ARRESTED. Police and enforcement personnel of the Social Security System (SSS) arrest three employers in General Santos City on Tuesday (Nov. 19, 2019) for alleged non-remittance of contributions of their workers. Photo shows one of the arrested suspects, Keith Dewey Sacor Morgia of D’Library Enterprise, during the service of the warrants of arrest. (Photo courtesy of SSS GenSan)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Police and enforcement personnel of the Social Security System (SSS) arrested three employers here on Tuesday for alleged non-remittance of contributions of their workers.
Authorities separately served the warrants of arrest Tuesday morning against Rowena Dutaro Rodemio of the Proserv Auto and Architectural Glass, Keith Dewey Sacor Morgia of D’Library Enterprise and Armand Basconillo Faciol of R Mann Cut Salon for Men and Women.
Lawyer Renato Cuisia, acting head of SSS operations and legal services division, said the suspects violated Republic Act 1161, as amended by RA 8282, or the Social Security Law.
Under the law, Cuisia said employers may be charged criminally for at least four major violations: non-remittance of premium contributions; non-registration of businesses; non-reporting or under-reporting of employees; and, under-remittance of contributions.
“These cases are confined to non-remittance of premium contributions for and in behalf of their workers,” he told reporters.
He did not divulge the details of the cases filed against the suspects but said these were the results of the series of investigation and validation activities conducted by their personnel.
The suspects are currently detained at the city police station 1 pending their presentation before the Regional Trial Court here.
Cuisia urged employers here to properly comply with the provisions of RA 1161 to avoid facing criminal charges.
“It is their responsibility to pay or remit the contributions that they deducted from their workers,” he said.
Before the charges are elevated to the courts, he said they give enough time for delinquent employers to settle their violations through the “contribution penalty condonation program.”
As of September, Cuisia said they already investigated and filed corresponding complaints against 78 employers in the city.
In the entire country, he said the agency is currently handling around 9,000 “pending cases” involving various violations. (PNA)
