DILG files raps vs 45 mayors for failing to organize anti-drug abuse councils

MANILA, Philippines — Forty-five mayors are facing complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged failure to organize an Anti-Illegal Drugs Abuse Council (ADAC) in their respective local government units (LGUs), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Wednesday.

The DILG filed the complaints against 25 this Wednesday while complaints against the other 20 mayors were filed last March 14.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año lamented that they had given several directives on organizing ADAC but the mayors failed to comply.

“Despite several directives from the DILG and the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), the concerned mayors still failed or refused to comply with the said orders and their towns are among those that are without an organized and functional ADAC,” Año said in a statement.

Of the 45 mayors, 15 are from Bicol Region, specifically in Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon provinces.

Seven are in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), particularly in Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and Lanao del Sur provinces.

Five are in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) which are in Abra and Ifugao provinces.

Meanwhile, five mayors are from the Palawan province.

In Central Visayas, four mayors are serving in Cebu province.

In Caraga, all three mayors are in Agusan del Norte province.

Three mayors are in Calabarzon, specifically in Laguna and Quezon.

Two mayors are from Cagayan province and one in Nueva Vizcaya.

Lastly, in Eastern Visayas, one mayor is in Eastern Samar province.

DILG, however, withheld the names of those facing the complaints.