DILG to summon 80 Manila barangay captains over failed road clearing ops

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday announced that it will start issuing show-cause orders next week against around 80 barangay captains in the City of Manila for their failure to comply with the nationwide road-clearing drive.

“We are filing on Tuesday next week around 80 show-cause orders against barangay captains.  Itong 80 na ito ay [These 80 are] first focused on the City of Manila,” DILG Undersecretary for Plans, Public Affairs, and Communication Jonathan Malaya said.

Malaya said that the DILG will file administrative cases for negligence, misconduct, and dereliction of duty against barangay captains who failed to properly explain their failure to comply with the President’s order to clear primary and secondary public roads in their respective areas of obstructions.

Malaya said the barangay captains may eventually be suspended.

“It’s their duty to enforce the law. It’s their duty to enforce the ordinances passed by the City of Manila, and most importantly, it’s their duty to heed the President’s directive of clearing the road of obstructions,” he said.

Malaya explained that the DILG decided to also issue show-cause orders against barangay captains aside from local chief executives since the department wants to send a strong message that village executives play a key role in the clearing drive.

“Without the cooperation of the barangays, it does not really work. If we want to sustain the road-clearing, we have to send a message to the barangay captains that you have an important role to play here,” he said.

Malaya said the DILG has discussed the matter with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno./gsg