The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) vowed on Friday, Feb. 26, to continuously run after barangay and local officials involved in the anomalous distribution of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) last year.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Marybell Diño, chief of staff and daughter of DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Operations Martin Diño, said they remain vigilant in filing cases against rogue barangay and local officials who apparently violated SAP cash aid distribution meant to be provided to the poorest of the poor to ease the burden in the midst of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
She, however, emphasized that charges will be filed by the DILG based on legitimate pieces of evidence obtained from the complaining parties.
“Pwede po kayo pumunta mismo sa DILG to file the complaints po. Siyempre po bring evidences (You can proceed to the DILG and file your complaints (against local officials violating SAP cash aid distribution policies). But of course bring pieces of evidence), Diño said.
Concerned citizens who provided proof of SAP cash aid distribution irregularities raised some concerns over the supposed delays in the resolution of the complaints filed by the DILG and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) before the Office of the Ombudsman and the regional trial courts against the rogue officials.
“Buwan na ng magbigay ako ng mga tamang impormasyon sa DILG at CIDG sa katiwalian ng barangay captain at kasabwat niyang barangay kagawad pero hanggang ngayon wala pang resolusyun (It has been months since I submitted accurate information to the DILG and the CIDG on the corrupt ways of our barangay captain and his cohort barangay councilmen but since then no resolution has been made),’’ a complainant from Quezon City who requested anonymity said.
The complainant who works as a bail bond personnel for a private financing firm also expressed frustration that her efforts to weed out scalawags in the government service will go down the drain after claiming to have received reports that those she complained were spreading news that they will be exonerated from the case.
On September 12, 2020, the DILG reported that 89 barangay captains in the country were placed on six-month preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) for their alleged involvement in the first tranche SAP distribution.
During their suspension, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año stressed that the 89 barangay captains are “not entitled to any salary or allowance or honorarium’’.