DSWD charges 16 persons for using fake documents

By Cet Dematera

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol has warned that any person who would submit fake or falsified documents in order to get cash assistance from their office would instead face charges instead of help.

DSWD Bicol Director Leo Quintilla issued this stern warning after their office formally filed last week charges of falsification of public documents against 16 people who tried to seek medical and other cash assistance from the agency using documents that are either bogus or deliberately fabricated.

Quintilla said that their staff had started suspecting that those charged were submitting fake documents when they could not answer simple questions during the routine interviews.

“These persons could not even give clear answers when asked what are the illnesses of their family members or relatives that they are representing (and) why they are asking for assistance to DSWD,” Quintilla quoted his staff as saying.

He said that he instructed his staff to do a stringent screening of those asking cash assistance to ensure that only those who are genuinely in need of help could get the resources of the government.

“It is the job of our office to protect the public resources so that we could extend assistance to as many people who are really in dire need of the cash aid from the government,” Quitilla added.

He said most of those charged claimed they were residing in Legazpi City.

Quintilla also commended his staff for patiently exerting efforts during interviews and doing strict scrutiny of the submitted documents to ensure that the recipients of government assistance are not bogus.

Documents that are usually being fabricated include certificates of indigency, doctors’ prescriptions, or even purchase receipts