The Department of Interior and Local government (DILG) said on Thursday that at least 49 barangay officials have been charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged social amelioration program (SAP) irregularities and violation of quarantine protocols.
DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño said the barangay officials were slapped with the complaints for the various SAP-related offenses like getting kickbacks from the cash aid beneficiaries and favoring unqualified recipients.
In ab interview over GMA News, Diño remained mum on the identities of the accused and refused to give hints about their specific localities.
Diño said barangay officials should serve as role models especially in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The strict implementation of quarantine protocols should start at the barangay level,’’ Diño said.
He noted that the various complaints were lodged with the DILG Emergency Operation Center, Hotline 8888 through “e-mail (electronic-mail)’’ and text messages.
He stressed that his teams “went to the ground to validate and confirm the complaints to ensure that cases to be filed have merit.’’
In a letter to Ombudsman Samuel Martires dated June 16, 2020, Diño said show cause orders were sent to the barangay officials involved in SAP irregularities pursuant to Administrative Order No. 267 delegating the supervisory powers of the President to the DILG, to seek for response to the allegations hurled against them.
If evidence warrant, their cases will be endorsed to the Office of the Ombudsman pursuant to Section 21 and 26 of RA 6770, the undersecretary said.