100 Kanlaon evacuees 'flee' Negros Occidental evacuation center
BACOLOD CITY – Vice Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan confirmed on Monday, June 30, that 37 families or 100 persons affected by Kanlaon Volcano left the evacuation center in La Castellana, Negros Occidental without the consent of the local government unit.
MANGILIMUTAN
A video showing some individuals riding a truck circulated on social media on Monday morning, causing concern to authorities.
Mangilimutan said that these evacuees were among the 76 families or 207 individuals temporarily sheltered at the La Castellana National High School Senior High School.
She said that those who left the evacuation center were from Barangay Cabagna-an who decided to return home amid the prohibition due to the proximity of their residences within the six-kilometer Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) around the Kanlaon Volcano.
She said they have informed the provincial government about the incident, but gave the decision to the local government to decide on the matter.
The vice mayor said that barangay officials tried to stop them to go home, but they resisted and even threatened to stage a rally.
She said that the truck driver was supposed to fetch his family when some of the evacuees also rode the vehicle.
Mangilimutan said that the Incident Management Team is meeting to discuss the matter.
Two weeks ago, about 1,000 evacuees from school-based evacuation centers in the town decamped to give way for the resumption of in-person classes.
But there are people who are still occupying evacuation centers or temporary designated spaces, especially those living within the six-kilometer EDZ.