MANILA, Philippines – A group of typhoon victims from Western Samar filed a graft complaint against Catbalogan Mayor Stephanie Uy-Tan for allegedly slashing their cash entitlements after Typhoon Ruby hit the town in December 2014.

The complaint was filed by the People’s Surge-Western Samar Chapter before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas in Cebu City last March 21.

According to the complainants, the local government of Catbalogan changed the victims’ categories from totally damaged houses to partially damaged houses, therefore cutting in half the cash assistance.

Victims with totally damaged homes were supposed to receive P16,000 each, however, complainants allege that their local government changed the category and instead distributed only P8,000 each.

Moreover, families who rent a room or who share a house with another family and whose house was totally damaged should have received P5,328 each, but reportedly received only P3,000-P4,000 each.

Complainants are citing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) and the local government of Catbalogan. (READ: How a small Samar town survived deadly storm surges)

Through the MOA, P110 million was released to the Catbalogan government for distribution to victims.

“The beneficiaries whose houses were previously categorized to totally damaged were changed to partially damaged about a week prior to the distribution,” the complaint said.

“The foregoing recategorization could not have been possible without the blessings and respondents from respondent Mayor Uy-Tan,” the complaint said.

The complainants allege that there remain more than P2 million from the funds.

The complainants said they wrote Mayor Uy-Tan for access to the cash vouchers but were informed that the documents had already been transmitted to the Commission on Audit (COA). (READ: How preparedness worked in Yolanda-hit areas during Typhoon Ruby)

“The vouchers should have been kept and maintained by the city of Catbalogan in accordance to Section 3, II, H of the MOA,” the complainants said.

They filed a complaint of graft, violation of code of conduct and ethics for public officials and gross incompetence against Uy-Tan, City Social Welfare officer Nida Aroza, and secretary of Barangay Lagundi Lita Solis who allegedly made the recategorization.

Typhoon Ruby, which hit land in Dolores, Eastern Samar on December 6, 2014, was described as the longest-staying typhoon by the affected residents of Visayas. – Rappler.com