THE Department of the Interior and Local Government is now on the lookout against last-termer barangay officials who are banned from running in the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año ordered all regional directors to submit the names of incumbent barangay chairmen and SK councilors serving their third consecutive terms in office for the same position.
The consolidated list of barangay officials on their third consecutive term in the same position will be submitted to the Commission on Elections this month for posting in conspicuous places before the scheduled filing of certificates of candidacy on April 14 to 20.
“We are strictly monitoring the candidates who will run in the coming elections,” Año said.
He said the department’s preventive action is in compliance to Section 43 (b) of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code stating “no local elective official shall serve for more than three consecutive terms in the same position. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of service for the full term for which the elective official concerned was elected.”
To date, four regions have already submitted their list to the DILG National Barangay Operations Office.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya urged voters to scrutinize their candidates in their community whether they have a good character, is a good performer and could be depended on.
“They (bets) must not be corrupt, must fight corruption and illegal drugs, must be a dedicated public servant and open to the public, are good and disciplined, and have never been linked to any notorious person or group,” he said.
