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By Teng L. Datu
Cotabato City Bureau Chief .

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao recently conducted the 4th round of local government Assembly on Social Welfare Protection, focusing on the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, for the province of Maguindanao.

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A ranking official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has warned local executives involved in irregularities in the distribution of cash assistance to indigents in this province that the law will definitely run after them.

Lawyer Laisa Masuhud Alamia, Armm Executive Secretary and concurrent regional DSWD chief, said the local government officials from mayors down to barangays, including workers of DSWD, should not benefit from the 4Ps program.

The assembly was called a month after Alamia found out that some elected officials, mayors included, were involved in getting “cuts” out of the government fund assistance to indigent residents of Armm in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

“Cuts” refer to corruption where local officials are receiving part of the fund assistance intended for the poor.

It was made clear officials who would be caught involved in fraudulent activities, during and after the payouts to the beneficiaries, will be ousted from their respective posts and could even face criminal charges with the assistance of law enforcement authorities.

To reinforce this, the agency has already started coordinating with Smart Telecommunications to setup the Infocast Messaging System. The system, once operational, will enable 4Ps beneficiaries and others to send their concerns to DSWD-Armm regarding 4Ps matters.

The department is also coordinating with other agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, the Commission on Elections, the Philippine National Police, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in counterchecking and evaluating the list of 4Ps members. (with the reports from pna)

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