Arrested Naga village councilor faces 3 admin cases before Ombudsman

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA 7) filed three administrative cases against a barangay official in the City of Naga, southern Cebu before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2022.

Barangay Mainit, City of Naga Councilor Renante Chiong was arrested inside his house during an anti-illegal drugs operation last Aug. 23.

PDEA 7 agents recovered several packets of shabu inside his room.

According to Leia Alcantara, PDEA 7 information officer, they charged Chiong with violating Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; grave misconduct; and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service.

If the anti-graft office finds Chiong guilty, he may face penalties that include dismissal and perpetual disqualification to hold any public office, among others.

“The purpose is to hold him accountable for his violations, especially because he is a public official. As an elected official, he is supposed to set a good example for his constituents. Because of what happened, he ended up setting a negative example,” Alcantara said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

Chiong is already facing criminal cases in court with the shabu recovered from his house being used as evidence.

However, Chiong pleaded guilty to the charges and said he was ready to serve jail time.

Chiong had pointed to Mainit Barangay Captain Maria Evelyn Sayson Lascano for masterminding his arrest after she found out that he was planning to charge her before the anti-graft office over alleged anomalous transactions in the barangay.

Lascano denied the accusations, saying she couldn’t do that to him since she considered Chiong a good friend.