MANILA – The Office of the Ombudsman placed under six months of preventive suspension six Negros Occidental barangay captains and one from Capiz charged for alleged irregularities in the distribution of the emergency cash assistance under the national government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
The evidence against them was strong, according to Ombudsman Samuel Martires over the weekend.
The charges were serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service which may warrant removal from service.
“The continued stay of these punong barangays in office may prejudice the case filed against them so placing them under preventive suspension for a period of six months pursuant to Republic Act No. 6770 is proper under the premises,” Martires said.
The seven barangay captains were the following:
* Tezardo M. Tejada of Barangay To-oy, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental
* Evelyn C. Ta-asan of Barangay 11, Bacolod City
* Noli Villarosa of Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City
* Kim C. Piramo of Barangay 19, Bacolod City
* Romeo Sultan of Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental
* Ruel Sabequil of Barangay Cabungahan, Calatrava, Negros Occidental
* Tito Dipon Barnuevo of Barangay Linao, Panay, Capiz
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) directed the respective municipal and city mayors of the suspended punong barangays to immediately implement the order.
“Naway magsilbing babala ang suspensiyon na ito sa iba pang mga lokal na opisyales. Ang katiwalian ay walang puwang sa ating pamahalaan lalong-lalo pa ngayong panahon ng pandemya,” said Secretary Eduardo Año.
The SAP cash emergency subsidy program is mandated by the new law, Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on March 25, 2020.
The program is headed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, and DILG.
Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 Series of 2020 signed by the implementing departments states that each qualified family can receive between P5,000 to P8,000 per month for two months for basic food, medicine, and toiletries.
The amount varies, depending on the prevailing regional minimum wage rates and takes into account the other subsidy programs in cash or in-kind, under the DSWD.
In Western Visayas, the subsidy is P6,000 for each beneficiary (per family or household basis).
The government stressed that SAP’s priority are families who need cash assistance the most, particularly those belonging in the informal sector whose livelihood has been most affected by the quarantine./PN
