DILG seeks suspension of 10 town mayors
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is seeking the suspension of 10 town mayors, with the filing of charges against them, for ignoring a presidential directive to clear public roads of obstructions.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año warned in a statement on Sunday that the administrative charges filed in the Office of the Ombudsman is only the first batch against local chief executives who unsatisfactorily responded to the DILG show cause orders for their failure to undertake road-clearing operations in their respective localities.
The charges were filed ahead of the department’s plans to issue another 75-day order for all local chief executives to clear roads of illegal obstructions and return to the public the use of all major roads and highways, a directive issued by President Duterte in his 2019 state of the nation address.
“We will file the succeeding batches as soon as our lawyers have finished reviewing the validation reports and the corresponding answers by the mayors,” said Año.
He pointed out that administrative charges for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct have been filed in the Office of the Ombudsman against the town mayors of Baco, Oriental Mindoro; Pili, Camarines Sur; Ginatilan, Cebu; Pagsanghan, Samar; Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur; Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur; Sagay, Camiguin; Guinsiliban, Camiguin; Manticao, Misamis Oriental; and Caraga, Davao Oriental.
“[This] first batch of mayors failed to perform their duty to clear their roads of obstructions, they did not develop or implement any displacement program or plan, they do not have any long-term rehabilitation and sustainability plan in place, and they failed to set up a feedback or grievance mechanism for their constituents. Hence, we are compelled to seek their suspension from office,” the interior secretary said.
He added that the 10 local government units obtained the lowest validation scores in the DILG’s nationwide evaluation and monitoring of compliance with its Memorandum Circular 2019-121 which directed local chief executives to use all their powers under the law to reclaim public roads being used for private ends.
He urged the Ombudsman to act immediately on the cases to prove that the government is serious in clearing roads of illegal obstructions and returning to the public the use of all major thoroughfares.
The DILG issued in October show cause orders to 97 local government units nationwide asking for explanations in their noncompliance with the department order.
Meanwhile, DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the department would soon issue a directive to local chief executives for another 75-day road-clearing operation in their localities.
“Some of the obstructions have returned and the LGUs have done nothing to stop their return especially during the holidays,” Malaya said.
“We hope that all our mayors understand that this is now a policy of the government until the end of this administration. They will have to lead and do their responsibilities, otherwise they will face charges and the threat of suspension,” he said.
