ANGELES CITY – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will likely appoint officers-in-charge for the barangay chairmanship positions that are being deemed vacant due to the postponement of October elections. The appointments will also allow the government to choose those deemed best to pursue President Duterte’s war on drugs, the president of the League of Cities of the Philippines announced Wednesday.
“…by October there will be no elections, we will allow the DILG to choose and pick the best among the best low-level politicians as OIC in their barangays,” said Angeles City mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, also president of the LCP.
In his speech during the inauguration of the “Agyu Tamu Disaster and Emergency Command Center,”, Pamintuan said the postponement of elections is made imperative by the drug problem being faced by the government.
Pamintuan said local chief executives will serve as point of reference by the DILG as “we are the ones who know who among the present barangay chairmen are fit to continue as public servants. “
Pamintuan added, “Hindi kami puwede isantabi dahil kami din naman ang tatanungin ng DILG kung sino ang magagaling na OIC Kapitan.”
Command Center against crime
Meanwhile, Pamintuan touted the P50-million command center project which he described as the ultimate solution to combat crime in the metropolis. He said the main headquarters is equipped with high-definition security cameras installed in strategic locations within downtown areas.
“The command center is operating 24/7 and its camera is high definition that can penetrate even heavily tinted vehicles,” Pamintuan revealed.
The command center, Pamintuan said, is part of the first phase of the Smart City project on a par with the most modern and highly urbanized cities in the world.
Pamintuan thanked businessman Dennis Uy for his support of the project.
Built by the Converge ICT Solutions, Inc., the Angeles City command center is the first of its kind in Central Luzon.
