Court order puts retired cops' pension in limbo

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) fears that around 66,000 retired cops would not be receiving their pensions on August.

This comes after the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 issued a Notice of Garnishment last July 9 against the account of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and PNP with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

The garnishment order against PNP funds for operating expenses amounting to almost P4 billion stemmed from the case filed by the Manila’s Finest Brotherhood Association, Inc., a group of poilcemen from the Manila Police District.

The order directs that “withdrawal, release or transfer shall not be made on any deposit accounts, properties or assets belonging to the aforementioned parties under the Bank’s control or possession if the resulting balance will go below or equivalent to P3,915,140,499.16."

PNP authorities argued that the funds subject to garnishment, appropriated under Republic Act (RA) 10633 of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2014, are specifically exempt from garnishment as provided by law.

They cited Section 93 of RA 10633 which provides that "all amounts appropriated and released under this Act shall be exempt from garnishment."

The amount subject to the garnishment order is supposedly for the payment of pension differentials of 3,344 Integrated National Police (INP) pensioners for 1991 to 2006, as well as PNP and INP pension differential based on the First Tranche Pay Rate of active PNP personnel.

“However, funds for these particular pension obligations are sourced from the Pension and Gratuity Fund of the GAA, and not from annual appropriations to the PNP,” the PNP said.

The PNP Legal Service informed the court, through a manifestation, regarding the status of PNP and DBM actions on the court issuances and that funds for the pension accounts were appropriated via RA 10633.