Ex-cops fight exclusion from salary law

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine National Police Retirees Association, Inc. has denounced the passing of the proposed Salary Standardization Law of 2015 before the Lower House which excludes its members from the benefits covered.

House Bill No. 6268 is now pending before the Senate with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a former military officer, as the author of the counterpart measure.

 PRAI-7 president, retired Colonel Walberto Mandin, said the bill is pushed by Liberal Party lawmakers to please President Benigno Aquino III and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, who wish to stop increasing the pension of retired uniformed men.

 “Malaking pondo ng gobyerno daw ang nawawala at napupunta lang daw sa pension ng mga retirado’ng pulis at sundalo pati na ang 26 months pension differentials at naka-hold pa sa office ni Sec. Abad,” said Mandin.

 Mandin said this should be known by retirees of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, PNP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection and Philippine Coast Guard.

 Presidential Decree 1638 and Republic Act 8551 guarantee the automatic indexation of pension adjustments.

 In a manifesto submitted to the Senate, PRAI said HB 6268 opts to suspend these guarantees, which the earlier framers intend to achieve knowing fully-well the lowly and aging retirees will need the resources to prepare themselves for the future.

 “PRAI does not agree with this unconscionable and discriminate act of government. This unconstitutional act excluding us from the benefits of the proposed 4th Salary Standardization Law is not acceptable even with the proviso that a law will be passed, a pension reform law which President BS Aquino stated in his SONA 2015, the so-called Unified Uniform Personnel Reform Pension Law,” read the manifesto.

 “There is no guarantee that the provision of PD 1638 and RA 8551 safeguarding the interest of the retirees will be included. We deserve a better treatment from this government after serving this country and our people the best years of our lives,” it added.

 PRAI national president, retired Police Director Van Luspo of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1975, attended Tuesday the meeting of the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO).

 “The AFP generals appreciated the efforts of PRAI in putting up a stand against the move of the government to scuffle our benefits we all deserve and amending the retirement provisions of our laws with end in view of removing the indexation of our pension adjustments in relation to the base pay increase of the active members of the uniformed services,” Luspo said.

 Luspo said AGFO is also taking a lead in forming a coalition of all retirees in the AFP, the PNP, and other uniformed services, tentatively to be called the Coalition of Unified Services Retirees Organizations.

 “This is a watershed effort and a historic event in order to bring about a united stand for all retirees now and in the future,” Luspo added. — (FREEMAN)