Mikey Arroyo moves to invite viral QC family using PWD IDs to House hearing

Pampanga Representative Mikey Arroyo on Tuesday moved to invite into a House hearing the family in Quezon City who allegedly obtained identification cards intended for persons with disabilities (PWDs) despite not having the necessary documents.

During the virtual meeting of the House Special Committee on Persons with Disability (PWD), Representative Arroyo made a motion to invite the said family in their succeeding hearing so that they could explain their supposed activities.

"I believe we can't have a hearing if we don't invite them and we can correct the supposed misdemeanors or misdeeds," he said.

"I would like to make my manifestation a motion that we invite the family," he added.

House panel chairwoman Maria Lourdes Arroyo agreed with the proposal of the Pampanga representative.

"I would also like to hear their side, how they got these, if and where they got these, and it's also good to know that everyone who is accused is proven innocent until declared guilty," she said.

A photo of allegedly fake PWD IDs issued by the Quezon City government to the family of six recently went viral on social media.

Chairwoman Arroyo, in her speech at the opening of the meeting, scored the alleged proliferation of fake PWD IDs, saying that it incurs "tremendous losses in government revenues and subsidies."

"This highlights a lot of personal and social conscience, education, upbringing and a high sense of entitlement," she said.

"Add to the fact that there are still many people out there with disabilities who cannot obtain PWD IDs because they live in the outskirts of the cities and municipalities and in dire need of accessibility," she added.

She called on the Department of the Interior and Local Government as well as local government units (LGUs) to intensify its policies against these abuses and acts of misrepresentation and fraud.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte recently signed a memorandum imposing stricter measures in the issuance of PWD IDs in the city to ensure that only legitimate PWDs will benefit from it.

Memorandum Circular No. 16 directs the city's Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office to coordinate with a Quezon City government-owned hospital in verifying if a certain individual is really eligible to have a PWD ID.

“These guidelines aim to help prevent fraud in the issuance and use of PWD IDs while ensuring that legitimate PWDs can continue to obtain their IDs in an expeditious manner,” Belmonte said.

“Hindi natin puwedeng hayaang maabuso ang batas ng mga tao na nais makalamang sa kapwa,” she added.

Meanwhile, ACT-CIS party-list Representative Eric Yap said he would file another resolution to probe the proliferation of fake PWD IDs and the alleged involvement of LGU personnel in the scheme. —KG, GMA News