SEN. Joseph Victor Ejercito yesterday denied that politics was behind the privilege speech he delivered last Monday asking the San Juan City government to immediately pay the terminal pay of its retired employees.
In an interview with the Senate media, Ejercito said he just wanted to help 20 retirees whose benefits have been delayed for more than three years.
Last Tuesday, Zamora said the terminal pay has been released.
“I appealed to him, but he said it is not in the budget, but again it is provided for in the law. There is an allocation for that, to be paid for those who will retire. That is under programmed (expenses). Again, they should not treat this as another political vendetta,” Ejercito said.
Zamora, in a statement last Tuesday, denied Ejercito’s claim, saying the city government does not play favorites “nor pressuring anyone due to politics.”
Zamora said the city government has released the terminal leave benefits of 22 former city government employees amounting to more than P45 million, “including that of former Mayor Guia Gomez.”
Gomez is Ejercito’s mother, who also served as city mayor.
Zamora also claimed that on May 11, 2022, a Warrant of Distraint and/or Levy amounting to more than P235 million was issued to San Juan City for then-Mayor Ejercito’s failure to pay taxes of the city government worth P65 million for the fiscal year 2008.
Ejercito said the P235 million demanded by the Bureau of Internal Revenue involved a “legal issue” since the state tax collector reportedly erred in its assessment of taxes due.
He said the reason Zamora could not pay the retirement benefits was because the money was paid for the tax deficiency.
Ejercito said the tax case has dragged for years, even extending up to her mother’s term.
