Pamantayan na walang bisa ang waiver at quitclaim

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | June 20, 2024

Dear Chief Acosta,

Kamakailan lamang ay nagkaroon ng restructuring sa kumpanya kung saan ako nagtatrabaho. Isa ako sa mga apektadong empleyado, sapagkat isasara na ang aking departamento.

Ilang beses kaming nagkaroon ng meeting kung ano ang gagawin sa mga miyembro ng aming departamento. Pumayag ako na umalis na lamang, ngunit humingi ako ng bayad para sa aking 10 taon na serbisyo. Pagkatapos ng ilang araw, nakatanggap kami ng sulat ukol sa pagsasara ng aming departamento at dumaan kami sa clearance procedure. 

Nang ibibigay na ang aming final pay, ipinaliwanag ng kumpanya na kinakailangan naming pumirma ng waiver at quitclaim. Sa kadahilanang gusto ko na rin makuha ang aking suweldo, nagdesisyon akong pirmahan ito at tanggapin ang pera.

Kinabukasan, nagsampa ako ng kaso para sa illegal dismissal at dumalangin ng mas mataas na separation pay, subalit may nagsabi sa akin na hindi na raw ako maaaring magsampa ng kaso sapagkat pumirma ako sa waiver at quitclaim. Tama ba sila?

— Zeph

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Dear Zeph,

Ang iyong katanungan ay sinagot ng Korte Suprema sa kasong Radio Mindanao Network, Inc. vs. Michale Maximo R. Amurao III (G.R. No. 167225, 22 October 2014), sa pamamagitan ni kagalang-galang na kasamahang mahistrado na naging Punong Mahistrado Lucas P. Bersamin.  Sang-ayon sa Korte Suprema, hindi lahat ng waiver at quitclaim ay walang bisa:

“Not all quitclaims are per se invalid or against public policy. A quitclaim is invalid or contrary to public policy only: (1) where there is clear proof that the waiver was wrangled from an unsuspecting or gullible person; or (2) where the terms of settlement are unconscionable on their face. In instances of invalid quitclaims, the law steps in to annul the questionable waiver.  Indeed, there are legitimate waivers that represent the voluntary and reasonable settlements of laborers’ claims that should be respected by the Court as the law between the parties. Where the party has voluntarily made the waiver, with a full understanding of its terms as well as its consequences, and the consideration for the quitclaim is credible and reasonable, the transaction must be recognized as a valid and binding undertaking, and may not later be disowned simply because of a change of mind. A waiver is essentially contractual.” 

Sang-ayon sa nasabing desisyon, may dalawang pamantayan upang masabi na ang isang waiver o quitclaim ay labag sa public policy. Ito ay: 1) kung may malinaw na patunay na ang waiver ay ipinilit sa isang mapaniwalain o madaling lokohin na tao; at 2) kung ang nilalaman ng kasunduan para sa settlement ay hindi makatuwiran. Sang-ayon pa sa nasabing kaso, may ilang mga rason ang korte kung bakit balido ang waiver o quitclaim:

“In our view, the requisites for the validity of Michael’s quitclaim were satisfied. We explain.

Firstly, Michael acknowledged in his quitclaim that he had read and thoroughly understood the terms of his quitclaim and signed it of his own volition. Being a radio broadcaster and production manager, he occupied a highly responsible position in the company. It would be implausible to hold, therefore, that he could be easily duped into simply signing away his rights.  Besides, the language and content of the quitclaim were clear and uncomplicated such that he could not claim that he did not understand what he was signing.

Secondly, the settlement pay of P311,922.00 was credible and reasonable considering that Michael did not even assail such amount as unconscionably low, or even state that he was entitled to a higher amount.

Thirdly, that he was required to sign the quitclaim as a condition to the release of the settlement pay did not prove that its execution was coerced. Having agreed to part with a substantial amount of money, RMN took steps to protect its interest and obtain its release from all obligations once it paid Michael his settlement pay, which it did in this case.

And, lastly, that he signed the quitclaim out of fear of not being able to provide for the needs of his family and for the schooling of his children did not immediately indicate that he had been forced to sign the same. Dire necessity should not necessarily be an acceptable ground for annulling the quitclaim, especially because it was not at all shown that he had been forced to execute it. Nor was it even proven that the consideration for the quitclaim was unconscionably low, and that he had been tricked into accepting the consideration.”

Ang mga nasabing dahilan ay nagpapakita na naiintindihan at boluntaryong pinirmahan ng empleyado ang waiver o quitclaim. Ipinapakita rin nito na patas ang mga termino at ang halaga ng ibinayad sa empleyado.

Gaya sa iyong kaso, maaaring maging balido ang quitclaim at waiver na iyong pinirmahan kung mapatunayan na ikaw ay boluntaryong pumirma rito nang may buong pag-unawa. Kung ang halaga ng settlement ay makatuwiran, ito ay magpapatunay din na balido ang nasabing quitclaim at waiver.

Hindi lahat ng uri ng quitclaim o waiver ay tinitingnan bilang pamimilit. Ito ay tulad sa anumang kasunduan o kontrata na tinitingnan case-to-case, sang-ayon sa mga sirkumstansyang pumapalibot sa pagpirma ng inuusisang waiver o quitclaim. Kung malinaw at mapatutunayan na boluntaryo ang pagpirma sa waiver o quitclaim, nauunawaan ito ng empleyado, at patas ang mga termino nito, ito ay kikilalanin ng batas.  

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.