Village chief awaits suspension over SAP

By Felipe V. Celino 

 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Punong Barangay Tito Dipon Barnuevo of Barangay Linao in Panay, Capiz is waiting for the implementation of his preventive suspension by the office of the Ombudsman over alleged irregularities in the distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) recently.

Barnuevo was among the seven barangay officials in Western Visayas who were meted the seven-month preventive suspension by the Ombudsman.

According to Barnuevo, he was surprised by the order even as he denied alleged anomalies in the SAP distribution.

He said that there was an agreement among the beneficiaries that P950 will be deducted from their P6,000 grant to be given to persons who were not included in the list of beneficiaries.

He said there was no order that financial assistance will be deducted but he admitted that he was present when the beneficiaries agreed to share the amount.

Meanwhile, a village chief and four others are waiting for the results of the same charges that were formally filed against them for alleged irregularities in the SAP distribution.

Criminal and administrative charges were filed before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas against barangay chairman Nicasio Ralph “Bobot” Munoz of Sta. Cruz Ivisan, barangay kagawad Norma Arnaez, barangay health worker (BHW) Rodalyn Cepeda, SK chairman Rolin Opina and Day Care worker Fortunata Abalayan.

The complainants were Marlyn Geguira, Micheal Olithao, Dolores Soberano, Jocelyn Saludares, Merly Dolor and Carmelita Osita, all residents of Brgy. Sta. Cruz and SAP beneficiaries.