The Philippine National Police (PNP) has asked a dismissed policeman who figured in a viral road rage video to return the P588,000 he received as retirement benefits and threatened legal action if he fails to do so.
Police Brig. Gen. Niño David Rabaya, director of the PNP-Retirement and Benefits Administration Service (PRBS), said the huge sum of money covers the leave credits and lump sum pension which Wilfredo Gonzales received from 2016 to part of 2019.
Rabaya explained that the benefits were given to Gonzales since there was still no final decision on his dismissal.
“But when the PRBS was able to receive the dismissal order, his monthly pension, which was supposed to start in 2019, it was not anymore activated. So basically, he is not anymore receiving pension from us,” said Rabaya.
Right now, Rabaya said they are now preparing a formal demand letter that would be sent to Gonzales in order for him to return the money he received from the PNP.
“We are already taking initial actions for the recovery of the said overpayment of his pension,” said Rabaya.
And if Gonzales would fail to comply, Rabaya said: “We will be taking civil action against him. We have already referred this to our legal then civil action will be taken against him if he refuse to return the amount.”
Gonzales was dimissed from the service in 2018 over an administrative case involving grave misconduct.
Gonzales almost lost everything due to a road rage involving a bicycle rider— he was condemned when he hit the bicycle rider and pulled out and later loaded a gun in front of the latter on Aug. 8 in Quezon City.
Aside from being fired from his job, his gun privileges were also revoked and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has already submitted for resolution the decision on whether or not his driver’s license would be permanently revoked.