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20190725-mmda-mayors-meeting-gc-8389

Johnson Manabat

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/20190725-mmda-mayors-meeting-gc-8389.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora is greeted by the press after the first meeting of the Metro Manila Council held at the MMDA headquarters in Makati on July 25, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Wednesday denied allegations made by Sen. JV Ejercito that he collects kickbacks from government cash aid.Ejercito earlier delivered a privilege speech accusing the mayor and a councilor of San Juan City of taking kickbacks from social welfare subsidies for city residents.In a privilege speech, Ejercito presented 2 videos allegedly showing a beneficiary from Barangay Balong-bato claiming that he was approached by the staff of a councilor later named by Ejercito as councilor Paul Artadi, asking for a P6,500 cut from the P7,500 assistance under the DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (TUPAD) emergency employment program.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/17/24/tupad-cant-be-used-for-peoples-initiative-dole">TUPAD program can&#x27;t be used for people&#x27;s initiative: DOLE</a></div>A second video purportedly showed the mayor&#x27;s alleged cut being collected.But Zamora questioned the authenticity of the videos presented at the Senate plenary.”Sino ho ba yung mga nasa video? B&#x27;at hindi ho sila pumunta rito kung talaga bang merong nangyaring bigayan ng pera o kickback…Andali-dali magsabi ng ganong paratang…Ano ba ang ebidensiya na meron sila na tumanggap si mayor ng P6,500,” Zamora said.(Who is in that video? Why didn&#x27;t they come here to find out if any money or kickbacks were given? It&#x27;s so easy to make those accusations... What evidence do they have that I received P6,500?)Ejercito and Zamora are from rival political clans in the National Capital Region&#x27;s smallest city.Ejercito said beneficiaries also claimed that TUPAD funds were also distributed as cash gifts to barangay officials in San Juan during Christmas, with barangay captains getting P15,000 and allied barangay councilors getting P7,500 each.“Hindi natupad ang pangarap ng mga biktima ng ayuda scam. Pero ang pangarap ni Mr. Councilor at Mr. Mayor, tupad na tupad!” Ejercito added.(The victims of the aid scam did not get to see their dreams come true, but Mr. Councilor and Mr. Mayor did!)Zamora insisted that the San Juan City LGU has nothing to do with the distribution of TUPAD, which is a program of the Department of Labor and Employment. <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/27/22/zamora-elected-as-metro-manila-council-president">San Juan Mayor Zamora elected as Metro Manila Council president</a></div>“Ang aming tungkulin lang ay maglista ng mga benepisyaryo, siguraduhin na sila ay kuwalipikado at tulungan sila na magkaroon ng DOLE ID, TUPAD ID,” Zamora explained.(Our only task is to list down beneficiaries, make sure they are qualified and help them get the necessary IDs.)According to Zamora, he will explore possible legal moves against the senator.He said, he is willing to face Ejercito and his brother Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, if he will be invited to the Senate.Ejercito’s privilege speech was referred to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and Committee on Public Order.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Wednesday denied the allegations of collecting kickbacks from cash aid which was earlier raised by Senator JV Ejercito.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Wednesday denied the allegations of collecting kickbacks from cash aid which was earlier raised by Senator JV Ejercito.

San Juan Mayor Zamora denies involvement in alleged TUPAD scam

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San Juan Mayor Zamora denies involvement in alleged TUPAD scam

Johnson Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 28, 2024 07:16 PM PHT

Read More:

Francis Zamora

TUPAD

Corruption

Paul Artadi

JV Ejercito

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