THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has filed administrative charges against Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. for “repeatedly” violating guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, DILG spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said on Wednesday, June 24.
Malaya said charges for gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, violation of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan Act, violation of Republic Act No. 11332 or the law on reporting of communicable disease and open disobedience under Article 231 of the Revised Penal Code were filed against Paulino before the Office of the Ombudsman.
“The Bayanihan Act passed in March mandates that all LGUs should act within the letter and spirit of all the rules, regulations, and directives issued by the national government and are implementing standards of community quarantine consistent with what the national government has laid down to address Covid-19. And yet he issued his own policies inconsistent with national policies,” he said.
Malaya said Paulino organized a mass gathering for the distribution of social amelioration Cards for the first tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP) and for issuing an order on May 21 allowing backriding on motorcycles in his locality.
Malaya said Paulino was warned after the mass gathering incident and was urged to fully comply with the IATF regulations.
Instead of revoking his order allowing backriding, Paulino simply suspended its implementation until “it is consonant with the guidelines and regulations of the IATF-MEID, DOTr (Department of Transportation), LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board), DILG, or any other pertinent government agency.”
“The issuance of EO 54-A does not extinguish the mayor’s liability for issuing EO 54 which violated a clear national policy prohibiting backriding. In fact, in saying that it merely suspended EO 54 ‘until such time’ that it is consonant with national rules proves that he did not completely abandon the previous EO,” said Malaya.
“The EO issued by the Olongapo Mayor in May clearly runs counter to the directives of the national government that were earlier issued in March as well as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act enacted on March 24... The matter is now in the hands of the Office of the Ombudsman. Doon na po magpapaliwanag ang alkalde ng Olongapo” he added. (SunStar Philippines)