More than 60 taxi drivers, thru the assistance of the Social Security System (SSS), filed last Friday criminal complaints with the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office amounting to about P6.8 million against four transport corporations allegedly run by a single family for deliberate failure to remit SS contributions of their employees.
The criminal complaints were filed against EPE Transport Inc., (owned/managed by Ernesto Enriquez, Elisa Enriquez, Evelyn Marcelo, Jose Marcelo, Elmer Enriquez, Iluminada Enriquez); JME Transport Inc., (owned by Romeo Enriquez, Rosalina Enriquez, Jason Enriquez, Feliz Fabros, Teresita Reyes); R&E Transport Inc., (owned by Romeo Enriquez, Ernesto Enriquez, Evelyn Marcel, Rodrigo Enriquez, Rose Marie Fong); and Nine Stars Transport Corporations (owned/managed Rodrigo Enriquez, Teresita Enriquez, Efren Enriquez, Renato Enriquez).
“We will continue to hunt down delinquent employers as part of our Run After Contributions Evaders (RACE) or Operation Tokhang program, and these four corporations are just a few of the many companies who are not giving what is due to our workers based on the SS Law. We will make sure that our members get the right benefits according to their contributions so employers should remit promptly and religiously,” SSS President Emmanuel F. Dooc said.
The Association of Genuine Labor Organization (AGLO) which represents all employees of the transport companies led by Edgardo Acaso, likewise, said that they are fighting for what is right and just for them.
“We only want to get our benefits according to what is mandated by law which will only follow if our contributions deducted from our monthly pay is remitted by our companies. Though I am currently on a sick leave due to stroke, I am continuing this fight with my co-workers for our families and for those who have retired ahead of us,” Acaso said in Filipino during the case filing.
All four transport corporations have the same registered address at #37 Rose St., Reparo, Baesa, Caloocan City. SSS sent several billing and demand letters to the respondent but they still refused to pay the premium contributions of their employees.
Investigations by SSS Accounts Officer Mayonito Fesalbon showed that the companies willfully violated Section 22(a) and (d) in relation to Section 28 (e ) of the Republic Act 8282 or SS Law or non-remittance of SS monthly contributions of employees by any employer.
Documents showed that respondent JME Transport Inc. for its 29 complainant-employees, is delinquent in remittance of SS contributions and penalties since January 1994 to April 2016, amounting to P4.013 million as of June 30 last year, subject for re-assessment.
On the other hand, Nine Stars Transport Corp. for its four complainant-employees, likewise, failed to remit SS contributions from August 2002 to April 2016 amounting to P535,995 as of June 30 last year and still subject for a final computation.
R&E Transport Inc. and EPE Transport Inc, on the other, both violated the same SS Law for under-remittance of SS contributions or non-remittance of the employer’s share in the total monthly contributions.
R&E Transport Inc’s delinquencies reached P1.69 million as of June 30, 2016 for the period of January 1996 to April 2016 while EPE Transport Inc has an estimated delinquency of P629,162 as of June 30 last year for the period of February 1998 to April 2016.