San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Wednesday, February, 28, said that the video presented by Sen. JV Ejercito during his Feb. 27 Senate privilege speech exposing the alleged Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) corruption in San Juan was already two-years-old, with individuals saying that they had already watched the said clips.

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.

"Ang gusto ko pong malaman ng lahat ay kagabi po, umabot sa akin ang impormasyon na yung video na pineplay kahapon sa senado ay halos dalawang taon na pala mula nung makita ng ibang tao. Ibig sabihin this is already a two-year-old video (What I would like to tell everyone is that last night, I have received information that the video being played yesterday at the Senate was already seen two-years-ago by some people. This means that is a two-year-old video)," Zamora revealed in a media interview in his office at the City Hall.

"Ang aking pong gustong maintindihan ng bawat isa ay nandito po ako, hinaharap ko ang issue na ito, kaya kong sagutin ang anumang katanungan, at ang pinakamahalaga sa lahat ay hindi na po ako maghihintay ng dalawang taon pa para lamang aksyunan ang isyu na ito (What I would like everyone to understand is that I'm here, I'm facing this issue head on, I can answer whatever question you may throw at me, and most importantly, I will not wait for two years to take action on this issue)," he added. 

The mayor explained how the TUPAD program works and what the responsibilities are of the local government units (LGUs) in the implementation of the program.

"Ang TUPAD program po ay nasa ilalim ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), nasa ilalim ng national government, ibig sabihin, hindi po dumadaan sa San Juan ang pondo o ang sweldo na nakukuha nila. Ang aming tungkulin lamang ay maglista ng mga benepisyaryo, siguraduhing kwalipikado, at tulungan sila na magkaroon ng DOLE ID or TUPAD ID at eventually, ang kanilang mga accomplishments reports at DTRs ay isusubmit satin at isusubmit din natin sa DOLE (The TUPAD program is under DOLE, which is also under the national government. This means, the funding and the salaries of the beneficiaries do not pass through San Juan. Our responsibility is to list all beneficiaries, ensure that they are qualified, and assist them in obtaining their own DOLE ID or TUPAD ID. Eventually, they will submit their accomplishment reports and DTRs to us which we will then submit to DOLE)," Zamora explained.

He stressed that if the agency saw any irregularities in the implementation of the program, then they will automatically suspend the release of funds and conduct an investigation of the LGU.

The local chief said that they had just received notice from DOLE that the city has already secured funds for 2024, adding that if there is anything wrong with San Juan's TUPAD implementation, then the agency should have already halted its funding or reprimanded the city government. 

Staff of Artadi? 

Asked about San Juan City Councilor Paul Artadi's side on the issue after the alleged witness in Ejercito's video identified his office to be involved in the alleged TUPAD corruption, Zamora replied:

"Yes, kausap ko sya kagabi at he assured me ba wala pong irregularity sa implementation ng TUPAD program kaya nga ang tanong ko eh sino ba yung mga nasa video. Why won't they come forward? Bakit hindi sila pumunta dito para kung talagang meron ngang nangyareng bigayan ng pera o kickback eh mapatunayan nila kung totoo nga (Yes I spoke to him last night and he assured me that there were no irregularities in the implementation of the TUPAD program, hence my question: who were the people in those videos? Why won't they come forward and talk to me to prove that there really was corruption committed in the implementation of the program and that money changed hands or there were kickbacks)," Zamora stressed, adding that it is very easy to accuse someone by just blurring the accuser's face and spew statements without verifying his or her claims. 

"Regarding the legal moves, I will consult with our lawyers kasi I have to see the scope of a privilege speech. Meron bang immunity ang mga senador sa kanilang privilege speech: Pwede ba silang magakusa na lang ng walang ebidensya. Aalimin ko po. I will consult with our lawyers (Regarding the legal moves, I will consult with our lawyers because I have to see the scope of a privilege speech: Do senators have immunity in their privilege speeches?  Are they allowed to accuse someone without evidence? I will study this and consult with our lawyers)," he explained. 

Zamora urged the alleged witnesses in the videos to come to his office and file a complaint regarding the incident.

"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 file a complaint. 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)," Zamora said. 

"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 in the presence of representatives from government agencies, to ensure that the incident, which I will never allow and tolerate, will be given immediate attention and action)," he added.