The Department of Justice scored another victory with the conviction of Rufino Garcia, president/owner of Angels of Mary Learning Center in Antipolo City for his failure to remit to the Social Security System (SSS) the penalty on delayed payments of its employees’ SSS contributions.

In an eight-page Decision, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 97 found Garcia guilty beyond reasonable doubt of Violation of Section 22 (a and d) in relation to Section 28 (e) of Republic Act No. 1161 (The Social Security Act of 1954).

The court sentenced him to six-month imprisonment, a fine of P2,000 and to pay SSS the total amount of P136,990 representing the penalty on delayed payments of its employees’ SSS contributions from October 1997 to September 2000. Garcia was also required to pay the additional three percent penalty that have accrued from such date until said contributions are paid.

Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas commended Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Perfecto Lawrence Chua Cheng V for successfully prosecuting the case. He also urged employers “to be mindful of their obligations to their employees like payment of their SSS contributions so that these workers will be able to avail of their benefits especially in times of need.”