Village chief denies ‘bias’ in SAP distrbution

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – A village chief in Isabela, Negros Occidental denied accusations that she was biased in selecting beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in her barangay.

Mari Luz Leal Ferrer of Barangay 8, Isabela said the list of beneficiaries were validated by the Department of Social Services and Development.

Lela also lamented she was not given a chance to answer the complaint or air her side.

Ferrer and an employee of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and a civilian in the said town were charged before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Bacolod City Thursday for alleged graft and corruption.

Col. Romeo Baleros, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, said that the filing of charges for violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) against the three respondents stemmed from granting of the P6,000 SAP allowance to an unqualified person.

Baleros said the unqualified recipient, who is a resident of Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City, turned out to be a relative of Leal.

The alleged irregularity reached Malacañang’s attention through a text message sent by a private complainant.

The information was forwarded to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office for investigation and filing of charges.

Baleros said they welcome any complaint against persons involved in alleged anomalies in the distribution of SAP grants.

Brig. Gen. Rene Pamuspusan, regional police director of Western Visayas, has ordered provincial and city police directors, as well as police chiefs to go out of their offices and initiate the extensive investigation on the anomalies and corruptions of barangay officials in the distribution of SAP in Region 6.