The Commission on Audit has ruled that a retired colonel from the Philippine Marines whose rebellion case stemming from the 2006 mutiny against the Arroyo administration was dismissed is entitled to his full pension.
The COA agreed with retired Marine Lt. Col. Achilles Segumalian that he should get P9.5 million in pension covering 2010 to 2022 following his official retirement.
Segumalian was detained for four years, but the Department of Justice dismissed the rebellion case against him in 2018, eight years after he retired from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
He served the military for more than 30 years.
He applied for official retirement in July 2022 after he was able to get his papers in order, a process that took years because of his legal issues and because he had to work civilian jobs due to a lack of pension.
He was issued his Compulsory Retirement Order in December 2022, and in February 2024, the
AFP Pension and Gratuity Management Center (PGMC) issued a certification stating that he had an unpaid pension of P8.48 million.
Segumalian contested the computation, noting that back in July 2023, a disbursement voucher for P9.52 million was issued for his pension covering the period May 17, 2010 to December 31, 2022.
He filed a claim before the COA, which ruled that he should get full payment. It said the 10-year prescriptive period does not apply to his case because the delay was justified.
“In this case, Col. Segumalian was able to prove that the delay in processing his claim was due to justifiable reasons. In fact, he was only issued General Orders No. 1894 on December 28, 2022, which pertains to his compulsory retirement and a proof thereof, and, thus, the belated filing is legally acceptable, and the 10-year prescription inapplicable,” it said.