As Christmas draws near, Cebu City prosecutors hope City Hall would resume giving them monthly cash incentives.
The city government stopped the release of monthly allowances of P18,000 to city prosecutors last June reportedly due to funding problems.
“We were informed by a source from City Hall that the budget is tight. I understand they (city officials) are prioritizing the use of government funds,” assistant city prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas told Cebu Daily News.
The allowance of state prosecutors used to be P10,000 a month. In January this year, Mayor Michael Rama raised it to P18,000.
Sought for comment, Rama said he would ask Cebu CityCity Administrator Jose Ma. Poblete to look into the matter.
“We have the money. I don’t intend to cancel the allowances of judges and prosecutors,” he said.
Earlier this year, Justice Secretary de Lima said she has been discouraging prosecutors from receiving cash incentives from host local government units to avoid giving rise to conflicts of interest.
The same issue has been raised about local allowances to judges and the need to preserve the independence of the judiciary especially when litigation involves local government officials. Nevertheless, the practice has persisted across the country in localities which can afford to spend.
Assistant City Prosecutor Rhodna Bacatan said they received the P18,000 allowance from Cebu City from January to May 2012.
Prosecutors who are employees of the National Prosecution Service under the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) have salaries ranging from P30,000 to P70,000, depending on rank and length of service.
Assistant City Prosecutor Ruso Zaragoza expressed dismay over the suspension of allowances from the city.
“I hope the release of our allowances would be our Christmas gift from the local government unit,” he added.
Assistant City Prosecutor Aida Sanchez said the monthly stipend was a big help, which she used to pay for her car amortization and groceries. /Ador Vincent Mayol, Reporter