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A total of 89 barangay (village) chiefs across the country were suspended for six months by the Office of the Ombudsman following complaints filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for aid anomalies.
Barangay officials were involved in irregularities regarding the implementation of the first tranche of the Social Improvement Program (SAP).
According to the Secretary of the Interior, Eduardo Año, the municipal and municipal mayors of the barangay chiefs were ordered to immediately enforce the order of the Ombudsman.
He added that DILG regional and field officials were ordered to ensure the orderly implementation of the suspension of offending officials.
Year noted that this would serve as a stark warning to all local government units that irregularities will not be tolerated.
The Ombudsman said that the evidence against these barangay chiefs was overwhelming and that they would be charged with serious misconduct and abuse of authority, among others. This can lead to your dismissal.
DILG undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said that was the first such mass suspension in the country’s history.
Topping the list of regions where the suspended village chiefs come from are Region 1 (Ilocos Region), the National Capital Region (Metro Manila), and Region 2 (Cagayan Valley Region).
The Cordillera Administrative Region and the Caraga Administrative Region have the fewest number of suspended barangay presidents.
Also, only the Soccsksargen region (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos) does not have suspended barangay presidents.
Año thanked the Ombudsman, Samuel Martires, for acting immediately on the complaints against the wrong barangay chiefs.
The cases were now in charge of the different municipal and provincial prosecutors, who began presenting the necessary information against the suspects in court.
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