Anomalies  have been uncovered in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after it found 22,000 “duplicate beneficiaries” on the list of recipients of the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

“Ito po ‘yung sinasabi natin na pinaiigi ng DSWD ang pag-validate o pagproseso sa duplication, at ito nga po, napag-alaman natin,” DSWD Undersecretary Rene Paje said during the Laging Handa public briefing on Saturday.

Paje said the DSWD has already informed the local government units (LGUs) for action on whether to take back or record the names of the duplicate beneficiaries.

“Kung ito naman kasi ay mga regular beneficiaries natin tulad ng 4Ps [Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program], mababawi po natin sapagkat hindi naman na natin isusunod ‘yung kanilang kabayaran sa mga buwan na darating. Kung kaya’t kung anong halaga ‘yung nadoble sa kanila, mababawi po natin,” he said.

“Yun naman pong hindi kasapi sa 4Ps, ang LGU naman ang tututok sa kanila sapagkat yon po naman ay nasasakupan nila,” Paje added.

On the other hand, a councilor and three liaison officers of Barangay Felisa in Bacolod City were charged before the City Prosecutor’s Office on Friday for an alleged anomaly in the distribution of the national government’s Social Amelioration Program.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)- Bacolod filed a criminal complaint against Kagawad Joji Agbas, and three others for violation of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft Corrupt Practices Act, RA 11469 or the Bayanihan Act to Heal, and RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Based on the complainant’s affidavit, he was personally surveyed and directed by the barangay surveyors to fill out a Social Amelioration Card (SAC) on April 8.

The complainant also alleged in his affidavit that one of the liaison officers came to his house on April 18, and informed him about the plan of the barangay to deduct P1,000 from the P6,000 cash aid for SAP beneficiaries. The P1,000 was reportedly to be given as cash assistance to those who were not included in the SAP distribution.

Later that day, Agbas and the three liaison officers reportedly came to his house and allegedly obliged him to voluntarily give his P1,000 to the barangay treasury after he received his SAP subsidy. But they left when he opposed their plan, as stated in the complainant’s affidavit.

Chief Master Sgt. Ramiro Gocotano, head of the CIDG-Bacolod, said that the complainant was surprised during the SAP distribution on April 22 that his name was not included in the list of the SAP beneficiaries at the village.

Complainant believed that the respondents were allegedly behind his disqualification to avail of the SAP grant because of his refusal to deduct P1,000 from his supposed P6,000 cash aid.

Agbas has yet to comment on the allegations, but denied the charges.

The CIDG-Bacolod had also previously filed charges against the Felisa village chief and four others regarding the alleged anomalies in the SAP distribution./Stacy Ang