Five Punong Barangay and their respective Sangguniang Barangay members of Cebu City were asked to explain their alleged failure to enforce the policies and regulations during Enhanced Community Quarantine.
Department of the Interior and Local Government-7 Director Leocadio Trovela issued the show cause orders for Basak Pardo Punong Barangay Catalina Cabardo, Cogon Pardo Punong Barangay Harry Eran, Sto. Niño Punong Barangay Lourdes Ramirez, San Nicolas Proper Punong Barangay Clifford Jude Niñal, Guadalupe Punong Barangay Michael Gacasan and the members of their Sangguniang Barangay.
The orders were served by DILG-7’s BK lawyers Louthera Christie Rizon and Christian Fernandez yesterday.
Officials were given 48 hours from receipt of the order to submit their written explanation on why they should not be charged for failure to perform the mandated duties and functions of a local chief executive during a state of national health emergency.
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 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.
In Barangay Sto. Niño, posts of local media outlets showed residents including children who were 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 that the distribution of rice/relief goods in the barangay was along the barangay road and beyond the curfew hours compromising the welfare of the constituents and disregarding the strict home quarantine measure 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,
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.
Last week, DILG-7 served show cause orders on officials of Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Calamba, and Inayawan.
DILG-7 took these efforts following the pronouncement of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año who said any violation of the quarantine protocols will not be tolerated.