5. JOSE Y. SONZA vs. ABS-CBN BROADCASTING CORPORATION G.R. No. 138051 10 June 2004 First Division, (Carpio, J.

Principle: In ivi ua!s "it# spe$ia! s%i!!s, e&pertise or ta!ent en'o( t#e )ree o* to o))er t#eir servi$es as in epen ent $ontra$tors. +#e ri,#t to !i)e an !ive!i#oo ,uarantees t#is )ree o* to $ontra$t as in epen ent $ontra$tors. +#e ri,#t o) !a-or to se$urit( o) tenure $annot operate to eprive an in ivi ua!, possesse "it# spe$ia! s%i!!s, e&pertise an ta!ent, o) #is ri,#t to $ontra$t as an in epen ent $ontra$tor.

The C se .e)ore t#is Court is a petition )or revie" on $ertiorari assai!in, t#e 2/ 0ar$# 1111 De$ision o) t#e Court o) 2ppea!s in C23G.R. 45 No. 41110 is*issin, t#e petition )i!e -( Jose 6. 4on7a (849N:2;). +#e Court o) 2ppea!s a))ir*e t#e )in in,s o) t#e Nationa! <a-or Re!ations Co**ission (8N<RC;), "#i$# a))ir*e t#e <a-or 2r-iter=s is*issa! o) t#e $ase )or !a$% o) 'uris i$tion.

!ACTS: In 0a( 1114, respon ent 2.43C.N si,ne an 82,ree*ent; "it# t#e 0e! an Ja( 0ana,e*ent an Deve!op*ent Corporation (0J0DC;) represente -( Jose 6. 4on7a an Car*e!a +ian,$o. Re)erre to in t#e 2,ree*ent as 82G>N+,; 0J0DC a,ree to provi e 49N:2=s servi$es e&$!usive!( to 2.43C.N as ta!ent )or ra io an te!evision. 9n 1 2pri! 111/, 49N:2 "rote a !etter to 2.43C.N=s 5resi ent, >u,enio <ope7 III, sa(in, t#at #e irrevo$a-!( resi,ns in vie" o) re$ent events $on$ernin, #is pro,ra*s an $areer. +#e a$ts o) t#e station are vio!ative o) t#e 2,ree*ent an sai !etter "i!! serve as noti$e o) res$ission o) sai $ontra$t. +#e !etter a!so $ontaine t#e "aiver an renun$iation )or re$over( o) t#e re*ainin, a*ount stipu!ate -ut reserves t#e ri,#t to see% re$over( o) t#e ot#er -ene)its un er sai 2,ree*ent. 9n 30 2pri! 111/, 49N:2 )i!e a $o*p!aint a,ainst 2.43C.N -e)ore t#e D9<>3NCR ?.C.. 49N:2 $o*p!aine )or none pa(*ent o) #is sa!aries, separation pa(, servi$e in$entive !eave pa(, 13t# *ont# pa(, si,nin, -onus, trave! a!!o"an$e an a*ounts ue un er t#e

>*p!o(ees 4to$% 9ption 5!an);>495;). 2.43C.N )i!e a 0otion to Dis*iss on t#e ,roun t#at no e*p!o(ee3e*p!o(er re!ations#ip e&iste -et"een t#e parties. +#e <a-or 2r-irter enie t#e *otion to is*iss -( respon ents -ut !ater is*isse t#e $o*p!aint )or !a$% o) 'uris i$tion. 49N:2 appea!e to t#e N<RC -ut it a))ir*e t#e <a-or 2r-iter=s e$ision. 49N:2 )i!e a *otion )or re$onsi eration, "#i$# t#e N<RC a!so enie . +#e Court o) 2ppea!s a))ir*e t#e De$ision. @en$e, t#is petition.

ISS"E: A#et#er or not t#ere e&ist an e*p!o(er3e*p!o(ee re!ations#ip -et"een 4on7a an 2.43 C.N

R"#ING: +#ere is no e*p!o(er3e*p!o(ee re!ations#ip -et"een 4on7a an enie . Ju ,*ent e$ision a))ir*e . 2.43C.N. 5etition

