BY CALVIN D. CORDOVA
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CEBU C ITY — Twelve barangay captains and 45 other individuals in Central
Visayas have been charged for alleged involvement in the anomalous distribution of the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
Police Maj. Allan Tolosa, deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection
Group-Central Visayas, said that among those charged are barangay captains from Bohol, Cebu province, Negros Oriental and in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.
Four of the barangay captains are from Cebu province and three are from Cebu City.
Tolosa said also charged were four barangay councilors, one barangay secretary, seven barangay health workers, three social workers, five coordinators and five enumerators or those tasked to distribute forms.
Also charged were 20 individuals who received financial assistance but turned out to be unqualified.
“These unqualified recipients were charged for perjury. Despite being unqualified, maybe they were still able to receive financial assistance due to favoritism,” said Tolosa.
Tolosa said there were also cases wherein the recipients did not receive the full amount of cash assistance.
“Instead of P6,000, some only received P4,000,” said Tolosa.
SAP was rolled out by the national governnment to help those affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Tolosa said that there are still 19 cases that have yet to be filed while 11 are still under investigation.
Cases filed included violations of the Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Medical Standards in relation to RA 11469 or the Heal as One Act.
