Cayetano seeks higher pension for judges

Sen. Renato Cayetano is pressing for the passage of a bill that will provide better retirement and separation benefits for justices and trial judges.

Cayetano, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, said the present retirement law for members of the judiciary should be amended in recognition of the public service that they render.

He filed Senate Bill 1684 seeking to lower from 20 to 15 years the minimum years of service required for a member of the judiciary to enjoy full retirement benefits upon reaching the age of either 60 or 70.

Under the bill, members of the judiciary, upon retirement, will get a lump sum of five years' pay based on the highest salary they had received, including transportation, living and representation allowances.

After five years, a retiree will be entitled to a monthly pension for life.

Those with partial permanent disability contracted in service prior to retirement will get a bonus of two years' lump sum, for a total of seven years' lump sum payment.

"Regardless of length of service, when a justice or judge dies in actual service, his or her heirs shall get a lump sum of five years' gratuity," Cayetano said.

In addition, the surviving spouse and dependent children will be entitled to monthly allowances, Cayetano added.

The measure also provides for the automatic increase in the retiree's pension whenever there is a salary increase for the position he or she held prior to retirement.

Cayetano said his measure seeks to cover even the members of the judiciary who would retire five years prior to the enactment of SB 1684 into law.