Sen. Richard Gordon (Screengrab/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Richard Gordon has filed a bill seeking to expand the survivorship benefits also to cover the families of prosecutors who died while in active service.
Gordon filed Senate Bill No. 2487 amending the recently passed Republic Act No. 11643, which grants benefits to the surviving kin of deceased retired members of the National Prosecution Service (NPS).
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“The bill aims to expand the grant of survivorship benefits in case of death of a member of the NPS while in actual service, regardless of his/her age and length of service. This is to ensure that the families of our prosecutors will be taken care of when unfortunate incidents befall them,” Gordon said in a statement Tuesday.
In filing the bill, Gordon recalled the recent killing of Assistant City Prosecutor Edilbert Mendoza, who was shot dead in front of his house in Cavite.
READ: Prosecutor shot dead in Cavite
Gordon lambasted what he said is the culture of impunity in the country, saying it has already claimed the lives of 115 lawyers, judges, and prosecutors since 1972, 66 of which transpired during the last five years.
“Itong mga pagpatay na ito ay [These killings are] spitting on the face of justice. Every attack on the lawyers in the performance of their duties is an attack on the rule of law and our justice system. Our prosecutors and judges should not be intimidated,” Gordon said.
His bill seeks to grant the family a lump sum of five years’ worth of gratuity computed based on the highest monthly salary on top of allowances awarded to them.
Under the measure, heirs of a deceased member who served as a prosecutor for at least 15 years in government shall instead receive 10 years’ worth of gratuity.
Meanwhile, if the prosecutor had served at least five years but less than 10, their families would be awarded a decade’s worth of gratuity as well.
When the measure becomes effective, it will apply retroactively to the family of NPS members who died within one year of its possible implementation.
Gordon, a lawyer by profession, is also pushing for the protection of members of the judiciary through Senate Bill No. 1947 or the proposed establishment of the Office of the Judiciary Marshals.
The said bill aims to ensure the security, safety, and protection of the members, officials, personnel, and property of the Judiciary, including the integrity of the courts and their proceedings.
READ: Senate OKs bill seeking creation of judiciary marshals