The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) -7 created a legal team tasked to handle and verify alleged irregularities in the distribution of the financial assistance under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in Central Visayas.
DILG-7 Director Leocadio T. Trovela formed the Emergency Operation Center Legal Team to focus primarily on SAP complaints received by the regional office through the EOC hotline system, its official Facebook page, electronic mail, and from walk-in clients.
Such initiative stemmed from the Memorandum entitled “Incentivization of Citizen Complaints against Local Government Officials in Relation to the Implementation of the Social Amelioration Program” issued by DILG Secretary Eduardo Año directing all DILG and Philippine National Police regional directors to receive, act on, and verify complaints.
This after President Rodrigo Duterte instructed the DILG to investigate corrupt local officials involved in the distribution of financial assistance under SAP and file appropriate cases against them, subject to relevant laws, rules and regulations.
The President also offered P30,000 incentive to any person who will provide information on any local government official pocketing or misusing cash funds intended for SAP beneficiaries should such information turn out to be legitimate and true upon validation.
Another memorandum was issued by DILG Head Executive Assistant Jerry Loresco ensuring that the President’s directives are efficiently carried out, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations.
Acting on those, Trovela ordered the creation of the EOC Legal Team composed of DILG-7 Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division and concurrent DILG Cebu City Officer-in-Charge, Atty. Ian Kenneth B. Lucero as the team leader; Atty. Gerlyn Mae C. Sayson, Atty. Christian A. Fernandez, and Atty. Louthera Christie C. Rizon as members; and LGOO II Hana Rea O. Tamse and ADAC RTA Leslie Mae O. Cabrido as Secretariat.
Lucero said the team is tasked to act on the complaints within a reasonable time and conduct fact-finding investigation when needed.
“We will evaluate if it needs further investigation and verification. Our role is to act on complaints and verify them. There is no filing of charges in the regional level,” Lucero said.
As of June 23, 2020, the DILG-7 EOC Legal Team received a total of 79 complaints, of which 31 are from Cebu Province and 30 from Cebu City.
Seven complaints were received from Bohol, five from Negros Oriental, four from Mandaue City, and two from Siquijor.
Of the total number of complaints, 57 were referred to DILG field offices for verification.
Meanwhile, 22 complaints such as splitting of SAP, government officials pocketing or misusing cash funds, or malicious inclusion of beneficiaries, were referred to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
Of these, five were filed by CIDG before the Prosecutor’s Office while eight were considered closed due to the refusal of complainant to pursue charges or lack of basis of the allegations, among other reasons.
On the other hand, 15 complaints were forwarded to the Office of Secretary Año, through the Legal and Legislative Liaison Service, for further review before administrative charges will be filed.
Thirty-two complaints on mere inclusion or exclusion of SAP beneficiaries without the involvement of local government officials were referred to Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 for validation.
Trovela said this is a reaffirmation that the present administration is serious in going after corrupt local government officials.
“Nakakalungkot dito sa Region 7. Merong mangilan-ngilan pero hindi naman ganoon kadami,” he said.
Trovela then assured the public that the government will not tolerate the corrupt activities of local officials especially in this time of pandemic./GML