DILG to respect Coast Guard’s actions over Diño’s use of auxiliary admiral’s uniform

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday distanced itself from the issue involving the membership of Undersecretary Martin Diño in the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Auxiliary.

DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, however, underscored that they will respect the actions that the PCG will undertake in relation to the matter.

"The matter of Undersecretary Martin Dino's membership in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary is between Usec Dino and PCG. The DILG has nothing to do with this matter," Malaya said in a statement.

"The department will respect whatever the PCG's action in this regard will be in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations," he added.

Diño came under fire on social media after posting on his Facebook page a picture of himself wearing a uniform of a Rear Admiral of the PCG Auxiliary.

The PCG said Diño was not entitled to wear the uniform as he was not a legitimate member of the PCG Auxiliary.

The PCG said that under Republic Act 9993, or the Philippine Coast Guard Law, it had the right to file a complaint of usurpation of authority against a person who is not authorized to wear the PCG Auxiliary's uniform and assume a rank of the organization.

Diño  for his part, said that he was installed as a Rear Admiral of the PCG Auxiliary by a certain Admiral Villanueva, who is supposedly in charge of the 101 Manila yacht Club Squadron.

The PCG, however, said that Diño could have been recruited by a bogus PCG support group. —NB, GMA News