COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The Department of Interior and Local Government in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ordered absentee barangay captains to explain why they were not in the office when a surprise inspection was conducted.
The DILG-ARMM in a surprise inspection found that many village chiefs were not in their office during office hours. Worse, the village government centers are closed or padlocked during weekdays.
Lawyer Noor Hafizullah Abdullah, the regional secretary of the DILG here said, when he conducted an inspection, he found this out no one was left in the office and public service was interrupted.
“The village chairpersons have been asked to explain in writing,” Abdullah told reporters without identifying them or the barangays he visited.
“Even during office hours, some village halls were closed, where are they during office hours? Are they on official travel or not performing? I want to know,” he asked.
Abdullah said similar visits would later be conducted by his office to other province component areas of ARMM that includes the cities of Marawi and Lamitan and the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-tawi and Basilan.
Earlier, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman has warned town mayors and village chairpersons across the region that they will be held accountable if found remiss of their duties as elected officials.
Hataman said surprise visits will be conducted to town halls and barangay halls and if officials are not there for no reason at all will be subject to disciplinary action. -PNA
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