SAN PEDRO, Laguna?Singer Kuh Ledesma is being sued for unfair labor practice by the daughter of a former employee who died as a result of burns sustained during a fire at the singer?s Hacienda Isabella resort in Indang, Cavite.

Julie P. Javellana, eldest daughter of Eliza Palis, filed the charges on Feb. 26, saying it was Palis? dying wish.

The complaint, lodged before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) in Calamba City, cites underpayment of salaries and wages, nonpayment of overtime pay, holiday and rest day pay, 13th month pay and SSS benefits.

Javellana said that, on May 3 last year, Palis, 71, employed by Ledesma as a cook since 1998, was working at Hacienda Isabella when she accidentally got burned while spraying denatured gas, which was highly combustible, to ignite a griller.

Palis reportedly sustained third degree burns on about 43 percent of her body and died of blood infection due to the burns 22 days after the incident.

Javellana, quoting other workers who witnessed the accident, said her mother scampered around, screaming for water.

One helper was said to have called for assistance, but Ledesma scolded her for disturbing an ongoing function.

A driver finally put out the fire on her mother?s body using a water hose, Javellana said. And instead of taking Palis to the hospital, she said, Ledesma insisted that the old woman stay at the resort.

?[Ledesma] said she knew what to do because she?s a nurse,? said Javellana, adding that the singer merely prayed over her mother.

No police record

The Cavite police said they have no record of the incident.

According to the complaint, the incident happened at around 9 a.m., but that it was only about three hours later when Palis was brought to Ledesma?s house in Pasay City, then to the Philippine General Hospital for treatment.

Before she left for a concert in the United States early this week, Ledesma said in a TV interview: ?It was an accident; no one wanted this to happen.?

Speaking on behalf of Ledesma, a resort staffer told the Inquirer that ?most of the charges are lies.?

The staffer added, ?Kuh did everything she could. She footed the hospital bills and funeral expenses. As for the back wages and related issues, the proper forum would be a court of law??an advice that Javellana apparently heeded.

The first hearing was scheduled Wednesday at the NLRC in Calamba City, but neither Ledesma nor her lawyer showed up.

The next hearing is set March 25.