In epen ent $ontra$tors o)ten present t#e*se!ves to possess uniBue s%i!!s, e&pertise or ta!ent to istin,uis# t#e* )ro* or inar( e*p!o(ees. +#e spe$i)i$ se!e$tion an #irin, o) 49N:2, -e$ause o) #is uniBue s%i!!s, ta!ent an $e!e-rit( status not possesse -( or inar( e*p!o(ees, is a $ir$u*stan$e in i$ative, -ut not $on$!usive, o) an in epen ent $ontra$tua! re!ations#ip. In an( event, t#e *et#o o) se!e$tin, an en,a,in, 49N:2 oes not $on$!usive!( eter*ine #is status. +#e Court *ust $onsi er a!! t#e $ir$u*stan$es o) t#e re!ations#ip, "it# t#e $ontro! test -ein, t#e *ost i*portant e!e*ent. +#e pa(*ent o) ta!ent )ees ire$t!( to 49N:2 an not to 0J0DC oes not ne,ate t#e status o) 49N:2 as an in epen ent $ontra$tor. +#e parties e&press!( a,ree on su$# *o e o) pa(*ent. Cn er t#e 2,ree*ent, 0J0DC is t#e 2G>N+ o) 49N:2, to "#o* 0J0DC "ou! #ave to turn over an( ta!ent )ee a$$ruin, un er t#e 2,ree*ent. 2pp!(in, t#e $ontro! test, 49N:2 is not an e*p!o(ee -ut an in epen ent $ontra$tor. 49N:2=s $ontention t#at 2.43C.N e&er$ise $ontro! over t#e *eans an *et#o s o) #is "or% is *isp!a$e . +o per)or* #is "or%, 49N:2 on!( nee e #is s%i!!s an ta!ent. @o" 49N:2 e!ivere #is !ines, appeare on te!evision, an soun e on ra io "ere outsi e 2.43C.N=s $ontro!. +#e $!ear i*p!i$ation is t#at 49N:2 #a a )ree #an on "#at to sa( or is$uss in #is s#o"s provi e #e i not atta$% 2.43C.N or its interests.

2.43C.N=s ri,#t not to -roa $ast 49N:2=s s#o", -ur ene as it "as -( t#e o-!i,ation to $ontinue pa(in, in )u!! 49N:2=s ta!ent )ees, i not a*ount to $ontro! over t#e *eans an *et#o s o) t#e per)or*an$e o) 49N:2=s "or%. +#is proves t#at 2.43C.N=s $ontro! "as !i*ite on!( to t#e resu!t o) 49N:2=s "or%, "#et#er to -roa $ast t#e )ina! pro u$t or not. In eit#er $ase, 2.43C.N *ust sti!! pa( 49N:2=s ta!ent )ees in )u!! unti! t#e e&pir( o) t#e 2,ree*ent. +#e eBuip*ent, $re" an airti*e are not t#e 8too!s an instru*enta!ities; 49N:2 nee e to per)or* #is 'o-. A#at 49N:2 prin$ipa!!( nee e "ere #is ta!ent or s%i!!s an t#e $ostu*es ne$essar( )or #is appearan$e. 2 ra io -roa $ast spe$ia!ist "#o "or%s un er *ini*a! supervision is an in epen ent $ontra$tor. 49N:2=s "or% as te!evision an ra io pro,ra* #ost reBuire spe$ia! s%i!!s an ta!ent, "#i$# 49N:2 a *itte !( possesses. +#e re$or s o not s#o" t#at 2.43C.N e&er$ise an( supervision an $ontro! over #o" 49N:2 uti!i7e #is s%i!!s an ta!ent in #is s#o"s. +#e 2,ree*ent stipu!ates t#at 49N:2 s#a!! a-i e "it# t#e ru!es an stan ar s o) per)or*an$e 8$overin, ta!ents; o) 2.43C.N. +#e 2,ree*ent oes not reBuire 49N:2 to $o*p!( "it# t#e ru!es an stan ar s o) per)or*an$e pres$ri-e )or e*p!o(ees o) 2.43C.N. +#e $o e o) $on u$t i*pose on 49N:2 un er t#e 2,ree*ent re)ers to +#e D.5 $o e app!ies to -roa $asters, not to e*p!o(ees o) ra io an te!evision stations. .roa $asters are not ne$essari!( e*p!o(ees o) ra io an te!evision stations. C!ear!(, t#e ru!es an stan ar s o) per)or*an$e re)erre to in t#e 2,ree*ent are t#ose app!i$a-!e to ta!ents an not to e*p!o(ees o) 2.43C.N.

