DILG to probe 10 mayors over negligence during Typhoon Ompong

THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will conduct on investigation on the possible negligence of at least 10 mayors who were allegedly missing in action as Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) battered their areas over the weekend.

DILG spokesperson and assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said the fact-finding team who will conduct the investigation will be led by Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) director.

"We are now doing a review of their performance and we are determining if there were indeed absent mayors when the typhoon came," he said.

"Local chief executives who will be found negligent will be held accountable," he added.

He said the mayors under investigation were from the CAR and Cagayan Valley, which were badly hit by Ompong, the strongest typhoon that hit the country so far this year.

According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), as or 9 a.m. Tuesday, September 18, at least 74 people were killed due to Typhoon Ompong.

Of the fatalities, 60 were from CAR, 10 from Cagayan Valley, two from Central Luzon, and one each from National Capital Region and Ilocos.

The Cordillera has the most number of persons killed, following a major landslide in Barangay Ucab in Itogon, Benguet, that buried alive hundreds of miners and their families.

Itogon, Benguet Mayor Victorio Palangdan said at least 40 people were killed in the landslide, while at least 63 are still missing. Search and retrieval operations continue.

Palangdan said they tried to evacuate the residents in the area even before the typhoon made landfall.

“Ginawa naming lahat ang dapat gawin for the pre-emptive evacuation pero inayawan nila, ayaw nilang umalis...pumalag po sila (We did everything we could to evacuate them, but they resisted),” he said.

Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr. said they are willing to take part in the investigation if the DILG will tap them.

"The DILG is currently investigating on the possible liabilities of concerned authorities. According to DILG, the area hit by the landslide was a hazard area, thus pre-emptive evacuation was necessary. The DILG will look into whether the local government's preparation was enough," he said. (SunStar Philippines)