Four mayors in Davao region who were given show-cause orders for alleged ‘poor performance’ in the implementation of the Special Amelioration Program have already sent their replies to the Department of Interior and Local Government.
“They answered it,” DILG XI director Alex Roldan told TIMES. “It is now with the legal division of the DILG central office, which will evaluate and appreciate their response,”
However, the regional office of the DILG will be the one to enforce whatever action the central office will recommend.
Based on the DILG official site, 43 mayors were given show-cause orders for failing to meet the standards in the distribution of the cash subsidy to the qualified constituents.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año that the local chief executives will be made to explain their poor performance despite the two extensions of the deadline given to local government units. The latest deadline ended at 12 midnight on May 10.
“While the vast majority of the LGUs were able to distribute their SAP before the deadline leading to a national pay-out rate of 97% yesterday, there are some who are lagging behind, thus, the DILG and the public deserves to know why they failed to complete their distribution,” he said.
The 43 LGUs scored 79% and below in terms of the accomplishment rate. Eleven of these mayors are in Western Visayas, eight are in Mimaropa, five in Central Visayas, four in the Davao Region, and four in the National Capital Region.
The local government units concerned also include two in Ilocos Region, two in Cagayan Valley; two in Calabarzon, two in Eastern Visayas, two Northern Mindanao, and one Central Luzon.
Meanwhile, the PNP will now handle graft and corruption cases in connection to the SAP.
DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya clarified that graft and corruption cases related to the handling of the SAP fund will now be investigated by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
He said Año has decided to transfer the investigation of corrupt practices of barangay officials of SAP from the DILG field offices for the immediate filing of cases. However, administrative cases will still be handled by their office.
