Senate probes AICS ‘ayuda scam’ in Davao

A Senate panel on Tuesday started its investigation on an alleged scheme using cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that is being linked to public officials in Davao del Norte. 

During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, panel chairperson Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he received a letter from Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib in November 2023 requesting an investigation on the alleged “ayuda scam” that has victimized over 60 individuals in Davao del Norte and seven in Davao de Oro. 

Based on Senate Resolution 873 filed by dela Rosa, the lawmaker cited an accusation claiming the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) was being used by certain politicians “for the purpose of pooling money to give out to allies running for the recently concluded barangay elections.”

“There were serious allegations narrating how beneficiaries who were supposed to receive the expected assistance of P5,000 received the meager amount of P1,000. Further, the governor described how the perpetrators led the victims to a separate room where their money would be forcibly taken from them and how they went home with only P1,000 in their pocket,” dela Rosa said in his opening speech. 

Kapalong Mayor Maria Theresa Timbol said the payout to around 400 to 500 individuals was made on October 28, two days before the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. 

She said these beneficiaries were her constituents from Kapalong and were brought to a gym in the municipality of Asuncion. 

When asked by Senator Jinggoy Estrada as to who recruited the beneficiaries, Timbol responded, “We’re informed that the leaders of the barangay officials who are running for the barangay elections. It’s not our MSWD (Municipal Social Welfare and Development).”  

|Jubahib claimed that a personal staff member of Davao del Norte Vice Governor Oyo Uy was present during the payout in Asuncion.

|At the hearing, several individuals claiming to be former members of Uy’s staff or who worked with the vice governor’s staff admitted and provided proof that they were involved in the scheme. 

For his part, Uy denied that his office was involved in the “manipulation” of the said payout of AICS in the province. 

“Insinuations against me suggest that I utilized the financial assistance payout to deceive beneficiaries into receiving less than the amount earmarked for them. I vehemently deny these allegations,” he said. 

|“The Office of the Vice Governor plays a minimal role in the financial assistance process by submitting only a request to the DSWD for the release of cash assistance in the province. It is essential to clarify that the identification, assessment, validation, and distribution of cash assistance to beneficiaries is exclusively within the DSWD’s role.” 

Uy said that his office will conduct a separate investigation, taking in consideration the allegations against him.

Police Regional Office 11 Regional Director P/Brigadier General Alden Delvo, meanwhile, assured the witnesses’ protection, and said they will hold their own probe into the matter.

In the town of Carmen, witness “Mayla” said she was made to sign a document on October 29 supposedly to receive a P10,000 worth of educational assistance, but was only able to bring home P1,000 after an alleged municipal employee took P9,000. 

“Nabiktima kami ng educational assistance na P10,000 na matatanggap namin. Binigay sa amin ‘yung P10,000 pero pinapunta kami sa isang kwarto. Akala namin kapag nakuha na namin ‘yung pera, pwede na kami makalabas. Hindi. Pinapunta kami sa isang kwarto kung saan may tao na kokolektahin ‘yung pera,” she said. 

(We were victimized as we were supposed to receive educational assistance worth P10,000. After we received P10,000  we were brought to another room. We thought that once we got the money, we could leave. No. We were sent to a room where someone collected our money.) 

Carmen Mayor Leony Bahague and Santo Tomas Mayor Roland Dejesica denied involvement in the scheme.

Bahague also recommended that in the next disbursement of the educational assistance, the cash be directly coursed through in schools or disbursed in checks instead of cash. 

Commission on Elections chairman George Garcia, citing Comelec Resolution No. 10944, stressed that distribution of any assistance using the AICS was absolutely prohibited from October 20 to October 30, 2023. 

“Hindi namin alam ‘yung period na covered pero kung ‘yang distribution ay nangyari sa panahon ng October 20 to 30, prohibited po ‘yan. Absolute ang prohibition. In fact, wala kaming binigyan ng exemption sa period na ‘yan,” he said.

(We don't know when that happened, but if the distribution happened from October 20 to 30, then that is prohibited. The prohibition is absolute. In fact, we did not give anyone an exemption during that period.) 

Comelec Resolution No. 10944 states that distribution in case or in-kind of any assistance through the AICS was strictly prohibited from October 20 until Election Day, except those which were not normally given to qualified individuals such as but not limited to basic needs in the form of food, transportation, medical, educational, burial and other similar assistance.

For the DSWD’s part, Undersecretary Fatima Dimaporo said that the agency created a fact-finding investigation committee to look into the complaints of the Davao beneficiaries. 

“After gathering documents to establish the facts and conducting interviews with concerned employees from the DSWD Office 11, we concluded that… DSWD personnel have no involvement in requesting beneficiaries to return part of the assistance nor knowledge of beneficiaries being forced to return cash to third parties,” she said. 

Estrada, meanwhile, said the scheme should be looked into not just in Davao, but in other parts of the country, particularly in Metro Manila. 

“I think this is already being implemented nationwide… Malamang pati sa bayan ko, sa San Juan, nababalitaan kong meron din ganyan. Pero ito, napaka-talamak nito kasi kung P10,000 ang pinapangako tapos kakaltasan ng P9,000… Hindi yata makatarungan yan,” he said. 

(I also heard of this scheme in San Juan City. But this one’s very serious because if P10,000 is promised then P9,000 will be deducted, then that's not fair.)—RF, GMA Integrated News