DILG chief stresses OP role in disciplining LGU execs

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) yesterday said the Office of the President (OP) is the disciplining authority in all administrative complaints against elective local officials.

Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said verified administrative complaints against governors, mayors, vice mayors and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or Panlungsod of highly urbanized cities, independent component cities and component cities as well as mayors and vice mayors and members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Bayan of cities and municipalities in Metro Manila shall be acted upon by the President through the executive secretary, as the “disciplining authority.”

“Any elective official of a province, a highly urbanized city, an independent component city or component city shall be filed before the Office of the President,” Sarmiento said.

The DILG secretary issued the statement to explain the guidelines in handling complaints lodged against local chief executives, including those filed by women leaders against president-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

This was in relation to a comment made by Duterte regarding the raping and killing of an Australian missionary at the Davao prison in 1989.

Duterte said the victim looked like a beautiful American movie actress and “the mayor should have been first.”

The remark prompted several women leaders to file a complaint before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) against the incoming president for alleged violation of the Magna Carta of Women.

Sarmiento said as soon as the DILG receives a copy of the CHR resolution citing the complaints against Duterte, the department will request the commission for a copy of the complaint and endorse this and the CHR resolution to the Office of the President pursuant to Section 61 of the Local Government Code.

Sarmiento said only when the OP gives the DILG the “authority to investigate,” as well as the entire records of the case for appropriate action, will the department conduct preliminary investigation on the case.

“Within 20 days from the receipt of authority from OP, we should be able to determine whether there is probable cause to warrant the conduct of formal administrative proceedings,” he said.

If there is no probable cause, Sarmiento said the DILG would recommend to the OP the motu proprio dismissal of the case.

On the other hand, if probable cause exists, the DILG shall set the case for preliminary conference and formal administrative proceedings in which both parties will be asked if they prefer a formal investigation or submission of the case for resolution based on the evidence on record.

If warranted, Sarmiento said the DILG may recommend to the OP the imposition of a preventive suspension on the respondent.