Senate’s 1st bill: Judiciary’s retirement pay

The Senate is out to prove that there’s life outside investigating government controversies.

The upper chamber approved yesterday its first bill since opening session last July that provides for additional retirement benefits to members of the judiciary.

Sen. Francis Escudero, chairman of the committee on justice and human rights, has filed committee report No. 1, consolidating three bills on expanding the retirement benefits of justices and judges across the country principally sponsored by Escudero, Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Francis Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano and Senate President Manuel Villar.

Twenty senators signed the committee report, which seeks to amend Republic Act 910, or the law on the retirement plan of the judiciary.

Under the proposed law, if a justice or judge was killed because of his or her work, the legitimate surviving spouse as well as the legitimate and adopted children below 18 years old shall receive in equal shares all retirement benefits of the deceased justice or judge, Escudero explained.

The justice or judge should have served in government for at least five years regardless of age at the time of death. Upon reaching the age of 21, former child beneficiaries shall cease to receive part of the retirement benefit, which shall extend to the surviving spouse.

In addition to the existing retirement program, the legislation also seeks to provide the highest monthly aggregate of representation, transportation and living allowances at the time of his or her retirement or resignation. Also, an educational scholarship will be provided to a legitimate child or scholar officially nominated or designated by the member of the judiciary in any state university or college.

Covered by the measure are the chief justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Court of Tax Appeals as well as judges of the Regional Trial Court, Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, Shari’ah District Court, and Shari’ah Circuit Court.

Villar welcomed the approval of the committee report, which he said proves that the Senate is doing its job on legislation, and not merely focusing on the conduct of inquiries into the “Hello, Garci” wiretapping scandal and the ZTE national broadband deal controversy.        – Christina Mendez