Controversy surrounding policy payments in Thanh Son commune (Thanh Chuong)
In recent years, in Thanh Son commune (Thanh Chuong), there have been more than 500 cases of policy payments for people participating in the frontline civilian labor. However, the process of reviewing documents has many irregularities, there are cases where even those whose names are not in the commune are still reviewed to enjoy the policy.
Want to enjoy the policy also have to pay fee
At the end of November 2024, we went to Thanh Son commune (Thanh Chuong) after receiving a complaint about shady practices in reviewing records of regimes and policies for frontline workers. This isBan Ve Hydropower Plant resettlement commune, people were relocated from Tuong Duong district more than 15 years ago.
“We have also received information about a complaint from a citizen. Through initial verification, some of the contents of the complaint are well-founded. But to clarify the information, the police may need to get involved.”
Mr. Lo Huy Hung - Chairman of Thanh Son Commune People's Committee
According to the complaint, Mr. Lu Thanh Phuong - Chairman of the Thanh Son Commune Youth Volunteer Veterans Association is the person who received the documents to make the regime and policies for the frontline workers in the commune for many years. After the people received the benefits, they had to share the money with Mr. Phuong. On July 19, 2024, many people in Thanh Son commune went to the District Military Command to receive the policy money for the frontline workers, but this unit announced on the loudspeaker, asking people not to pay outsiders after receiving the money, because this is money given to people with meritorious services...
This is the policy regime for frontline workers according to Decision No. 49/2015 of the Prime Minister. Accordingly, those who participate in frontline workers for less than 1 year will receive a subsidy of 2 million VND; those who participate for 1 year to less than 2 years will receive a subsidy of 2.7 million VND; those who participate for 2 years or more will receive a subsidy of 3.5 million VND. For those who have passed away, one of the following relatives of the deceased will receive the benefit: wife or husband; biological parents; biological children, adopted children or legal guardians.
According to regulations, the dossier includes 1 declaration of the subject or the subject's relative (in case of deceased); original or certified copy of documents for participation in the frontline civilian labor (if any). These people or relatives (in case of deceased subjects) are responsible for making a declaration and directly submitting 1 set of documents to the People's Committee of the commune where the permanent residence is registered; the commune organizes the review in batches, synthesizes and reports to the District Military Command. The District Military Command reviews, compares, synthesizes and reports; the Provincial Military Command appraises and proposes the Military Region Command to issue a decision on one-time subsidy. After that, the District Military Command organizes the direct payment of one-time subsidy to the subjects.
Since Decision 49 took effect in 2015, Thanh Son commune has reviewed 605 files to report to the District Military Command. Of these, 8 files were returned because they did not meet the requirements, 536 files have received money, and the rest are still waiting for payment.
Mr. Lo Van Ca - Commander of Thanh Son Commune Military Command said that to implement the project, the commune has established an Advisory Group headed by Mr. Lu Thanh Phuong - Chairman of the Association of Former Youth Volunteers. Mr. Phuong is the one who guides the people, verifies and collects documents to submit to the Commune Policy Council for approval.
“I don’t know how much money Mr. Phuong collects from people, but since I started this position in 2021, for each file like that, Mr. Phuong has given me 20,000 VND.”
Mr. Lo Van Ca - Commander of Thanh Son Commune Military Command
Meanwhile, according to the people's accusations, every time they were instructed to complete the application to receive the policy and receive the money, the beneficiary had to give Mr. Phuong a large sum of money. "A commune official said that his father-in-law asked Mr. Phuong to complete the application and after receiving the money, he had to give Phuong 800,000 VND," said a leader of Thanh Son commune who asked to remain anonymous. To clarify this information, the reporter also sought out a few cases that had just received the policy money, however, these people all refused to answer.
Mr. Lu Thanh Phuong said that during the process of making the documents, he only received 20,000 VND from each case, all of which were submitted to the Commander of the Commune Military Command. “I did not receive any additional money. Only a few people came to thank me with material things like milk... I accepted. As for money, I did not,” Mr. Phuong said.
