DILG: 24 local officials under probe over foreign trips amid Uwan

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday said 24 local officials, mostly mayors, are under investigation over their foreign trips amid the onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan. 

“Under investigation ngayon ang 24 na umalis na local chief executives. Despite the directive, umalis sila November 9 to 15,” Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla told Dobol B TV in an interview. 

(The 24 local chief executives who left are now under investigation. Despite the directive, they left November 9 to 15.)

In case of national emergency, Remulla noted that municipal mayors and councilors need to ask permission from the DILG for their travels abroad. 

“Dati po kasi basta municipal mayors pababa hanggang councilors ay sa governor lang sila magpapaalam or sa mayor. In this case of national emergency, lahat po yan ay magre-report back to the DILG,” he said. 

(Before, municipal mayors down to councilors would only report to the governor or the mayor. In this case of national emergency, all of them will report back to the DILG.)

Asked about the local officials who already left the country before the DILG ordered to cancel their foreign trips amid Uwan, Remulla pointed out that there are clear-cut laws on the matter. 

“Ayan ang kailangan nilang ipaliwanag kasi clear-cut guidelines yan. Kung nagtanong sila sa local DILG—malamang hindi sila nagtanong—sasabihin sa kanila yung mga ganyang klaseng requirements,” he said. 

(That's what they need to explain because those are clear-cut guidelines. If they asked the local DILG—they probably didn't—they would have been told those kinds of requirements.)

“It is their moral duty to be cognizant of the approaching calamities. Lahat naman tayo na nanonood ng balita, lahat tayo (nagbabasa) ng dyaryo, lahat tayo na nakikita sa internet, alam naman natin yung parating,” he added.

(It is their moral duty to be cognizant of the approaching calamities. All of us who watch the news, all of us who read the newspaper, all of us who see it on the internet, we know what is coming.)

These actions of local officials may be considered as gross insubordination, abandonment of duty, among others, according to Remulla.

Nine officials including eight mayors and a Sangguniang Panlalawigan member in Cebu Province had scheduled foreign trips to the United Kingdom for November. Most of them were scheduled to depart November 1.

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro received and signed the documents of the officials in September. 

While all of the nine officials received authority to travel from the governor, four of them did not receive an approved foreign travel authority from the DILG’s portal. 

One of the nine officials canceled his foreign trip.

Asked about the two governors in Cagayan Valley who reportedly left the country during Uwan’s onslaught, Remulla said they asked permission from the DILG so they are not covered by the probe. 

“Yung dalawa po yun ay nagpaalam sa akin na umalis po sila ng November 8 bago namin nilabas ang directive November 9 at saka wala pang state of national emergency noon. Hindi po (sila covered ng investigation) dahil nagpaalam naman po sila,” he said. 

(Those two informed me that they left on November 8 before we issued the directive on November 9 and there was no state of national emergency at that time. They are not covered by the investigation because they informed me.)

On November 8, the DILG announced that it has ordered all elective and appointive local officials to cancel and suspend foreign travel from November 9 to 15 as the country braces for the impact of Uwan.

Remulla emphasized that governors, mayors, barangay captains, and other local officials must lead on the ground. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News