ARMM guv warns non-performing LCEs

COTABATO CITY – Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Thursday warned about imposing sanctions on absentee and non-performing local chief executives.The warning came after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who serves as Martial Law administrator in Mindanao, ordered a closer monitoring of local chief executives in Mindanao.The order was specified in Martial Law Instruction No. 1 that Lorenzana issued on Monday, January 8.Lorenzana said the absence of local chief executives, some cases, results in the 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 individuals to join rebel, or extremist groups, Lorenzana said.Hataman said Lorenzana’s order will help determine who among the local chief executives are not performing their mandate. Magkakaalaman na, he said in a press briefing Thursday.Martial Law was first declared on May 23 last year, after fighting erupted in Marawi City. Even with the fighting in Marawi declared over, military and police intelligence sources claimed that extremist groups were still recruiting new members in various parts in Mindanao.Last month, lawmakers, upon the recommendation of the security sector, voted to extend Martial Law for a 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 the monitoring of the 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 Office of the Martial Law Administrator, the instruction letter noted.In the past weeks, Hataman has been going around the five-province ARMM to check on the implementation of government projects. This time, he said, he will also be making unannounced visits to towns to check on the presence of local chief executives. These local chief executives were voted by the people. They should be in their offices, he said. (Bureau of Public Information)