DILG to sue officials of barangays without anti-drug abuse council

The Interior Department is determined to file appropriate cases against officials of barangays that until now have not organized an anti-drug abuse council, an official said Saturday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) spokesman Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said that the agency has not failed to remind barangay leaders of the order to set up a Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC).

"Paulit-ulit naming sinabi sa mga barangay na magtayo na sila ng BADAC, lalo na sa mga barangay na severely affected by the illegal drugs problem. Ang susunod namin na hakbang ay magsasampa  na kami ng kaukulang kaso," Malaya said.

Malaya: Ang susunod naming hakbang ay magsasampa na kami ng mga kaukulang kaso sa kanila (mga barangay na walang BADAC), for negligence, for failure to implement. Mga kasong administratibo ang aming isasampa laban sa barangay na hindi nakapag-organisa ng BADAC.

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 17, 2018

He said that last year the DILG had sent letters to barangays reminding them to act on the illegal drug problem in their respective areas, especially those that are severely affected.

"Pero ang nakalulungkot ay hanggang sa ngayon wala pa ring BADAC ang mga barangay na ito," Malaya added.

Malaya made the remark less than two months before the May 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Malaya: Para sa amin tuloy talaga ang Barangay elections (sa Mayo).

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 17, 2018

The local polls have been postponed after President Rodrigo Duterte alleged that 40 percent of barangay captains nationwide are involved in illegal drugs. —LBG, GMA News