DILG to charge barangay execs for failing to fight drugs

DILG OIC Eduardo Año. INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to file administrative cases against barangay (village) executives in 16 barangays who failed to organize local anti-drug councils, Interior Officer-in-Charge Sec. Eduardo Año said Monday.

Año said the barangay executives failed to organize their respective Barangay Anti-illegal Drug Council (Badac).

Officials facing charges are from five barangays in Manila, 10 in Masbate, and one in Gubat, Sorsogon.

“We want to send a strong message to the barangay on their important role in the anti-illegal drug campaign,” Año said in a press briefing at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) headquarters in Quezon City.

He explained that the Badac serves as the government’s primary body to fight illegal drugs at the grassroots level.

“[Para] magkaroon ka ng consolidated effort to fight crime involving community, private sector, residents, and barangay officials. Ganyan kaimportante siya,” Año said.

(So that you can have a consolidated effort to fight crime involving community, private sector, residents, and barangay officials. That’s how important it is.)

“Kung wala ka niyan, what’s the problem with you?” he added.

(If you don’t have it, what is wrong with you?)

Año said that all the officials of the the 16 barangays from the barangay captain down to the councilors are facing charges of dereliction of duty and misconduct.

He said the officials were repeatedly warned by the DILG through several memoranda but to no avail.

The DILG will file the charges before the Ombudsman also on Monday and recommend to the body the officials’ preventive suspension. /cbb

READ: PDEA set to release barangay drug list Monday