Retired prosecutors to get pension after 22 years

MANILA, Philippines - After waiting for 22 years, retired prosecutors will finally receive their pension differential.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday announced that 109 prosecutors, who either compulsory or optionally retired from 1992 to 2008, can now claim their pension funds.

In a statement, the DOJ said each retired prosecutor stands to get P2.5 million.

Republic Act 10071 or the Prosecution Service Act of 2010 provides for the scheme in computing retirement benefits of prosecutors.

In a memorandum dated May 12, DOJ Assistant Secretary for Financial Service Zabedin Azis said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P241,209,204 to cover the payment of pension differential of the 109 retired prosecutors.

DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima said this is a welcome development for the department, particularly the National Prosecution Service.

“Our prosecutors had relentlessly dedicated their services for the cause of justice,” De Lima said.

With this announcement, the DOJ hopes to avoid the repeat of an incident when a retired city prosecutor of Cadiz City in Negros named Marcelo del Pilar died because he failed to undergo a heart bypass operation due to lack of funds.

Del Pilar, 66, retired in July 2011. He died last April 4.

He was borrowing money from his children because the law prohibits a prosecutor from engaging in private practice for a year after his retirement.

About a month before he passed away, Del Pilar reportedly said he had not received his lump sum benefits from the DOJ.

He suffered a heart attack in 2007 and again in 2010 and was reportedly advised to undergo a heart bypass operation.