52 barangay, SK execs face complaints for partisan politics

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) yesterday transmitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) the complaints against 52 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials who engaged in partisan politics.

According to DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing, the complaints came from concerned residents who reported that these officers involved themselves in the campaign for the May 13 midterm polls. 

The 52 are part of the more than 700 complaints received by the DILG, he added. The rest are still being validated.

“Even before the campaign period started, we already warned them that they are not allowed to campaign for anybody... If they want to campaign, then they should resign first,” Densing said.

He reminded barangay and SK officials about the Joint Memorandum Circular of the Comelec and Civil Service Commission prohibiting civil servants from campaigning during elections.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez refused to comment on the complaints, but pointed out that the Comelec has “to wait for them to file verified complaints.”

“The documents brought to the Comelec are, in effect, merely letters which are not actually in the nature of verified complaints,” Jimenez pointed out.