Close monitoring of LGUs

PRESENCE & DELIVERY --- ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman announcing  the necessary steps in tracking closely  the presence of  local chief executives of the different towns and cities in the region” and the delivery of public services in compliance with Martial Law Instructions No. 01, Series of 2018. (BUREAU OF PUBLIC INFORMATION – ARMM / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

COTABATO CITY --- Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) pronounced during “Tapatan sa ARMM” last January 11 that the regional autonomous government is going to closely monitor the presence of the local chief executives (LCE’s) of the different towns and cities in the region and the delivery of public services.

This move came after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who serves as Martial Law administrator in Mindanao, ordered a closer monitoring of local chief executives in Mindanao as specified in Martial Law Instruction No. 1 which was issued last January 8.

Portion of the instruction includes: "The Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and other law enforcement agencies are hereby directed to coordinate with and assist the Provincial Governor and the ARMM Regional Governor in monitoring the presence of the Local Chief Executives in the municipalities and cities in areas covered by the Martial Law."

Following this move, Governor Hataman warned of imposing sanctions on absentee and non-performing local chief executives.

“We will strictly abide by this directive and are looking at the possibility of enlisting the support of the civil society organizations,” Governor Hataman said.

Lorenzana said the absence of local chief executives in some cases “results in the total failure in the delivery of vital basic services to their constituents.”

“This situation presents a very serious concern as the lack of basic services leads to a general dissatisfaction with government, which has been determined to be one of the leading causes for individuals to join rebel or extremist groups,” Lorenzana said.

Hataman said Lorenzana’s order will help determine who among the local chief executives are not performing their mandate.

Martial Law was first declared on May 23 last year after fighting erupted in Marawi City. Even with the fighting in Marawi declared over, military and police intelligence sources claimed that extremist groups are still recruiting new members in various parts of Mindanao.

Last month, lawmakers, upon the recommendation of the security sector, voted to extend Martial Law for a year.

Lorenzana’s instructions also noted that the military, the police, and other law enforcement agencies should assist the ARMM governor and provincial chief executives in the monitoring of local government executives’ presence in their areas.

“At the end of each month, regular compliance and evaluation reports are to be consolidated at the provincial level and submitted to the Office of the Martial Law Administrator,” the instruction letter noted.

In the past weeks, Hataman has been going around the five-province ARMM to check on the implementation of government projects. This time, he said, he will also be making “unannounced” visits to towns to check on the presence of local chief executives.

“These local chief executives were voted by the people. They should be in their offices,” he said. (GILMHAR A. LAO WITH BUREAU OF PUBLIC INFORMATION-ARMM / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)