MMDA files raps vs QC village chairs found ‘negligent’ vs illegal parking

BOODLE BONDING Newly appointed Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Thomas Orbos gets to know his men during a boodle fight at the agency’s Makati City headquarters. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) filed administrative cases against two Quezon City village chiefs for  failing to keep their streets free of illegally parked vehicles and other obstructions, thus wasting the agency’s earlier efforts to ease traffic flow.

Barangay chair Antonio Ma. Benito Calma Jr. and Clarito de Jesus, of Barangays Don Manuel and Veterans Village District 1 Area 3, respectively, face complaints in the Office of the Ombudsman for gross neglect of duty.

According to the complaints, Calma and De Jesus failed to ensure the removal of obstructions, such as illegally parked vehicles and illegal vendors and structures, from the streets in their respective areas.

MMDA officer in charge Thomas Orbos said clearing operations were held by his agency in those areas on Feb. 6 and that the barangay officials later agreed to take over the task.

But an inspection on April 7, Friday, found signs of negligence on the part of the two barangay chairs, prompting the MMDA to file the complaints later in the afternoon.

The inspection showed that the two barangays “had not complied with their obligations under the said turnover agreement,” Orbos said, stressing that his agency had spent government resources in the earlier clearing operations.

“It should have been at least the duty and obligation of the barangay, through its barangay captain, to have maintained and carried on the task of preventing obstructions from returning to their RROWs (road right of way),” the complaints read, adding:

“Such failure of the barangay to give proper attention to a required task or discharge their said duty/obligation out of their carelessness or indifference is not only pecuniarily detrimental to the MMDA, but likewise is constitutive of neglect of duty.’’

Calma and De Jesus must be “penalized to serve as examples to other public officials to be circumspect in the performance of their duties and obligations,’’ the MMDA said. -Vince F. Nonato