MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday urged voters not to elect candidates with shady backgrounds and questionable conduct in the upcoming May 14, 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections.
During a media forum, DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño said the electorate should not take chances on corrupt candidates in the May 14 elections.
“May mga kapitan dyan na nagkabahay lang nang tumagal na sila sa pwesto (There are village chairmen who only got their own houses when they stayed in their posts for a long time),” Diño said.
Dino, however, did not provide specific names of the barangay officials.
The DILG official also stressed that it is up to the voters if such corrupt officials would again be elected into office.
“Problema na ng botante yan kung ire-elect pa nila ang corrupt barangay officials (It is already the problem of the voters who would still re-elect these corrupt village officials),” Diño said, adding that the electorate should be more discerning in choosing who to vote for.
Earlier, DILG Officer-In-Charge Secretary Eduardo Año called on those barangay and SK aspirants who have links to the illegal drugs trade to refrain from running in the upcoming polls.
“Gawan ninyo ng pabor ang bansa. Huwag ninyo nang isipin pang maghain ng certificate of candidacy para sa kahit anong posisyon sa nalalapit na barangay at SK elections (Give the country a favor. Don’t even think of filing a certificate of candidacy for any position in the upcoming village and SK elections),” Año said.
“Huwag ninyong gamitin ang tanggapan ng pamahalaan para pagtakpan ang pagkakadawit ninyo sa iligal na droga. Huwag ninyong gamitin ang public funds sa inyong krimen. Hindi sa termino ni Presidente Duterte. Hindi din ngayong panahon ng pamamahala ko sa DILG (Do not use government office to cover up your links to illegal drugs. Do not use public funds in your illegal activities. Not in the term of office of President Duterte. Not during my watch at DILG),” he added.