Five more baragays asked to explain

CEBU, Philippines —  Five more barangay captains in Cebu City have been issued a show cause order by the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Central Visayas because of their alleged failure to enforce enhanced community quarantine protocols.

DILG-7 Director Leocadio Trovela directed Basak Pardo Barangay Captain Catalina Cabardo; Cogon Pardo Barangay Captain Harry Eran; Sto. Niño Barangay Captain Lourdes Ramirez; San Nicolas Proper Barangay Captain Clifford Jude Niñal; and Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan to explain within 48 hours upon receipt of the order why no administrative sanctions will be imposed on them and the members of their respective barangay council for failure to perform their mandated duties and functions.

The orders were served the other day by lawyers Louthera Christie Rizon and Christian Fernandez.

In Basak Pardo, a post of a concerned citizen showed that residents were out on the streets disregarding the strict implementation of home quarantine and mandatory wearing of facemasks. Some residents were also seen playing cara y cruz, a violation of PD 1602 as amended by Republic Act (RA) No. 9287, otherwise known as "An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Games Amending Certain Provisions of PD 1602 and for Other Purposes," and the prohibition on mass gatherings.

In Cogon Pardo, a social media post of a concerned citizen also showed a number of residents staying outside their houses and some were seen playing basketball disregarding the strict implementation of social distancing and home quarantine. 

Posts from local media outlets also showed residents of Barangay Santo Niño outside their houses without face masks ignoring protocols on strict home quarantine, mandatory stay at home order of persons below 21 years old and prohibition on mass gathering.

In San Nicolas Proper, a post of local media outlet circulated in social media showing the distribution of rice/relief goods in the barangay was along the road and beyond the curfew hours compromising the welfare of the constituents and disregarding quarantine measures implemented during ECQ. Some residents were seen without wearing face masks and did not follow the protocol on social distancing.

In Barangay Guadalupe, DILG-7 received a complaint from a concerned citizen that a group of people in Don Gervacio Street were seen singing and drinking.  It added that this is in reference to the complaint received by this Office from a concerned citizen detailing that; (a) a group of people were singing and drinking in a vacant lot in Don Gervacio St., Guadalupe, Cebu City; (b) an illegal cockfighting or “tigbakay” organized by a certain person took place; and (c) people are crowding in the “manokan” without wearing face masks.

The concerned citizen reported the incidents to the barangay starting June 24 to July 5. It was the call on July 4 that the police went to the area to take action on the complaint. The aforementioned incident ignored the protocols on minimum public health standards (wearing of face masks), strict home quarantine and prohibition on mass gathering.

The latest batch of orders brings the total number of barangay officials to eight who were asked to explain by the DILG.  Last week, DILG-7 also served show cause orders on Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Calamba, and Inayawan.   FPL (FREEMAN)