THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Group (PDEA) National Capital Region (NCR) filed on Friday, May 11, administrative charges against a Malabon barangay captain for his alleged failure to detect the presence of an illegal drugs laboratory in his area.
PDEA-NCR director Ismael Fajardo Jr. said Alvin Mañalac, barangay chairman of Tinajeros in Malabon City, is facing charges of falsification by public officer, gross negligence, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and Local Government Election Code.
He said the charges stemmed from the discovery of a clandestine laboratory in Barangay Tinajeros, Malabon City on April 13, which was situated just a few meters away from the barangay hall.
Mañalac was among the 207 alleged narco barangay officials on the drugs watchlist released by the PDEA on April 30.
He was the first to be charged following the publication of the list.
Despite having been able to organize a Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badac), Mañalac failed to report the said shabu laboratory as well as identify the drug personalities in his area of jurisdiction.
The failure of Mr. Mañalac as barangay chairman to identify pushers and users in his barangay prior to the implementation of the search warrant constitutes an "act of being a protector or coddler," he said.
"Kung nalaman ng PDEA at 'di mo alam... supposed to be alam ng barangay 'yan. Kung makikita niyo, 'yung drug lab napakalapit sa barangay hall. It is really impossible na hindi mo ma-monitor," he added.
(The barangay should have known about it. The drug lab is very near the barangay hall. It is really impossible that the barangay failed to monitor it.)
Meanwhile, Fajardo said the PDEA is still conducting case build-up against other barangay officials listed in the drugs watchlist.
Earlier, Department of Interior and Local Government undersecretary for barangay affairs Martin Diño slammed Mañalac for still having the guts to run for the May 14 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections despite "obviously" not being able to take necessary actions to eradicate illegal drugs in his area.
Diño said they will be coordinating with concerned agencies for the conduct of lifestyle and background check on Mañalac. (VoxPop Philippines)