The Department of the Interior and Local Government said 301 barangay officials are facing criminal charges after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group completed the investigation on their reported anomalies in the pay-out of the first tranche of the Social Amelioration Program.
Usec. Jonathan E. Malaya said that the 301 barangay officials facing criminal cases as of June 2 is just the latest figure reported to the DILG, hence, people should expect the filing of more criminal cases in the coming days while 76 more are under case buildup.
Malaya said 381 complainants went to the CIDG and its regional field units to give statements regarding the corrupt practices of their barangay officials in the SAP distribution.
He said the barangay officials were charged with violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices, RA 11469 known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, and RA 11332 or the Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases.
Based on the report of the CIDG, punong barangays with 57 and barangay kagawad with 57 comprise a huge chunk of those facing criminal cases.
Barangay secretaries, health workers, treasurers, SK chairs, and even officials and employees of the LGUs have also been charged with criminal cases.
Meanwhile, 125 civilian co-conspirators have also been filed with criminal cases.
Malaya said that as the second tranche of SAP financial assistance is set to be distributed to the poorest of the poor, the DILG, together with the PNP will continue to accept complaints and investigate these reports. “Patuloy po ang pagtanggap namin ng mga sumbong and we encourage our kababayans na i-report ang mga ganitong uri ng kalokohan.” – DILG release
