The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said it will appoint the replacements of barangay officials in case all of them are simultaneously suspended based on the recommendation of the mayor.
In a telephone interview, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año noted this after the Office of the Ombudsman on September 2 issued preventive suspension orders against 89 barangay captains for alleged social amelioration program (SAP) related anomalies.
The Office of the Ombudsman stated that “the evidence on record shows that the guilt of these punong barangays is strong and the charges against them involve serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service which may warrant removal from the service.”
Año’s explanation ensures that the concerned barangays will continue to perform their functions as the temporarily vacated positions are filled up.
In a text message, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte confirmed that the DILG will make the appointment “pag-ubos lahat ng kagawad (barangay councilman) (if all the councilmen are suspended) in reference to the barangays whose barangay captains were also suspended.
With the DILG relying on the mayor’s recommendation, Belmonte noted that the “highest ranking Sangguniang Barangay member’’ may be suggested to temporarily take the post of the suspended barangay officials.
“We are looking at the (barangay) secretary, (barangay) treasurer, SK (Samahang Kabataan) chairman,’’ Belmonte said.
Of the 89 barangay captains issued with preventive suspension orders, three of them are from Quezon City.
On September 12, the DILG listed 447 individuals who were allegedly involved in SAP related infractions.
These individuals include 211 elected local and barangay officials; 104 appointed barangay personnel like barangay tanod (village security officers), barangay health workers, barangay secretary, barangay treasurer and 132 civilian cohorts.
Their cases filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) are now being heard by the various city and provincial prosecutor’s offices in the country.
Some of the prosecutors have also filed the information to the regional trial courts.