DILG wants disciplinary action vs 20 barangay execs for violating ECQ rules

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has recommended to the Office of the Ombudsman the imposition of disciplinary action against 20 barangay officials in Metro Manila for breaching lockdown protocols.

“We want to send a message to rouge barangay officials that the DILG will not tolerate any violation of ECQ protocols. As government officials, we should take the lead in following the law and not in breaking it,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement on Thursday.

“Patuloy ang pagtanggap natin ng mga reklamo kaya patuloy din ang pagsasampa natin ng kaso sa Office of the Ombudsman,” he aded.

(We continue accepting complaints and we will continue to file cases with the Office at the Ombudsman.)

In a letter dated June 16, DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño told Ombudsman Samuel Martires that the barangay officials were given show-cause orders to respond to allegations of quarantine violations.

But Diño said they found the local executives’ response as “insufficient,” prompting them to find enough evidence to endorse them to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Of the 20 errant local officials, five each are from Caloocan City and Quezon City; two from Parañaque City and one each from Mandaluyong City, Las Piñas, Manila City, Makati, Pasay City, Taguig City, Marikina City, and Muntinlupa City.

According to Diño, among the violations of barangay officials were lack of  “physical distancing in engagements with the citizens of barangays,” involvement in “illegal cockfighting, gambling,” poor enforcement of lockdown protocols as children were seen playing in the streets,” as well as “negligence and gross neglect of duty, among others.”

KGA