There is no need to lodge charges against former Manila mayor Joseph Estrada for his supposed inability to hand over transition papers to his successor, said Friday Isko Moreno, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

A fact-finding inquiry undertaken by the DILG-National Capital Region discovered that the relevant papers were approved on June 28 by Estrada’s transition team to the DILG Field Office in Manila. The DILG Field Office, on July 2, 2019, forwarded the documents to the new city administrator.

The approval of the papers to the DILG Field Office occurred after the June 28 turnover ceremony was not pushed through due to the lack of Estrada’s transition team.

Instead, according to Malaya, Alcovendaz approved the transition papers to DILG City Director Atty Rolynne Javier on the afternoon of the same day after the incoming Secretary’s employees refused to receive the records.

Based on the fact-finding study of the DILG-NCR, Estrada released Executive Order No. 7 of 1 April 2019 establishing the City of Manila Local Governance Transition Team.

The study added that the turnover ceremony was delayed to June 28, but Estrada’s transition team did not show up on that day.

Earlier, the DILG mulled charges against Estrada if it is proved that there was negligence on the part of the former mayor to hand over files.

On March 13, 2019 DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año issued Memorandum Circular No. 2019-39, which called for the creation of local government transition teams and the turnover of documents and inventory of properties to new local chief executives.

The team convened on May 22, May 29, and May 31 when they met with Mayor Moreno’s transition team to discuss document turnover and decided on the June 21 turnover ceremony.