Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 5) – President Rodrigo Duterte is offering a ₱30,000 reward money for anyone who can give information on local government officials pocketing cash aid for poor families and other beneficiaries.
“Siya po ay magbibigay ng pabuya na ₱30,000 sa sino man po ang magre-report ng local government officials na kumakana o kinukurakot ang mga ayuda para sa mga mahihirap,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque after Duterte’s late night address.
[Translation: He will give ₱30,000 to anyone who can report local government officials stealing from the government’s financial aid for the poor.]
On Sunday, a village councilor in Bulacan was arrested for reportedly collecting more than half of the cash aid under the government’s special amelioration program.
Duterte slammed the local official’s action.
“Mahirap na nga, ikaw may trabaho ka na, kagawad ka, p*tangina, kukunin mo pa yung pera ng mahirap,” he said.
[Translation: They are already poor, and you who has a job, a village councilor, son of a b*tch, you still have the guts to get the poor’s money.]
With this, Duterte asked city mayors to check on the people tasked to do the distribution of cash aid.
Roque said that anyone who can point to a local government official pocketing the cash aid should call 8888.
