Officials call for probe into alleged misuse of Barmm local gov’t funds

MAYOR Lester Sinsuat of Datu Odin Sinsuat (DOS) and Vice Mayor Butch Abu of Cotabato City are calling for an investigation into the disbursement of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) amid allegations of missing funds.

Reports indicate that around 400 barangays in Lanao del Sur received between P500,000 and P1.5 million from the LGSF. However, individuals claiming to be from Barmm allegedly collected most of the money, leaving only P200,000 per barangay.

Vice Mayor Abu raised concerns that a similar situation might have occurred in Cotabato City, where the city government was allocated P150 million, which has also gone unaccounted for.

“We have already sent a formal letter to the Barmm office of the Chief Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the mayor himself, but we have yet to receive a response,” Abu said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Sinsuat of DOS questioned why only 12 out of 34 barangays in his municipality received LGSF funds. He also pointed out irregularities in fund distribution, citing that Barangay Bugawas, a smaller barangay, received P25 million, while larger barangays got P5 million each.

Adding to the controversy, some barangay captains alleged they were asked to return 50% of their allocated funds in exchange for political support ahead of the upcoming elections.

Due to these concerns, ten barangays reportedly refused to withdraw their funds, as they had not even submitted project proposals.

However, Barmm Cabinet Secretary Asnin Pendatun denied any irregularities, insisting that the LGSF disbursement process follows strict guidelines. He explained that funds are only released after a special budget request and project proposals are submitted and approved.

“The LGSF process requires a request from the local government—be it a barangay, municipality, or province. This request must include all necessary documents specifying the amount and corresponding projects,” Pendatun said.

He further emphasized that funds cannot be deposited randomly and must go through proper channels, including a bidding process before being released by the Bangsamoro Treasury Office.

Despite the Barmm leadership’s assurances, local officials continue to demand transparency and accountability in the allocation and liquidation of the LGSF funds.