FACTS:
Petitioner Baltazar Camporedondo was employed by the Philippine National Red Cross sine 1980 until his early retirement on 15 Dec 1995. On 21 Nov 1995, PNRC Secretary General Celso Samson required petitioner to restitute the total sum of P135,927.78 representing cash shortages, technical shortage and unremitted collection. On 28 May 1996, petitioner filed with the NLRC a complaint for illegal dismissal, damages and underpayment of wages against the PNRC and its key officials.
ISSUE(S):
Whether or not the PNRC is a government-owned and controlled corporation.
HELD:
YES. The PNRC is a government-owned and controlled corporation with an original charter under R.A. No. 95, as amended. Those with special charters are government corporations subject to its provisions and its employees are under the jurisdiction of the Civil Service Commission, and are compulsory members of the Government Service Insurance System. The PNRC was not impliedly converted to a private sector corporation simply because its character was amended to vest in it the authority to secure loans, be exempted from payment of all duties, taxes, fees, and other charges of all kinds on all importations and purchases for its exclusive use, on donations for its disaster relief work and other services and in its benefits and fund raising drives, among others.
