MANILA, Philippines — The suspension of benefit claims for police officers from the National Police Commission (Napolcom) will not affect the granting of benefits by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to the relatives of police officers who are killed in the line of duty.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac gave the assurance on Tuesday after the Napolcom announced that its payment of benefits under the PNP Welfare Benefits Program has been temporarily suspended after it was declared as “double compensation” by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
READ: DBM orders Napolcom to stop paying ‘redundant’ police benefits
Banac said that it is only the “separate” Napolcom-administered complete disability and death benefits that have been suspended by the DMB on recommendation by the Commission on Audit.
“The PNP assures it will continue to provide all benefits due to surviving kin of deceased PNP personnel who died on the line of duty circumstances despite the suspension of similar benefits administered by the National Police Commission,” Banac said in a statement.
“This suspension does not have any effect on the PNP Morale and Welfare Program,” he added.
The DBM temporarily suspended the payment of benefits being claimed by the Napolcom as this constituted “double compensation” saying the PNP also grants the same benefits.
In a letter dated Nov. 19, the DBM claimed that the payment of benefit claims is inconsistent with Section 8, Article IX-B of the Constitution which prohibits the grant of additional or double compensation.
Meanwhile, on Jan. 14, the Commission on Audit (COA) issued an Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) which stated that the payment of benefits by the Napolcom and the PNP constitutes double compensation.
However, the police commission insisted that the benefits provided by the Napolcom and PNP to policemen retirees and beneficiaries are “distinct and separate from each other.”
READ: Napolcom : PNP benefits for cops who die on duty not double compensation