OLIVO G. RUIZ, PETITIONER AND APPELLANT, VS. CEDAR V. PASTOR RESPONDENT AND APPELLEE.

Vicente Carin and twenty-five others, filed on May 27, 1957, with the
Department of Labor, Regional Office No. VI, Cebu City, a complaint (Case No.
R-VI-91), for the recovery of shares and back wages amounting to P23,781.00,
against the Agusan Mindanao Timber Corporation and Nasipit Lumber Company, Olivo
Ruiz, President of the Nasipit Stevedoring Corporation, Bonifacio Ignacio of the
Nasipit Labor Union and Rodulfo Bataliones, Treasurer of Nasipit Labor
Union.

After conducting hearings, Cedar V. Pastor of the Regional Office, on
February 24, 1958, rendered judgment, the dispositive portion of which
reads—

“IN VIEW OF ALL THE FOREGOING, Mr. Olivo Ruiz, President, Nasipit Stevedoring
Company, is hereby adjudged to pay the above named claimants, thru this office,
the total amount of P23,781.00, representing the unpaid shares and salaries due
them from January 7 to May 21, 1957, inclusive.”

The motion for reconsideration of the above judgment, presented by Ruiz on
August 14, 1958, was denied on August 21, 1958.

On August 22, 1958, Ruiz presented with the CFI of Cebu, a petition for
Certiorari and Prohibition with Preliminary Injunction (Civil Case No. R-5699),
assailing the validity of Reorganization Plan No. 20-A, more specifically Sec.
25, thereof, which gave the Regional Offices of the Labor Department, original
and exclusive jurisdiction over all claims of laborers arising from violations
of labor standards on working conditions, and prayed that the Hearing Officer be
enjoined from taking any action in the case, and declare him without
jurisdiction to adjudicate the claim of Vicente Carin and his companions. The
injunction was issued, but after the case was submitted on a stipulation of
facts, the CFI on July 8, 1959, rendered judgment upholding the
constitutionality of Reorganization Plan No. 20-A, and denied the Writ
(Certiorari & Prohibition) prayed for lack of merit.

This is an appeal from the above judgment.

The only issue presented herein is the validity of Reorganization Plan No.
20-A, insofar as it grants original and exclusive jurisdiction to Regional
Offices over all cases affecting claims of the nature as the one under
controversy (Sec. 25). We have had the occasion to pass upon this issue and We
declared that said section is null and void. Thus in the case of Cagalawan vs.
Customs Canteen, et al., (113 Phil., 386) we held:

“* * *. So that it was not the intention of Congress, in enacting Rep. Act
No. 997, to authorize the transfer of powers and jurisdiction granted to courts
of justice from those, to the officials to be appointed or offices to be created
by the Reorganization Plan. * * *. The Legislature could not have intended to
grant such powers to the Reorganization Commission, an executive body, as the
Legislature may not and cannot delegate its powers to legislate or create courts
of justice to any other agency of the Government. * * * the provision of
Reorganization Plan No. SO-A, particularly See. 25, which grants to the regional
offices original and exclusive jurisdiction over money claims of laborers, is
null and void, said grant having been made without authority by Rep. Act No.
997 (Corominas, Jr., et al. vs. Labor Standards Commission, et aL, MCU vs.
Calupitan, et al., Wong vs. Carlim, et al., Balrodgen Co., et al., vs. Fuentes,
et al., 112 Phil; 551, 59 Off. Gaz., [43] 7432). See also Pitogo vs. Len Bee
Trading Co., et al., 112 Phil.; 842, 59 Off. Gaz., [43] 7446)

The authorities cited are definitive and We find no further reason to
elaborate.

Wherefore, the decision appealed from is hereby set aside and another
entered, dismissing the case (not the appeal), without prejudice to its
ventilation with the proper court. No costs.

Bengzon, C. J., Padilla, Labrador, Concepcion, Reyes, J. B. L.,
Barrera, and Dizon, JJ., concur.