DUMPIT
Despite spending a good part of his professional life in field duty, SPO1 Adonis Dumpit wouldn’t mind hitting the streets anew, this time as a barangay chairman.
“It’s okay I guess. If it would be approved by the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Governments), I can’t do anything about it. I will wait just in case my name gets picked up,” Dumpit said in Cebuano.
Dumpit referred to last week’s statement by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña that he and two others were being considered for the post of acting Barangay Ermita chairperson.
The other two were former city councilor Augustus Pe and incumbent Barangay Tejero chairperson Jessilou Cadungog.
An amused Dumpit questioned how he can even be considered for the post when he wasn’t even promoted to SPO2 yet.
“Wa pa gani ko na-promote pagka-SPO2, ma-kapitan na ko pananglitan (I haven’t been promoted to SPO2 yet now suddenly I’m being considered as barangay chairman),” the police officer said in jest.
Dumpit said he would only wait on the DILG decision since he cannot do anything about it. “It’s only six months,” he said.
Dumpit was reinstated to the police force last year after being detained several years for the shooting of an underage robbery suspect in 2004.
His release came after a court lowered the murder charges filed against him to homicide. Incumbent Barangay Ermita chairman Felicisimo Rupinta and several Barangay Ermita officials were issued a six-month preventive suspension on orders of the Ombudsman.
They were under investigation for failing to cooperate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in last November’s raid of a drug den in their area.
DILG Regional Director Rene Burdeos said the names Osmeña recommended have yet to be submitted to their Manila office.
“Anyway, that is just a recommendation. The final choice will depend on the President or his authorized representative. Let’s just give him (Osmeña) the privilege of recommending,” he said.
Burdeos said there is no definite provision under the Local Government Code as to who can be appointed as acting barangay chairperson.