Press Release - Dela Rosa: Ayuda Scam in Davao Del Norte and Davao De Oro

SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ORDER AND DANGEROUS DRUGS PSR 873 - AYUDA SCAM IN DAVAO DEL NORTE AND DAVAO DE ORO JANUARY 23, 2024

OPENING STATEMENT

I have never been mum about the fact that I hail from the Davao region. In fact, I am proud of it. After all, to say that Davao is blessed with so much is an understatement. I daresay it is a region that is home not only to natural resources, but also to courageous trailblazers, who have devoted their whole lives to public service and love of country, with no less than the Former President Rodrigo Duterte topping the list in my book.

Kung kaya sa tingin ko, hindi lamang sa Davao City applicable ang slogan na "Davao: Life is here." Applicable din ito sa buong Davao Region. Kung kaya noong nabalitaan ko ang tungkol sa ayuda scheme na nagmukhang ayuda scam, napakahirap tanggapin, lalong-lalo na para sa akin.

Late last year, my office received a letter from Governor Jubahib. He was requesting for an investigation. According to him, he discovered that there were over 60 individuals from Davao del Norte and seven from Davao de Oro who had been allegedly victimized by a scheme they infamously called as the "Ayuda Scam."

There were serious allegations narrating how beneficiaries who were supposed to receive the expected assistance of P5,000.00 received the meager amount of P1,000.00. 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 P1,000.00 in their pocket.

In light of these allegations and the sheer weight of the possible corruption that underpins them, we admit that this is a major concern that our government should deeply look into. We should ask: Why would we even let it happen? How could we let them happen? Is it also happening in other regions?

Bumaba ang poverty incidence sa bansa mula sa 23.7% to 22.4% noong first semester ng 2023 ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority. Pababa man ang bilang ng mga naghihirap sa bansa, mayroon pa ring 25.24 million Pilipino na nangangailangan ng mga financial assistance o ayuda mula sa gobyerno. Kung pati ang nakalaang tulong na galing