THE Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has so far filed 136 criminal charges against public officials and other individuals involved in alleged anomalous distribution of cash aid from the government’s Social Amelioration Program, PNP-CIDG director, Major General Joel Napoleon M. Coronel announced yesterday.
Last Friday, the official said four more graft cases were filed by his unit against barangay officials and employees in connection with SAP anomalies.
Coronel added that members of the CIDG Regional 1 office filed three cases for violation of Sec. 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) in relation to RA 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act) and RA 11332 (Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases) against the suspects before the office of San Fernando City Provincial Prosecutor Maureen Dangwa.
Charged were a Naquilian Municipal Social Welfare Office, a barangay captain and nine other barangay officials and seven barangay health workers of Bgy. Ambaracao Norte; the chairman and four other officials of Bgy.
Guesset; and the chairperson and nine other officials and five health workers of Bgy. Guising Sur, all in Naguillian, La Union.
Similar cases were also filed against the chairman and several health workers of Bgy. Cogon in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and the head of the municipal social worker’s office.
Coronel said that their investigations showed that the respondents, in connivance with each other manipulated the list of SAP Beneficiaries by deleting the names of qualified beneficiaries and including the names of their immediate family members and close friends as recipients of the government cash aid.
Coronel said that at present, they are handling a total of 235 cases lodged by 421 complainants against 600 probable suspects.
The PNP-CIDG director said that already, they have filed 26 criminal cases in court while 66 others are still undergoing investigation. Another seven criminal cases are now being readied for filing while four were referred or endorsed to other agencies.
Coronel said that 32 cases could not be filed yet due to different valid reasons although he did not elaborate.
