16 mayors asked to explain absence during ‘Ompong’ onslaught

A TOTAL of 16 mayors from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Cagayan Valley were asked by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to explain their absence when their localities were being battered by Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) over the weekend.

DILG spokesperson and assistant secretary Jonathan Malaya said nine of the mayors were from Cagayan Valley, while the others were from CAR.

Malaya refused to identify the mayors pending investigation on the matter.

He said the mayors received a show cause order signed by DILG Undersecretary for peace and order Bernardo Florece Jr. and they were given five days to explain.

The provinces in CAR and Cagayan were among the areas badly affected by the typhoon, with over a million of people evacuated.

In its update, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the number of fatalities from Typhoon Ompong has increased to 95, with 79 from CAR and 10 from Cagayan Valley.

Malaya said on September 14, Friday, a day before Ompong made landfall, that the DILG issued an order for all the mayors to be present in their respective areas in order to ensure immediate government response, as they also aim for “zero casualties.”

“Since they are elected public officials, we assure them that they will be given due process but if the investigation comes to the conclusion that they have been negligent or derelict in the performance of their duties, we will not hesitate to recommend appropriate sanctions against them,” he said.

Malaya also noted that under the Local Government Code, an elective local official may be disciplined, suspended, or removed from office for gross negligence, dereliction of duty, or misconduct in office.

He added that under Republic Act 10121 (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010), the Local Chief Executive is head of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Council and directly controls the DRRM Office of their respective LGUs.

“The mayor also has the duty to carry out such emergency measures as may be necessary during and in the aftermath of man-made and natural disasters and calamities under the Local Government Code,” Malaya said.

“The DILG also has Oplan Listo protocols that mayors are required to undertake before, during, and after any calamity,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)