Sanctions mulled on absentee, non-performing local executives

COTABATO CITY: Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Friday warned that sanctions will be imposed on absentee and non-performing local chief executives.

Lorenzana, martial law administrator in Mindanao, ordered a closer monitoring of local chief Instruction No. 1 he issued on January 8.

Lorenzana said the absence of local chief executives, “[ in] some cases, results in 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 people to join rebel or extremist groups,” he said.

The directive also asked Hataman to watch the ARMM provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in mainland Mindanao and in the islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

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

Martial law was declared in Mindanao on May

military and police intelligence sources claimed that extremist groups were still recruiting members in various parts of the region.

Last month, lawmakers, upon the recommendation of the security sector, voted to extend martial law for one 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 monitoring 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 letter noted.

In the past weeks, Hataman has been going implementation of the government projects.