SAP irregularities lead to suspension of 89 barangay captains

On Saturday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said that dozens of barangay officials have been suspended over irregularities in the implementation of the government cash aid to poor families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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89 barangay captains have been placed to a six-month preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman over anomalies in the implementation of the first tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año directed municipal and city mayors to implement the order upon receipt. Likewise, he also directed DILG regional and field officers to ensure the implementation of the suspension orders. 

According to the Office of the Ombudsman’s  order dated September 2, 

the evidence on record shows that the guilt of these punong barangays is strong and the charges against them involve Serious Dishonesty, Grave Misconduct, Abuse of Authority and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service which may warrant removal from the service.

Año said Region I, National Capital Region, and Region II top the list of suspended Punong Barangays, while Cordillera Administrative Region and Caraga has the least number of suspended barangay captain's. Only the Soccsksargen region has no suspended barangay chairpersons among all regions.

On the other hand, DILG Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said that the suspension of the 89 barangay chairpersons is “the first such mass suspension in the history of the country.” 

Criminal cases were also filed against 447 individuals for violating Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), RA 11469 (Bayanihan Act I), and RA 6713 (Code of Conduct of Government Officials and Employees), among others, again in relation to the implementation of the Social Amelioration. 

Of the 447 individuals, 227 are elected officials, 104 are appointed barangay officials and 132 are civilian co-conspirators. 

These cases are being handled by the different city and provincial prosecutors across the country, Malaya added.