Labra: Barangay officials cooperate with PNP

CEBU, Philippines - Police authorities in Cebu City have not encountered any barangay official who is hesitant to witness a search of the houses of suspected drug personalities in diferent barangays.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo has warned barangay officials that his office would not hesitate to impose sanctions against those who refuse to act as witnesses in the government’s anti-drug campaign.

Robredo said the barangay officials, including the tanods, should cooperate with the police authorities particularly in the implementation of search or arrest warrants against known drug pushers and drug dens in their areas.

Cebu City Deputy Police Director Pablo Labra II said the police usually require at least two barangay officials and tanods to witness the conduct of the search.

“So far diri sa ato as far as my operations are concerned, wala ko makasugat nga dunay mga barangay officials diri nga dili cooperative sa kapolisan,” Labra said.

The DILG secretary issued the warning in the wake of reports from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that some village officials in Metro Manila refused to act as witness in their anti-drug drive.

The Local Government Code states that the DILG secretary can discipline, suspend or remove from office any local government official, including barangay officials, for dereliction of duty.

Robredo said it is the duty of barangay officials to act as witnesses in the implementation of all search warrants, especially in known drug dens.

But some barangay officials reportedly refused to go with the police, afraid of the subject of the warrants. (FREEMAN)