Former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo slammed the reports that President Rodrigo Duterte received that she used funds from the 4Ps program to finance the New People’s Army as “fake news.”
“For the record and for the President’s own awareness, not a single peso of the 4Ps program passed through my hands. The program funds are directly coursed through the LandBank and its conduits who then make direct payout to the Pantawid beneficiaries,” Taguiwalo said in a statement on August 29.
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This was her response to Duterte’s remarks on August 28 that he received reports that Taguiwalo released funds from the 4Ps to the NPA.
“She was suspected by, hindi naman lahat, but people… na the bulk of the money went to, ditong Pantawid, naibigay doon sa mga — ako sinabi ko, naibigay sa mga NPA,” Duterte said.
Duterte also added that the basis of the reports may have been his “guidance” to Taguiwalo and the military to not be too strict in providing assistance to the poor 4Ps beneficiaries.
“Pagka pagkain, huwag mo nang pigilan ‘yan. Kung ang pera na binibigay ni Taguiwalo, para na rin sa mga mahirap, may mga hirap na NPA, may mga gutom rin na hindi NPA, mas marami kaysa NPA. Sabi ko, ‘Okay lang ako,'” said the President
“Kaso lang, baka naibili ng mga bala o armas, because of the pronouncement of Sison that they are expanding, that they are recruiting,” he added.
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In her statement, Taguiwalo urged Duterte not to legitimize these baseless allegations against her.
“I have tried my best to ensure that the department fulfills its mandate of protecting and promoting the rights of the poor and to shield it from becoming an instrument of corruption and patronage,” she said.
“I have done my best as a member of the president’s Cabinet and his government and served the people with humility and full transparency. The least I asked of him is to not legitimize baseless accusations against me,” she added.
Taguiwalo noted that when she was appointed as to lead the Department of Social Welfare and Development, she declared that no new beneficiaries should be enrolled to the 4Ps except for the families of slain soldiers and wounded law enforcers.
“Had the president’s allies questioned me regarding this issue during the CA hearings—or even during the congressional deliberations on the 2018 budget—I would have given them answers that are easily verifiable,” the former secretary said.
“When I first arrived in the DSWD, among my first declarations and actions were to say that the 4Ps program would not be expanding. This means that the 4.4 million beneficiary-households of the program will not increase. These members are from the Listahanan of DSWD based on a nationwide assessment of the poor. The list was already in place when I became secretary,” she added.
In her interview on dzMM, Taguiwalo said the reports about her using DSWD funds to finance the NPA as fake news that probably started in social media.
“Kasinungalingan ‘yung report na ‘yan, kung saan man ‘yan nakuha ni President, na nagbibigay ang DSWD sa NPA,” she said. “Ang Land Bank po ang nagpe-pay out sa beneficiaries ng Pantawid. At ang beneficiaries na ‘yan, may listahan na yan na 4.4 million, na andiyan na yan nang dumating kami.”
“Social media na naman [galing ‘yan]. May nakita na ‘ko niyan noon na hindi ko na pinansin… Nagkaroon ng buhay ang kasinungalingan na sinimulan ng sinuman,” she added.
“‘Yung mga transaksiyon ho ng departamento, ma-o-audit ‘yan ng COA (Commission on Audit). Alam nila sa panahon ko sinikap kong maging transparent ang mga transaksiyon,” she further said.
After the Commission on Appointments rejected her appointment, Taguiwalo said that it was due to her opposition to the pork barrel.
“Within and outside the department, we stood up and said that public funds will be used for the public. It is difficult because it has been ingrained, not just today but even before in previous administrations, that the DSWD is being used as milking cow of politicians,” said Taguiwalo during her farewell ceremony on August 22.
“Mr. President, I kept faith with you. Nalulungkot lang ako kasi I don’t think you kept faith with me at the end. But, still, thank you for allowing me to serve the Filipino people as a member of your Cabinet, for showing the people, ang Kaliwa kaya maglingkod nang tapat at walang katiwalian,” she added.
Sources: ( sunstar.com.ph , rappler.com , cnnphilippines.com , philstar.com , abs-cbn.com , interaksyon.com )
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