By CHARISSA ATIENZA
Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez yesterday testified before the House impeachment panel that since the creation of the Special Committee on Retirement and Civil Service Benefits and the two technical working groups (TWG) in 2015 and 2016, no survivorship pension applications were acted upon in a span of two years.
He said while, the creation of the special committee was signed by Sereno, and Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, and Presbitero Jose Velasco Jr., the setting up of the TWGs was solely directed by Sereno.
The first TWG, which seeks “to screen the applications” was established on Dec. 22, 2015, while the second TWG was set up in 2016.
“After the committee was created, umabot na sa dalawang taon baka madesisyunan ang application,” Marquez told the House Committee on Justice during its fifth hearing on the determination of probable cause whether or not to impeach Sereno.
“From October 2015 to November 6, 2017, no application was acted upon, more or less mga two years, one month and five days po yun,” he said.
He said since he received snowballing requests to expedite the release of the pension benefits of judges and justices, he sent a letter to Sereno on Jan. 12 to “treat the matter immediately.”
“Considering that it has been more than a year since the court’s last action for survivorship pension and majority of the surviving spouses are beyond 80 years, there is compelling need to expedite action on the 29 applications,” Marquez said his letter read during the hearing.
He said Sereno’s office received the letter on the same day, but was not acted upon.
“Wala pong nangyari, walang sagot,” he said when asked by Pampanga Rep. Juan Pablo Bondoc if Sereno acted on his letter.
In his opening statement, Marquez said “I am not here to testify for or against anyone, but to perform a sacred and noble obligation to tell the truth based on my personal knowledge and perception in circumstances that happened.”
Prior to the creation of the special committee and the TWGs, the court administrator said the resolution on the retirement benefits came out “in two to three weeks.”
