(Eagle News) — Over 400 local officials and civilians are facing criminal charges over anomalies in the distribution of the government’s financial assistance under the Social Amelioration Program.
In a statement, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said of the 437, 203 were elected public officials, including a municipal mayor, city and municipal councilors, barangay captains, barangay kagawads, SK chairmen and SK councilors.
Another 102 are barangay and city personnel, including barangay secretaries, barangay treasurers, barangay health workers, homeowner’s association officers, purok leaders, city and municipal social welfare and development officers, SAP enumerators and daycare teachers while the 132 remaining were civilian co-conspirators.
According to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, the majority of the cases filed were for violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; RA 11469 or Bayanihan Act; and the RA 11332 or Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases, among others.
The cases were filed before the various prosecutor’s offices across the country.
Año also hailed the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for its work in 336 SAP related-cases across the country, of which 240 were already filed with the prosecutors office, three are for filing, six endorsed to other agencies, and 46 are under case build-up or still in the process of being investigated.
Forty-one were dismissed for lack of probable cause or insufficient evidence.
