■ RUPINTA ENDORSES 2 NAMES TO SERVE AS ACTING CHIEF OF BARANGAY ERMITA, CEBU CITY

Although he has two people in mind to be his temporary successor once his preventive suspension takes effect, Ermita, Cebu City Barangay Captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta refused to name them. However, he said he forwarded his recommendation directly to the Office of the President after Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino asked for it. Mayor Tomas Osmeña has recommended SPO1 Adonis Dumpit, former councilor Jun Pe and Tejero Barangay Captain Jessielou Cadungog to sit down as Ermita’s barangay captain after the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas placed Rupinta and seven barangay councilors under preventive suspension for six months after they allegedly failed to cooperate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency during a drug raid last November.

Is Dumpit allowed to be the acting barangay captain even if he is still serving as policeman? And the others, are they allowed? ERMITA BARANGAY CAPTAIN FELICISIMO RUPINTA

Ermita, Cebu City Barangay Captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta endorsed two persons to serve as acting village chief once his preventive suspension takes effect.

This, after Mayor Tomas Osmeña recommended SPO1 Adonis Dumpit, former councilor Jun Pe and Tejero Barangay Captain Jessielou Cadungog to sit down as acting barangay captain of Ermita.

Rupinta said yesterday that his recommendation was forwarded to the Office of the President after Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino asked for it.

Although he refused to name them as of the moment, Rupinta said the two are residents of Ermita who are capable of supervising the barangay. One of them is a businessman and the other is an urban poor group leader.

“If the president will choose either of the two, I’m sure they can well manage the barangay because they’re from Ermita and they know what’s the problem of the barangay,” he told SunStar Cebu.

When sought to comment about Osmeña picks, Rupinta said Ermita doesn’t need someone who is not from the barangay.

“Is Dumpit allowed to be the acting barangay captain even if he is sti ll serving as policeman? And the others, are they allowed? Most of the time, it will be the people from DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) who will take over,” he said.

Rupinta said Cadungog, who is the barangay captain of Tejero, should clean up first the illegal drug problems in his area before supervising another barangay.

Rupinta said the problem on illegal drugs in his barangay has been partially addressed already.

The Ombudsman-Visayas has placed Rupinta and seven councilors under preventive suspension for six months after they allegedly failed to cooperate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency during a drug raid last November 6.