Termination and Harassment from previous employer

[chiwyan]

Good day to everyone and I hope someone could help me with this problem. I used to work in one of the big companies in The Philippines. However, last February 2008 I decided to work in another country so I applied for a resignation 1 week prior to the date of effectivity stated in my resignation letter.
However, my previous employer refused to accept my resignation. Instead, they terminated me stating that I need to inform them at least 30 days prior to the date of my resignation. Because I was terminated, I was not able to receive my last salary and other benefits that I am supposed to get as a resigned employee. I did not bother to file a case in National Labor Relations Commitee nor pursue my benefits anymore.
One year after, they are now harassing me to pay a humongous amount of Php 400 thousand + for the provident fund loans that I have made ever since I have worked for their company. As far as I am concerned, since I am a former member of that provident fund I should not owe any money to them because they have been deducting the payments from my monthly salary ever since I started to have a loan and I also have a provident fund share that will be enough to supposedly be used to pay any outstanding balance that a member may have once he/she resigns from the company.
Presently, I am jobless since I was laid-off from my overseas job due to the global economic crisis. Worst, I am not financially able to pay the money they are demanding from me. Is there a law here in our country that states that one should notify the company 30 days before resigning from your job? Do I still have the right to file a counter complaint against my previous employer once they file a civil case against me? Is it legal that they only notified me about the said money 1 year after my resignation? Any help and suggestions is highly appreciated. Thank you very much.