The chairman of Barangay Canagahan San Remegio, Cebu raised the eyebrows of the netizens after she made disrespectful remarks against her own chief executive, President Rodrigo Duterte.
On March 18, Barangay Captain Nicole Cambal criticized President Rodrigo Duterte after the latter asked the chairman of their respective places to take care of their constituents during the period of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Cambal in a now-deleted Facebook post said that President Rodrigo Duterte is making the barangay chairman as a “scapegoat” for being responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
She claimed that the national government didn’t allocate enough resources to the barangays, including Canagahan.
The chairman said that her barangay doesn’t have enough funds to fight COVID-19.
“Saying that keeping the COVID-19 virus under control is our job and if we fail to keep the virus under control, it’s our fault because we are tamad! Hello mister president, with that resources have you provided our office in order to contain this pandemic? Anyway please stop using us as a scapegoat,” Cambal said.
“Your administration has handled this issue poorly, don’t blame us. ALSO AS BARANGAY CAPTAIN, I HAVE CANCELLED MY ASSEMBLY AND FIESTA. NO FUNERAL GATHERINGS NO ONE IN THE COCKPITS. THERE. WITH NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO CONDUCT PROPER HEALTH INSPECTION. THIS IS ALL I CAN DO,” she added.
When President Rodrigo Duterte said that he’s going after irresponsible Barangay Captains, Cambal dared the chief executive to come to her place.
“Hala sige Duterte come to my barangay,” she said.
She also complained how poor is her barangay, and how Duterte gave more problem to her.
“Poor na poor na nga ang barangay ko tapos now this President is causing dispute within my constitutents g*go giving me more problems,” she said.
After her public post has gone viral, Nicole Cambal deactivated her Facebook account and other social media pages.
One Facebook page described Cambal as a “role model” who aside from doing her job as a Barangay Captain, was also serving the community through a literacy foundation.
“Even with her busy schedule, Nicole takes care of herself by working out regularly, eating well, and maintaining great hair. Her hair transformation to fifty shades of gray remains one of our favorites!” MIRA Beauty by Design wrote.
On March 12, President Duterte ordered all Barangay captains to take care of their constituents or else face charges and dismissal.
“Especially the barangay captains and the kagawads. You have been elected there. You sought the position. Hindi naman tayo — pinili natin ‘to eh. Nobody ordered us for us to be to where we find ourselves now. At tapos tatamad-tamaran ka. That’s not the way how to do it. One is you go to… If there’s a case — a good case against you, you lose the position and you are dismissed. And maybe in the worst-case scenario, you will be detained. Better be always be reminded of that duty. Pinili mo ‘yan. Huwag kang magtamad-tamaran kasi matatamaan ka. Ginusto mo ‘yang position, magtrabaho ka,”
We are asking the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) about their comments on Cambal’s criticisms against President Rodrigo Duterte, but they’re still not responding to our letter.