Over 100 Manila barangay captains defied order to clear roads – DILG

MANILA, Philippines  – More than 100 barangay captains in the City of Manila will be issued show-cause orders for their failure to clear sidewalks and streets of obstructions within President Rodrigo Duterte’s 60-day deadline, a Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) official said Wednesday.

In an interview on Radyo Inquirer, DILG Undersecretary Martin Diño said “more than a hundred” village chiefs in the capital city will be asked to explain their non-compliance to the Presidential order and may even face possible suspension.

“A lot of barangay chairman in Manila will be issued show-cause orders to explain within 72 hours or a week their non-compliance,” Diño said in Filipino.

Diño lamented the barangay captains’ inaction despite orders from the President and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno’s order to clear public roads of obstructions.

Meanwhile, Diño said the DILG will submit to Duterte a list of city and town mayors who failed to comply with his order.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July, Duterte gave local government heads across the country 60 days to reclaim all public roads that were being used for private purposes.

Duterte’s deadline lapsed on September 29.

The DILG will release this week its assessment of the local officials’ compliance.

READ: Duterte to Año: Take back public roads to ease Metro Manila traffic