THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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16 jl4 
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Third Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
S. NO. 256G 
Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Existing laws provide for survivorship benefits to military 
personnel ( Republic Act No. 3056, RA 5,976 ), policemen and firemen (RA 
541 ). The rationale for survivorship benefits is to provide subsistence to 
the surviving spouse and heirs of the deceased whose government work 
exposed him or her to risks of loss of life. 
The same rationale applies to judges or justices who are 
increasingly subject to threats to their personal safety by reason of their 
judicial work. Many judges have been killed because of the cases they 
handled. Many more face risks to their lives for handling criminal cases 
where the penalties mandated by law are stiff. 
Moreover, judges and justices retire compulsorily at age 70. Many 
live only a few years after retirement, leaving their surviving spouses 
without support in the remaining years of their lives. This situation does 
not give peace of mind to judges and justices who have no other means of 
income other than their meager salaries because of the strictures of their 
office. 
If only to assure judges and justices that in case of their death, 
untimely or otherwise, their loved ones will not become public charges, 
the law must extend to the heirs of judges and justices the same 
survivorship benefits extended to the heirs of military personnel, 
policemen and firemen. 
Survivorship benefits to the heirs of judges and justices will go a 
long way in keeping the judiciary honest and independent. 
Early approval of this bill is sought. 


Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
AN ACT TO PROVIDE 
SURVIVORSHIP RETIREMENT BENEFITS 
TO MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Upon the death of a judge or justice of any court in the 
Judiciary, if such judge or justice has retired, or was eligible to retire 
ophionally, at the time of death, the surviving legitimate spouse shall be entitled 
to receive all the retirement benefits that the deceased judge or justice would 
have received had the judge or justice not died. The surviving spouse shall 
continue to receive such retirement benefits until the surviving spouse's death 
or remarriage. 
SECTION 2. The legitimate surviving spouse, as well as the legitimate 
and adopted children below eighteen ( 18 ) years of age, of a judge or justice 
who is killed because of his work as a judge or justice, shall receive in equal 
shares all retirement benefits of the deceased judge or justice as if such judge 
or justice has reached compulsory retirement age, provided the judge or justice 
has served in government for at least five ( 5 ) years regardless of age at the 
time of death. When a judge or justice is killed intentionally while in the 
service, the presumption is that the death is work related. 
SECTION 3. The benefits and limitations in Section 1 shall apply to 
beneficiaries in Section 2: Provided, That, upon reaching the age of twenty-one 
( 21 ) years, the children shall cease to receive any of the benefits. 
SECTION 4. The provisions of Section 2 and 3 shall apply to judges 
killed three ( 3 ) years before the effectivity of this Act. 
SECTION 5. During the fiscal year two thousand and seven, this Act 
shall be funded from savings of the Judiciary. Thereafter, the necessary sum 
for this purpose shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Acts. 
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effkct on July 1, 2007. 
Approved,