About 23 barangay officials are now facing criminal charges over alleged anomalies in the distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
According to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has filed a violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 11469 or Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, to the Prosecutors Office of the Department of Justice (DOJ) against such officers.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said the PNP had filed 12 criminal cases against 23 barangay officials, and four more cases will be filed in the coming days.
Meanwhile, 110 barangay officials are still under “case build-up” after DILG received a total of 318 complaints of graft and corrupt practices against them.
“Sunud-sunod na ang pagsampa ng kaso ng PNP-CIDG laban sa mga tiwaling opisyal ng barangay at sa kanilang mga kasabwat sa mga anomalya sa pagbibigay ng SAP. Puspusan na rin ang imbestigasyon at case build-up para masigurong makakalaboso ang mga walang-hiyang tao na ito na nakuha pang manggantso sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan,” said Año.
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23 barangay officials face criminal case over SAP anomaly
(PNP-CIDG continue to file cases against the corrupt barangay officials and their accomplices involved in SAP anomalies. We thoroughly conduct investigation and case build-up to ensure these shameless people who are stealing from our countrymen.)
Año has not yet revealed the identity of the officials but includes barangays captains, barangay treasurers, barangay treasurers, barangay secretaries, barangay employees, ward leaders, and social workers.
He said the PNP persistently investigate and file cases, especially now that the government is set to release the second tranche of the SAP emergency subsidy for low-income families later this month.
“Nalalapit na ang pamimigay ng 2nd tranche ng SAP kaya hindi natin hahayaang makapanloko pang muli ang mga ito. Nakatutok ang kapulisan sa mga kasong ito dahil ayaw nating mas lalo pang maagrabyado ang mga SAP beneficiaries,” he said.
(The 2nd tranche of SAP is coming soon, so we will not let them fool the people again. The police are focused on these cases because we do not want SAP beneficiaries to be further victimized.)
Meanwhile, DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said that among the anomalies the officers were involved with are dividing cash assistance, forgery of the master list, taking cut from SAP beneficiaries, and others.