MANILA, Philippines - A senior administration lawmaker has called for a congressional inquiry into the delay in the release of retirement benefits of government employees, apparently caused by amendments to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) governing the disbursements of pensions and related funds.
Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said the IRR of Republic Act 10154, which mandates agencies to ensure the early disbursement of pensions and other benefits of retiring public sector workers, has caused the arbitrary withholding by the state insurance system of the retirement benefits of government officials and employees with pending criminal cases.
“RA 10154 is a landmark legislation which recognizes retiring state workers by requiring concerned government agencies to prioritize the payment of their retirement pay and other benefits,” Umali said.
He said Section 3 of RA 10154 limits to a maximum of 90 days, from date of retirement, the period for the termination or resolution of the pending case of the retiree.
“Upon the lapse of the prescribed period, the retirement benefit shall be released to them without prejudice to the resolution of the case, except when the delay is deliberately caused by the government retiree,” he said.
The lawmaker said the previous IRR of the law issued by the Civil Service Commission on June 30, 2013 defined a pending case to be administrative disciplinary in nature.
“But this was subsequently amended under Resolution No. 1302242 promulgated by the Commission on Oct. 1, 2013 by including pending criminal cases,” he said.
Umali said the amended IRR of RA 10154 has caused the arbitrary withholding by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) of the retirement benefits due to public officials and employees with pending cases before the Sandiganbayan or regular courts.
He said to ensure the speedy release of retirement pay of state employees, the law provides for the sanctions to be imposed upon transgressors such as suspension from the service without pay from six months to one year.
Umali has filed a resolution asking the House committee on good government and public accountability to look into the amended IRR of RA 10154 to determine its “conformity with the true essence and mandates of the law requiring concerned government agencies to ensure the early release of retirement pay, pensions, gratuities and other benefits of government employees.”