BACOLOD CITY — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to file a case before the Office of the Ombudsman against officials of 73 villages across the country for failure to organize their respective Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs).
This was confirmed by DILG Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri in an interview over the weekend at the sidelines of the opening of the 25th Panaad sa Negros Festival, where he was the guest of honor and keynote speaker.
“There are 73 barangays all over the country which have not organized their BADACs, and we’re planning to file a case by next week,” he said.
Echiverri refused to say from which provinces, cities or municipalities the 73 villages belong.
“I’ll give the list to the Ombudsman. I don’t know if there is one from Negros,” the DILG official said.
Echiverri was a three-term village chief of Barangay 84, Zone 8, District 1 in Caloocan City, and was elected national president of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas during his second term.
He added that since peace and order is a priority of the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, the DILG encourages barangays to participate in strengthening their BADACs.
“In short, they have to organize it, fund it and plan it,” Echiverri said, adding that barangay officials should not be afraid to identify drug personalities in their communities.
“If you will not do it, peace will not reign in your barangay,” he said.
As the election period for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan poll started on Saturday, Echiverri appealed to voters to choose candidates who are not involved in drugs and poll aspirants who are not afraid to name drug lords and pushers in their areas.
“That’s why our call right now is kung natatakot ka, huwag kang tumakbo, ibigay sa may tapang at malasakit. Kung natatakot kang makipaglaban, ibigay mo sa iba na may lakas ng loob na makipaglaban. It is not for everybody,” he added. ( Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
