DILG Soccsksargen director takes over the running of Cotabato town

COTABATO CITY—Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año has designated the regional director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the Soccsksargen region to act as caretaker of Magpet town in Cotabato province whose elected officials were quarantined.

DILG regional director Josephine Cabrido-Leysa has assumed the role beginning on Wednesday.

In his memorandum dated June 15, Año directed Leysa to take the role in addition to discharging his DILG functions, and to continue until such time that the Magpet officials can return to office,

The directive emphasizes, however, that Leysa cannot perform the regular duties, responsibilities and functions and powers of the local chief executive except to oversee and ensure the delivery of basic services, and to approve disbursements involving regularly recurring administrative expenses such as payrolls, expenses for light, water, telephone, among other utility and telecommunication services, and rentals.

All the municipality officials have been under quarantine after they were identified as close contacts of two local officials who were infected with COVID-19.

Magpet Mayor Florenito Gonzaga admitted he tested positive for COVID-19 on June 14 after not reporting for work with no official statement as to why.  He is confined in a hospital in Kidapawan City.

Vice Mayor Rogelio Marañon on June 11 assumed as acting mayor.

However, he was exposed to a town councilor who tested positive for COVID-19 on June 10. The unidentified councilor attended the June 8 regular session that Marañon presided over.

Because of that, all the other members of the municipal council were quarantined.

“I have brought with me a team from the regional office to ensure that we cover a lot of grounds while we perform as caretaker of this municipality,” Leysa said in a statement.