PhilPost head faces raps over GSIS loan payments

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) postmaster general Josephine Dela Cruz will be facing charges for her alleged failure to remit the loan amortization of an employee to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales recently signed a resolution ordering charges to be filed against Dela Cruz after the anti-graft body found probable cause to charge her with 15 counts of violation of Republic Act No. 8291 or the GSIS Act of 1997.

Also indicted were PhilPost Eastern Mindanao area director Bernardito Gonzales and Arlene Bendanillo from PhilPost- Zamboanga City.

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In its investigation, the Ombudsman said the respondents failed to remit the loan amortizations of PhilPost employee Santos Pamatong Jr. to the GSIS from October 2011 to December 2012.

Dela Cruz, in her defense, said the PhilPost prioritized the net take home pay of employees and operating costs over the remittance of GSIS loan premiums and amortizations.

However, the Ombudsman said that the postmaster general’s defense “has not presented any evidence that would support her allegation that the PPC lacked the funds to be able to remit to the GSIS complainant’s loan amortizations.”

Under Section 52 of RA 8291, should heads of government agencies fail, refuse, or delay payment or remittance of premiums and loan amortizations due to the GSIS, they shall suffer penalties of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than five years and a fine upon conviction of final judgment.