Philippine Association of Free Labor Unions vs Bureau of Labor Relations

G.R. No. L-43760

August 21, 2976

FACTS:

In a certification held in 1976, respondent union (National Federation of Free Labor unions) won against
the petitioner union by 429 votes as against the latter with only 414 votes. The petitioner filed a complaint
against the Director of the Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR) for it acted on grave abuse of discretion when
it did not count the 17 spoiled ballots. It also contends that the BLR Director failed to observe the ruling in
the case of Allied Workers Asso vs Court of Industrial Relations.

However, the BLR Director stated that the ruling in the aforementioned case cannot be applied for it arose
during the Industrial Peace Act. The legislation I no longer in force and was already superseded by the
present Labor Code.

ISSUE:

Whether or not the BLR Director acted on grave abuse of discretion when he didn’t include the spoiled
ballots in the counting of votes?

RULING:

The principle that the contemporaneous construction of a statute by the executive officers of the
government, whose duty it is to execute it, is entitled to great respect, and should ordinarily control the
construction of the statute by the courts, is so firmly embedded in our jurisprudence that no authorities
need be cited to support it." 18 There was a paraphrase by Justice Malcolm of such a pronouncement in
Molina v. Rafferty," 19 a 1918 decision: "Courts will and should respect the contemporaneous construction
placed upon a statute by the executive officers whose duty it is to enforce it, and unless such interpretation
is clearly erroneous will ordinarily be controlled thereby." Since then, such a doctrine has been reiterated
in numerous decisions. As was emphasized by Chief Justice Castro, "the construction placed by the office
charged with implementing and enforcing the provisions of a Code should he given controlling weight.”

The petition was dismissed.