CEBU, Philippines — Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Martin Diño confirmed that Cebu City got a high rating on the validation inspection for the road clearing directive of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Diño also declared that Central Visayas is compliant with the mandate.
Diño said that the challenge now is how to maintain the cleared streets, especially the main thoroughfares like Colon and Osmeña Boulevard.
"Kailangan 24/7 walang nakapark dyan, walang illegal sidewalk vendors," said Diño.
The responsibility to sustain will be turned over to the barangay captains.
Diño said that the barangay captains and police station commanders must work together for the sustainability.
He stressed the importance of the sustainability of the road clearing.
"Walang kwenta to kung hindi natin mamai-maintain yung no parking tsaka no settling of sidewalk vendor," said Diño.
"Baka mamaya pagtalikod ng clearing team, babalik naman. Hindi tayo papayag dun," he added.
Both the barangay captain and the mayor may be penalized if the areas cleared will not be sustained.
The monitoring of the sustainability will not stop, Diño said.
Diño urged the public to send evidence, a photo preferably, if acts like illegal parking and return of sidewalk vendors still exist on the areas cleared.
The public can send such evidences to the DILG-7 or directly to Diño's office.
Diño has the authority to file a case against the barangay captains.
"I will issue agad show cause order. We'll ask them to explain," said Diño.
As part of due process, local government units (LGUs) will be given a chance to explain why they failed to comply with the DILG order. If the reason is invalid, the local executives will face an administrative investigation.
Section 60 of the Local Government Code of 1991 states that, “An elective local official may be disciplined, suspended, or removed from office on any of the following grounds: Dishonesty, oppression, misconduct in office, gross negligence, or dereliction of duty.”
The highly-urbanized cities, independent component cities, and component cities, may face investigation before the Office of the President while the municipalities and barangays may face complaint at the Ombudsman.
DILG Regional Director Leocadio Trovela, for his part, is confident that LGUs in Central Visayas are compliant with the directive.
"We already submitted the results on the validation conducted by the validation team that Cebu City and all lgus in Central Visayas," said Trovela.
"The result will depend on the findings of the central office," he added.
Trovela mentioned that there will be a regular monitoring as instructed by the DILG central office.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año will announce today the result of the nationwide validation. LPM (FREEMAN)