San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Wednesday, February 28, denied allegations that some city government officials are involved in corrupt practices involving social aid programs following Senator JV Ejercito's privilege speech on Tuesday, February 27, where he presented videos of alleged witnesses to the corruption.

Mayor Francis Zamora

In Ejercito's first video, a certain San Juaneño said that he was allegedly instructed by the staff of a  San Juan City councilor to divide his social aid that will be then given to the mayor.

"A victim from Brgy. Balongbato in San Juan City states that he was approached by the staff of a councilor. Binigyan siya ng transaction code para sa Palawan Express. At inutusan siya na i-claim ang P7,500 na TUPAD. Pero sabi daw ni councilor, isang-libo lang daw ang mapupunta sa biktima. Ang P6,500 naman, ikakaltas at isasantabi para ‘kay mayor' (A victim from Brgy. Balongbato in San Juan City stated that he was approached by the staff of a councilor. He was then given a transaction code for Palawan Express and was instructed to claim the P7,500 TUPAD aid. However, the councilor said only P1,000 will go to the beneficiary while the P6,500 will be deducted for 'the mayor')," Ejercito said.

"Napanood ko po ang video na ipinalabas sa Senado kahapon kung saan una, may dumulog sa tanggapan ni Senador Raffy Tulfo tungkol sa diumanoy pagkaltas sa kanyang benepisyo mula sa Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD)," Zamora said.

"Kung totoo ang nilalaman nito, inaanyayahan ko ang San Juaneño na nasa video na kung maaari ay pumunta sa aking tanggapan upang doon idulog ang kanyang reklamo. Titiyakin ko na nandoon ang mga kinatawan mula sa Philippine National Police (PNP) o National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), at Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) para mapalagay ang kanyang kalooban na siya ay aking pakikinggan ng patas at agarang paiimbestigahan ang kanyang inilahad na insidente (If this is true, I am inviting the San Juaneño in the video to come to my office and raise his concern there. I will ensure that representatives from the PNP, NBI, DSWD, and DOLE are present to ease his worries and concerns and I will listen to him with fairness and will immediately investigate the incident)," he added.

In the second video presented by the senator, several staff members of the councilor can be seen allegedly counting their "kickbacks" from a TUPAD beneficiary.

"Inaanyayahan ko din ang nasa ikalawang video na pumunta sa aking tanggapan, muli sa presensya ng mga kinatawan ng mga ahensya ng pamahalaan, upang tiyakin na bibigyan ng agarang pansin at aksyon ang kanilang nabanggit na pangyayari na ni kailanman ay hindi ko papayagan o kukunsintihin (I'm also encouraging the person in the second video to proceed to my office, again with the presence of representatives of the government agencies, to ensure that the incident, which I will never allow and tolerate, will be given immediate attention and action)," the mayor said.

"Narinig ko din po na nabanggit ang tanggapan ng Mayor ng San Juan sa usapin na ito. Nakakalungkot na madali para sa ilan na magbintang ng walang patunay o basehan maliban sa sabi-sabi o hearsay. Malinis po ang aking konsensya at lalong bukas ang aking tanggapan na sagutin ang anumang isyu na ibinabato sa akin sa ngalan ng tunay na paglilingkod o ng dahil lamang sa pulitika (I also heard that the Office of the Mayor of San Juan was dragged into this issue. It is really saddening to know that there are people who can easily accuse and air allegations without any proof or basis aside from hearsay. My conscience is clear and my office is open to answer any issue being thrown at me in the name of true public service or merely because of politics)," Zamora stressed.