Manila barangay chairman probed over SAP

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno has ordered the investigation of a barangay chairman in Tondo who was caught on video asking for P1,000 from residents who have received cash subsidy under the social amelioration program (SAP).

“We will put him behind bars. We will not tolerate any wrongdoing of local officials,” Moreno said during his visit to Divisoria yesterday.

Moreno was accompanied by Health Secretary Francisco Duque in inspecting stalls in Divisoria to check compliance with COVID-19 health protocols.

A viral video shows Augusto Salangsang, chairman of Barangay 216 in Tondo, telling a SAP recipient that he had to shell out P1,000 to be able to receive “more benefits from his office.”

Salangsang was arrested and charged in 2011 after a video of his shabu session inside his office in the barangay hall went viral.

He said the amount would be given to Tayuman social welfare department chief Julie Balejot.

It was learned that Salangsang went to the office of Balejot and gave her staff fried chicken.

Manila social welfare division chief Asuncion Fugoso said they would file extortion charges against Salangsang.

“We will not let him off the hook this time,” Fugoso said, referring to the drug charges filed against the barangay official before the Office of the Ombudsman, which has been dismissed.

“I don’t know where he got the guts to ask money from his constituents and tell them that it was meant for Balejot,” Fugoso said.

Maj. Cicero Pura, deputy chief of the Manila Police District Special Mayor’s Reaction Team, ordered his men to go to Barangay 216 to interview and gather the affidavits of SAP beneficiaries who were victimized by Salangsang.

There were at least 225 SAP recipients listed in the area, according to city hall.