49N:2 )ai!e to s#o" t#at 8+e!evision an Ra io Co e o) t#e Dapisanan n, *,a .roa $aster sa 5i!ipinas (D5.),; "#i$# #as -een a opte -( t#e C9052N6 (2.43C.N) as its Co e o) >t#i$s, $ontro!!e #is per)or*an$e. +#e ,enera! ru!es are *ere!( ,ui e!ines to"ar s t#e a$#ieve*ent o) t#e *utua!!( esire resu!t, "#i$# are top3ratin, te!evision an ra io pro,ra*s t#at $o*p!( "it# stan ar s o) t#e in ustr(. .ein, an e&$!usive ta!ent oes not -( itse!) *ean t#at 49N:2 is an e*p!o(ee o) 2.43 C.N. >ven an in epen ent $ontra$tor $an va!i !( provi e #is servi$es e&$!usive!( to t#e #irin, part(. In t#e -roa $ast in ustr(, e&$!usivit( is not ne$essari!( t#e sa*e as $ontro!. +#e #irin, o) e&$!usive ta!ents is a "i esprea an a$$epte pra$ti$e in t#e entertain*ent in ustr(. +#is pra$ti$e is not esi,ne to $ontro! t#e *eans an *et#o s o) "or% o) t#e ta!ent, -ut si*p!( to prote$t t#e invest*ent o) t#e -roa $ast station. +#e #u,e ta!ent )ees partia!!( $o*pensates )or e&$!usivit(, as in t#e present $ase.

+#ere are essentia!!( on!( t"o parties invo!ve un er t#e 2,ree*ent, na*e!(, 49N:2 an 2.43C.N. 0J0DC *ere!( a$te as 49N:2=s a,ent. +#e 2,ree*ent e&press!( states t#at 0J0DC a$te as t#e 82G>N+; o) 49N:2. +#e re$or s o not s#o" t#at 0J0DC a$te as 2.43C.N=s a,ent. 0J0DC, "#i$# stan s )or 0e! an Ja( 0ana,e*ent an Deve!op*ent Corporation, is a $orporation or,ani7e an o"ne -( 49N:2 an +I2NGC9. +#e 5resi ent

an Genera! 0ana,er o) 0J0DC is 49N:2 #i*se!). It is a-sur to #o! t#at 0J0DC, "#i$# is o"ne , $ontro!!e , #ea e an *ana,e -( 49N:2, a$te as a,ent o) 2.43C.N in enterin, into t#e 2,ree*ent "it# 49N:2, "#o #i*se!) is represente -( 0J0DC. +#at "ou! *a%e 0J0DC t#e a,ent o) -ot# 2.43C.N an 49N:2.

In ivi ua!s "it# spe$ia! s%i!!s, e&pertise or ta!ent en'o( t#e )ree o* to o))er t#eir servi$es as in epen ent $ontra$tors. +#e ri,#t to !i)e an !ive!i#oo ,uarantees t#is )ree o* to $ontra$t as in epen ent $ontra$tors. +#e ri,#t o) !a-or to se$urit( o) tenure $annot operate to eprive an in ivi ua!, possesse "it# spe$ia! s%i!!s, e&pertise an ta!ent, o) #is ri,#t to $ontra$t as an in epen ent $ontra$tor. 2n in ivi ua! !i%e an artist or ta!ent #as a ri,#t to ren er #is servi$es "it#out an( one $ontro!!in, t#e *eans an *et#o s -( "#i$# #e per)or*s #is art or $ra)t. +#is Court "i!! not interpret t#e ri,#t o) !a-or to se$urit( o) tenure to $o*pe! artists an ta!ents to ren er t#eir servi$es on!( as e*p!o(ees. I) ra io an te!evision pro,ra* #osts $an ren er t#eir servi$es on!( as e*p!o(ees, t#e station o"ners an *ana,ers $an i$tate to t#e ra io an te!evision #osts "#at t#e( sa( in t#eir s#o"s. +#is is not $on u$ive to )ree o* o) t#e press.

49N:2=s $!ai*s are a!! -ase on t#e 0a( 1114 2,ree*ent an sto$% option p!an, an not on t#e <a-or Co e. C!ear!(, t#e present $ase oes not $a!! )or an app!i$ation o) t#e <a-or Co e provisions -ut an interpretation an i*p!e*entation o) t#e 0a( 1114 2,ree*ent. In e))e$t, 49N:2=s $ause o) a$tion is )or -rea$# o) $ontra$t "#i$# is intrinsi$a!!( a $ivi! ispute $o,ni7a-!e -( t#e re,u!ar $ourts.

A@>R>F9R>, "e D>N6 t#e petition. +#e assai!e De$ision o) t#e Court o) 2ppea!s ate 2/ 0ar$# 1111 in C23G.R. 45 No. 41110 is 2FFIR0>D. Costs a,ainst petitioner. 49 9RD>R>D.

(Fu!! +e&tE http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2004/jun2004/138051.htm )