DILG PR
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said that some 183 barangay officials are now under investigation by the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for alleged graft and corruption in the distribution of the social amelioration program.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that following the President’s announcement of a P30,000 reward for every confirmed incident of barangay officials involved in corruption in SAP financial aid distribution, complaints poured in the DILG and DSWD hotlines and consequently, the PNP-CIDG have now began investigating 183 barangay officials.
“Sa dami ng ating reklamong natanggap, 183 na ang iniimbestigahan ng ating kapulisan dahil may posibleng probable cause dito. Hindi titigil ang ating kapulisan sa pagdakip sa mga mandarambong na mga barangay official na siyang talagang virus ng lipunan. These are the kinds of arrests na kating-kati gawin ng ating PNP dahil talagang gigil din sila sa mga corrupt local officials,” Año explained.
He said that identities of the 183 barangay officials cannot be disclosed yet as investigations are currently underway. He says that there are multiple complaints coming in directed to the same barangay official leading to the piling up of accumulated reports. “Madaming reklamo but we are now sorting them out to pin-point the cases that have basis, so for now, mayroon tayong 183 cases na iniimbestigahan na.”
“Binabalaan ko kayo, kung nag-iisip kayo na mangulimbat ng mga tulong na para sa mga kabarangay ninyo, we will come after you,” he added.
He said that as early as the first week of May, arrests of corrupt barangay officials began starting with the barangay councilor from Hagonoy, Bulacan who was personally mentioned by President Duterte in a public address. Barangay captain Maria Luz Leal Ferrer of Barangay 8 in Isabela, Negros Occidental was also charged by the PNP for alleged anomalies in the distribution of the government’s SAP financial aid.
The DILG Chief said that following a thorough investigation conducted by PNP Isabela, Ferrer was accused of falsifying the list of beneficiaries in his barangay. Reports and accounts from the credible witnesses and scrutiny of the alleged manipulated list of SAP beneficiaries also point to the suspect. Mae Fajardo, a municipal social worker, was also arrested together with Ferrer for allegedly falsifying the official SAP recipient list.
Ferrer was charged for the violation of Republic Act 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code for falsification of public documents together with Fajardo.
The DILG has recently ordered the PNP and requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to give utmost priority in investigating reports of graft and corruption in the distribution of SAP financial assistance in the community.
Report incidents of corruption
DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya encouraged everyone to report incidents of “kaltas,” “splitting,” falsification, and other corrupt practices to the nearest police station or DILG field office located in their locality.
“Magandang simula na may 183 barangay officials na ang iniimbestigahan ng ating kapulisan. This only means that the people are participating and are aware of their responsibility in protecting their rights,” said Malaya.
“Huwag kayong matakot. Tulungan ninyo kami na usigin ang mga tiwaling lider ng mga barangay na ito. Kakampi ninyo ang Pangulong Duterte, ang DILG, at ang kapulisan dito,” he said.
Malaya said that the President’s P30,000 bounty on every confirmed report of corruption in the barangay is an assurance that he backs the arrest of these scalawags. “Ang P30,000 po na ito ay isang patunay na ang ating pamahalaan ay seryoso sa paghuli sa mga kurakot at tiwaling opisyal ng barangay,” he said.
He encouraged all concerned individuals to call the government Hotline 8888 for graft and corruption cases against barangay and local officials. He also said that all DILG and PNP stations and hotlines are open to receive reports from the people.
