Ex-PhilPost chief charged for not remitting employee’s loan payment

Lian Buan

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Ex-PhilPost chief charged for not remitting employee’s loan payment
Former Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz earlier said they had to prioritize salaries and operating expenses over the remittance of GSIS loan payments since they had insufficient funds

MANILA, Philippines – Former Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz, along with two other Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) officials, were charged with 15 counts of violation of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Act for failing to remit an employee’s loan payment to the GSIS worth P35,178,45.

The Ombudsman filed the charges before the Sandiganbayan on Friday, January 6, against Dela Cruz and PhilPost officials Bernardito Gonzales and Arlene Bendanillo.

The case involves PhilPost employee Santos Jose Pamatong Jr, who took out a loan from the GSIS in 2011. To pay back the GSIS, PhilPost was supposed to deduct P2,345.23 from Pamatong’s monthly salary over 15 months which they would then remit to the GSIS.

It turns out PhilPost never remitted the funds.

The Ombudsman’s investigation showed Dela Cruz, Gonzales, and Bendanillo “conspired and confederated with one another and willfully, unlawfully, and criminally failed to remit” to the GSIS.

In her indictment in February 2016, Dela Cruz explained that due to insufficiency of funds, PhilPost prioritized the payment of its employees’ salaries and operating costs over the remittance of GSIS premiums and loan amortizations.

Dela Cruz and the two other PhilPost officials are facing 15 counts of violation of Section 52(g) of the GSIS Act, one for each month that they did not remit to the GSIS.

Bail bond recommendation stands at P24,000 for each count, or P360,000 in total each.

Apart from prison time and penalties, they could be barred from holding public office and from practicing any profession licensed by the government, if convicted. – Rappler.com 

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Lian Buan

Lian Buan is a senior investigative reporter, and minder of Rappler's justice, human rights and crime cluster.