and VICTOR REYES
PRESIDENT Duterte is offering a P30,000-reward to any individual who can report local officials involved in anomalies in the distribution of the government’s emergency cash assistance to low-income families and vulnerable sectors living in areas placed under enhanced community quarantine.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced the reward after the President, in a public address aired late Monday night, called out a barangay councilman from Barangay San Agustin in Hagonoy, Bulacan, who was arrested by policemen for allegedly forcing residents to give him P3,500 of their 6,500 financial assistance.
The government set up the Special Amelioration Program (SAP) to provide P5,000 to P8,000 in monetary aid to an estimated 18 million low income households and poor members of vulnerable sectors.
The President cited in his address news reports quoting 66-year-old barangay councilman Danilo Flores as saying that he collected the P3,500 from the families supposedly on instructions of town mayor Raulito Manlapaz who allegedly wanted to pool and distribute them to other poor families who did not qualify for the SAP assistance. Manlapaz has denied Flores’ claim.
“Iyong mga mayors naman, kindly, kindly look into the people that you have commissioned to do the distribution sa pera. Kagaya nitong barangay kagawad Danilo Flores ng Agustin, Hagonoy, Bulacan. Ang p***** i** mo, nakuha ka pa ng television na… nakuha ka na hinihingi mo (Mayors, kindly, kindly look into the people distribute the money. Like this barangay kagawad Danilo Flores of Agustin, Hagonoy, Bulacan. You son of a b****, you were caught on television… you were caught asking for a share),” the President said.
What made the incident worse, Duterte said, is that the offender is an elected official who was picked by his constituents presumably because of integrity, honesty, and ability to perform his work.
Roque urged the public to report to Hotline 8888 any irregularities committed by errant local officials in the distribution of the COVID emergency subsidy.
He said complainants can give their tips anonymously but said they will not be eligible for the P30,000 reward.
He said those who want to avail of the reward should identify themselves and provide evidence to prove their allegation.
PNP
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has directed the PNP to go after barangay officials who will be reported to be pocketing portions of the SAP assistance.
“I am directing PNP units all over the country and also requesting the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to prioritize the investigation of graft and corruption cases against local officials involved in anomalous SAP distributions,” said Año.
Año said “greedy and corrupt officials should have no place in the government,” adding these kinds of officials “are carriers of a malignant virus that destroys the trust the people gave to them.”
“Nakakahiya! Ang SAP ay kinuha mula sa kaban ng bayan bilang ayuda sa mga salat sa buhay at walang kabuhayan sa gitna ng COVID-19 crisis. Hindi ito dapat ibulsa ng sinumang opisyal ng lokal na gobyerno (This is shameful! The SAP was drawn from the government coffer to help poor families and the jobless amid the COVID-19 crisis. This should not line the pockets of any local government official),” he added.
Año said the DILG has received initial information that other barangay officials from other parts of the country are involved in similar schemes. “We will go after them. We will be going after those who are involved in illegal activities,” he said.
DILG undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said he has heard of other SAP distribution-related illegal activities in Batangas and other provinces across the country but did not elaborate.
PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to be in-charge of the investigation of local and barangay executives.
Gamboa said the CIDG will deploy its field investigators in close coordination with the DSWD and DILG and will closely examine disbursement records, receipts, and other paper trail evidence, and sworn statements of fund recipients to uncover alleged irregularities.
He said probers should gather sufficient evidence to establish strong cases against local leaders for graft and corruption.
Gamboa said the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), under the supervision of the Administrative Support Task Force, will closely monitor the progress of investigation of cases to ensure the successful prosecution of guilty parties. – With Raymond Africa
