‘Cleared’ GSIS retiree charged for balance of nonexistent loan

Congratulations to the Government Service Insurance System!

1. It collected from me P5,843.63 to pay the “balance” of a loan “granted on 10/10/1979”—or 34 years ago.

2. This despite the fact that the GSIS cleared me of all accountabilities that enabled me to retire as the government corporate counsel on July 10, 1998, with full benefits.

3. I do not recall obtaining a loan on “10/10/1979,” or almost 20 years before I retired, with clearance, on “7/10/1998.” Why was the P5,843.63 not demanded of me then? Is the GSIS not covered by prescription?

4. It traced the account to my present address from my previous two residences and from my previous three office addresses during the 34 years that the account supposedly remained in the books of the GSIS. Now that my “outstanding balance” is “P0.00,” will the GSIS again issue me a clearance? I am now 75 years old and I might again receive a surprise from the GSIS.

5. It deducted the P5,843.63 on “3/17/2011” from the refund of the premiums I overpaid while employed with the House of Representatives. The GSIS took more than three years to process the request for refund.

I hope the GSIS is just as determined in going after employers who fail to remit employees’ contributions already deducted from their salaries, or big-time borrowers who fail to settle their multimillion-peso loans!

—VIRGILIO C. ABEJO,

retired justice,

Quezon City