Court of Appeals: Napoles dismissal of employees illegal

The Court of Appeals upheld the finding of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) that JLN Corporation, the company of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles, illegally dismissed its employees. In its August 17 decision, the Court of Appeals Ninth Division dismissed the petition filed by JLN and Napoles against the NLRC, which earlier ruled on a case filed by dismissed employees Mary Arlene B. Baltazar and Marina C. Sula. Baltazar and Sula are among the witnesses in the graft and plunder cases against JLN and several individuals charged over the pork barrel fund scam. The CA said that even if Napoles named Sula president of a non-governmental organization, that did not mean she was no longer an employee of JLN. In fact, the court said, it was Napoles who allegedly schemed to make it appear on paper that Sula had quit JLN “to pave the way to her assumption of the presidency of Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Incorporated, also on paper.”

Read more on decision on Napoles’ illegal dismissal case.