THEY came seeking the justice they waited for, and truly deserve. Instead, they got a “partial victory.”
Former Superbalita editor-in-chief Jenefer Besere wept as a labor arbiter from the National Labor Relations Commission here issued a Writ of Execution on Monday compelling her employer, Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Publishing Inc., to pay for their unpaid salaries and other benefits.
The NLRC 8th division issued a computation amounting to P2, 553,084.03 including attorneys fees to Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Publishing to pay Besere and ten other of its former employees.
Labor Arbiter Jean Domaboc-Munez handed down the Writ of Execution during a hearing attended by Besere and the former employees, and Lawyer Jasper Pelayo representing Sunstar Publishing Incorporated.
“I have worked with Sunstar for more than 22 years and rose through the ranks from reporter to editor–in–chief. What I am seeking now is not only justice but my life’s work,” Besere said.
The NLRC awarded Besere P 434, 456. 82, for her 22 years of employment with SuperBalita, a Bisayan-daily newspaper owned by Sunstar Publishing Incorporated.
Besere’s and the complainants’ counsel, Lawyer Beverly Musni said, however, the Writ of Execution was only a “partial victory” for the media workers.
“Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Publishing ceased its operations (on) June 30, 2020. After that, they sold everything from printing presses, computers and anything of value. There was nothing left for their employees,” Musni said.
Musni said because of that, Bersere and the former Sunstar Cagayan de Oro employees were left “holding an empty bag.”
“There is nothing of value that the media workers can collect from the corporation,” she said.
Musni said although it sold all of its assets, Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Publishing Corporation did not close its registration with the Security Exchange Corporation.
“The whole of Cagayan de Oro knows ang mga editors-in-chief silang Froilan Gallardo, Caloy Conde, JB Deveza. Mga bagtik kaayong nga journalists…SunStar ilang gi trabahoan before, and then, the nerve gi deny sa SunStar Publishing nga dili nila kuno ni ma kliyente, nga kliyente ni sila tanan sa SunStar Cagayan de Oro Inc,” Musni said.
For Sunstar's defense, Lawyer Pelayo did not offer any objection to the decision of the NLRC 8th Division but offered no negotiations to comply with the Writ of Execution.
Pelayo said he would offer no also objection to the Writ of Execution against Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Publishing but the payment of the P2.5 million to the former employees would be brought to the board of Sunstar Publishing Incorporated in Cebu.
“I will bring the issue to the board in Cebu and recommend payment,” Pelayo said during the hearing.
Pelayo said Sunstar Cagayan de Oro ceased to operate when it suffered financial difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Musni said the aggrieved media workers face a gargantuan task in recovering what is due to them because of the corporate layering of the Sunstar publishing group.
She said SEC records showed that Sunstar Publishing Incorporated in Cebu City owns the controlling interests of Sunstar Cagayan de Oro and Superbalita with 24,995 shares worth P2,499,500.
The rest of its Cagayan de Oro daily newspaper, Musni said is owned by Jesus Garcia Jr with one share worth P100, Dale Garcia with one share worth P100, Alvin Garcia, one share worth P100, Gina Atienza, one share worth P100, and Julius Neri, one share worth P100.
“It is clear that Sunstar Publishing of Cebu (owns) Sunstar Cagayan de Oro and therefore they should pay the amount due to the aggrieved media workers,” Musni said.
On their website, Sunstar operates daily newspapers printed in English and Cebuano in Bacolod, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Pampanga. It has online publications in Dumaguete, Iloilo, Pangasinan, and Zamboanga.
Sunstar Publishing Incorporated manages Sun.Star Cebu Daily newspaper and the website, www.sunstar.com.ph.
According to Vera Files Media Ownership monitoring, SunStar Publishing, Inc. is owned by Armson Corporation, a holding company owned by the elite Garcia clan in Cebu with a 30 percent share. Meanwhile, 27 percent is owned by White Gold, Inc., a company of the Gaisano clan, which also owns Gaisano Malls.
Lynde Salgados, sports writer of Sunstar Cagayan de Oro, who worked for 25 years with the company said the company should show compassion and transparency.
“We can only say we achieve press freedom if Sunstar pays us,” Steph Berganio, a reporter for SuperBalita said. (With reports from Pat Jared V. Pangantihon)
