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[av_heading heading=’2 ‘KAPS’ RAPPED FOR ‘BAD FAITH’ | Charges vs village chiefs sought over drugs’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Wednesday, April 26, 2017
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ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) accused barangay captains Remia Prevendido-Gregori of Bakhaw, Mandurriao and Keith Espinosa of Monica-Blumentritt, City Proper of bad faith and willful disrespect of a Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) circular strengthening the campaign against illegal drugs.
The two village chiefs did not include in their respective Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council’s (BADAC) list of drug personalities their relatives suspected to be involved in illegal drugs, according to the SP committees on police matters and barangay affairs that conducted an investigation.
Gregori is a sister of suspected drug lord Richard Prevendido who remains at large. A son and several nephews were also identified by the city police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as drug suspects.
Espinosa, on the other hand, is the wife of the No. 2 suspected drug personality of the Iloilo City Police Office – Police Station 1 (City Proper), Jesus “Jing-jing” Espinosa Jr.
“It is highly impossible for Gregori and Espinosa not to know the illegal activities of their family members. (Didn’t they wonder) how their family members acquired wealth with no visible sources of income?” read part of the joint committee report.
DILG Circular 2015-63 directed barangay captains to revitalize their BADACs and prepare confidential lists of suspected drug users, pushers, financiers and/or protectors in their areas to be submitted to the city antidrug abuse council and DILG-Iloilo City.
“(Gregori and Espinosa) cannot escape accountability for not disclosing not only the existence of illegal drugs in their jurisdictions but more importantly the presence of drug pushers and drug personalities within their houses,” stressed the joint committee report.
The city council adopted the committees’ joint report yesterday.
The recommendations of the joint committee were as follows:
* that a verified administrative complaint against Gregori and Espinosa must be formally filed with the SP before the appropriate penalty may be imposed on them in line with sections 61 (c), 62, and 63 of the Local Government Code
* that the joint committee report be forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas for proper investigation to determine the criminal aspect of the case
“Ang maka-proceed sina ang Ombudsman mismo kon ano ang proper case i-file sa ila based sa Local Government Code and the DILG circular,” said Councilor Jeffrey Ganzon, chairman of the committees on police matters.
Barangay Captain Noemi Jablo of Desamparados, Jaro was also investigated but the SP committees on police matters and barangay affairs cleared her.
Last Oct. 11, 2016 Councilor Plaridel Nava filed a resolution calling for a legislative investigation to determine the administrative liability of the three barangay captains for the proliferation of illegal drugs in their areas.
This was referred to Ganzon’s committee which in return conducted a preliminary investigation on Oct. 14, 2016. A hearing was held on Nov. 3, 2016 followed by an executive session on Nov. 18, 2016 with the city police, PDEA and City DILG.
On Nov. 15, 2016 SP members held a closed-door caucus to deliberate the findings of the joint committee then on Jan. 12, 2017 the three barangay captains were given the opportunity to be heard but only Jablo appeared before the joint committee.
According to the committee, there was no evidence to hold Jablo liable for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct./PN
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