DILG files new round of complaints over failure to set up barangay drug councils
The Department of the Interior and Local Government has filed before the Ombudsman a second set of administrative complaints against village chairmen who allegedly failed to set up barangay anti-drug abuse councils (BADACs).
This time, 10 barangay chairmen from Aroroy municipality in Masbate were accused of “misconduct and dereliction of duty,” without specifying the severity that spells the difference between suspension and dismissal from office.
The DILG also accused the officials of noncompliance with Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 3, series of 2017, which provided for the creation of the BADACs to “render assistance to the law enforcement agencies in the eradication and clearing operations of illegal drugs.”
The DDB regulation tasks BADACs with keeping “a record of the names and other personal information of actual residents of the barangay… including listings of suspected drug user and pushers.”
Such lists have enabled the police to conduct house-to-house visitations under the Duterte administration’s controversial anti-narcotics campaign called Oplan Tokhang.
According to the complaints, BADACs “can easily be created” by the barangay chairmen by issuing an executive order, saying this has been the practice since 1998.
“Had it been that the Respondent intended to comply, he can easily issue an Executive Order to create their BADAC, however he did not,” the similarly-worded complaints read.
Named as respondents were the following: Luna Gracio of Barangay Macabug, Rodolfo Toledo of Barangay Talabaan, Leo Cabarles of Barangay Nabongsoran, Charles Guya of Barangay Mariposa, Jerry Enolba of Barangay Manamoc, Alson Bertuldo of Barangay San Isidro, Leonides Villar Dones Jr. of Barangay Balawing, Emerson Fajel of Barangay Bagauma, Caesar Castillo of Barangay Lanang, and Lourdes Arguilles of Barangay Gumahang.
Assistant Secretary Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri, a former Liga ng mga Barangay national president, led the filing of the complaint.
A total of 16 barangay chairmen were faulted for the failure to set up the BADACs. The first set of complaints was brought to the Ombudsman against six from Manila: Ruby Perez of Barangay 471, Adorado Palad of Barangay 477, Mirasol Magalong of Barangay 482, Ligaya Santos of Barangay 659-A and Josefa Mendoza of Barangay 690.
