Civil society groups asked to be watchdog of LGUs, cops

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines‎ – After seeking the religious sector’s help in monitoring the P20 billion fund for local government projects, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) tapped civil society groups to keep track on government spending.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II urged‎ on Sunday civil society groups to keep an eye on “how local government officials spend public funds.”

During the First Regional launching of the Koalisyon ng Mamamayan para sa Reporma (Kompre) at the De La Salle University Science Institute Campus in Bacoor, Cavite, Roxas asked Kompre members to report anomalies in the implementation of LGU projects.

Roxas said the P20-billion fund under the Grassroots Participatory Process (GPP) would be divided among 1,600 ‎local government units nationwide.

For each city, P30 million will be allotted while P12 million will be given to each municipality.

“Nais namin na may mata, mas maraming nakatutok, mas maraming nakabantay,” he said.

‎Also, in behalf of President Benigno Aquino III, Roxas told the LGU leaders: “Kayo ang Boss. Kayo ang mamimili ng proyekto ninyo at popondahin namin ang proyektong ito.”

At the same time, the Interior Secretary ‎called on civil society groups to report to the authorities erring policemen.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has been under fire after some of its personnel have been linked to several criminal activities, including the killing of car racer Ferdinand “Enzo” Pastor and businessman Richard King , and recently, the robbery and abduction incident on Edsa allegedly orchestrated by Quezon City policemen.

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