CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has acknowledged the Commission on Audit’s (COA) recent report, but clarified that the funds used for the assistance to former rebels were accounted for.

The COA report said that disbursement of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and Livelihood Settlement Grants (LSG) for the former rebels amounting to more than P5.3 million were supported with inappropriate documentation such as a Certified True Copy of the Joint AFP-PNP Intelligence Committee (JAPIC) Certification, instead of the original document.

The DSWD respects the COA findings and is currently addressing the deficiencies on the submitted Certified True Copy of the required JAPIC Certification. The JAPIC Certification is a document that validates the membership of former rebels to Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) and other extremist groups and a requirement for the issuance of assistance to former rebels.

However, the DSWD clarified that its Field Office Caraga was not able to provide original copies of the JAPIC Certification of beneficiaries, since the documents were submitted by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), as the referring party, to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Caraga, which is the principal agency to provide former rebels with E-CLIP packages.

Meanwhile, following the COA’s recommendation to submit the original copies of JAPIC Certification and Endorsement from the E-CLIP Committee, the DSWD has already coordinated with the concerned PSWDO to attest the eligibility of the beneficiaries.

Likewise, the DSWD-Caraga has forwarded a letter addressed to the DILG-Caraga, as the lead agency in the implementation of  Executive Order No. 70, on April 14 to inform them on the COA’s Audit Observation Memorandum. 

Moreover, the Department has requested for technical assistance of the DILG in securing the original JAPIC certification of former rebels.

The DSWD vows to continue to adhere to transparency and accountability in its program implementation. (DSWD/PIA-NCR)