CLARK FREEPORT – The war on drugs and the relentless campaign against criminality and insurgency have literally gone down to the barangay level.
By next year, intelligence and information officers will be developed in all 42,029 barangays in the Philippines.
This was announced by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño during the first Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte (MRRD) – National Executive Coordinating Committee (NECC) Provincial Summit at the Hotel Stotsenberg here on April 19.
“For the first time, we will organize barangay information and development officers in all 42,029 barangays,” Diño said.
But the most important thing is, we will establish a barangay intelligence officer in every barangay,” he stressed.
Diño said he already discussed the plan to develop barangay information officers with Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar.
“There will be barangays journalism seminars to teach candidates on how to make the correct report,” he said.
“The barangays will now directly report to Malacañang.”
“Just imagine in all 42,029 barangays, we will have action. We can help our police and the AFP,” Diño pointed out.
“Because we really need intelligence gathering, in fact we have the assets, six million strong,” he said. “Where do the rebels, the criminals go if we have a systematic reporting in our barangays? Now we will organize that.”
Diño also said the DILG will be closely coordinating with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
“We will also have a tie-up with DAR Secretary John Castriciones so that all the lands that are awarded by DAR to the farmers will be monitored,” he said.
“We will know the persons that have been given the lands. We will know if the recipient is developing the land or merely putting it out for rent,” he added.
Diño also said he is enjoining all barangays in the Philippines to submit an inventory of all their properties to his office.
“Dito makikita mo kung sino sa mga opisyal na nagnakaw sa barangay (This is where you will see who among the officials stole from the barangay),” he said amid a thunderous applause from about 700 registered attendees in the summit.
“This is where you will see ghost deliveries and overpricing. Asahan niyo na lahat ng sangkot sa pagnanakaw, sangkot sa droga ay mananagot (… Expect that all those who are involved in corruption, in drugs will be held accountable),” he said to another thunderous applause.
“So, you better start investigating in your barangays,” he said.
“If you have evidence or probable cause, bring it to me so that we can file the appropriate charges.” Diño clarified that even if it is already election period, it is not prohibited to file cases before the Ombudsman.
What is not allowed, he said, is to suspend erring officials.
But even if these officials win in the elections, if they have a case they cannot assume their posts.
“Ang sabi ku nga hindi pupwedeng tanggalin ang mga barangay opisyal na nagmalabis, na ginamit ang kanilang katungkulan para pagsamantalahan ang kaban ng barangay. But I promise you, ipakukulong pu namin sila (Like what I said we cannot remove barangay officials who abused and used their power to take advantage of the barangay coffer. But I promise you we will put them in jail),” Diño declared with another round of resounding applause.
Diño told barangay captains to submit their Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC), citing a DILG advisory enjoining all barangays to submit a list of those who constituted and activated their BADACs.
Diño was referring to DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Ano’s challenge to all barangay captains to prove their commitment to rid their communities of illegal drugs by forming and activating their BADAC, otherwise they could face administrative charges.
He lamented that initially, only two reports were submitted out of 42,029 barangays. “But now, 41,000 have submitted,” he reported.
Diño said starting next year, he will install regional directors for barangay affairs as well as provincial directors, city and municipal directors.
This is due to the fact that all projects of the DILG go to the barangays, he said. Diño said he accepted his position as barangay undersecretary for barangay aff airs, which the president created for him, because of the tremendous organization it represents. “Six-million strong organized, funded barangay government,” he said.
The campaign against illegal drugs, insurgency, extremists and terrorism can be stopped in the barangay level, he noted.
Also in attendance in the MRRD-NECC Provincial Summit was House Committee on Justice chair Rep. Rey Umali.
