Rama to reveal names of people in aid anomaly

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he will publicize the names of people involved in the anomaly in the distribution of cash assistance for victims of Typhoon Odette.

“Wala pako kakuha sa ngalan kay katong gihatag aning preliminary findings general ra man kaayo,” Rama said yesterday, adding he already instructed the fact-finding committee to provide him with the names of those involved in this mess.

“I have already told them (fact-finding days in days, and hours, give me names, and if and when, because I will bring them out… simple, to the public," said Rama.

Rama said these individuals have already been given the “due process.”

Those who will be found involved in the anomaly will have their contracts unrenewed or suspended, depending upon the recommendations of the committee.

“Dili kawatan” is one of the parameters in the renewal of the contract of services in the city, said Rama.

Aside from that, possible charges will also be filed against them.

“If there is a basis for having them prosecuted… Kung ang recommendation filing, file-lan, moingon sila non-renewal, non-renewal, preventive suspension if ever…I will be relying but I will also have my evaluation also because I am a lawyer,” said Rama.

Meanwhile, Rama expects the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS)  to be very careful now in scrutinizing beneficiaries so that such incidents will not happen again.

The Cebu City government is giving each of the affected residential structure owners P5,000 financial assistance, but it was found out that there were some residents who benefitted even if supposedly unqualified.

Rama said they will be looking at the right processes to ensure that those who have not yet received will get their due, saying, he is already “sick” of hearing complaints and seeing personally houses of constituents still unrepaired as they are still awaiting the help from the city government. — Decemay P. Padilla, JMD (FREEMAN)