Pacquiao asks Senate probe into P10.4B SAP fund disbursement

Senator Manny Pacquiao has called for a Senate investigation into the alleged questionable disbursement of P10.4 billion in Social Amelioration Program (SAP) funds by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The funds were supposedly disbursed in full by DSWD through the electronic wallet application Starpay, which Pacquiao questioned as not being a known electronic money issuer.

Pacquiao cited government records indicating that only about half a million out of an estimated 1.8 million beneficiaries could download the Starpay application, suggesting a significant number may not have received their subsidies.

Starpay has since stated that it has liquidated the funds and refunded P8.239 billion for unserved beneficiaries.

Malacañang has brushed off Pacquiao's corruption claims, while the issue has caused a split within the ruling PDP-Laban party.