According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Lo Huy Hung Commune, regarding this issue, the commune leaders also worked with Mr. Phuong. "People accused Mr. Phuong of having to pay a large sum of money, several hundred thousand for a set of documents. But Mr. Phuong said he only received 20,000 VND. This issue needs to be verified. However, even if he only received 20,000 VND, it is still wrong, because the documents only have 1 declaration, the review is the responsibility of the commune. It is impossible to collect even 1 VND from the people," said Mr. Hung.
Many records are not locally named.
Not only was there a fuss about the fee collection, in the list of people who received the subsidy that the reporter obtained, there were many cases where the names of those in Thanh Son commune were not on it. Among them, there were at least 3 cases where Ms. Phan Thi Thiem was the one who received the money. Ms. Thiem is the daughter-in-law of Mr. Lu Thanh Phuong, and the wife of Mr. Lu Van Duong - Chairman of Thanh Son commune People's Committee from 2017 to 2023. Mr. Duong is currently the Chairman of Ngoc Lam commune People's Committee, and is the biological son of Mr. Lu Thanh Phuong.
During his tenure as Chairman of the Thanh Son Commune People's Committee, Mr. Lu Van Duong was the Chairman of the Policy Council, responsible for reviewing documents before submitting them to the Commune Military Command. Meanwhile, his father was the Head of the Advisory Team, responsible for verifying and guiding people in filling out their documents.
In the list of beneficiaries, there is a case named Lo Van Quang (born in 1933, deceased), residing in Cha Coong 1 village, Thanh Son commune, who received a subsidy of 3.5 million VND; Ngan Thi Tim (born in 1951, deceased), residing in Cha Coong 1 village, Thanh Son commune, received a subsidy of 2.7 million VND; Mrs. Kha Thi Thao (born in 1943, deceased), residing in Cha Coong village, received 2.7 million VND. In all three of these cases, the recipient was Mrs. Phan Thi Thiem, wife of Mr. Duong, who was at that time the Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Son commune. However, according to the reporter's investigation, in these villages, there is no case with the name as in the file.
Regarding this issue, Mr. Lu Thanh Phuong said that Mr. Lo Van Quang and Mrs. Ngan Thi Tim are the adoptive parents of his daughter-in-law, residing in Tam Thai commune (Tuong Duong), and have no biological children, so he made a record for his adopted child to enjoy. As for Kha Thi Thao, she resides in Son Ha village, Tam Quang commune (Tuong Duong)…. However, according to the reporter’s verification, in Son Ha village, there is no case named Kha Thi Thao (born in 1943, deceased).
Mrs. Tim is not the adoptive mother, only Lo Van Quang is the adoptive father. My adoptive father also has many biological children, but I asked around and no one did it, so I made the paperwork and received that money. As for the two cases of Ngan Thi Tim and Kha Thi Thao, I only received them on behalf of others, and after receiving them, I paid them back.
Mrs. Phan Thi Thiem, wife of Mr. Duong
Mr. Lu Van Duong said that after receiving the complaint, he learned that his wife had received money for 3 cases. Among them, Lo Van Quang, the adoptive father, received money. However, Mr. Duong also admitted that the adoptive father only received money according to custom and worship, not legally adopted. The remaining 2 cases, it is true, had never lived in Thanh Son commune but had daughters living there, so they made the documents and asked his wife to receive the money on their behalf.
“When I was the Chairman of Thanh Son Commune People's Committee, I was the last person to review the files. But the work was very difficult to control, and had to depend on the Advisory Group. Most of the files were from deceased people, declared by relatives. It was impossible to read each file, and there was not enough time to research. Therefore, there could be omissions. As for the family, after receiving the complaint, I was also very sad and talked to my wife and father,” said Mr. Duong.
In Decision No. 49/2015 of the Prime Minister, it is also stated that organizations and individuals who falsify or forge documents to enjoy the regime, depending on the nature and severity of the violation, will be subject to disciplinary action or criminal prosecution and must return the amount received; if causing damage, they must compensate according to the provisions of law.
