BY AARON RECUENCO
Nine-hundred forty-one persons, including local government unit officials and employees, are facing criminal and administrative charges in connection with the allegedly anomalous distribution of cash assistance to the poor who were affected by the lockdowns to stop the spread of COVID-10.
Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Police Major Gen. Joel Napoleon Coronel said that the 941 individuals are respondents in the 642 complaints and charges filed before their offices in various parts of the country.
The move was in compliance with Malacañang’s order to run after those involved in the Social Amelioration Program distribution mess.
“Out of these cases, 209 were already filed in different courts, 51 are still under investigation, and seven are now being readied for filing,” said Coronel.
Among the recent people charged, according to Coronel, were the barangay chairman of Villa Cervesa, Victoria, Oriental Mindoro and his two barangay councilors who were also the respondents in a previous case filed by the CIDG on July 9.
Based on the CIDG investigation, the respondents approached the complainants and forcibly took a portion of the cash aid they received, reasoning that the money will be given to other indigenous people or the Mangyans who are unqualified to be recipients of the cash aid.
The CIDG Regional Field Unit (RFU) 12 still holds the most recorded number of cases received and handled with 50, followed by RFU 7 and 6 with 31 and 30 cases, respectively.
The CIDG RFU 6 still has the most number of cases filed with 26 followed by RFU 8 with 24 and RFU 12 with 22. (Aaron Recuenco)
