Barangay officers accused of trying to close down lugaw resto to face 'sanctions'

The barangay captain of Muzon in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan vowed to "discipline" his staff members who reportedly threatened to close down a rice porridge restaurant  that was dragged into a now viral "lugaw video."

In a Facebook video, Muzon chairman Marciano Gatchalian presented two barangay officers - Rudy Bernardino and Tomohiro Aoki - accused of harassing "Lugaw Pilipinas" while serving what news reports claimed was a supposed "closure order" for the business establishment.

The news reports quoted delivery rider Marvin Ignacio as saying the closure order was suspicious because it did not look like an original copy and that it was served during curfew hours Thursday night.

Ignacio, who was present when the supposed closure order was being served at the establishment, was the delivery rider who earlier went viral after he caught on video another Barangay Muzon officer, Phez Raymundo, barring him from delivering lugaw to a customer.

Apologizing for the acts of his subordinates, barangay chair Gatchalian vowed to hand down sanctions for the incident.

"Asahan po ninyo na bilang ama ng Barangay Muzon ay sisikapin ko pong magampanan ang lahat ng mga bagay na aking gagawin at particular na po itong sa disiplina sa pag-uugali at sa tamang approach ng mga tao sa pakikipag-usap," he said.

(As the father of Barangay Muzon, I will fulfill my duties, particularly on the discipline and right attitude and approach when dealing with people.)

 "At maipakita rin po sa kanilang lahat na dito ay walang pinipili sa pag-iimplimenta ng pagdidispilina. Lahat po ay hindi ko kokonsintihin basta may nagawang pagkakamali. Alam po nila lahat iyan," he added.

(And to show them anyone can be meted with disciplinary actions. I won't tolerate wrongdoing. Everyone here knows that.)

He did not elaborate on the type of sanctions to be handed down. 

Gatchalian also said: "Sana po ay mapagbigyan at mapatawad niyo na po kami sa aming pagkukulang at pagkakamali (We ask for your forgiveness for our shortcomings and mistake)."

In the same Facebook video, Bernardino and Aoki said they were ready to face sanctions.

"Asahan niyo pong hindi na po ito mauulit. Haharapin po namin kung ano ang ibibigay na kaparusahan sa amin ng aming kapitan," Aoki said.

The two apologized for the incident and said it was not their intention to hurt anyone.

"Doon po sa nangyari na parang harassment po ang nakita nila ay pasensya na po dahil wala po kaming intensyon na sila ay harassin o masaktan. Ang gusto lang po namin ay maibigay yung papel para may kopya sila," Aoki said.

Meanwhile, Raymundo also apologized to Ignacio and the netizens who got offended when she wrongly declared lugaw as a non-essential food item.

Raymundo would later be corrected by the Palace which clarified that lugaw or any other food items bought via food delivery services are essential and whose movement should not be hampered during the enhanced community quarantine within the National Capital Region Plus bubble.

Prior to her apology, Raymundo had stood by her decision not to let the delivery rider through during the curfew. -MDM, GMA News