THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is currently investigating a female officer assigned in Mauban, Quezon regarding a complaint filed by three barangay captains of the municipality accusing her of graft.

Investigated is Reyza Enriquez – Lagar, a DILG officer serving as Municipal Local Government Operation Officer (MLGOO) in Mauban.

Acting on the complaint, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos has instructed Undersecretary for Local Government Marlo Iringan to respond on the letter request of the barangay officials who are asking for the removal of Lagar from their municipality over alleged abuses.

According to Iringan, the complaint has already been forwarded to the DILG-Region IV-A and he was just awaiting for the investigation report where he would base his recommendation to DILG Abalos.

The DILG, he added, will summon Lagar and give her the due process to answer all the allegations against her before handing down the decision.

In a letter to Abalos, around 20 barangay officials composed of chairmen, treasurers and secretaries have accused Lagar of malpractices to include illegal collections of money using unauthorized receipts that hamper the operations of the barangays.

Three barangay heads, Lani Maroto, Dante Almacen and Danilo Pastrana have also filed graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman and administrative cases.

The barangay heads accused Lagar of collecting huge fees by issuing fake or unauthorized receipts for alleged venues where she made a series of compulsory seminars.

Lagar, according to the complainants, has also implemented policies to submit to her office “for review” the Barangay Budget Ordinance before they are allowed to submit the same for review to the Municipal Budget Officer and the Sangguniang Bayan.

The DILG municipal officer reportedly ordered the barangay treasurer not to use the budget pending review by her office.

The complainants said that Lagar’s policies contradicts that of the Local Government Code which mandates that Barangay Budget Ordinance is effective upon the signing of the barangay chairman where it can be immediately used for the year intended.

Lagar was appointed by the DILG in Mauban, Quezon July last year.

During yesterday’s Pangbayang Liga ng mga Barangay (PLB) meeting attended by 40 barangay heads of Mauban, Quezon, MLGOO Lagar reportedly challenged the complainants to do their best and make it sure they succeed in removing her from the post.