Local execs tagged in SAP fund mess ordered probed

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa on Tuesday ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to investigate local executives accused of corrupt practices in the distribution of funds for the social amelioration program (SAP).

“Upon instructions of DILG Secretary Eduardo M Año, PNP Chief, Police General Archie Francisco F Gamboa directed the CIDG to conduct case build-up operations against these erring local executives in coordination with DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government),” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a statement.

Earlier, the DILG also ordered the police force to go after local officials who pocketed part of the cash aid for poor families badly hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año’s pronouncement came after Danilo Flores, a barangay kagawad of Hagonoy town in Bulacan province, was accused of supposedly taking more than half of P6,500 financial aid from SAP funds.

Gamboa said CIDG teams would look into “disbursement records, receipts, and other paper trail evidence as well as sworn statements of fund recipients” to find leads.

PNP’s Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management will monitor the progress of the investigation of the accused local officials, Gamboa added.