Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya on Wednesday said that the 10 “missing in action’’ mayors during the height of super typhoon “Rolly’’ were given five days to submit their written explanations after being issued show cause orders last November 3.
In an interview over ABS-CBN News, Malaya did not identify the mayors but noted that they are from Region 8, Region 5, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Central Luzon and the National Capital Region.
He explained that their identities cannot be revealed yet as part of due process.
“You want to give them an opportunity to reply. Baka naman nagkamali ‘yong report sa atin ng ating mga tao sa baba. (The report given by our men in the field might have been erroneous),” Malaya said.
Should the filing of administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman holds ground, Malaya said the mayors could face negligence, dereliction of duty, grave or simple misconduct “based on the extent of failure to perform their duties as assessed by DILG."
Malaya said the report from the DILG field men and the police served as basis for the issuance of the show cause orders.
Under the DILG’s “Oplan Listo,” local chief executives are required to perform supervisory duties before, during and after disasters which required their presence in their respective turfs.
The tasks of the LCE include the convening of the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), prepositioning of relief packs, and setting up of evacuation centers to achieve the goal of zero casualties as much as possible.
Malaya clarified that the mayors are not required to be in the municipal or city hall office waiting for the disaster to come.
He noted that they should be in their respective towns or cities where the DRRMO or their constituents can run to them during emergency cases.
The DILG is in close contact with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and other concerned agencies to provide the needed assistance to the LGUs.
With the depleted funds of some LGUs due to COVID-19, Malaya advised the said localities specifically the third and fourth class municipalities to pass a resolution requesting financial augmentation from the NDRRMC.
“The Quick Response Fund, I would expect, by now, naubos na 'yun, maliban siyempre sa highly urbanized cities na madami sila pondo (I expect the Quick response Fund to have dried up by now except for the the highly urbanized cities with sufficient funds),’’ he added.
And at the same time, Malaya said the DILG is coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to provide aid to the displaced residents in the evacuation centers.