Fourteen barangay officials and Iloilo City Hall employees were slapped with administrative and criminal charges over alleged anomalies in the distribution of cash aid through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) filed before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, Dec. 11, charges of grave misconduct, graft and corruption, abuse of authority and violation of the code of conduct against those involved.
The filing of charges was based on a report submitted to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian by the agency’s regional office in Western Visayas.
“Nakakalungkot isipin dahil ang sabi nga ng ating Pangulo na ang tulong ng DSWD ay dapat direstso sa bulsa ng nanganagilangan, wala dapat nangingialam diyan,” said Gatchalian.
“They are revictimizing the victims. Kasi pag lumapit ka sa DSWD may crisis ka nang pinagdaraanan, biktima ka na ng circumstances. Pero dito, mga persons of authority pa ang nagbi-victimize sa kanila,” he added.
According to the report, the officials “forcibly took” P8,000 to P9,000 from beneficiaries during the AICS payout on Nov. 7, 11 and 12, leaving them only P1,000 to P2,000 each.
Of the 14 respondents, two are city government employees — identified as Jobert Lim and Janicol Dizon — and the rest are incumbent punong barangays and kagawads.
The barangay officials include Gina Elauria, punong barangay and Jingjing Pineda, barangay councilor of Taytay Zone II, Arevalo; Amadeo Sultan, punong barangay and a councilor and a treasurer of Simon Ledesma, Jaro; Visamin Canal, punong barangay and a councilor of Quezon, Arevalo; Remedio Bedia, punong barangay and councilors Juntado and Gonzales of Lanit, Jaro and Rizaline Delmo, punong barangay and councilor Victoria Rowel of Quintin Salas, Jaro.
The Ombudsman is expected to issue a preventive suspension order without pay for six months against the “first batch” of respondents to prevent them from interfering with its investigation.IMT
