PANTAR, Lanao del Norte -- Personnel of Pantar Municipal Police Station led by Police Senior Inspector Mohammad E. Doro, and Police Chief Inspector Melchor L. Annaway, commander of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB), (1005 Maneuver Campany) 10, intercepted  two vehicles transporting relief goods with DSWD marked without any pertinent documents supporting their operation at barangay Campong, around seven in the morning, April 13.

Two hundred fifty-one boxes of DSWD relief packs intercepted at barangay Campong, Marawi City April 13. (Bonita Ermac/ MANILA BULLETIN)

This after an intelligence report gathered by the Regional Intelligence Unit 10, Philippine National Police Intelligence Group ( RIU10, PNP IG) that the monthly food assistance to the Internaly Displaced Persons of the recent Marawi siege from the City Social Welfare Office in Marawi City are being repacked and illegally sold to private businessmen in Iligan City and other municipalities in Lanao del Norte, said PSI Doro.

Vehicle Strada, color red bearing plate number NH001driven by Nabil Basman Mantar, 22, single, a resident of Panggao Saduc, carried one hundred sixteen packs of DSWD relief goods and one hundred thirty-five packs on board multicab, color black bearing temporary plate number 122608 driven by one Jalal H. Salic, 24, single and a resident of barangay Bangko in Marawi City, Doro said.

Mr. Rauf Salic, chairman, barangay Bangko, in Marawi City received the two hundred fifty-one (251) boxes of DSWD family food packs certified by Rasnah M. Solaiman, District 5 incharge, City Social Welfare and Development office.

Accordingly, the food packs were intended for and in behalf of Salic's relatives since they were not present during the relief distribution dated April 12. "Wala sila doon sa time na iyon kahapon, i-receive ko na lang daw at dalhin ko na lang daw sa kanila", said Norhanifah H. Salic, Rauf's daughter and his representative.

Norhanifah said the packs supposedly be brought to her relatives who were staying homebased  in barangay Santiago, Tambacan and Mayahayay in Iligan City.

A DSWD Requisition and Issue Slip showed Solaiman and Rauf as signatories of the document as stated therein "FFP's Set-B", quantity- 1,467.

Police Chief Inspector Melchor Annaway, commander of the  Regional Mobile Force Battalion, 1005 Maneuver Company said the suspects denied they will sell the goods instead they asked him to allow them to return the goods. "Actually mam, iyong may dala ng boxes ay nagmamaka-awa, na kung pwede ibalik nila iyong items doon sa pinagkuhanan nila doon sa marawi", he said.

Alleged suspects will be facing a case on Republic Act no 10121 known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and management Act of 2010, section 19 prohibiting the selling of relief goods and other aid commodities intended for distribution to disaster victims, after a thorough investigation be done.

Under the law, those who commit any of the prohibited acts will face a fine ranging from P50, 000 to P500, 000 or imprisonment of six years up to 12 years.