PRO-7 to erring gov’t execs: Be ready to face the law

Beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in Getafe, Bohol receive their emergency cash subsidy while observing physical distancing. |Photo from DSWD-7

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Government officials, who will be proven to have been involved with irregularities in distributing the social amelioration program (SAP) and unconditional cash transfer (UCT), should prepare themselves to face the law.

Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) director, said this during a press briefing on Saturday, May 16.

Ferro’s warning came as the PRO-7 was coordinating with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) in monitoring reports about officials who allegedly prioritize their family members and friends when distributing the government’s assistance to the public.

“Padayun atoang imbestigasyon (the investigation will continue) … a criminal case will be filed to those that have violated this anti-graft and corrupt practices,” said Ferro.

In Central Visayas, the Lapu-Lapu City government was the first one to report the irregularities of the SAP and UCT distribution when a a social worker’s mother, two sisters, a brother, sister-in-law, and the girlfriend of her son were included in the list of beneficiaries to receive the P6,000 SAP assistance, and even some of them allegedly received the assistance distributed around May 6, 2020.

Read: Lapu social worker faces probe for inclusion of relatives, son’s gf in SAP list

Ferro said they were still waiting for the result of the ongoing investigation of CIDG in Lapu-Lapu City unit about the matter.

However, Ferro said that they would make sure that these persons would be held liable when they would be proven guilty as per the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Ferro said that the police stations around Region 7 had all been directed to keep close monitoring during distributions of SAP and UCT in their areas and gather information of possible irregularities by the officials.

He said since they had implemented their anti-graft initiatives since the start of the community quarantine last March, he was confident about going after those people who were not giving these SAP funds to the right beneficiaries.

He said these people should be ready to face the law./dbs