B-170875, OCT. 16, 1970
Highlights
MUSTERING OUT PAY CLAIM FOR MUSTERING OUT PAY INCIDENT TO SERVICE IN THE USAFFE DURING WORLD WAR II IS BARRED BY THE ACT OF OCTOBER 9. TOLIPAS: FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED AUGUST 20. THIS MATTER WAS THE SUBJECT OF LETTERS FROM OUR CLAIMS DIVISION DATED JANUARY 9. IN EACH OF WHICH YOU WERE ADVISED THAT CONSIDERATION OF YOUR CLAIM FOR SUCH PAY WAS BARRED BY THE ACT OF OCTOBER 9. CORRESPONDENCE FROM YOU INDICATES THAT THE SERVICE YOU PERFORMED MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AS A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED ABOVE. NO RIGHT TO MUSTERING-OUT PAY WOULD HAVE ACCRUED TO YOU UNDER ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF LAW RELATING THERETO. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY LAW WHICH ENTITLED MEMBERS OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY SERVING WITH THE USAFFE TO RECEIVE MUSTERING-OUT PAY DIRECTLY FROM THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
B-170875, OCT. 16, 1970
MUSTERING OUT PAY CLAIM FOR MUSTERING OUT PAY INCIDENT TO SERVICE IN THE USAFFE DURING WORLD WAR II IS BARRED BY THE ACT OF OCTOBER 9, 1940, 31 U.S.C. 71A WHICH REQUIRES THAT CLAIMS BE MADE WITHIN 10 YEARS FROM THE DATE THEY ACCRUE.
TO MR. EUSTACIO F. TOLIPAS:
FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED AUGUST 20, 1970, CONCERNING YOUR CLAIM FOR MUSTERING-OUT PAY BELIEVED DUE INCIDENT TO YOUR SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR II.
THIS MATTER WAS THE SUBJECT OF LETTERS FROM OUR CLAIMS DIVISION DATED JANUARY 9, 1967, AUGUST 8, 1968, AND OCTOBER 24, 1969, IN EACH OF WHICH YOU WERE ADVISED THAT CONSIDERATION OF YOUR CLAIM FOR SUCH PAY WAS BARRED BY THE ACT OF OCTOBER 9, 1940, CH. 788, 54 STAT. 1061, 31 U.S.C. 71A. THAT ACT PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART:
"(1) EVERY CLAIM OR DEMAND *** AGAINST THE UNITED STATES COGNIZABLE BY THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE *** SHALL BE FOREVER BARRED UNLESS SUCH CLAIM *** SHALL BE RECEIVED IN SAID OFFICE WITHIN TEN FULL YEARS AFTER THE DATE SUCH CLAIM FIRST ACCRRED *** ."
THE MUSTERING-OUT PAYMENT ACT OF 1944, CH. 9, 58 STAT. 8, AS AMENDED, 38 U.S.C. 691, ET SEQ. (1946 ED.), AUTHORIZED THE PAYMENT OF MUSTERING OUT PAY TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES ENGAGED IN ACTIVE SERVICE FOR VARIOUS PERIODS OF TIME DURING WORLD WAR II. SECTION 6(A) OF THAT ACT DEFINED THE TERM "MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES" TO MEAN--
" *** ANY MEMBER OF THE ARMY OR NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPONENTS *** ."
CORRESPONDENCE FROM YOU INDICATES THAT THE SERVICE YOU PERFORMED MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AS A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED ABOVE, BUT RATHER AS A MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY. SHOULD THAT BE CORRECT, NO RIGHT TO MUSTERING-OUT PAY WOULD HAVE ACCRUED TO YOU UNDER ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF LAW RELATING THERETO. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY LAW WHICH ENTITLED MEMBERS OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY SERVING WITH THE USAFFE TO RECEIVE MUSTERING-OUT PAY DIRECTLY FROM THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. IF YOU DID SERVE AS A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES, PAYMENT OF YOUR CLAIM IS BARRED BY THE 1940 ACT.
FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF ITEMS OF PAY AND ALLOWANCES AUTHORIZED FOR MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZED MILITARY FORCES OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES SERVING IN WORLD WAR II WERE APPROPRIATED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND TRANSFERRED TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT FOR PAYMENT. IN THIS REGARD AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ENTITLED "SETTLEMENT OF VETERANS CLAIMS" BECAME EFFECTIVE ON JUNE 29, 1967. THAT AGREEMENT PROVIDED FOR THE PAYMENT OF FUNDS BY THE UNITED STATES TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES IN FULL SETTLEMENT OF VARIOUS CLAIMS FOR BACK PAY AND ALLOWANCES ARISING FROM MILITARY SERVICE BY MEMBERS OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY AND RECOGNIZED PHILIPPINE GUERRILLAS DURING WORLD WAR II WHO HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY PAID AND WHOSE NAMES APPEARED ON THE UNITED STATES APPROVED REVISED FINAL ROSTER OF MARCH 1948.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A VALID CLAIM FOR PAYMENT OUT OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED FUNDS, SUCH CLAIM SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT. THERE IS NO ACTION WE LEGALLY MAY TAKE IN THIS MATTER.