By Fernan Angeles
AT least 437 local elected and appointed public officials are facing criminal charges over the alleged anomalous payouts of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
In a statement sent to media, the DILG also said that aside from the 437 government officials, 626 more are under investigation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
“Habang patuloy ang pangalawang yugto ng pamimigay ng SAP, puspusan naman ang ating pagsasampa ng kaso laban sa mga tiwaling mga opisyal at ng kanilang mga kasabwat. Sobrang nakakadismaya na nagawa pa nilang mangurakot sa ayudang nakalaan para sa sa ating mga kababayan na lubhang apektado ng pandemya,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo Año.
Año said that of the 437 cases filed before the various Prosecutors’ Office of the Department of Justice, 203 were elected public officials, including a Municipal Mayor, Councilors, Barangay Captains, Barangay Kagawads, Sangguniang Kabataan chairmen and SK Councilors.
Another 102 are barangay and city personnel, including Barangay Secretaries, Barangay Treasurers, Barangay Health Workers, Home Owner’s Association Officers, Purok Leaders, City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer, SAP Enumerators and Day Care Teachers while the remaining 132 were civilian co-conspirators.
The figure is on top of the 50 barangay officials who have already been charged, from among those currently being investigated.
The government has yet to slap preventive suspension among them.
Cases filed were violations on Republic Act (RA) 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; RA 11469 or Bayanihan Act; and RA 11332 or Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases, among others.
Of the 336 cases, 240 were already filed with the Prosecutors Office, three are for case filing, six were endorsed to other agencies, 46 are under investigation or case build-up, and 41 were dismissed for lack of probable cause or insufficient evidence.
On a regional level, 50 cases were filed in Region XII, 40 cases in Region VI, 33 cases in Region VII, 30 cases in Region IV-A, 26 cases in Region VIII, 24 cases in Region XI, and 21 cases in National Capital Region.
There are also 16 cases in Region V, 14 cases in Region 4B; 15 cases in Region I, 14 cases in Region II, 12 cases in Region 10; 12 cases in CARAGA, 10 in Cordillera Administrative Region; and two in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).