THE PNP has filed criminal charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against 437 elected local government officials and their cohorts for irregularities related to the distribution of the first tranche of the emergency cash assistance under the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the charges were filed by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group before various prosecutors’ offices of the DOJ.
Año said the charges include violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019), the Bayanihan Act (RA 11469), and the law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases (RA 11332).
Citing the PNP’s charge sheet, Año said 203 of those charged included a municipal mayor, city and municipal councilors, barangay captains, barangay kagawads, Sanguniang Kabataan chairmen and councilors.
On the other hand, 102 are barangay, city and town personnel — including barangay secretaries, treasurers, health workers, homeowners association officers, purok leaders, city and municipal social welfare and development officers, SAP enumerators and day care teachers.
The remaining 132 were co-conspirators who were neither local nor barangay executives.
Año also said 50 barangay officials have already been administratively charged before the Office of the Ombudsman, which is expected to issue this week the suspension orders against the executives.
