Abalos orders Liga ng Barangay board to follow court order

Following an extended Temporary Restraining Order issued by Tacloban Regional Trial Court against the Liga ng Barangay National Executive Board, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos ordered the board's members to observe the court ruling.

Abalos directed the Liga ng mga Barangay National Executive Board to cease and desist from implementing Liga Memorandum Circulars 2023-01 and 2023-02, which impose additional requirements on candidates for Liga positions on top of the minimum qualifications under the LnB's 2022 Constitution and By-Laws.

Specifically, the MCs require payment of the annual Liga dues by 31 August 2023, and failure to comply would mean ineligibility to be voted upon for Liga positions at the provincial, HUC and ICC levels.

"We already previously issued a memorandum against the assailed circulars explaining, among others, that they could have disenfranchised many barangay executives, especially the recently-elected who were supposed to vie for positions in the upcoming LNB elections. I hope that the concerned parties respect the Court's order while this issue is being settled," Abalos said.

He added that the DILG will continue to perform its duty to ensure that the actions of local government leagues conform with existing laws and issuances.

Abalos urged all concerned to comply with the TRO which was recently extended by the RTC by 17 days.