The National Labor Relations Commission in Bacolod City has ordered the immediate reinstatement of Sulpicio Lagarde Jr. as general manager of Central Negros Electric Cooperative in Bacolod City, calling his termination by the CENECO board illegal.

Labor Arbiter Roderick Joseph Calanza, in a copy of the decision furnished the DAILY STAR by Lagarde yesterday, ordered CENECO, through its board of directors Vicente Sabornay, Roberto Benedicto, Julius Tamayo and Raul Alvarez Jr. or any of its authorized officers, to pay Lagarde P601,425.

The amount represents backwages, 14th month pay, allowances, damages and attorney’s fees, Calanza said.

The respondents were also directed to immediately reinstate Lagarde as CENECO general manager and to submit to the NLRC proof of such reinstatement within 10 days from receipt of the order.

The order of reinstatement is immediately executory, even pending appeal, Calanza said.

Lagarde was hired as Ceneco manager on May 27, 2008 and was dismissed by the CENECO board on Nov. 4, 2008 due to alleged loss of trust and confidence, when the group of Sabornay ousted Roberto Montelibano as president of the CENECO board.

Sabornay took over as CENECO president and Erlo Sajo was named OIC manager. On March 20, 2009, Sabornay, in turn, was ousted from the post and replaced by Edward Gasambelo as CENECO president.

Gasambelo said the present OIC manager of CENECO is Edwin Montemayor, following the retirement of Enrique Tabino from the post early this month.

Montelibano said that, with the NLRC decision, Lagarde will have to be reinstated immediately as CENECO manager.

The NLRC decision said it is obvious that the respondents CENECO and Sabornay were not able to prove the factual and legal basis of loss of trust and confidence in order to validly terminate Lagarde.

“We find meritorious complainant’s assertion that his dismissal was falsely grounded on loss of trusts and confidence,” the order said.*CPG

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