Following the supposed postponement of SK and Barangay elections, Department of Interior and Local Government on Friday warned groups duping individuals to appoint as OIC barangay captains in the municipalities nationwide.
DILG Secretary Ismael Sueno aired this after his office received reports that an organization called the National Interfaith Council of the Philippines (NICOPHIL) was allegedly using the name of the DILG to encourage individuals to submit their resumes as aspiring barangay captains and allegedly seeking Php 50,000 to fill up positions in the barangay.
The group is reportedly asking interested applicants to email their resume to neccnicophil@gmail.com until Sunday, Oct. 8, 2016.
“The DILG is not in any way connected to NICOPHIL nor have we authorized the said group to recommend OIC barangay captains,” he said.
In a statement, the DILG said, ‘The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has not authorized any organization to recommend or endorse individuals as officer-in-charge (OIC) of barangays who will replace those whose terms will end this year.’
Sueno urged the public to report to the DILG and regional offices any information about groups who give false promises of becoming barangay OICs.
“Do not be deceived by any group or individual that is using the name of the DILG to give false hopes about being OICs in the barangays,” Sueno said.
He also said that he had asked the Philippine National Police to look into the reports and gather more incriminating evidence to warrant the filing of a case against the hoodwinkers.
In the recent budget briefing, the DILG Secretary expressed his approval of appointing OIC-barangay captains in case the scheduled barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Oct. 31 this year is postponed.
The President is yet to sign the law postponing the barangay and SK polls. (Aira May Dizon/PNA)