ILOILO City – The Social Security System (SSS) said it will intensify its coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other concerned sectors to locate the whereabouts of two employers, who were subjects of arrest warrants for non-remittance of the premium contributions of their employees.
A team led by SSS assistant vice president for operations-legal services divisions Atty. Renato Cuisia – in coordination with the PNP – failed to locate employers Mark Anthony Ong Chua and Billy Lu Coo, owners of the Gizmo Cellphone Accessories and Changxing Cellphone Merchandising, respectively, whose places of business are both along Ledesma Street in this city.
“We were hoping we could do more and effect more pending warrants of arrests against these employers,” said Cuisia.
Coo was charged for non-remittance of premium contribution on behalf of their covered employees. However, the operating team found out that a different business name was already occupying the address but its employees are the complainants of the previous occupant.
“Apparently, it has changed its business name,” he said.
The violator he said will be given another chance to comply as he has an obligation to pay P96,619.70 including the principal and the penalty as of December 2017. Otherwise, the owner will face additional charges.
Cuisia said what they are doing is part of the SSS’ Run After Contribution Evaders campaign.
“There are legal obligations that all employers must comply with at the risk of subjecting themselves from both civil and criminal penalties,” he said.
From January to October this year, SSS has served about 40 warrants of arrest in Iloilo – 10 of those erring employers have already posted bail bonds, eight have settled their dues and 22 others are still at large. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
