The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) disclosed Thursday, June 17, that three more barangay captains are being investigated for their failure to strictly impose the regulations on the prohibition of mass gatherings in their respective areas.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año identified the said barangay captains as Ireneo H. Cabahug of Barangay Matabungkay, Lian, Batangas; Bobby Daquioag of San Mariano, Sta. Marcela, Apayao; and Franklyn O. Ong of Kasambangan, Cebu City.
He revealed that Cabahug is being probed on why he failed to enforce minimum public health standards (MPHS) to tourists who did not observe physical distancing and did not wear face masks in a beach resort in Barangay Matabungkay in Batangas.
Año added that Daquoag is under fire for reportedly attending a wedding and reception in San Mariano in Apayao at the time when the province was under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
On the other hand, Ong is also being investigated for two separate reported incidents of violations of physical distancing at F-bar and Café and Simatra Café in Kasambangan, Cebu City.
“Inaasahan natin ang tulong ng mga punong barangay (PB) sa pagpapatupad ng health protocols pero sa mga insidenteng ito ay lumalabas na hindi nila nagampanan ang kanilang tungkulin at parang naging pabaya sila. Lahat ng ito ay iimbestigahan natin (We expect the assistance of the barangay captains in enforcing health protocols but in these instances it showed that they did not perform their duties and it seemed that they were negligent),” Año said.
The barangay captains could face charges of gross neglect of duty, negligence, serious misconduct, and violation of Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
Año said that previous reports against officials linked to super spreader events in their jurisdictions have already been referred to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Meanwhile, the officials linked to the super spreader boxing incident at Barangays 181 and 182 in Manila are now facing trial.
A 60-day preventive suspension was also imposed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod on the barangay official who failed to monitor and prevent the mass gathering at Gubat sa Ciudad Resort, Barangay 171, Caloocan City on Mothers’ Day.
Quarantine violations
DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said a total of 67,609 quarantine violations were recorded by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in just one week.
Of the 67,609 violations from June 7 to 13, 2021, 51,607 were on non-wearing of face masks, 426 on the conduct of mass gatherings, and 15,576 for failure to observe physical distancing.
Malaya said that while there were fewer violators on mass gatherings during the said period, there was an increase in breach of physical distancing rules as compared to last week’s figures.
He explained that these violators were apprehended by the barangay tanod (village security personnel) or police officers who booked them for violations of ordinances of the local government units (LGUs).