DSWD ready to face probe, denies lost SAP funds
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:40 p.m.) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development denied Sen. Manny Pacquiao's claim that billions in social amelioration funds went missing in the disbursement of ayuda over the coronavirus pandemic.
This comes after the boxer-turned-senator accused the department specifically of failing to distribute P10.4 billion in pandemic aid at a media briefing Saturday afternoon.
Speaking in an interview aired over dzMM TeleRadyo on Sunday, Social Welfare Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said that the department regularly submits financial reports, adding that it stands ready to face a probe in the event that it will be investigated.
"We also want to emphasize that there are no missing funds regarding SAP implementation," she said in Filipino.
"We liquidated all budget given to FSPs including Starpay. Whatever fund they received were refunded to the DSWD. It is now being distributed to the remaining SAP beneficiaries."
READ: Pacquiao alleges P10.4B in aid lost to corruption, to refer documents to Senate panel
Pacquiao's allegations come as part of his claim that corruption remains rampant in the Philippine government — a pronouncement that caused President Rodrigo Duterte to lash out at him and dare him to substantiate.
He added that P14 billion worth of social amelioration program funds were allocated by the DSWD to 1.8 million beneficiaries to be transferred through the e-wallet app Starpay, which only 500,000 people had signed up for.
But according to Dumlao, the DSWD already terminated its partnerships with the financial service providers it partnered with for the disbursement of aid and instead manually gave out the remaining funds to the poor families who encountered technical issues.
She added that no less than the Central Bank of the Philippines partnered with the department in identifying possible financial service providers for SAP distribution.
"DSWD is willing to face any investigating body and present the necessary evidence/documents to clarify those raised by the good Senator," Dumlao also said in a text message to reporters.
She also pointed out then that the agency "has attended several Congressional hearings relative to the SAP implementation."
The senator on Saturday afternoon claimed to have documented proof of "corruption in every branch of our government."
In a statement issued later Sunday, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission said that it would summon the DSWD this week "to add to the investigation the senator's accusation" and clarify the alleged anomaly.
Anti-Corruption Commissioner Greco Belgica said that even before the senator publicized his allegations before the media, the DSWD already had pending cases with the commission in relation to the alleged anomaly of SAP distribution.
"Many officials were afraid of committing mischief because of the administration's serious anti -corruption campaign, they were afraid of being named by the President, prosecuted and imprisoned," Belgica claimed without basis.
Belgica said the PACC, an attached commission directly under the Office of the President, was ready to assist the investigation of the senator and "compare notes."
Duterte and Pacquiao, partymates under the ruling PDP-Laban have figured in a verbal tussle in the past few days with the latter claiming in his latest statement that the president was "unaware" of the corruption situation in his government.
The chief executive even threatened to launch a negative campaign against the boxer-turned-politician if the latter failed to come up with any proof of corruption.
— with a report from Bella Perez-Rubio
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