Village execs suspended for 2 years over 'death penalty' ordinance for waste dumping

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Bangued, the capital of Abra, has suspended five officials of Barangay Calaba for two years.

They are facing administrative charges of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, gross dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The suspension stemmed from complaints against a barangay ordinance that supposedly metes out a “death penalty” on the third offense for irresponsible dumping of waste near the Abra River.

The suspended barangay officials include Calaba village chief Renato Brassuella and village councilors Marjun Santiago, Rosemel Viado, Carmelita Venus, Marlon Barroga, including Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chair Daryll Blanes.

According to the controversial ordinance, violators would be fined P1,000 for the first offense, fined an additional P1,000 and required to render community service for the second offense and shot for the third offense.

The ordinance was not submitted to the SB of Bangued for review.

Although the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 in Bangued stopped the implementation of an earlier three-month suspension on May 15, 2024, after finding merit in the officials' petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), the Bangued SB issued another suspension order to Brassuella's group on the afternoon of Aug. 2, 2024. However, the officials did not accept it.