ACUNA (ACUA?) V. CA Quisumbing, J.

May 5, 2006 FACTS: Petitioners are Filipino overseas workers deployed by private respondent Join International Corporation (JIC), a licensed recruitment agency, to its principal, 3D Pre Color Plastic, Inc!, (3D) in "aiwan, #epublic o$ C%ina, under a uni$ormly worded employment contract $or a period o$ two years to w%ic% t%ey paid a placement $ee o$ !",#50.00 as evidenced by receipts! &pon arriving in "aiwan, t%ey discovered t%at t%ey %ad unsatis$actory working and living conditions $or a lower salary t%an t%e contract t%ey signed be$ore leaving t%e P%ilippines! "%ey in$ormed t%eir employer t%at t%ey wanted to return %ome, w%ic% t%ey were allowed to do a$ter signing a waiver! '%en t%ey came back, t%ey demanded t%at JIC return t%eir placement $ees and plane $ares, w%ic% t%e respondent re$used to do! (owever, t%e private respondents later on o$$ered a settlement! Petitioners, invoking #epublic )ct *o! +,-.,/0/31 $iled a complaint $or illegal dismissal and non payment2underpayment o$ salaries or wages, overtime pay, re$und o$ transportation $are, payment o$ salaries2wages $or 3 mont%s, moral and e3emplary damages, and re$und o$ placement $ee be$ore t%e *ational 4abor #elations Commission (*4#C)! 4abor arbiter5 ruled in $avor o$ petitioners *4#C5 ruled partially in $avor o$ private respondents C)5 ruled in $avor o$ respondents "%e petitioners aver t%at t%e C6 erred in setting aside t%e decision o$ t%e *4#C despite