MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday filed administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against five barangay (village) officials who failed to organize a Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) in their respective areas.
DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Dino and Assistant Secretary Rico Judge Echiverri led the filing of the dereliction of duty and the violation of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) regulation on the organization of BADAC in the barangays nationwide.
Charged were barangay chairpersons Ruby Singson Perez, Adorado Santos Palad, Mirasol Betila Magalong, Ligaya Santos and Loreta Vasquez Mendoza of Barangays 471 and 477 in Tondo; 482 in Sampaloc district; 659-A in Ermita; and 690 in Malate, respectively. All the villages are in the City of Manila.
Echiverri said the DILG will file charges against 11 other village officials on Friday, May 4.
The DILG earlier announced that some 72 barangay officials nationwide are set to be charged over their failure to establish BADAC in their respective communities.
“We will be filing administrative cases at the Ombudsman against the erring barangays officials of the 16 barangays for misconduct of office or dereliction of duty pursuant to Section 60 of the Local Government Code of 1991,” Año said during a joint press conference with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday.
Año said the barangays have not yet organized their BADACs despite several directives from the DILG and the DDB.
The PDEA released on Monday the list of barangay officials who are allegedly involved in illegal drug trade.
In the narco list released by the PDEA, 90 are barangay chairpersons and 117 are barangay kagawad (councilors). (PNA)
