397 officials facing criminal charges for anomalies in cash aid: Año

June 16, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday said a total of 397 barangay and local government officials are facing criminal charges for alleged anomalies in the distribution of the first tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) before the various prosecutors’ offices of the Department of Justice.

“A total of 663 individuals have been subjected to investigation by the PNP-CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), 267 of these are elected barangay officials and some are local government officials,” said Año.

“The rest, 396, are other government employees or civilian accomplices of those elected local officials. Of the total 663 individuals, so far, we have filed criminal cases against 397 of them,” he added.

Año said more cases are expected to be filed against corrupt barangay officials in the next few days as PNP-CIDG is conducting case build-up and investigation on 67 cases.

Five more cases will also be filed within the week since the investigation has been completed,added Año.

“Corruption is like COVID-19. It is a disease that needs to be stamped out before it infects more people. And so long as it’s there, the DILG and the PNP will not stop until we have charged each and every individual involved in anomalous SAP transactions,” Año said.

He said those suspected of alleged anomalies will face the law for violating public trust and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Bayanihan Law, and the Law on Reporting of Communicable Disease.

Año assured the 460 complainants who reported the anomalies to the PNP that the DILG will pursue those cases with the help of the DOJ.

He also lauded them for filing a formal complaint against their elected officials for alleged anomalous SAP distribution.

With the distribution of the second tranche, DILG is optimistic there will be fewer complaints as the Department of Social Welfare and Development will start utilizing electronic payment systems in some areas.

At least 12 million families are entitled for the second tranche which will also be distributed by the police and military. Ella Dionisio/DMS