MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-nine barangay captains in Metro Manila have been issued show cause orders for allegedly failing to implement guidelines of the enhanced community quarantine, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The DILG gave the local officials 48 hours upon receipt of the order to give a written explanation on why they should not be charged with negligence, dereliction of duty and violations of Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan Act.
“Kung wala kaming matatanggap na reply sa inyo, automatic na ang ipapa-file naming administrative cases laban sa inyo,” DILG spokesman Jonathan Malaya said in a radio interview.
The National Bureau of Investigation may also file criminals charges against the barangay officials, Malaya said.
He said majority of the barangay captains are from Caloocan, Manila and Quezon City.
The barangay officials reportedly failed to stop mass gatherings and implement social distancing measures in their respective jurisdictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.