Marawi PNP, 5 barangays converge to intensify campaign vs criminality
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| Second from left: Bacolod Chico chairwoman Johaila B . Ismael, Toros chairwoman Noraniah A.Usman, New City PNP Deputy chief Alibonga, Lumbacatoros chairman Rasol T. Taha, and the barangay chairs of Amito and Poona Marantao.(RSOY) |
MARAWI CITY: The Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted a barangay assembly of the chairpersons, Imams, BPATS, and constituents of five barangays of the city in order to intensify the campaign against criminality which was held at Barangay Lumbaca Toros on Monday, April 23.
The five barangays are Barangays Bacolod Chico, Toros, Lumbaca Toros, Amito and Poona Marantao,
New city PNP deputy chief Alibonga said President Duterte has priority programs in addressing criminality. These are illegal logging, peace and order, corruption, and anti-drugs.
In this connection, the Imams have procedures in the barangays which are the Ognayan Barangay at Simbahan (OBAS). This is a collaboration between the barangay and the mosques (as the barangay has no church.)
Responding to the issue of having no barangay hall, Alibonga said: "If you have no barangay hall, you create a temporary barangay hall with set-up and mapping where the Schools, Mosques, and Madrasa are charted."
It shall be recalled that while almost all barangays in the province of Lanao del Sur have been given barangay halls by the provincial government under then Governor Mamintal A. Adiong, Jr., now vice governor under his mother Governor Soraya Alonto Adiong, none of the barangays in the province' capital city of Marawi, was given by the governor.
Some observers earlier believed that happened due to politics as the city mayor and the governor are strong political opponents.
Alibonga said it is important that the barangay secretary has a minutes-of-meeting report, copies of which shall be submitted to the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG), the PNP, and one left as barangay file respectively.
He said the barangay council must be present from Monday through Friday in their office and they must have activities every day like clean-up drive, among others.
DRUG CLEARING OPERATION
Alibonga identified three ways of drug clearing:
1. Serious affected a barangay has at least a laboratory;
2. Moderate affected has at least a suspected pusher; and
3. Slightly affected has a drug trafficking and suspects are identified.
"How can we prove that we are the government in a barangay?," he asked.
He said that the barangay shall be divided into seven districts and each of the seven barangay Kagawads shall be designated by the barangay chairman to take charge of each district and whatever happens in the district shall be the responsibility of the assigned Kagawad to the district.
Alibonga added that the Kagawads shall enjoin them the stop of the use of prohibited drugs because once a suspect is apprehended, the case will be filed between the Kagawad assigned in the district where the suspect is apprehended and not the barangay. "That's the purpose," he stressed.
All barangays must be functional, the PNP deputy chief said, and at least two tarpaulins must be placed inside and outside the designated barangay hall for public eyesight.
Alibonga emphasized that there shall be a drug awareness program conducted even twice a week in every barangay.
As for the forthcoming barangay and SK elections next month, May, Alibonga said since there is no election in the city there is a chance that there will be a special election.
Whether there is a special election or not, he said, it will be appointed. He said, "Ang gagawin appointee na pag-asa natin ay tutuhanin ang trabaho sa barangay para before the election may action tayo, may mga picture na mapansin nila, at possible na ma retain ang chairman natin."
Alibonga revealed that there are 13 barangays facing cases in the DILG. Once a rap is filed in the DILG, three things are possible:
1. Barangay Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) affected; 2. Administrative case imposed; and 3. Become a criminal. - Rocaya Otical Yahya/RSP
