Two barangay chairmen in Quezon City face a gross neglect of duty complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for allowing illegal parking in the roads of their villages.
Chairman Thomas Orbos of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) filed on Thursday a gross neglect of duty complaint against Antonio Benito Calma Jr. of Barangay Don Manuel and Clarito de Jesus of Barangay Veterans Village.
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In January, Calma and De Jesus sent a letter to the MMDA to request assistance in towing away illegally parked and junk vehicles to clear the sidewalks of obstructions.
Clearing operations were then conducted in February.
But on a return inspection on April 7, the MMDA still found vehicles illegally parked on the roads.
MMDA said the barangay chief “carelessness and indifference” in their duties were evident in their “apathy” or “inaction” in preventing the return of road obstructions after the MMDA helped them in the clearing operations.
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“Such failure of the barangay to give proper attention to a required task or to discharge their said duty/obligation out of their carelessness or indifference is not only pecuniarily detrimental to the MMDA, but is likewise constitutive of neglect of duty, which the responsible barangay official concerned should be held liable for,” the complaint read.
In an interview after the filing, Celine Pialago, MMDA spokesperson. said it was about time barangay chiefs were held liable for being neglectful of their duties to prevent traffic build-up in their jurisdictions.
According to her, the MMDA plans to sue five more barangay chairmen in Quezon City and in Parañaque for neglect of duty over illegal parking.
“HIndi kami nagkukulang ng paalala,” Pialago said. “Pero up to the last minute kailangan na namin silang kasuhan.”
(“We have not been remiss in reminding them. Up to the last minute, we really have to file a case against them.”) /atm