Community media win: NLRC orders SunStar CDO to pay dismissed workers
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 20 June) – Jenefer Besere, former Superbalita Cagayan de Oro (Superbalita-CDO) editor in chief, wept as the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) here on Monday ordered her employer, Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Publishing, Inc. (Sunstar CDO Publishing), to pay her and 10 other co-workers about P2.6 million in unpaid salaries and other benefits.
“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,” she said.
Jean Domaboc-Nunez, labor arbiter of the NLRC 8th Division here, issued a Writ of Execution favoring the dismissed workers during a hearing also attended by SunStar Publishing, Inc. legal counsel Jasper Pelayo.
The NLRC ordered SunStar CDO Publishing to pay its former workers P2,553,084, which included the attorney’s fee.
Besere would get P434,456.82 for her employment with Superbalita-CDO, a Bisayan-daily newspaper owned by SunStar Publishing, Inc.
Lawyer Beverly Musni, counsel of the former SunStar workers here, said the complainants were left “holding an empty bag” after they were dismissed three years ago.
“SunStar CDO Publishing ceased its operations on June 30, 2020. After that, they sold everything – printing presses, computers and anything of value. There was nothing left for their employees,” she recalled.
Musni said although it sold all of its assets, Sunstar CDO Publishing “did not close its registration” with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
SunStar Publishing, Inc. lawyer Pelayo did not offer any objection to the NLRC decision.
He said the Writ of Execution ordering SunStar CDO Publishing to pay about P2.6 million to its former employees would have to be discussed by the board of SunStar Publishing, Inc. in Cebu.
Pelayo said “he would recommend payment” to the board.
The lawyer said that SunStar CDO Publishing ceased to operate when it suffered financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Musni said the aggrieved media workers faced a gargantuan task in recovering what is due them because of the corporate layering of the SunStar publishing group.
She said that SEC records showed that SunStar Publishing, Inc. in Cebu City owns the controlling interest of Sunstar CDO Publishing with 24,995 shares worth P2,499,500.
The rest were owned by Jesus Garcia Jr., Dale Garcia, Alvin Garcia, Gina Atienza and Julius Neri, each with one share worth P100, Musni added.
“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.
SunStar operates daily newspapers printed in English and other local languages in Bacolod, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Pampanga. It has online publications in Dumaguete, Iloilo, Pangasinan and Zamboanga.
SunStar Publishing, Inc. manages SunStar 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, who also owns Gaisano Malls.
Lynde Salgados, sports writer of Sunstar-CDO who spent 25 years with the company, said the firm should show compassion and transparency.
“We can only say we achieve press freedom if SunStar pays us,” Steph Berganio, a reporter for Superbalita-CDO, said. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
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