Pacquiao files Senate resolution seeking to probe alleged anomalous SAP distribution

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Pacquiao files Senate resolution seeking to probe alleged anomalous SAP distribution

ABS-CBN News

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Updated Jul 15, 2021 08:49 PM PHT

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Sen. Manny Pacquiao during a Senate session on March 23, 2020. Henzberg Austria, Senate PRIB/File

MANILA - More than a week after he bared some P10.4 billion in Social Amelioration Program funds are allegedly missing, Sen. Manny Pacquiao has filed a resolution seeking a Senate probe into the issue.

In his Senate Resolution 779, Pacquiao, who is currently in the US to train for his upcoming boxing bout, said the government has an obligation to serve the public with honesty and integrity, based on Article 2, Section 27 of the 1987 Constitution.

The boxer-senator said that based on the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the distribution of the critical pandemic aid allegedly had violations since about 1.3 million beneficiaries were supposedly unable to get cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Pacquiao earlier questioned the use of unknown e-wallet Starpay for the program, adding only around 500,000 were able to successfully use the app. He said one needed to download it to claim their aid.

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“The DSWD engaged Starpay to distribute SAP payouts to 1.8 million beneficiaries amounting to P14 billion… Under the said disbursement scheme, beneficiaries would neither be able to receive nor withdraw any subsidy under the program without accessing and downloading Starpay application,” his resolution read.

“This means around 1.3 million projected beneficiaries were unable to download the said e-wallet application and therefore could not have electronically received through Starpay the subsidy amounting to P10.4 billion earmarked for them."

"However, records from the DSWD show that all of these payouts have already been completed," it said.

Pacquiao did not name which Senate committee will conduct the probe, only insisting for an immediate investigation.

In his earlier statements, the senator said the DSWD allotted P50 billion pesos for Starpay, when it supposedly just had paid up capital of P62,000.

His accusations come amid a word war with President Rodrigo Duterte after he criticized the current administration's approach on the West Philippine Sea issue and alleged failure to curb corruption.

The DSWD has denied Pacquiao's allegation, and said it welcomes any probe.

— Report from Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News

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