CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The ad hoc committee of the city council chaired by Councilor James Judith II has finished the committee report on the reinvestigation of the special Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) “ayuda” (assistance) in this city after almost six months of investigation.
Judith did not disclose the entire findings in the committee report but he said there were three officials who may face charges, if the public would want to, due to the alleged discrepancies in the cash assistance program.
Their names or if they are current or former city officials were not disclosed as Judith still needs to wait for a go-signal after submitting the report to Mayor Rolando Uy and Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez on Thursday, Feb. 16.
“Kung i-release ni Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy, mu-esplikar ko. Basta didto tulo akong natumbok nga kinahanglan pasakaan gyud og kaso kung naa lang gyud tay political will,” Judith said in an interview on Monday, February 20.
(If Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy would release (the investigation result), I will explain it. I pointed out three (officials) that need to face the charges if we have the political will).
The reinvestigation aimed to address the confusion from the first investigation in 2021 due to the problems encountered in the implementation and address the concerns by some residents who did not receive the cash aid.
During the first committee meeting on the matter last Sept. 13, Judith said he wanted to reinvestigate the special ECQ ayuda after former Councilor Eric Salcedo claimed that the previous city council has yet to resolve the issue in the assistance.
Judith said he got the copy of the list of payouts during the distribution of the special ECQ cash aid from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
After examining the list, Judith saw discrepancies as the names of some beneficiaries from different barangays were almost similar with a one letter difference
“Imposible kaayo nga pareha ra inyong particulars didto lang mo maglahi nga makadawat ka in the same barangay. Dili na nimo ma attribute nga statistical error,” Judith said.
(It’s so impossible that you have the same particulars with little differences and received (the assistance) in the same barangays. You can’t attribute that as statistical error).
“Granting it’s a statistical error, but one or two barangays maybe. But all through the rest barangays, same thing,” he added.
Judith also said that he has attached affidavits of some beneficiaries who did not receive the cash aid despite being tagged as received with their signatures.
BenCyrus Ellorin from the communications group of the City Mayor’s Office confirmed that the report was received by Uy and it is now under review at the City Legal Office.
Judith said once the local chief executive releases the result, he will call on the public to find individuals who have the courage to file the case against the three persons involved.