Pursuant to Section 52 of Department Order No. A-049, effective immediately, the following rules shall apply to the suspension, resumption, termination and reprocessing of active pensions/benefits:

1. Suspension of Pensions:

Thru Mailing -

a. Return-to-Sender (RTS) Checks for reasons that the claimant has moved; unknown; deceased, and others, the pension shall be suspended immediately upon knowledge or notice that the checks were returned to PVAO.

Thru Bank Pension Payment Scheme (BPPS) -

b. As to accumulated pensions reported by the Banks pursuant to existing MOA's, the pension shall be suspended immediately and subject for verification if the pensioner is still alive, unless sooner verified by the Bank's tagging of pensioner ATM every six (6) months and covered by a report to PVAO.

Thru Revalidation/Cleansing -

c. When material inconsistency/ies in the documents, papers, or records submitted by the pensioner by way of revalidation/cleansing is/are found when matched/compared with existing PVAO data such as but not limited to inconsistency/ies in the date of birth, date of marriage, date of death, different names, different thumbmarks or signature, and such other cases analogous to the foregoing, the pension shall be suspended.

Thru Reports from Veterans Organizations, etc. -

d. Reports of death, remarriage, assumed identity, and other reports as to affect the validity of pension shall be ground for immediate suspension of pension/benefit if found to be reliable. In all instances, judicious evaluation of such reports shall be made to ascertain the veracity thereof.

Others -

e. Cases analogous or similar in nature to the foregoing. Judicious evaluation of records, reports, documents or papers shall be made with the end in view of preventing loss and waste of public funds.

In all instances where the applications, records, papers or documents submitted by or caused to be submitted by the pensioner indicate the presence of fraud, the pension shall be suspended/terminated as the case may be and indorsed to Legal Division (Anti-Fraud) for investigation or filing of appropriate charges.

All Memoranda recommending suspension shall discuss/state clearly the reasons for suspension pursuant to this rule supported by proofs and/or documents and approved by the Director III.

2. Resumption of Pensions - In all cases, resumptions shall be made within the period of suspension {six (6) months from the date of approval of the memorandum for suspension} upon showing and/or proof that the reason/s or cause/s of suspension does not exist. It shall discuss/state clearly the reason/s in resuming the pension/benefit, supported by proofs or documents submitted by pensioner.

3. Termination of Pension -

a. Pensions under suspension for six (6) months from date of approval of suspension order shall be automatically terminated and archived, unless recommended for resumption within the same period, in which case it shall remain suspended until final action shall have been made on the recommendation.

b. Immediate termination of pension shall be made if supported by incontrovertible proofs that pensioner is dead, has remarried, or that the circumstances of the case warrant immediate termination.

4. Request for Reinstatement/Re-processing - pensions terminated and archived pursuant to this rules, and those previously under termination status may be reinstated and re-processed following the rules on processing of pensions/benefits, and only on valid causes as follows:

a. Reappearance of pensioner showing good reasons for his/her absence.

b. Documentary proof/s (excluding affidavits) was presented disapproving the grounds/reasons for suspension or termination.

c. On a case-to-case basis indorsed by the Administrator, findings after exhaustive and competent investigation showing that reinstatement/resumption is proper under the circumstances.

In these cases, effectivity of reinstatement may retroact to the time the pension was suspended unless the reason of suspension is attributed to the pensioner's inexcusable neglect, in which case, pensions shall start only upon approval of the Reinstatement Order.

5. In all cases without exception, resumption, termination or reinstatement of pensions covered by this rule shall be duly recommended by the Director III and approved by Administrator.

Memoranda, Circulars and Orders inconsistent herewith are revoked or amended accordingly.

Adopted: 24 Oct. 2005

(SGD.) ROGELIO A. DAYAN
Administrator