45 mayors face admin raps over absence of anti-drug councils

MANILA, Philippines — Forty-five mayors are facing administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged failure to establish anti-drug abuse councils in their areas.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government filed complaints against 25 local executives Wednesday. The latest set of complaints is in addition to the 20 filed on March 14.

In a release Thursday, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said the 45 mayors committed grave misconduct in office and gross dereliction of duty for their refusal or neglect to organize their respective Anti-Illegal Drugs Abuse Council.

Both offenses under Section 30 of the Local Government Code are grounds in which an elective official may be disciplined, suspended or removed from office.

Of the 45 mayors, 15 are from Bicol, seven from Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, five from Cordillera Administrative Region, five from Mimaropa, four from Central Visayas, three from Caraga, three from Calabarzon, two from Cagayan Valley and one from Eastern Visayas.

“Despite several directives from the DILG and the Dangerous Drugs Board, the concerned mayors still failed or refused to comply with the said orders and their towns are among those that are without an organized and functional ADAC,” Año said.

In May last year, the DILG and the DDB issued Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2018-01, mandating all local government units to activate, strengthen and ensure the functionality of their local ADACs, approve a comprehensive local anti-drug plan and appropriate substantial funds for anti-illegal drugs related programs, activities and operations. — Gaea Katreena Cabico