- Petitioner
- Esteria F. Garciano
- Respondent
- The Hon. Court of Appeals
- Citation
- G.R. No. 96126
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- First Division
- Ponente
- Griño-Aquino, J.
- Decided
- August 10, 1992
Summary
Teacher Esteria Garciano sued school officials for damages claiming illegal dismissal and discrimination. While on leave in Austria, school principal and founder terminated her services citing lack of written contract and difficulty finding substitute. Upon return, Board of Directors reinstated her and nullified termination, but she failed to report for work. Trial court awarded substantial damages, but Court of Appeals reversed, finding no liability since officials lacked authority to dismiss and Board had reinstated her. Supreme Court affirmed, ruling her work discontinuance was voluntary choice. Despite respondents' disagreement with reinstatement, they didn't physically prevent her return to work. Court applied Civil Code provisions on human relations (Articles 19-21) and damages, finding no basis for liability since petitioner was partly at fault and ignored Board's work order. The decision emphasizes that moral damages require clean hands and actual unlawful acts causing injury.