Acting Interior Secretary Eduardo Año. /Inquirer file photo
THE DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has directed all barangay (village) chairpersons to conduct an inventory of their respective financial records as well as properties currently under their custody.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said this move is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition between outgoing and incoming barangay officials since the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections would finally push through on May 14 after two postponements.
Año warned that barangay executives, who will fail to comply with the directive, would have their names submitted to their city mayor, the Office of the Ombudsman, and Commission on Audit for investigation.
“Failure by a concerned barangay official to turnover barangay properties, financial records, documents and money accountabilities assigned to him/her or under his/her custody may be a ground for the filing of criminal charges in accordance with the Revised Penal Code, and other existing laws,” the DILG chief said in a statement.
According to Año, each barangay must establish a Barangay Inventory Team (BIT) that would be headed by the chairperson while its members would include at least two barangay councilors, the barangay secretary and treasurer, a bookkeeper or city or municipal representative, and at least two civil society organization (CSO) representatives. /