THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued a show cause order asking Manila City Mayor Francisco Domagoso to explain the City Government’s failure to meet the standards of President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war based on a 2018 performance audit, but immediately retracted it.
In a television interview, Domagoso said it was already his second time to receive a show cause order regarding the matter from the DILG. The first was during his few months in the office in 2019.
The order seeks Domagoso's explanation for failure in the Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) audit for 2018, when the City was still then under the leadership of Mayor Joseph Estrada.
Domagoso then was the undersecretary for Luzon Affairs of the Social Welfare and Development.
"Pag-upo ko, a few months thereafter, it's the same letter, same show cause order... 'Yan ding tao na 'yan, nagpadala ng sulat na 'yan,” he said, referring to DILG Undersecretary for External and Legislative Affairs Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri.
However, in a memorandum issued on August 6, Echiverri ordered the withdrawal of the show cause order saying it was “inadvertent re-issuance.”
“By the virtue of this error and the guidance of policies and procedures of the Department, we are hereby withdrawing the document in issue,” the memorandum reads.
Domagoso said he is not inclined to take legal action regarding the matter and will just leave it to God.
In the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on presidential bets, Domagoso ranked second, next to presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
He, however, refused to directly answer if it could be politically motivated.
"Sanay naman na siguro tayo sa ganyan, ipinapagsa-Diyos ko na lang sila, kaya lamang parang dalawang beses na o nagkataon ulit?” he said in a separate interview.
Domagoso reacted in a Facebook post: “Wow Galing ha! Sunod sunod na! #AlamNaThis.” (SunStar Philippines)