Kagawad, 3 liaison officers sued over SAP ‘anomaly’

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)- Bacolod filed new charges against a village councilor and three liaison officers of Barangay Felisa here in relation to the alleged irregularities on the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

Police Chief Master Sergeant Ramiro Gocotano, head of the CIDG-Bacolod, said that charges for violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft Corrupt Practices Act), RA 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal As One Act), and RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) were filed before the City Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, against Kagawad Joji Agbas and three others.

The complainant claimed that he was personally surveyed and directed by barangay surveyors to fill out a Social Amelioration Card (SAC) on April 8, 2020.

On April 18, one of the liaison officers came to his house and informed him about the plan of the barangay to deduct P1,000 from the P6,000 cash aid of SAP beneficiaries.

The deduction was intended as cash assistance to those who were not included in the SAP distribution, the complainant claimed in his affidavit.

On that same day, Agbas and the three liasion officers reportedly returned to his house and allegedly obliged him to voluntarily give P1,000 to the barangay treasurer upon receiving his SAP allowance. But they left when he opposed their plan, based on his affidavit.

Gocotano said that the complainant was surprised during the SAP distribution on April 22 that his name was not included in the list of SAP beneficiaries in the village.

The complainant believed that the respondents were allegedly behind his disqualification from the allowance because of his refusal to deduct P1,000 from his supposed P6,000 cash aid.

Agbas has yet to comment on the said charges against her.

Earlier, the CIDG-Bacolod also sued Felisa’s village chief and four others over alleged anomalies in the SAP distribution.