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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House probe sought on halted payment of hundreds of retired cops' pension 

House probe sought on halted payment of hundreds of retired cops' pension 

Published Jun 20, 2024 02:09 am

At A Glance

  • Ranking congressmen led by House Speaker Martin Romualdez have jointly filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the stoppage of the payment of hundreds of retired Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel's pension. 

received_459990735108046.jpeg(Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Ranking congressmen led by House Speaker Martin Romualdez have jointly filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the stoppage of the payment of hundreds of retired Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel's pension.

Filed for this purpose was House Resolution (HR) No.1756, which stemmed from Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) 2023-001 dated January 18, 2023, issued by the Commission on Audit (COA).

Under the AOM, COA insisted that to be entitled to retirement benefits, a PNP retiree, in addition to the attainment of 56 years of age, should have rendered at least 20 years of active service.

If a retiree has rendered less than 20 years of active service, he/she shall be paid retirement gratuity only and will not receive monthly pension benefits.

In contrast, the Board of Officers, created under the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act (Republic Act 6975) promulgated Resolution 8 in 1992 establishing a retirement and separation benefit system for PNP personnel.

"In the light of its legal/audit position, COA reviewed the list of PNP pensioners as of September 22, 2022 and observed that out of 5,442 validated retirees, 19 had rendered less than twenty (20) years of active service of which, five (5) allegedly were overpaid in terms of pension benefits in 2022," read the resolution.

"To make matters worse, the COA has noted that in the previous year it has also observed that 271 pensioners have rendered less than 20 years of active service," HR No.1756 further stated.

Resolution 8 authorizes the payment of retirement gratuity or pension benefits to retirees with at least 10 years of active service. COA has ruled that the grant of pension benefits to retirees with at least 10 years of active service “may be considered without basis.”

In view of its findings, COA recommended the stoppage of “payment of pension benefits to pensioners with less than 20 years of active service to minimize the overpayment of pension benefits to unqualified pensioners and safeguard the pension funds”, as well as the initiation of necessary steps to recover the alleged overpayments.

The PNP has affirmed the legality of its retirement and separation benefit system and disputed the COA audit observations.

“There appears to be an honest or sincere difference of opinion as to the proper interpretation of the applicable law(s) and regulation,” the resolution read.

“The lack of clarity or indubitable guidance in the law requires Congress to step into the controversy possibly by way of remedial or curative legislation to address the laudable purposes of according humanitarian consideration to our police retirees who are now in the twilight of their lives while at the same time preserving the integrity and financial stability of our pension fund,” it further stated.

Serving as Romualdez's co-authors to HR No.1756 were House Majority Leader Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos, and Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop.

Related Tags

Philippine National Police Commission on Audit (COA) Martin Romualdez Pensioners
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