Dismissal not funny for comedy bar workers

Eleven employees are appealing their alleged illegal dismissal from Klownz Comedy Bar owned by television hosts Allan K (real name Allan Quilantang) and Ai Ai de las Alas (Martina Eileen de las Allas).

In their petition, lawyer Voltaire Balitaan asked the Court of Appeals to reverse the ruling of the National Labor Relations Commission that upheld as valid their dismissal two years ago due to bankruptcy.

The complainantsMarlon Gutierrez, Joselito Magtibay, Ryan Paul Ramirez, Diosdado Celestial, Michael Sagun, Cesar Medes, Hilario Servallos, Joseph Pleno, Jeffrey Siping, Ryan Libao and Raphael Encinareswere employed at Klownz Comedy in Araneta, Cubao, Quezon City.

Quilantang and De las Allas had five other companions operating the branch.

The petitioners said the business had not closed shop because other bars remained open.

The private respondent Klownz-Araneta cannot be considered as separate and distinct from the respondent Klownz Comedy Bar Inc. Both the private respondents Klownz-Araneta and Klownz Comedy Bar Inc., however, are estopped from claiming such defense because petitioners services were interchangeably used by either of them as petitioners were utilized at each other branch or place of business, they said. –Rey E. Requejo, Manila Standard Today