MANILA, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is not only apprehending vehicle owners who park their cars illegally, they are also suing local officials who let these drivers and car owners get away with it.

MMDA filed supplementary complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday, April 10, against two barangay chairmen in Parañaque and Quezon City who did not act on the agency’s reports and recommendations against parking violators.

Captains Michael Philip Factor of Barangay Don Galo, Parañaque City, and Elmer Maturan of Barangay Bagumbayan, Quezon City, face administrative charges of gross neglect of duty for their “unresponsiveness, apathy or inaction.”

These came after two earlier complaints of similar nature were filed on August 7, 2016, against village captains Antonio Benito Calma Jr of Barangay Don Manuel, Quezon City, and Clarito de Jesus of Barangay Veterans Village, also of QC.

In the complaint-affidavits filed on Monday, MMDA said Factor and Maturan requested their assistance to clear the sidewalks and roads in their areas of vehicles. MMDA said they did their part in towing illegally parked vehicles, but turned over the responsibility to the barangay chairmen to prevent a repeat of the same offense.

An inspection, however, showed that vehicles returned to the same sidewalks.

The MMDA said the barangay officials should be held liable for their “carelessness or indifference.”

MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said the agency had been very lenient when it comes to illegal parking, noting that there’s even a warning given to residents so they could avoid getting their vehicles towed. 

“After so many clearing operations ipapasa na natin sa barangay chairman ang report, stating that we are now turning the responsibility to you kasi area mo naman ‘yun. Then mayroon tayong surveillance team, after a month babalikan natin. Unfortunately, up to the last minute, kahapon, kanina talaga pong may mga illegally parked pa rin, meaning hindi nila ginagawa ‘yung napag-usapan,” Pialago said.

(After so many clearing operations, we submit a report to the barangay chairman, stating that the responsibility is now theirs because that’s their area. We have a surveillance team that goes back to the area after a month. But unfortunately, up to the last minute, yesterday and earlier today, vehicles were still illegally parked, meaning the chairman did not do what he was supposed to.)

According to the MMDA, reports and recommendations are on their way to barangay chairmen in Makati City and Manila, which would soon be the subject of surveillance. If they find that the local officials there also fail to apprehend violators, they would also be slapped with the same complaint.

“The act of the said barangay captain should not be countenanced but must be penalized to serve as example to other public officials to be circumspect in the performance of their duties and obligations,” the MMDA says in their complaint. – Rappler.com