DILG: 397 local officials face raps for anomalous cash aid distribution

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 400 barangay and local government officials are facing criminal charges for alleged anomalies in the distribution of cash aid for families affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday said it has filed criminal raps against 397 local executives from the total of 663 officials that have been subjected to investigation.

“A total of 663 individuals have been subjected to investigation by the PNP-CIDG, 267 of these are elected barangay officials and some are local government officials,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.

“The rest, 396, are other government employees or civilian accomplices of those elected local officials,” he added.

More cases are expected to be filed against barangay officials in the next few days, Año said, as the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducts case build-up and investigation on 67 cases.

Five more cases will be filed within the week, he added.

“Marami pang kasunod ito.  Ang datos na ito ay mula April 1 hanggang June 16 pa lamang kaya doon sa mga gumawa ng kalokohan noong unang pamimigay ng SAP, sinasabi ko sa inyo na hindi kayo makakalusot,” he said.

(Many will follow. The data is only from April 1 to June 16 so barangay officials who did something wrong during the first tranche of SAP will not get away.)

Año assured the 460 complainants who reported the anomalies to the PNP that the DILG will pursue cases with the help of the Department of Justice.