SC: Salaries of public officials may be garnished to pay off their debts

Salaries of public officials can be garnished or legally collected when ordered by the courts as payment for their debts, the Supreme Court (SC) said.

- REY G. PANALIGAN

The SC stressed that there is no law that exempts the salaries of public officials from garnishment.

An exception exists for manual laborers, whose wages are protected to ensure they can still support their families, the SC said.

It explained that manual laborers “usually look to the reward of a day’s labor for immediate or present support, and such persons are more in need of the exemption than any other."

However, it said only up to four months' worth of wages of manual laborers preceding the levy are exempt, and any amount beyond can still be collected to pay debts.

In a press briefer, the SC's Office of the Spokesperson said the High Court clarified that public officials are held to stricter standards when it comes to their income and financial obligations due to "their constitutional role as custodians of public trust."