Former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. does not agree with President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to appoint barangay officials instead of electing them.
Pimentel, the principal author of the Local Government Code, said that Duterte’s plan would violate the purpose of the law, which is to empower the voting Filipinos at the barangay level.
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“Iyong appointing na iyon, sa tingin ko, kinukulangan natin ang ating pakay doon sa Local Government Code na ang kapangyarihan na nasa kamay ng central government mabawas-bawasan at malipat na doon sa mga taongbayan sa kanilang mga lugar, tulad ng barangay,” Pimentel said in an interview with radio DZMM.
Pimentel said that appointing people to barangay posts is not the right solution.
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“There are many circumstances na maka-apekto doon sa magandang objective bakit hindi matutuloy, pero hindi naman ibig sabihin the solution is appointment. I don’t think so,” he added.
The former senator and founder of the President’s political party, PDP-Laban, emphasized the loyalty that appointed barangay officials would feel towards the appointing power.
“Pero kung hindi sila ina-appoint ng isang tao, ang loyalty nila ay nasa taongbayan na naghalal sa kanila,” Pimentel said.
Duterte signed a law postponing the barangay and SK elections last year to October 2017, allowing current barangay officials to retain their posts. Now, he once again said that he wants to have the barangay elections postponed over concerns that only those candidates who are connected to the drug trade will get elected. Earlier, Duterte claimed that around 40% of the barangay captains are somewhat involved in drugs.
Source: ( news.abs-cbn.com)
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