Palace wants mayors missing in action fired

MANILA, Philippines — The mayors who were “missing in action” when Typhoon Ompong ravaged their towns should be fired for apparent inaction, presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday.

“It is but right to fire those who did not make themselves visible during the typhoon, because in weather conditions that are caso fortuito, we expect that our local governments will be on top of their constituencies,” he said in Filipino.

Roque issued the statement after the Department of the Interior and Local Government ordered a probe on 10 “absentee” mayors at the height of the typhoon.

“They should not be the first ones to hide or go on vacation. The reason why they were elected is for them to provide leadership in times of need,” he said.

The DILG is validating reports that at least 10 municipal mayors in Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were absent during the onslaught of Ompong (Mangkhut).

Interior Undersecretary for peace and order Bernardo Florece Jr. said local chief executives (LCEs) found liable for absenteeism and negligence of duty may be sanctioned with administrative cases.

Based on the DILG’s Operation Listo protocols, LCEs whose local government units (LGUs) fall under the alpha (low-risk), bravo (medium-risk) and charlie (high-risk) areas during typhoons are mandated to undertake necessary critical preparedness actions as part of disaster preparations.

DILG spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the names of the municipal/city mayors could not be divulged at the moment as the department is still reviewing their performances vis-à-vis the Operation Listo protocols.

“The department doesn’t want trial by publicity so the actual names of erring mayors will be released after the investigation is complete,” he said.

Mayors who will be proven negligent or remiss in doing their duty, especially as chairpersons of their respective local disaster risk reduction and management council, need to explain or justify in writing within the prescribed period why no disciplinary action shall be taken against them, Malaya said.

‘Go hard on the mayors’

As this developed, senators yesterday urged the government to go hard on the mayors being probed.

In separate interviews, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the 10 mayors were reportedly in Manila at the height of the weather disturbance.

“The mayors should be held to account. Why were they in Manila when their provinces were battered? To me, that is gross neglect and they should be investigated,” Drilon said.

Lacson said it appeared that the LCEs were negligent and insensitive since the weather agencies have been giving daily advisories on the approaching typhoon.

“Unless it’s a life and death situation, for me it’s (absence) not justified,” he said.

The senator said he is leaving it up to the DILG to determine the sanctions it wants to impose on the mayors.

No travel authority?

Meanwhile, the mayors and other local government officials under investigation will also face another investigation for leaving their posts without travel authority.

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said no mayor from his province applied for and secured travel authority from the Office of the Governor as provided by the Local Government Code.

“When going out of your jurisdiction, local government officials should secure travel authority or file leave of absence, whether the trip is an official or private affair,” he said.

Reports had it that a day before Ompong hit the province, Cagayan’s vice governor, some mayors, vice mayors and provincial board members were being given a tour of Malacañang.

Under Section 96 (permission to leave station) of the Local Government Code, provincial, city, municipal and barangay appointive officials going on official travel shall apply and secure written permission from their respective LCEs before departure.

“The application shall specify the reasons for such travel, and the permission shall be given or withheld based on considerations of public interest, financial capability of the local government unit concerned and urgency of the travel,” the Code stated.

Mamba said he did not sign any travel authority for any of the local government officials.

“It’s a mandate of the Local Government Code,” he said, adding that he is now consulting the legal office for possible sanction to be taken against the mayors if evidence warrants.

“It is very important for the mayors to be in their locality during calamity. Hahanapin ka ng constituents, media at iba pang sectors during a calamity (Your constituents, the media and other sectors will look for you during a calamity),” he added.

What happened “is a very good learning experience for all of us,” according to Mamba.

“As early as Sept. 8, when the storm was still over Guam, I forewarned the mayors because we could already see that there would be a strong typhoon,” he said in Filipino.

He added that Cagayan locals were aware of the impact of a strong typhoon after their experience with super typhoon Lawin (Haima) in 2016 so that from then on, the people in the province have become afraid of the devastation caused by such a weather disturbance.

Mamba also pointed out that the mayors should have implemented preemptive evacuation of residents in areas that would be hit by Ompong.

He said he needs to take action against the mayors or he himself will be liable for negligence.

“Of course, I’ll be negligent if I won’t conduct the investigation. It’s hard to gloss over misdeeds. Let’s correct the wrongdoing so it won’t happen again,” he said.

Mamba said classes in Cagayan have resumed in all levels days after the typhoon battered the province, destroying 10,528 houses and damaging hundred others. – With Paolo Romero, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Emmanuel Tupas