Solon urges Congress to probe delay in release of retirement

benefits of government employees

A lawmaker is calling for an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the amended implementing rules
and regulations (RR) of Republic Act (RA) 1015, which has reportedly caused the arbitrary withholding
by the state insurance system of the retirement benefits of go!ernment officials and employees with
pending criminal cases"
Rep" Reynaldo #" $mali (%nd &istrict, 'riental (indoro) said the amended )RR of RA 1015 is
contrary to the pro!isions of the present law which ensures the timely release of the retirement pay,
pensions, gratuities and other benefits of retiring state workers"
*RA 1015 is a landmark legislation which recogni+es go!ernment workers who ha!e spent the
best years of their li!es ser!ing the go!ernment by requiring all concerned go!ernment agencies to gi!e
highest priority the payment of retirement pay and other benefits of retiring state workers,, $mali
e-plained"
.he 'riental (indoro solon said /ection 0 of RA 1015% limits to a ma-imum of 10 days from the
date of their retirement the period for the termination and2or resolution of their pending case"
*$pon the lapse of the prescribed period, the retirement benefit shall immediately be released to
them without pre3udice to the ultimate resolution of the case e-cept when the delay is deliberately caused
by the go!ernment retiree,, he said"
$mali further said the earlier )RR of the law promulgated and issued by the 4i!il /er!ice
4ommission on 5une 00, %010 defined a pending case to be administrati!e disciplinary in nature"
*6ut this was subsequently amended under Resolution 7o" 100%%% promulgated by the
4ommission on 'ctober 1, %010 by including pending criminal cases,, he said"
8e said the amended )RR of RA 1015 has caused the arbitrary withholding by the 9o!ernment
/er!ice )nsurance /ystem (9/)/) of the retirement benefits due to public officials and employees with
pending cases before the /adiganbayan or the regular courts"
*.he said amended )RR of RA 1015 is contrary to the declaration of the /tate :olicy enunciated
in /ection 1 of the law which pro!ides that the /tate shall ensure the timely and e-peditious releases of
the retirement pay and other benefits of all retiring employees of the go!ernment,, $mali said"
8e said to ensure the timely and e-peditious release of the retirement pay and other benefits of the
all retiring state employees, the law pro!ides for the sanctions to be imposed upon transgressors of the
same such as suspension from the ser!ice without pay form si- months to one year"
$mali, through 8ouse Resolution 1%11, directed the 4ommittee on 9ood 9o!ernment and :ublic
Accountability to look into the Amended )mplementing Rules and Regulations of RA 1015, in
conformity with the true essence and mandates of the said law requiring all concerned go!ernment
agencies to ensure the early release of the retirement pay, pensions, gratuities and other benefits of
retiring go!ernment employees" (00) mvip
NR # 3537B
JULY 24, 2014