THE City Council Committee on Social Services chair Councilor Joyleen Mercedes Balaba on Monday poured cold water on a sub-committee report containing corruption allegations on the Covid-19 P767.8 million cash aid distribution to the city’s residents during the pandemic.
The committee even proposed a resolution to forward to the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region 10 and the Department of Interior and Local Government-Region 10, through the City DILG Office of Cagayan de Oro, and the Commission on Audit-Region 10 (COA-10) the said report of the Ad Hoc Committee.
Reportedly, the report by Councilor James Judith alleges that former Mayor Oscar Moreno, former city administrator Teodoro Sabugaa Jr., and CSWD former overseer, Christopher Fabello committed fraud in the amount of more than P50 million.
The ad-hoc committee chaired by Judith was created to investigate the corruption allegations and said the three former city officials stole money from the national government’s P767.8 million Covid-19 assistance program by padding the recipients with false entries.
Judith also earlier said Moreno and the two former officials were liable for corruption since “they have full control and supervision” in the distribution of the money.
Moreno categorically denied the allegation, saying he, Sabugaa, and Fabello never got hold of the money.
Also, the DSWD-10 earlier cleared Moreno during the investigation by the previous city council.
During the regular session, Councilor Roger Abaday urged Judith to appropriate legal action in the proper forum against the public officials mentioned in Judith’s investigation.
“I commend Councilor Judith for focusing on the issue after the ad-hoc committee was created to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation,” said Abaday.
Abaday said he is very concerned about the result of the investigation because according to him the report is not complete and those who are involved and responsible for the issue have not been penetrated.
However, Abaday was dismayed after Judith suggested in his report that the victims will file a case.
“The (Judith) report has no proper recommendation,” said Abaday adding that without any reason and just because the majority of the beneficiaries are poor they are the ones to file cases against those involved public officials.
“Dismayado ako sa sugyot ni Judith nga ang mga biktima maoy magpasaka og kaso nga wala may kapas kay mga kabus man og maglisod man gani bisan sa pamelete,” said Abaday.
“Naa na may backing sa katawhan,” said Judith adding that there is a legal component and there are already filed their affidavits at the Public Attorney’s Office.
Judith also claimed that nearly a hundred individuals had already submitted complaints to the two lawyers who volunteered to hold the filing of cases in court.
“I am just the lead complainant and there are lawyers to handle the case,” said Judith.
Abaday’s proposed resolution was deferred by the council after Councilor Edgardo Cabanlas pushed it to the mother committee for study and recommendation.
The committee according to Balaba formally sends the copy of the approved resolution to the city council’s secretary affirming to forward Judith’s report to the DILG and DSWD.
“The committee finds no recommendation in Councilor Judith’s report that would warrant enactment of needed policy or other legislative actions relative to it,” said Balaba, adding that this is the main purpose of the inquiry.
We know the DILG will not find merit in his allegations, she said.
To be impartial to the report of Judith, Balaba said the committee decided to submit the Ad hoc report to the said government agencies.
“Any time now the council secretary will take Councilor Judith's report to the DILG and DSWD,” said Balaba.
The ad-hoc committee created to investigate the corruption allegations said the three former city officials stole money from the national government’s P767.8 million Covid-19 assistance program by padding the recipients with false entries.
Balaba maintained the committee found that there was no evidence of the alleged corruption in his report, saying that the previous council did not find any wrongdoing in the distribution.
“I do not know where Judith got his conclusion since he is using the same data the council had before,” she said
Judith said in his report he found double entries and fictitious names of respondents in barangays Bugo, Balulang, Caniton, Nazareth, and Lapasan.
He said the P787.8 million aid came from the national government downloaded to Cagayan de Oro City to give to 293,502 residents when the status of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was implemented in the city during the pandemic two years ago.
Judith said a family of four should have to receive P4,000 ayuda from the national government from the list prepared by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 10 office.
Judith claimed in his report that he had samplings of those who were on the list but did not receive any money.
“Judith in his private or personal capacity may file with the Office of the Ombudsman or other proper forum appropriate legal action against the public officials or persons mentioned in his investigation report who are allegedly responsible for the reported anomalies in the distribution of the ECQ special cash assistance or ayuda during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Balaba.
Balaba said that Judith will not say that we in the majority do not believe in him. We know the DILG will not find merit in his allegations.
Committee deems it clear to forward the said report to concerned national government agencies including the Commission on Audit for whatever it's worth, she added.
The committee according to Balaba furnished copies of the resolution to Directors Ramel F. Jamen, Wilhelm M. Suyko, Engr. Jane J. Docallos, Director Mathew Rey M. Magno, and the City Council en banc, all of this City, for their information.
