Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Usec. for Barangay Affairs Felicito Valmocina warned barangay officials against involvement in the signature campaign to amend the 1987 Constitution through People’s Initiative.

In a forum on Saturday, January 20, Valmocina said that they have a hands-off policy regarding the People’s Initiative in charter change (cha-cha), emphasizing that there was no instruction to the local government units to be involved in cha-cha as the DILG cannot interfere with that.

He added that if a barangay official is gathering signatures from the people, there will be a violation as a consequence, encouraging the public to report the involved barangay officials participating in the Cha-cha signature campaign.

Valmocina also assured that once there is a complaint regarding the signature drive, their office will surely act and validate the complaints received.

The DILG official clarified that the warning he gave to the barangay officials was his personal take on the matter, not reflecting DILG’s official position.