DILG warns barangay officials on involvement in Cha-cha signature campaign

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a warning to barangay officials against seeking signatures for the ongoing people’s campaign for Charter change, as it said nearly all congressional districts across the country have already mounted such an initiative.

According to DILG undersecretary Felicito Valmocina, barangay officials should refrain from being involved in the signature campaign, and that barangay halls should not be used for the initiative.

“Halimbawa po, ang isang barangay official siya mismo ang bumababa at nagpapa-pirma sa mga tao, siyempre may violation na roon,” he said in a report on GMA’s 24 Oras Weekend on Sunday.

“I-black and white ninyo kung meron kayong nakita, kasi hindi puwede ‘yung hearsay eh, so lahat ng complaint, ‘yan naman ay inaaksyunan namin at vina-validate namin,” he added.

(For example, a barangay official would go and ask for signatures from individuals himself or herself, of course there’s a violation there.

Make it black and white if you see something, because hearsay is not allowed. We will act on and validate every complaint.)

This comes as signature campaigns have been mounted across the country, seeking public support for the people’s initiative for Charter change.

READ: Cha-cha via people’s initiative: How it works and why it’s not as easy as it seems

House deputy minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list representative France Castro has already called for a probe on the ongoing campaign, citing instances of supposed signature buying as these were reportedly done alongside the distribution of government aid and gifts.

Senator Imee Marcos also earlier filed a resolution seeking a Senate review on the efficacy of Republic Act 6735, a law providing for a system of initiative and referendum amid reported efforts to gather signatures to push for an amendment to the 1987 Constitution.—Jon VIktor Cabuenas/RF, GMA Integrated News