Sued by SSS, caterer to serve 20 years

A catering service operator in Quezon City was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for failure to remit the monthly contributions of its employees to the Social Security System (SSS).

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 219 found Henry Marcos, owner of Henry Marcos Catering Services based on Salvador Street, Sta. Monica, Novaliches, guilty of violating Republic Act No. 8282 or the Social Security Act of 1997.

In a statement on Thursday, SSS Assistant Vice President for Operations-Legal Department Renato Jacinto Cuisia said Marcos was also liable to pay P1,358,573.24 in civil liabilities representing unpaid contributions of his 11 employees, including penalties as of Dec. 16, 2013.

In a decision by Judge Mitushealla Manzanero Casino, the businessman was meted a minimum prison term of four years and two months to a maximum of 20 years.

SSS discovered the delinquency upon examination by Junior Specialist Nenita Pascual, then of the SSS Novaliches branch.

Based on her assessment of the catering service’s employment records, Pascual issued a billing letter indicating the company’s total delinquency which was received on Sept. 22, 2006.

Despite several follow-ups and opportunities given by SSS to settle the delinquency, Marcos failed to comply.

The pension fund then issued a demand letter to the company on April 19, 2007.

“We want to avoid the tedious process of litigation and just settle the controversy outside the courts for speedy resolution for the benefit of the company’s workers. However, since Marcos did not cooperate, we had no other recourse but to file a case in court,” Cuisia said.