THE former budget officer of the Special Action Force (SAF) admitted Tuesday, May 22, that he kept the amount intended for the men's allowances even after he was relieved of his post.
Senior Superintendent Andre Dizon told the Senate committee on dangerous drugs that it was his sole decision and no other officials were behind the move.
Dizon was reassigned last January. SAF personnel last received their allowance in January 2016, according to Dizon.
Superintendent Dominic Bacacay said he has the documents to prove that the total amount withheld reached P59.8 million.
Dizon, however, insisted that the amount withheld was only P37 million.
Around 4,000 uniformed personnel of the PNP-SAF who engage in life-threatening operations are entitled to an additional daily Additional Subsistence Allowance (ASA) amounting to P30 per day or P900 a month, and allocations for Explosive Ordinance Disposal Hazardous pay.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, committee chair, urged authorities to immediately act on this issue.
He said messing with the allowances might create chaos that could result in a mutiny.
"We cannot allow again another injustice to be committed against our SAF heroes in uniform who are in the forefront in our fight against the ills of terrorism and criminality," Lacson said.
SAF chief Benjie Lusad, for his part, maintained innocence insisting that he was not informed on this matter by Dizon. (PS Jun Sarmiento/SunStar Philippines)