The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) today said that 23 barangay officials are now facing criminal charges for various alleged anomalies in the distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) after the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed charges against them before the Prosecutors Office of the Department of Justice.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said the PNP has already filed 12 criminal cases against 23 barangay officials, four (4) more cases will be filed in the next few days, while 110 barangay officials are currently under “case build-up” after a total of 318 complainants nationwide reported graft and corrupt practices against them.
“Sunod-sunod na ang pagsampa ng kaso ng PNP-CIDG laban sa mga tiwaling opisyal ng barangay at sa kanilang mga kasabwat sa mga anomalya sa pagbibigay ng SAP. Puspusan na rin ang imbestigasyon at case build-up para masigurong makakalaboso ang mga walang-hiyang tao na ito na nakuha pang manggantso sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan,” Año said.
He said most of the cases involved anomalies committed by punong barangays, barangay kagawads, barangay treasurers, barangay secretaries, barangay employees, purok leaders, and even social workers.
Cases for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act were filed by the PNP-CIDG against these barangay officials.
The DILG Chief recently transferred the investigation of graft and corrupt practices against Barangay Officials from the DILG field offices to the PNP-CIDG to expedite the investigation and the filing of criminal charges. On the other hand, barangay officials facing complaints which are administrative in nature will still be issued show cause orders by the DILG and investigated by DILG field units for filing in the Office of the Ombudsman.
He said the PNP is now hard at work in pursuing the investigations and the filing of cases especially now that the government is set to release the second tranche of the SAP emergency subsidy for low-income families later this month.
“Nalalapit na ang pamimigay ng 2nd tranche ng SAP kaya hindi natin hahayaang makapanloko pang muli ang mga ito. Nakatutok ang kapulisan sa mga kasong ito dahil ayaw nating mas lalo pang maagrabyado ang mga SAP beneficiaries,” he said.