that the grievance procedure should cover interpretation and implementation of the CBA procedure and  company personnel policy.  The issue is not a grievable matter, not a work-related incident. Court also held that it is not necessary to undergo grievance procedure, to the prejudice of the poor employee who has to wait for the grievance committee first before undergoing criminal proceeding
    Can you now reconcile the holding of the SC in Navarro and Republic Savings Bank?
    Republic Savings bank involved or touched upon EER, while the Navarro case did not (private matter).
    *but in Navarro case, the employee was dismissed based on the Code of Conduct (which is a company personnel policy). Further, the CBA mentions that any complaint between employees may be subjected to the grievance procedure
    DUTY TO BARGAIN

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

July 19 Islamic Law Lecture Notes

    Mahul article - application of laws
    2 concepts: boo hanapin si Mahul
     *progress of Islamic law 1. Ijtihad (comes from the word Jahada, meaning exersion of one's outmost strenght) - from which Jihad (2 forms) was derived 
    -it's through Ijtihad that Islamic law was made dynamic
    -unchangeable basis of Islamic law is always the Holy Qa'ran and the Sunnah   (most of the legal rules are both in the same books)
    -as time goes on, reinterpretation is needed. Ijtihad now deals with interpretation (outmost exertion of one's outmost intellectual faculties)
    • Ijma (consensus of the judges/juries) & Qiyas (analogy)
    >e.g. Intoxication: wine is prohibited in the Qran (Khamr). It follows, by virtue of analogy (Qiyas), that whatever comes from intoxicating drinks are prohibited
    >but the modern jurist classified all of these as Ijtihad (general)
    Under Ijtihad (names depends on Schools of Law):
    • Istihsan: Equity - juristic equity (equity on the basis of the rulings of the judges based on the Q'aran and Sunnah)
    -e.g. sales of future commodities:
    • Civil law: allowed, provided it would come into existence and be delivered (must be time-bound), and there must be consent, consideration and identifiable object with particularity  - has to mention the specifics of the contract
    • Islamic Law: generally prohibited because it can be a cause for an inequitous relationship - cause of conflict; but if necessary, can be allowed under Istihsan (resembles contract of hire)
    e.g. You want somebody to sew clothes for you. The clothes are not yet in existence but you necessarily have to compensate the tailor even if the clothes are not yet in existence for reasons of equity (deposit is allowed)
    • Istislah- anchored on public welfare and interest
    • Istishab - rule of continuity (presumption of continuity)
      • e.g. a person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Status of innocence presumed to pervail unless proven otherwise
    *1258: Sacking of Bahgdad by the Mongols. Bahgdad was at that time the capital of the Calippe. With Bahgdad under Mongol control, the Calippe invalid, the jurist declared the closing of the doors of Ijtihad.  Meaning, the four Orthodox schools of law (Hanifa, Malik, Shafi'I, Hanbal) which, by the way, did not start out as schools, their rulings would stay - because new jurists cannot make new rulings
    2. Taqlid (imitation)
    -mere copying of the doctrines enunciated by the 4 schools of law
    -the mode of jurisprudence became that of imitation since the closing of the 4 schools
    After 1258, while doing Taqlid and no Neo Ijtihad (2 techniques) See page 7 of Mahul Artcle:
    1. Takhayyar  /Tak -ha-yur/ - selection of rules from the different schools - select which rule to follow to apply to a particular problem
    e.g. Matter of consent in Marriage
    There are those who say that for a woman to get married under islamic law, there should always be a guardian who should give her away for marriage (but only insofar as Malik, Shafi'I laws are concerned. Hanbal school of law [far from Medina] gives more progressive interpretation - in RP, we belong to Shafi'i). In Hanifi, it is allowed when that woman already has a prior marriage + if there are no "friendly" guardians available for that woman…
    …Mixed marriages (Muslim Man, Non Muslim woman): if you stick to Shafi'I, there can never be a marriage between them - especially if the guardians/parents do not consent. But if you use Takhayyar, they can interpret that the consent of a mere sibling permits the marriage, considered the consent
    1. Talfiq /Tal-fik/- combination of different elements; resolve a problem by resorting to a combination of rules from different schools of law
    • Usually referred to in the codes
  1. Neo Ijtihad (1800s)
  2. -started by the neo-revivalists
    -not yet confirmed by body of jurists (because there is now no single body of jurists - the most suitable Ijma should come from body of jurists + accepted by the population - usually there's just an Ijma of a particular community)
    e.g. Maranao Ijma once prohibited the wearing of perfumes on women (promulgated about 10 years ago): what the Muslim women do is that they are careful . But not all follow it
    Report on Civil Capacity
    Hermaphrodite: depends on the dominant biological functions
    Intoxication: either aggravating or justifying
    But under Islamic Law, it is considered a crime - always aggravating
    As to injury of child based on injury on mother...