Zamora claps back at Ejercito for ‘politically motivated’ accusation

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. Screengrab from the mayor’s FB page

MANILA, Philippines — San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Wednesday responded to an accusation made by Senator JV Ejercito, saying the senator’s accusation is “politically motivated” adding that Ejercito, along with his mother, former Mayor Guia Gomez, were the ones who failed to settle outstanding taxes during their terms.

To recall, Ejercito on Monday, Feb. 27, claimed that some 20 retired workers of the San Juan City Hall had not received their terminal pay amounting to P40 million.

But according to Zamora in a statement on Wednesday, the city government of San Juan has already released Terminal Leave Benefits of former city government employees amounting to P45,934,981.03 to 122 claimants, which includes former Mayor Gomez and key members of the previous Estrada administrations.

“Releases are based on a schedule that we strictly follow for budget management purposes to ensure that all aspects of local governance are given attention to,” Zamora explained.

“We cannot release all terminal benefits in one tranche because it will have an adverse effect on the city’s budgeting and finances,” he added.

Zamora then reassured the public that San Juan City is committed to releasing claims for Terminal Leave Benefits to all qualified employees.

Ejercito’s accusation ‘politically motivated’

Zamora, in the same statement, then said that Ejercito’s allegation of non-release of terminal pay for the 20 retired workers was “politically motivated.”

“The allegation that the non-release of the benefits is politically motivated, is preposterous, because the fact that 122 claims already released were for Estrada appointees and hires is proof that there is no bias in the selection process as to who will receive their benefits,” said Zamora.

“Given that the Estradas were in power for 49 years, from 1969 until 2019, it is only expected that those applying for Terminal Leave Benefits are politically affiliated with them as their long-time employees,” he added.

Zamora said he did not favor anyone, reiterating that former mayor Gomez was the first to receive her terminal leave benefit.

He added that he supported Ejercito during his campaign for senator and even voted for him in the 2022 national and local elections.

“Walang dahilan o basehan para isipin niya (Sen. Ejercito) na may away politika kami na magiging dahilan para ipitin ko diumano ang TLB (terminal leave benefits) ng mga tao nila,” he said.

(There is no reason or basis for him to think that we have a political rivalry that will cause me to withhold the TLB of their people.)

Ejercity, Gomez failed to pay tax dues; cause of delayed benefits

Zamora then bared that a warrant of distraint or levy amounting to P235,293,315.38 was issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue to the city government of San Juan on May 11, 2022, after then-Mayor JV Ejercito failed to pay tax dues worth P65,954,947.90 for fiscal year 2008.

Gomez also failed to settle the tax deficiency during her tenure from 2010 to 2019, according to Zamora.

But Zamora said that the city government managed to reduce the deficiency taxes to P40,997,942.75.

“Had we not been able to prevent the imminent garnishment and levy of the City Government’s properties, the salaries of the almost 2,000 city hall employees, the electricity of our local government facilities, the educational, medical, financial, livelihood, and burial assistance programs to over 150,000 constituents of San Juan City would have suffered immensely,” said Zamora.

He added that the unplanned tax payment of over P40 million became a setback to the city’s recovery from COVID-19 and its ability to disburse pending payables — which include the terminal leave benefits in question.

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