THE Vice Governor of Davao del Norte has clarified that the rumors involving him over the alleged “ayuda scam” are not true, contrary to what was claimed during the recent probe at a Senate hearing.
The Senate hearing and investigation was chaired by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, panel chairperson of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on Tuesday morning, January 23, 2024.
This, after the lawmaker cited in his filed Resolution 873 that several public officials in the two provinces in Davao Region — Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte — were linked to a scheme of illegally using the cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
It was also revealed that program funds from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) were used by several politicians and high-ranking employees in the two provinces to fund their electoral campaign for the Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) last October 2023.
“Sama sa akong ingon sa maong hearing, [w]alay [k]amatuoran ang mga alegasyon nga nagsugyot nga atong gigamit ang financial assistance payouts aron paglimbong sa mga benepisyaryo sa pagdawat og ubos pa sa kantidad nga gitagana alang kanila” Davao del Norte Vice Governor De Carlo “Oyo” Uy stated on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.
(As what I have said during the hearing, [there is] no truth to the allegations suggesting that we are using financial assistance payouts to deceive beneficiaries into receiving less than the amount intended for them.)
However, in response to the claims of anomalies of the vice governor, Davao del Norte Governor Edwin “Kuya Gov” Jubahib said that he was only protecting the welfare of his citizens.
Gov. Jubahib added that no such criticisms and attacks were done by his office.
"Hindi po ito pamulitika, na siraan ko si vice gov o sino diyan na involved [,] kundi bilang ama ng probinsya para maprotektahan ko ang aking mga constituents at para ma-protektahan ko ang pera ng bansa laban sa abuso ng politiko [.] Dapat maparusahan ang may kagagawan nito,” Jubahib said during the hearing.
(This politicking, that I am defaming the vice gov or whoever is involved [,] but as the father of the province in order to protect my constituents and so I can protect the budget of our country against the abuse of our politicians [.] Those who are involved should be punished.)
It can be recalled that Jubahib sent a letter to Sen. Dela Rosa last November 2023 requesting an investigation on the “ayuda scam” for victimizing over 60 individuals in Davao del Norte and at least seven in Davao de Oro.
Individuals from different areas of these provinces who were supposed to receive the original assistance of P5,000 only received P1,000.
The vice governor already announced during the Senate hearing that their party will be conducting a separate investigation to clear his name from the alleged budget manipulation.
“The Office of the Vice Governor plays a minimal role in the financial assistance process, by submitting only a request to the DSWD for the release of cash assistance in the province. It is essential to clarify that the identification, assessment, validation, and distribution of cash assistance to beneficiaries is exclusively within the DSWD’s role,” he stated. DEF