Retirees group asks Ombudsman to act on complaints vs ex SSS execs

MANILA, Philippines—A group of retirees has called on the Office of the Ombudsman to stop sitting on the complaints against former top officials of the Social Security System and start doing something to recover SSS members’ money.

In an interview, Philippine Association of Retired Persons (PARP) national president Lorenzo B. Garcia Jr. said it has been two years since the group filed complaints against former SSS officials, including past presidents Romulo Neri and Corazon de la Paz, and former board members Sergio Ortiz-Luis and Sergio Apostol.

The officials figured in a congressional investigation of the allegedly excessive compensation packages in government-owned and -controlled corporations, including the SSS.

PARP is a national, nonprofit organization of retired executives and employees of private and government organizations. It describes itself as the largest and most militant organized group of retirees in the country.

Also, PARP used to run in previous congressional elections as a party list, but had never secured a seat in the House of Representatives. Garcia said PARP is no longer running in elections because of the high cost.

In December 2010, PARP filed in the office of the Ombudsman the complaint against SSS officials who, the group said, took money that should go to members’ benefits, particularly pensioners.

Garcia said that based on a hearing conducted by the Senate committee on finance in 2010, Cunanan allegedly pocketed P71.64 million in 2005, 2006 and 2007; de la Paz and Ortiz-Luis, a combined P124.7 million for the same period; and Neri, P300 million during his two-year term as SSS president.

He said that PARP followed up on its complaint in July 2011 and found out it was still under investigation stage.

Last February, PARP received a copy of a letter saying that the investigation was winding down and that the group would receive a report on the matter.