‘No complaint vs 3 DILG execs tagged in corruption’

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Cabinet Secretary has not received any complaint against three Department of the Interior and Local Government  (DILG) undersecretaries accused of corruption, Malacañang said yesterday. 

DILG officials and employees have asked President Duterte to dismiss undersecretaries Jesus Hinlo, John Castriciones and Emily Padilla, according to an online report.

In a confidential memorandum to the President, the unnamed officials and employees outlined the alleged wrongdoings of the three undersecretaries. 

Hinlo was accused of making money out of procurements and having ties with a gambling and drug lord, while Padilla allegedly got free trips as head of the federalism information campaign even if the project was given a multi-million peso funding. 

On the other hand, Castriciones allegedly failed to submit reports on lands donated for the rehabilitation of drug dependents.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said such complaints should have been forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman. 

“(The Cabinet Secretary) did not receive any document. They should be addressed to the ombudsman. So we referred it to the ombudsman,” Abella said in a press briefing yesterday.