Interior Secretary Eduardo Año reported on Monday night that 357 cases involving 416 barangay officials are currently being investigated regarding the social amelioration program (SAP) anomalies.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) disclosed that among the cases are alleged deduction of cash grants in the first tranche, splitting, and listing of fake beneficiaries. At least 93 of the cases have been filed with the Office of the Ombudsman.
“Last week po ay 89 na barangay captain ang pinatawan ng preventive suspension for six months… Sa criminal cases naman po ay 259 cases na po ang na-file natin sa prosecutor para po sila ay managot sa batas natin (A six-month preventive suspension has been imposed on 89 barangay officials last week… As for criminal cases, 259 have been filed before the prosecutor to make them accountable under the law),” Año stated.
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya on Tuesday said the agency is expecting the payout of the SAP to be smoother in the second tranche as distribution is done electronically.
Meanwhile, the DILG reported that the National Capital Region (NCR) has the highest demand for contact tracers at 9,600, followed by Region 3 with 5,992, and Calabarzon with 5,810. The DILG has been allotted Php 5 billion under Bayanihan 2 to fund the hiring of 50,000 contact tracers nationwide.
The DILG also expressed support for the plan of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to monitor public social media posts and the creation of a Facebook page that will serve as online complaint desk regarding quarantine violations. – Report from Naomi Tiburcio
