By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Former Manila mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada is set to face probe over allegations that he failed to turn over documents of the city government to his successor, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Friday.
“It is the responsibility of the former mayor in this case former mayor Erap Estrada to have organized a transition team and for the outgoing mayor to have formally turned over all of the documents to the incoming mayor,” DILG spokesperson, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, told reporters during a press conference when sought for a comment.
The DILG has earlier issued Memorandum Circular No. 2019-39, which requires the creation of Local Governance Transition Teams to be chaired by the local chief executive (LCE). The vice-chair has to be elected from among the members by simple majority vote.
The tasks of the transition team include the conduct of an inventory of LGU properties, securing of all official documents and records of LGU transactions, and briefing on the key challenges for the incoming set of officials for a seamless leadership and management transition.
The members of the team are the department heads of the local government unit (LGU) and a DILG representative, such as DILG Provincial Director in case of the provincial government, DILG City Director in case of city government, or DILG Municipal Local Government Operations Officer in case of municipal government. There should also be one representative from a civil society organization or people’s organization.
“If it is proven because we have not yet formally investigated this matter. If it is proven that there was negligence on the part of Mayor estrada to turn over the documents in accordance with the memorandum circular issued by the secretary we may also, we will consider filing charges against the former mayor,” Malaya stressed.
“So let’s await for now the result of the investigation on what really happened if indeed there was no transfer but definitely it is the responsibility of the former mayor to have given all documents and organized a transition team and comply with all the requirements under a memorandum circular,” he noted.
During the scheduled turnover rites, only members of Moreno’s transition team were present at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila but it was canceled as Estrada and members of his transition team did not show up.
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