Mandaue SP accepts committee report on token benefits for judge

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City council yesterday adopted the report submitted by the committee on appropriation, budget and finance seeking the granting of "token" benefits in the amount of P429,000 to retired Judge Agustin Vestil for his services as RTC judge in Mandaue City.

Earlier, Judge Vestil requested the city government for payment of his "gratuity benefits" for having served for five years as RTC Judge of branch 56 in the city.

In his letter, Vestil informed the council that he received a gratuity benefit from Cebu province in less than three months despite the fact that he had not officially and directly rendered service for Cebu province.

Committee chairman Councilor Emiliano Rosal in his report stated that, based on information from previous legislators and other city officials, this is the first case that the city has encountered.

He said he has not also read of any law that grants gratuity to national employees who have served the local government unit.

But since his committee is not yet prepared to opine that the city is obliged to grant gratuity benefits to retired judges, he found that it is not illegal to extend "token benefits" to retired judges who have served long and dedicated years of service to the city.

Rosal in his committee report also said the allowances granted to judges in the city are not in the form of Representation and Transportation Allowance (RATA) but considered as a "simple allowance” based on the fare matrix of the local finance committee.

Because of it, the committee has come up with P429,000 as token benefit which Vestil will receive.

It will be based on his P7,150 monthly allowance which he received from the city (times 12 months) for the five years which he has served the city .

With his committee report, the council yesterday adopted Rosal's recommendation which gives authority to the local finance committee through Mayor Jonas Cortes to consider the granting of token benefits to Judge Vestil and such amount will be taken in the ensuing supplemental budget to be proposed by the executive department. — Flor Z. Perolina   (FREEMAN NEWS)