Senate probes Davao 'ayuda' scam

Beneficiaries of government assistance in Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro faced a Senate inquiry claiming that local officials and unidentified persons took cuts from subsidies.

A witness identified as "Maila" alleged receiving on October 29, 2023 P10,000 for educational assistance only to be forced to turn over P9,000 to an unidentified person inside a room in a function hall behind the municipal office of Carmen, Davao del Norte.

“Pagpakapasok po namin doon, may babae po sa table and may isa din pong lalake sa gilid niya, tinanong po ako ng lalake kung nasaaan ang pera ko, ipinakita ko lang po tapos kinuha nya sa kamay ko, binilang niya yung pera, kinuha nya yung 9 thousand, ibinigay niya sa akin ang 1 thousand tapos sabi nya sa akin pwede ka na mag exit,” Maila said during a briefing of the Committee on Public Order chaired by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa.

Carmen Mayor Leony Bahague denied knowledge of the incident, pointing out that out of 29 affiants, 26 have recanted their testimonies.

“Ngayon ko lang nalaman ang incident na yan. As far as I can recall wala akong natanggap na text, reklamo man lang during those days,” Bahague said.

A woman identified as “Susan” became emotional, insisting that she was also a victim, having brought home only a fraction instead of the full educational assistance for her senior high school student.

Another student named “Angelyn” also claimed experiencing the same during the same day and place of the payout, having signed to receive P10,000 but only received P1,000.

“May tao na lalake sinabi na dito ma’am next, so doon na room, like illusion na room, sinabi na saang barangay, sinagot ko na from Barangay Alejal, then kinuha niya yung 9k, then nag exit na ako doon sa exit na sinabi nila,” Angeline said.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada fumed over the allegations, saying the DSWD should have a representative or police to monitor the payouts as well as announcements in the venue on the amount that beneficiaries are entitled to receive.

“Eto napakatalamak nito, dahil kung sampung libo ang pinapangako, tapos kakaltasan ng 9 na libo, eh anak ng p***, hindi yata katarungan yan. This has to be investigated, not only in the province of Davao del Norte but nationwide,” Estrada said.

The DSWD said it had nothing to do with the payout as funds were already transferred to the local level but that tarpaulins had been printed to remind beneficiaries of the amounts they are entitled to get and announcements were being made.

Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib also alleged that financial assistance under the AICS or Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program was illegally distributed during the election ban last October 28 in the town of Asuncion, Davao del Norte with candidates running for the barangay elections and supported by Vice Governor Oyo Uy were present, as well as staff members of Uy.

“Mayroong mga kandidato?” Estrada asked.

“Mga barangay candidate po, your honor, at sila po ang nagrerecruit doon po sa maging beneficiary sa payout,” Jubahib said.

Uy responded, “I was not there during those said payouts your honor, as to the barangay leaders present, I vehemently deny your honor,” Uy said.

DSWD Region XI regional director Vanessa Goc-ong said the October 28 payout did not involve AICS but a payout of financial assistance under the protective services program that was “routinary and normally given by the Department to qualified individuals and covered by a Comelec exemption.

“This is under Item number 32 of the Comelec exemption number 23-05756,” Goc-ong said.

Meanwhile, Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia said a case has already been filed on the matter and the poll body will look into the issue.

“Nabanggit po kasi kanina may mga presence ng kandidato. Ibang usapan po yun kapag may presence ng kandidato doon sa distribution. Yun po ang pinagbabawalan namin… hopefully as we go on with the investigation, malalaman po namin yung katotohanan. Kasi pag po ganoon, nagagamit halimbawa ang distribution sa pamumulitika,” Garcia said.

A former staff member of Davao del Norte Vice Governor De Carlo “Oyo” Uy known as Monmon admitted deducting amounts from the payout of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), saying she turned over the money to another staff member of Uy and said that she decided to attend the Senate hearing after receiving threats.

Dela Rosa asked, “Magkano ang kaltas mo?”

“For 5,000 kaltas ng 4,000, 1k lang sa beneficiary,” Monmon said.

Charlie Estember, who introduced himself as former staff member of Uy, said he used fake IDs to claim payouts from the DOLE’s government internship program in remittance centers and remitted the money to Uy’s staff member when Uy was still a candidate. (TC 12:30pm: IDs)

“Sino nagturo sa'yo ng scheme na to?” Sen. Bong Go asked.

“Si Ma’am Fair Sunga po. Staff member po siya ni Sir De Carlo po (Oyo Uy). Instructed daw po siya ni Sir De Carlo,” Stenber said.

Uy denied the allegation and said his office will initiate an investigation into the matter.

“As to the allegation of the previous speaker, I will take note of it although he’s not part of my staff, I don’t know him, I forgot already his name so I will just take note and I will make a separate investigation but as to the allegations…in 2021, I reiterate I (was) not yet a public official at that time,” Uy said.

“I categorically deny all the allegations being said. I am not yet a public official at that time and how can I have access to all those funds,” Uy added.

“Hindi pa po siya nananalo pero vice governor po niya ang father po niya po, current mayor po namin sa Tagum City, Mayor Rey T. Uy,” Stember said.

Senator dela Rosa approved Senator Koko Pimentel’s motion to grant legislative immunity to Estember and other witnesses unless they are proven lying.

Other witnesses alleged the involvement of a barangay official in Davao de Oro in taking cuts from government financial assistance. One claimed her sister died because of stress when a then barangay official took P4,000 from a P5,000 subsidy.

The committee will invite other personalities tagged in the scam to its next inquiry.