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Piegari Owner Says 200 Million-Peso Labor Ruling Puts Iconic Restaurant at Risk of Closure

The owner has appealed a first-instance judgment that triggered a 160 million-peso preventive embargo on his bank accounts.

Overview

  • He says the judge ruled entirely for a former waiter and set a payout that exceeds the amount originally claimed.
  • He reports that all bank accounts and some personal assets were frozen, restricting payments to staff, year-end bonuses, and suppliers.
  • The dispute stems from the COVID-19 period, when the owner says the employee refused to return to work and was dismissed for cause.
  • His lawyer argues the ruling’s calculations imply an equivalent monthly salary near 8 million pesos for the waiter, which they call abusive.
  • The appeals court has not issued a decision, and the longstanding Retiro restaurant with more than 100 employees faces severe cash-flow pressure.