MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – If drugs can’t be cleared, you should resign.

This was the message of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno to the capital’s barangay officials as he presented some 35 drug suspects inside city hall on Monday, August 5.

“If they are not doing their job there is no point for them to be barangay officials. They should resign, ” a furious Moreno said.

Asked if he would recommend for their dismissal through the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Moreno said yes.

Moreno was reacting to barangay officials of the infamous Baseco Compound for contesting his claim that the area is a haven of guns and illegal drugs.

Out of the 35 suspects presented on Monday, August 5, 9 were captured from Baseco Compound.

To this, Moreno responded by going back to repeated reports of drug seizures in the compound, saying, “inutil yung mga barangay offical sa Baseco, or kung hindi sila inutil, tumatanggap sila (the barangay officials in Baseco are useless, if they are not useless, they take drug money).” 

Moreno argued drugs would not proliferate if barangay officials were working.

“You were well informed by memo, by rules, or even by law. It is your moral obligation as barangay official to keep your community clean of illegal drugs or illegal activities,” Moreno said. – Rappler.com