TWENTY-THREE barangay officials have been slapped with criminal charges over alleged anomalies in the implementation of the social amelioration program (SAP), Malacañang said Tuesday, May 19.
In his regular virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDU) filed the criminal cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“Dalawampu’t tatlong barangay officials ang nahaharap po ngayon sa kasong kriminal dahil sa mga anomalya sa SAP. Ito ay matapos pong mag-file ng criminal cases ang PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group sa prosecutors office ng Department of Justice,” Roque said.
“Four more cases po ang isasampa in the next few days while a hundred ten are under case build-up after we received a total of 318 total of complaints nationwide,” he said.
Roque said the Palace has received a total of 318 complaints nationwide, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer to give a P30,000 cash reward for information on SAP anomalies.
“Una nang sinabi ng Presidente na galit siya sa mga tiwali at mga kurakot lalo na ‘yung mga kakana ng ayuda na para lang sa mahirap sa panahon ng pandemya,” Roque said.
The anomalies, according to Roque, include falsification of SAP lists of beneficiaries and pocketing a cut from the amount distributed to the beneficiaries.
“Kasama sa mga anomalya ayon sa DILG (Department of Interior Local Government) ay ang splitting falsification of the masterlist getting a tara from SAP beneficiaries,” said Roque.
Under SAP as provided in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, more than 20 million families nationwide are supposed to receive P5,000 to P8,000 each as subsidy during the community quarantine imposed by the government to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes coronavirus disease (Covid-19). (SunStar Philippines)