AZIRALA VS CA

G.R. Nos. 43633-34, September 14, 1990

Facts:
Under the RA 875 Indstr!"# $e"%e A%t,

&o'ernment-o(ned or %ontro##ed %orpor"t!ons h"d the dt) to
b"r&"!n %o##e%t!'e#) "nd (ere other(!se sb*e%t to the ob#!&"t!ons "nd dt!es o+ emp#o)ers !n the pr!'"te
se%tor.

,he A%t "#so proh!b!ted sper'!sors to be%ome, or %ont!ne to be, members o+ #"bor or&"n!-"t!ons
%omposed o+ r"n.-"nd-/#e emp#o)ees, "nd pres%r!bed %r!m!n"# s"n%t!ons +or bre"%h o+ the proh!b!t!on.
Under the re&!me o+ s"!d Indstr!"# $e"%e A%t th"t the GSIS be%"me bond b) " %o##e%t!'e b"r&"!n!n&
"&reement e0e%ted bet(een !t "nd the #"bor or&"n!-"t!on represent!n& the m"*or!t) o+ !ts emp#o)ees, the
GSIS 1mp#o)ees Asso%!"t!on. ,he "&reement %ont"!ned " 2m"!nten"n%e-o+-membersh!p2 %#"se.
,he pet!t!oners o%%p!ed sper'!sor) pos!t!ons !n the GSIS. $"b#o Ar!-"#" "nd Ser&!o 3"r!b"o (ere the
4h!e+ o+ the A%%ont!n& 5!'!s!on, "nd the 4h!e+ o+ the 6!##!n& Se%t!on o+ s"!d 5!'!s!on, !n the 4entr"# 7!s")"s
Re&!on"# 89%e o+ the GSIS. :eon"rdo ;o'en "nd <e#!no 6#"nds (ere the Ass!st"nt 4h!e+ o+ the A%%ont!n&
5!'!s!on "nd the Ass!st"nt 4h!e+ o+ the <!e#d Ser'!%e "nd Non-:!+e Insr"n%e 5!'!s!on o+ the s"me 4entr"#
7!s")"s Re&!on"# 89%e o+ the GSIS. 5em"nds (ere m"de on "## +or o+ them to res!&n +rom the GSIS
1mp#o)ees Asso%!"t!on, !n '!e( o+ the!r sper'!sor) pos!t!ons.
,he) re+sed to do so. 4onse=ent#), t(o >?@ %r!m!n"# %"ses +or '!o#"t!on o+ the Indstr!"# $e"%e A%t
(ere #od&ed "&"!nst them !n the 4!t) 4ort o+ 4ebA one !n'o#'!n& Ar!-"#" "nd 3"r!b"o "nd the other, ;o'en
"nd 6#"nds. Bh!%h res#ted to the!r %on'!%t!on.
,he) "r&ed th"t (hen the so %"##ed 21973 4onst!tt!on2 too. eCe%t on ;"n"r) 17, 1973 prs"nt to
$ro%#"m"t!on No. 1104, the %"se o+ Ar!-"#" "nd 3"r!b"o ("s st!## pend!n& !n the 4ort o+ Appe"#s "nd th"t o+
;o'en "nd 6#"ndsD th"t s!n%e the pro'!s!ons o+ th"t %onst!tt!on "nd o+ the :"bor 4ode sbse=ent#)
prom#&"ted >eC., No'ember 1, 1974@, repe"#!n& the Indstr!"# $e"%e A%t-p#"%ed emp#o)ees o+ "## %"te&or!es
!n &o'ernment-o(ned or %ontro##ed %orpor"t!ons (!thot d!st!n%t!on (!th!n the 4!'!# Ser'!%e, "nd pro'!ded th"t
the terms "nd %ond!t!ons o+ the!r emp#o)ment (ere to be 2&o'erned b) the 4!'!# Ser'!%e :"(, r#es "nd
re&#"t!ons2 "nd hen%e, no #on&er sb*e%t o+ %o##e%t!'e b"r&"!n!n&, the "ppe##"nts %e"sed to +"## (!th!n the
%o'er"&e o+ the Indstr!"# $e"%e A%t "nd sho#d ths no #on&er %ont!ne to be prose%ted "nd e0posed to
pn!shment +or " '!o#"t!on thereo+. ,he) po!nted ot +rther th"t the %r!m!n"# s"n%t!on !n the Indstr!"# $e"%e
A%t no #on&er "ppe"red !n the :"bor 4ode
Issue:
Bhether or not the pet!t!onersE %r!m!n"# #!"b!#!t) +or " '!o#"t!on o+ the Indstr!"# $e"%e A%t m") be
deemed to h"'e been ob#!ter"ted !n '!rte o+ sbse=ent #e&!s#"t!on "nd the pro'!s!ons o+ the 1973 "nd 1987
4onst!tt!ons.
Held:
F1S. the r!&ht o+ se#+-or&"n!-"t!on "nd %o##e%t!'e b"r&"!n!n& h"d been (!thdr"(n b) the :"bor 4ode
+rom &o'ernment emp#o)ees !n%#d!n& those !n &o'ernment-o(ned "nd %ontro##ed %orpor"t!ons- %h!eG) +or
the re"son th"t the terms "nd %ond!t!ons o+ &o'ernment emp#o)ment, "## embr"%ed !n %!'!# ser'!%e, m") not
be mod!/ed b) %o##e%t!'e b"r&"!n!n& be%"se set b) #"(. It !s there+ore !mm"ter!"#, the) s"), (hether
sper'!sors "re members o+ r"n.-"nd-/#e n!ons or notD "+ter "##, the poss!b!#!t) o+ the emp#o)erEs %ontro# o+
the members o+ the n!on thr sper'!sors ths render!n& %o##e%t!'e b"r&"!n!n& !##sor), (h!%h !s the m"!n
re"son +or the proh!b!t!on, !s no #on&er o+ "n) %onse=en%e.
,he d!s"ppe"r"n%e +rom the #"( o+ the proh!b!t!on on sper'!sors be!n& members o+ #"bor
or&"n!-"t!ons %omposed o+ emp#o)ees nder the!r sper'!s!on. ,he :"bor 4ode >$5 44?@ "##o(ed sper'!sors
>!+ not m"n"&er!"#@ to *o!n r"n.-"nd-/#e n!ons. And nder the Imp#ement!n& R#es o+ RA 6715, sper'!sors
(ho (ere members o+ e0!st!n& #"bor or&"n!-"t!ons on the eCe%t!'!t) o+ s"!d RA 6715 (ere e0p#!%!t#)
"thor!-ed to 2rem"!n there!n.2
,h"t the m"!nten"n%e b) sper'!sors o+ membersh!p !n " r"n.-"nd-/#e #"bor or&"n!-"t!on e'en "+ter
the en"%tment o+ " st"tte !mpos!n& " proh!b!t!on on s%h membersh!p, !s not on#) not " %r!me, bt !s
e0p#!%!t#) "##o(ed, nder present #"(.
,he repe"# o+ " pen"# #"( depr!'es the %orts o+ *r!sd!%t!on to pn!sh persons %h"r&ed (!th " '!o#"t!on
o+ the o#d pen"# #"( pr!or to !ts repe"#.